The Ultimate Enemy Will Fall

Isaiah 14

Sermon Notes:

1) The True People of God, 1-11

2) The True Enemy of God’s People, 3-20

3) The True End of the Enemy, 20-23

4) The True Purpose of God, 24-27

5) The True Home for the Wandering, 28-32

Reflection questions:

1. Some think Isaiah 14:1-2 is a preview of Isaiah 40-66. Read Isaiah 40. What themes do you see from Is 14:1-2 that are reflected in this chapter?

2. Who do you think of when you read Is 14:12-15? (Compare and contrast with Revelation 12:8-12) What God-opposing sins do you see in this passage? Can you see the seeds of those sins in your own heart at times? (Robert Murray McCheyne: “The seed of every sin known to man is in my heart.”)

3. Read Isaiah 14:30a, 32. How are these verses comforting? Compare to Revelation 21:3-4; 22:1-5.

Why is the Destruction of Babylon Good News for God’s People?

Isaiah 13

Sermon Notes:

1) The Day of the Lord is Near, no matter who you are or when you live, 1-6, 22b

2) The Day of the Lord displays God’s anger against unrepentant sin, 6-16

3) The Day of the Lord displays God’s Sovereignty over good and evil, 1-3, 17 (cf Is. 10:5- 15; 14:1-2)

4) The Day of the Lord will humble Babylon and all her prideful imitators, 11, 17-22

Reflection questions:

1. Why was it important for Israel to know that a particular foreign nation was going to be defeated? What was the state of Israel’s army at this time? See Isaiah 7:1-2, which may have been several years before Isaiah 13.

2. Why was Israel experiencing such bad fortune in the realm of war and geopolitical struggles? See Isaiah 9:13-14, as well 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4.

3. Was the Day of the Lord good news or bad news? Was it good new for some, not for others?

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Isaiah 12

Sermon Notes:

1) The Song of Salvation, 1-2

2) The Well of Salvation, 3

3) The Heralds of Salvation, 4-6

Reflection questions:

1. What are reasons that you have to trust (v2) in God and not be afraid? Biblical reasons? Personal, experiential reasons?

2. Is your experience of salvation a deep well (v3; Rom. 11:33-36), an overflowing cup (Ps 23:5), or a glass that’s half-empty? Cf. Psalm 51:12.

3. Do you naturally want to tell others about the great deeds of God(vv4-5)? Have you noticed how a motivation to testify, tell, or evangelize is connected to a knowledge of God’s holiness? (See Is 12:4-6 and 1 Peter 3:14-15)

Great David's Greater Son

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon Notes:

1) The Righteous Character of the Branch, 1-5

2) The Reign of Peace of the Branch, 6-9

3) The Regathering of the Branch’s people, 10-16

Reflection questions:

1. What do you love about your home? What do you miss about previous homes? How will what you love and miss about all of your homes be fulfilled in your future home? (Read Rev. 21-22, especially 21:1-5)

2. What do the leaders in your life lack that you wish they had? Does the shoot (descendant) of Jesse (King David’s father) lack any of those things? Does he meet or exceed your desires for a leader?

3. Do you ever find yourself longing for the peace of the Branch’s kingdom (vv6- 9) without realizing that it requires the Branch’s kingship? In other words, do you find yourself longing for the blessings that will only fully arrive in heaven? Do you ever have a Holy Dissatisfaction (as the Puritans would say) with the things of this life? (Also see Psalm 120, especially v7.)

Divine Sovereignty and Assyrian Responsibility

Isaiah 10:5-34

Sermon Notes:

1) God uses evil instruments to judge His unfaithful people, 5-11

2) God sees the evil of His evil instruments, 12-19

3) As God judges His unfaithful people, God preserves a faithful remnant, 20-27

4) As God judges His unfaithful people, God also judges His evil instruments, 24-34

Reflection questions:

1. Read Habkkuk 1 (especially v.13) and Ps 73 (especially vv. 3-4, 13, 16-17). What question did Habakkuk and Asaph, the author of Ps 73, struggle with? What was their comfort?

2. Read Acts 2:23. Who killed Jesus? Whose plan was it? Who is held responsible or guilty for it? What is the solution or atonement for that guilt? (See Acts 2:36- 41.)

3. One of Isaiah’s sons (see Is 7:3) had a funny name, which meant, “A remnant shall return.” Some have pointed out that the word “return” could also be translated “repent.” Where is the comfort in knowing “a remnant shall return”? Where is the call for action in “a remnant shall repent”?

