Contributor: Esther Alajiki

INTRODUCTION
The previous Chapter concludes with a picture of doom and gloom, the nations being levelled, chopped down to bare stumps, with no new growth, no future and no hope due to arrogance and oppression. God’s judgment was going to cut down the nations like the trees of Lebanon and leaving just stumps. But suddenly, in chapter 11, amid that scene of worldwide devastation, with the final destruction of Assyria, this contrasts with the recuperative energy of Israel, which, though equally levelled to the ground (Isaiah 9:18, Isaiah 9:19), it shall spring afresh into life, and birth hope for all.

SECTION 1: The Description of the Coming Messiah
1. A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Although through the times, David’s lineage seemed to have been cut down to the stumps. God causes a new life, a new branch to come forth in fulfilment of His words. A MESSIAH WILL COME FORTH . 

2. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him- He is a suitable place or vessel for the Spirit to rest. --The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, (unreproachable leadership), The Spirit of counsel and strength (ability to strategically wage war, overcome sin and deliver victories), The Spirit of knowledge and of the [reverential and obedient] fear of the LORD (intimacy and holiness)—The sevenfold anointing of the Spirit working in Jesus. (Rev 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6)

3. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, (God is the priority and He desires to please God), And He will not judge by what His eyes see, (He is omniscient.), Nor make decisions by what His ears hear – (he has no need to call witnesses or listen to testimonies, defendant or plaintiff, no need for argument or retrials, evidences or forensics)

4. But with righteousness and justice He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the downtrodden of the earth; (He is the voice for the voiceless, a holy judge, morally upright). And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. (He is a righteous judge and recompenses all according to their deeds.)
5. And righteousness will be the belt around His loins, And faithfulness the belt around His waist. (There is no injustice or unfaithfulness in Him – John 14:30 (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me, no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me)

Lesson For Us
As Christ has made us joint heirs with him we need to grow in his knowledge and our intimacy will cause his anointing to work in and through us- 2 Timothy 2:20 – 26.

We must be suitable a place for the spirit to rest. If we do not imitate God with our lives, we will not be able to do exploits for him.

SECTION 2: The Description of the Messiah’s Kingdom 6-9
6. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatted steer together; And a little child will lead them.
7. And the cow and the bear will graze [together], Their young will lie down together, And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8. And the nursing child will [safely] play over the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den [and not be hurt]. 9. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea..

All kinds of crises and wars we are seeing now will cease The coming of our Messiah will terminate every evil work have all disappeared because they have been solved by the Messiah. Painted before us was what obtained in the garden of Eden before the fall into sin. When the curse is removed, that situation will be restored by the Lord The earth will then have been freed from the curse that has been placed upon it since man fell into sin. Peace and harmony will return.

The curse between humans and animal will cease, the curse on the ground will cease and it will no longer yield thorns and thistles. (Genesis 3:18 ). The animals no longer at war with each other. Can you picture a 2 year old riding on a lion or sitting on the back of a crocodile or your 6 months old swimming with sharks? No more hurt or pain, the instigator of evil can do no more evil and cause no more destruction, currently the earth as it is suffering as the result of man's rebellion against God. And that is why it is manifestly wrong to blame God for all of the pain and the hurt and the bloodshed and the evil and the hatred that is in the earth today.

Lesson For Us
When we allow the Lord to reign in our lives, we will enjoy the days of heaven on earth, we will enjoy the peace of God, Christ dealt with the curse on the cross. 1 Kings 5:4 But now that the LORD my God has given me rest [from war] on every side, there is neither adversary nor misfortune [confronting me]. We can pray His kingdom to manifest in our lives even now. Jesus has defeated devil and death, he has finished the work of restoration and healing, when we pray His kingdom come, we are praying for harmony, absolute peace, love and joy, no sickness, no disease, no pain, no suffering, so sorrow, no war, no poverty and lack, wickedness, manipulations, adulteries, abortions, fornications, lies, barrenness, murders and envyings – etc. But even if we don’t see it now in the world - its coming is guaranteed.

