Pride
In chapters
2 through 4, Isaiah speaks about "the day of the Lord." Judah knows it will be the
day when the Lord triumphs over His enemies and restores justice to the whole
world. Surely then (Judah reasons) that day will be glory and victory for us,
God's chosen people! Well (the Lord warns in these oracles), that depends on
Judah's attitude.
Read 2:1-4:6 before beginning the questions. Look for
the two sides of the day of the Lord—joyful and terrifying. Notice how the
subtitles in this lesson break the passage into four parts. The outline may also be helpful to you.
For Judah during the reign of Jotham, it is shocking that
"many peoples" (2:3), not just the chosen nation of Israel, will
be able to go to the Lord for instruction and revelation of Himself. This theme
of God's welcome to the nations recurs in Isaiah's book.
The last
days (2:2). These began with Christ's first coming (Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2) and will be completed at His second
coming. The prophecies of the last days have begun to be fulfilled, but their
final fulfillment will be just before Christ's return.
Mountain
of the Lord's temple (2:2). Jerusalem itself was on the peak of Mount
Zion, and the Temple was at the city's highest point.
Law (2:3). Torah
in Hebrew. This includes laws in the sense of rules of conduct, as well as
instruction, guidance, teaching, and revelation. See Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 8:1-2; James 1:22-25.
1. What will God do for many
peoples when they come to Him (2:3-4)?
2. What will be the result when
all people acknowledge the Lord as their Teacher and rightful Judge (2:4)?
3. In 2:5, Isaiah tells how we should act in the
present because of this future hope. What does it mean to "walk in the
light of the Lord"? (Optional:
See John 3:19-21; John 8:12. You might ask God to help you
understand this concept.)
4. Since Christ first came, 2:2-5 has begun to be fulfilled. Why must we be
walking in the light of the Lord (2:5) in order for the nations to stream to Him (2:2-4)?
The
dread of God's justice (2:6-22)
The day when the Lord's authority
is exalted will be good news from one point of view (2:2-5), but 2:6-22 looks at that day from another point of
view. Notice the repeated verses in this passage.
Majesty (2:10, 19, 21) and pride
(2:11-12, 17). Literally, "loftiness" as in nasb and kjv.
The same Hebrew words are used for an attribute of God and a sin of man.
5. Why
is loftiness (exaltation, highness) acceptable for God but wrong and foolish
for man {2:21-22)?
Cedars...
oaks... mountains... hills... tower... wall... ship... vessel (2:13-16). Even natural and man-made things that
impress humans will be leveled before the Lord when He alone is exalted.
6. How
do men show their pride and arrogance, according to 2:6-8, 15-16? (List as many ways as you can.)
8. Consider each of the things
in which Judah found pride and security (2:6-8). Do you take pride in anything besides
God? If so, what are you proud about, and how do you show it?
In chapter
2, Isaiah seemed to be talking primarily about the end times (2:2), although in some sense his prophecy applied
to his own generation of Jews (2:6-9). Chapter
3 seems more directly addressed to Judah in the time of Jotham, but
it has a message for every age.
Soothsayer...
enchanter (3:2-3). "Prudent" and
"orator" in kjv. Occult
practitioners were forbidden sources of help (Deut. 18:10-12). The other sources of help in Isaiah 3:2-3 were normally legitimate, but the
Lord would remove them also.
9. In chapter
3, the Lord portrays the way He will humble His people by taking
away all sources of support. Write down as many lost supports as you can find
in 3:1-7 and 3:16-4:1.
The
prophets sometimes conveyed the Lord's message in certain literary forms that
people would recognize. One such form is the lawsuit, which portrays the
Lord as a sovereign bringing suit against a subject for breaking a
covenant/treaty. "The full lawsuit contains a summons, a charge, evidence,
and a verdict, though these elements may sometimes be implied rather than
explicit."
In Isaiah 1:2, the Lord called heaven and earth as
His witnesses. Now in 3:8-15 He uses the lawsuit form more fully.
