Douglas Jacoby Podcast

OT Characters: Isaiah

Episode Summary

Douglas continues his series on Old Testament Characters now looking at the story of Isaiah. Douglas shares what we can learn from Isaiah’s life as well as what we can learn about God from his story. He also shares ideas for how to share this story with your kids.

Episode Notes

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Hebrew words:

• Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) Salvation of Yah(weh). 32x in the O.T., 22x in the N.T.

Qadosh -- holy. Over 60x in Isaiah alone.

Shear-Yashuv – "A remnant will return" (one of Isaiah's sons)

• Maher-shalal-chash-baz – "Quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil" (literally, "swift booty, speedy prey")
• 'Immanu'El (Immanuel) -- "With us God"

Further study:

• This lesson covered Isaiah 6:1-8, 20:1-6; and referred to in passing: 7, 37-39; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Samuel 6:22.
• Can you find the 57 citations of Isaiah in the New Testament?
• Some of the Isaianic passages suggesting God's goodness and grace:
  • 25:6 -- rich banquet
  • 27:6 – fruitfulness
  • 44:3 – outpoured Spirit
  • 44:22 – removal of sin like vanishing cloud
  • 49:15 – comparison to a mother
  • 49:16 – engraving our names on the palms of his hands
  • 30:18 – He longs to be gracious.
• Sources for the martyrdom of Isaiah, during the reign of Manasseh: the Mishnah, Justin Martyr, Ascension of Isaiah, Epiphanius; see also Hebrews 11:37.
• Isaiah certainly does not appear to be sole author. Isaiah 8:16 suggests that his disciples were also involved in the writing down of these divine messages. A parallel is found in Jeremiah 36:4 and 32. For more about the authorship of Isaiah, click here.
• Get a copy of Abraham J. Heschel's stimulating book, The Prophets (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1962).
• Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are 19 manuscripts of Isaiah. The most complete and best preserved is 1QIsa.

Some things we learn about God:

• God is glorious, awesome, holy.
• His presence is overwhelming, even terrifying.
• Those he touches and cleanses He sends to carry his message.
• He longs to be gracious to us.

For kids:

• Begin with Hebrews 11:37. Explain that the Jews believe that this is referring to death of Isaiah. Isaiah was very courageous, and obeyed God even when many others were disobeying him. What did the prophet Isaiah say that made people want to kill him?
• The book of Isaiah is very long; it has 66 chapters. Let's look at part of chapter 1. Read Isaiah 1:2-3, 11-19, about God's rebellious children, and ask some age-appropriate questions.
  • Explain that Isaiah preached to the people that they needed to obey!
    • Read v.2 -- Adults can be rebellious too, not just children. How do people rebel and disobey God? What have you seen?
    • Examples: being selfish, cheating at school, stealing, getting hooked on drugs, ruining the environment, trashing other people, being rude...
  • Talk about your pets, or about animals familiar from cartoons or movies. Which one is the smartest?
    • Read v.3. -- Sometimes animals are smarter than humans!
    • When are grown-ups not so smart?
  • Take turns pretending to pray sing a church song (have fun!), pretendingto pray (a fake prayer), pretending to preach.
    • Vv. 11-15 -- Does God need our "sacrifices"? What can we do, or what do we have, that he needs?
    • Does he care if we are only pretending to believe, if we aren't living any different than people who don't believe? Does the Lord only want us to go to church? How does he feel about people who only talk about faith, but don't put it into practice?
  • What's the dirtiest you've ever been? How did it feel? How long did it take to get clean? How do we feel when someone else near us is very dirty?
    • V.16,18 -- We all need to be washed.
    • Why do you think the Lord wants us to be clean?
    • What makes us dirty, spiritually? (What we do, say, think...)
    • Read v.17 -- What does the Lord expect us to do? (To care about others...)
  • How can we be different? What kind of people is God looking for to be with him in heaven -- and even on earth?
    • V.18 -- God wants us to be reasonable. To use our heads. We may not get all 'A's in school, but all of us can become wise if we study God's word.
    • V.19 -- The goal is to be willing and obedient... Not just pretend. Am I obedient? Do I do it just because I have to, or because I want to? What am I like when my parents aren't looking, or the teacher is out of the room?
• Turn on a flashlight, and shine it straight into each person's eyes.
  • A lot of people didn't want Isaiah preaching to them like this. He was sort of shining a light on their lives.
  • How do you feel when the light is in your eyes? Can you imagine it ever making anyone angry? Isaiah made people angry, even though he was a humble man.
  • End with prayer, everyone taking part. Ask God for wisdom, the right heart, and lives that please him.

Key verses:

• Isaiah 6:8 -- "Here am I. Send me!"
• Isaiah 20:3 -- For three years, Isaiah dresses like a slave, in order to dramatize captivity by the oppressor -- the futility of trusting in man.
• Hebrews 11:37 -- Tradition of Isaiah's martyrdom.

Next lesson: Jeremiah.