SECTION 3: The Assignment of The Coming Messiah Verses 10-16
10. Then in that day, The nations will make supplications to the Root of Jesse. Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.- As we are in the last days, we need to preach the gospel more than before, the Gentiles would seek Christ Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and find rest for their souls 11. Then it will happen on that day that the Lord, Will again acquire with His hand a second time. The remnant of His people, who will remain, From Assyria, from [Lower] Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush (Ethiopia), from Elam [in Persia], from Shinar [Babylonia], from Hamath [in Aram], And from the coastlands bordering the [Mediterranean] Sea. 12. And He will lift up a signal for the nations And ASSEMBLE THE OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, And will GATHER THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH From the four corners of the earth. - God will gather the remnant of his people, He does not leave any behind. 13. Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, And those who harass Judah will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, And Judah will not harass Ephraim – There will be peace and harmony, no more evil operations. 14. Ephraim and Judah will [unite and] swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines toward the west; Together they will plunder the sons (Arabs) of the east. They will possess Edom and Moab, And the sons of Ammon will be subject to them – Children of God will arise and possess their possessions. 15. And the LORD will utterly destroy, The tongue of the Sea of Egypt; And with His scorching wind. He will wave His hand over the River; He will strike and divide it into seven channels And make [it possible for] people [to] walk over in sandals God’s hands of Judgement will be outstretched and he will utterly destroy. 16. And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of His people who will be left, Just as there was for Israel In the day when they came up out of the land of Egypt.

Lesson For Us
God is our hope and help, we must strive to know him personally, He is a loving God, he does not want any destroyed. He wants His children to be at peace and enter into His rest. But we must submit ourselves unto Him, because he will not force Himself upon us. God will put an end to the wickedness of the wicked and make His children triumphant. Isaiah 60: 16-22
The shoot of the Lord will endure for ever- Will you abide in Him.

CONCLUSION
This world will not continue like this for ever, Jesus is coming back. Are we ready for Him? While we await His coming we must be fully occupied as profitable servants. His Spirit is available for us to do His works.
Rev 22: 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time [of their fulfillment] is near. 11Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy (vile, impure), still be filthy; and the one who is righteous (just, upright), still be righteous; and the one who is holy, still be holy. ” 12. Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one [d]according to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness). 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End [the Eternal One].” 14.Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those who wash their robes [in the blood of Christ by believing and trusting in Him--the righteous who do His commandments], so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15. Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (deception, cheating). 16. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you and to give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root (the Source, the Life) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and bright Morning Star.” 17. The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, believers) say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take and drink the water of life without cost.

Contributor: Ngozi Roberts

INTRODUCTION
In our last week’s study we saw the love of God exhibited in an interesting way in spite of the sins of the Israelites. His promise of the great light that was later seen in the new testaments as Jesus Christ. This light was to give them a way out of darkness. He was to be characterised as Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God and Everlasting Father. Emphasis was placed on the fact that those who refused to repent will surely bear the consequences which is also applicable to us all today. It was reiterated that the punishment that followed the disobedience of the Israelites was indeed started, fanned and fuelled by the sinners themselves and this is also the applicable to us today. We are therefore to continue to keep ourselves clean and pure as we await the glorious future.
Today we are continuing with the prophecy of Judgment on the Israelites who having heard the word of God through His prophets and were still not listening. This chapter 10 has been sectionalised into 3 parts. The first part being the judgement of the oppressors (Isaiah 10:1-4) and second section being the destruction of Israel by King of Assyria – Sennacherib and prophecy of his destruction due to pride. Third section is on the encouragement to the people of Israel.