Judgment on Jerusalem

Isaiah 9:8-10:4

Sermon Notes:

What does this fire and brimstone passage teach us about God?

1) The Lord wants repentance and rest more than rebuilding, 9:8-12

• Because He gives rest – Isaiah 30:18

2) The Lord wants us to seek Him more than experts, 9:13-17

• Because He gives wisdom to those who ask – James 1:5

3) The Lord wants compassion more than contention, 9:18-21

• Because He is patient with us and wants us to reflect His patience – 2 Timothy 2:24-25

4) The Lord wants philanthropists rather than parasites, 10:1-4

• Because He lavishly gave to us – 2 Cor 8:9

A Tale of Two Sons and Two Prophecies

Isaiah 8:1-9:7

Sermon Notes:

1) Immanuel can be your hope, even in hard times, 8:1-10.

2) Immanuel can be your hope, even in lonely times, 8:11-22.

3) Immanuel can be your hope forevermore, 9:1-7.

Reflection questions:

1) Read Psalm 103:1-5. How can you “forget not all [the Lord’s] benefits?” During hard times, lonely times, and all times?

2) How has the Lord forgiven your iniquity?

3) How has He healed your diseases?

4) How has He shown you steadfast love and mercy?

Why Did Isaiah Name His Son ‘Shear-Jashub’?

Isaiah 7

Sermon Notes:

1) The Call to Believe, 1-9.

2) The Cowardice that Looks Like Belief, 10-14.

3) The Consequences of Unbelief, 13-25.

4) The Colossal Good News out of Ahaz’s Bad Unbelief, v14; Matthew 1.

Reflection questions:

1. Should Ahaz have trusted God’s Word (1, the promise to David in 2 Sam 7:16; 2, the name of Isaiah’s son; 3, the Word to stand firm from Isaiah’s mouth)? Is God’s Word reliable? See Hebrews 6:13-20, “the certainty of God’s promise,” according to the ESV editors.

2. Why did Ahaz not believe? How did he try to make his unbelief sound like a good thing? Have you ever tried to fool others or yourself by using similar words?

3. Read Matthew 1:18-25. Why would believing Gabriel and taking Mary as his wife have been an act of costly obedience (or costly faith) for Joseph?

Isaiah's Prophetic Calling and Prognosis

Isaiah 6

Sermon Notes

1) Seeing the Fullness of God’s Glory, 1-4

2) Seeing the Foul-ness of Man’s Sin, 5

3) Seeing the Forgiveness of God’s Atonement, 6-7

4)    Seeing the Forecast for God’s Prophet: Sobering, yet Sure, 8-13

Reflection questions:

1.     From Oswald Chambers: “Our soul’s personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place. … When the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?” (Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, July 13).

2.     What do you think of when you hear the phrases “remnant,” “holy seed,” “stump”? See the following passages in Isaiah to understand the promises that God, through Isaiah, gives to his holy seed or holy offspring: Isaiah 41:8; 43:5; 45:25; 53:10; 59:21; 65:9, 23; 66:22.

3.     Can the Sovereign, infinite God be known truly, accurately, and reliably, if He has revealed Himself to us in His word? If He has stooped down to our level and used “baby talk” (a la John Calvin) to communicate with us, His creations? Can the infinite God be FULLY known by finite creatures such as us? See Romans 11:33-36.

A Song of Woe to a Worthless Vineyard

Isaiah 5

Sermon Notes:

1) The Worthless Wine-yard, 1-7

2) The Warnings of Woe, 8-25

• 6 Woes (vv 8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22)

3) The Invading Warriors, 26-30

Reflection questions:

1) Have you ever read history and wondered why people back then couldn’t understand why this or that was so wrong? Consider Matthew 7:1-5 – Is it easier to see your own sin, or that of someone else?

2) Israel was rebuked for the sins of greed (v8), drunkenness (11, 22), arrogance (18-19), excusing their sin (20), conceitedness (21), and injustice in the form of accepting bribes (23) and possibly more. Do you see any of those sins in yourself? Which prayer is more fitting for you: ‘Redeem my life from the pit (Ps 103:4),’ OR, ‘Lead ME not into temptation (Mt 6:13; 1 Cor. 10:12)?’

3) Is the word “judgment” or “discipline” more appropriate for God’s actions against His people? No matter which word seems best and most Biblical, what comfort is there for God’s people when He allows unfortunate circumstances to come our way? See Hebrews 12:3-17.