Notice the judge (3:13), the defendant (3:14), the accusation (3:8-9, 12, 14-15), and the verdict and sentence (3:10-11). Watch for the lawsuit form in later
passages; Isaiah uses it frequently.
Women (3:16-4:1). In the Near East, a person's manner of
walking showed her attitudes, and her clothing and ornaments displayed her
station. Shaving the head bald (3:17, 24) was a sign of mourning, and the rope belt,
sackcloth clothing, and branding (3:24) were marks of a slave. In other words, war
was going to reduce Judah's well-to-do women to childless, widowed,
impoverished slaves—the lowest status possible in the Near East.
After humiliation comes restoration. As he began this set of
oracles in 2:1-5, so Isaiah ends it—with an oracle of hope.
The very day of Zion's desolation (4:1) will be the day of her restoration (4:2).
Branch (4:2). The Hebrew words for shoot or branch do not
mean just a part of a tree or a little sprout of growth. Rather, a
"branch" is an abundantly and freshly alive "growing
thing."
In Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 53:2; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15; Zech. 3:8; Zech. 6:12, the "Branch" is a title for
the Messiah, the Savior King who would be descended from David. In Isaiah 4:2, however, the "Branch" may
be the holy nation or the great work of salvation which will flourish when God
brings it to fulfillment. Compare John 15:5.
11. Isaiah lists many things that
will be true "in that day," in contrast to what he has described in 2:6-4:1.
a. In contrast to the women in 3:16-23, "the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and
glorious" in that day (4:2). Who do you think the Branch is in this
passage?
b. Recall the sources of pride named
in chapters 2-3. What will be the source of pride
for those who survive God's judgment (4:2).
c. According to 4:3, how will the survivors' moral character be
different from the character described in 3:8-9?
d. What will be the survivors' source
of security (4:5-6), unlike the sources named in 2:6-8 and 3:1-7?
Cloud...
fire... canopy... shelter (4:5-6). During the forty years when Israel
wandered in the desert before entering the promised land, a cloud led and
protected the people. It was a cloud of smoke to shade from the sun or storm
during the day, and a cloud of fire to warm and ward off animals during the
night. As it hovered overhead, it was like a canopy or a tent (tabernacle,
shelter). The cloud was called the shekinah,
the glory of the Lord, the outward manifestation of His presence. See Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 40:34-38. Isaiah foresaw God again doing
something like what He did at the Exodus.
Your response
12. In general, chapters
2-4 are about the effects of God's exaltation (2:2, 11) and judgment (3:10-11; 4:2-4) on two kinds of people. How would you
summarize what the Lord says in 2:1-4:6?
13. What seems to be the most
important insight you have gained from studying 2:1-4:6? Prayerfully review this lesson, and
write down any ways that the Lord's words apply to you.
14. Is there any action (including
prayer) you plan to take in response to what the Lord has said? If so, what is
it?
Study
Skill—Application
It
can be hard to be "doers of the word, and not merely hearers" (James 1:22 nasb),
but the key is to be actively relying on God. For instance, let's say your
desired application for chapter 2 is "I need to be more humble."
How can you accomplish that? Not overnight. Still, here are some beginning
steps:
1. When you
decide you can't achieve humility without God, you are on your way. Ask Him for
the power and wisdom to become more humble. Ask repeatedly, daily. Listen for
guidance.
2. Confess
any ways you show pride: boasting, craving praise, hurting when criticized,
criticizing yourself. Confess any sources of pride: appearance, possessions,
intellect, accomplishments. Ask God to forgive you, and believe that you are
forgiven (Psalm 32:1-5).
3. Look for
circumstances that require humility—times when you succeed and times when you
fail. If you find yourself feeling either proud or worthless, then humble yourself
before God and repeat (1) and (2).
4. Using a
concordance of the Bible (see Study Aids), study many references to pride and
humility. Write down as accurately as you can exactly what pride and humility
are. (Is humility the same as feeling worthless?) List as many reasons as
possible for being humble.
15. List any questions you have about
2:1-4:6.
From the LifeChange Series
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