SECTION 1: JUDGEMENT OF OPPRESSORS/EVIL LEGISLATORS JUDGED (VERSES 1-4)
The prophet continued with his prophecy of punishment that was to follow as a result of God’s anger on the proud legislators that oppressed His people. These people abused their power and perverted justice. Isa 10:1–4 connects to the similar “Woe” sayings in 5:8–30; those sayings also condemned the leaders of Judah for disregarding their responsibility to deal fairly with the poor and weak.
Let’s take a closer look at how these rulers managed to do this.

They made unrighteous laws (vs 1) note that even though they had righteous commandments /laws yet they had corrupt judges that were able to find a way of making unrighteous decrees that is contrary to the good laws God already made.

They deprived the poor (v2) – by perverting justice in the way they interpret and carry out the laws, thereby turning aside the poor from judgement so that they do not get what is due to them. It was so bad that they enriched themselves through evil means like bribery and made the poor ones like the widows, fatherless to be at their mercy! See Isa 5:23. Refers to the injustice of the rich and powerful exploiting the poor and weak.

They are interrogated (Vs 3) - The prophet then challenged them on what will become of them with their power and pride when the real judgment of God comes upon them.

Sentence passed on them (Vs 4) – The prophet went to confirm their judgement and the kind of sentence that befalls them. They will be doomed, imprisoned or sent to captivity! Showing that Gods anger is still very hot on them. The same phrase occurs in 5:25.

Lesson For Us
For us as believers this goes to reiterate what we were discussed in our previous chapter that those that do not live in accordance to Gods will surely be destroyed. When we put God out of our daily living, we are bound to be heading for destruction as we will be out of his protection.

Destruction of Israel by King of Assyria

• Commission to King of Assyria – Verse 5-6

Verse 5 Assyria, the rod of my anger. Yahweh used Assyria to punish Israel. Victory in the ancient world was often attributed to the superiority of one’s god. Yahweh is thus presented as truly superior—He, not Assyria’s god, is behind their success. The foreign nations are simply tools in the hands of God

Isaiah does not explicitly identify the king of Assyria in this passage, though 2 Kgs 17–18 identifies the king who attacked Israel as Sennacherib. The omission is likely intentional, as the prophet wants this oracle against Assyria to apply equally to all of Assyria’s kings. The cities listed in Isa 10:9–11 seem to reflect the conquests of several Assyrian kings who were active during Isaiah’s ministry.

Verse 6 - A godless nation. Israel is considered godless since it had turned away from Yahweh. See 9:17. the clay of the streets Assyria will trample everything in its path like dirt on the roads, leaving behind a muddy mess.
So we see here that the Assyrians were called the rod of God’s anger! Why? because God employed them. God emphasised how he sent the Assyrians. Making us realise the power they had was derived from God.

Lesson For Us
It is worthy of note also that sometimes disobedient children of God can be undergoing some rough times simply because God allowed it having gone out of the protection of God. We as children of God should ensure that we are under Gods protection at all times by living a life of obedience to His will.

• The Assyrian Kings Pride - Verse 7-14

Assyria’s arrogance is revealed in this self-confident speech. The king of Assyria believes his military victories represent spiritual victories over the idols of the cities he has conquered. He also elevates himself to demigod status, boasting in his own strength, wisdom, and understanding.

Verse 8 Are not my commanders altogether kings ..The Assyrian Empire turned conquered kings into subject vassals, so the king of Assyria could rightly boast that his subject commanders were kings in their own right.

Verse 9 Are not Samaria like Damascus … The king boasts over the cities he has conquered. Each pair moves geographically closer to Israel.

Verse 10 Outlines images …Assyria has already conquered stronger city-states than Israel and Judah. The boast is asserted in a religious sense—the cities with the most powerful gods already fell. See 37:12–13.

Verse 12 All his work refers to the predicted judgment. Mount Zion Yahweh’s holy mountain, the location of the temple. Symbolically, Zion often refers to the city of Jerusalem. Here they are mentioned separately.

I will punish… Assyria will also be judged for pride and arrogance once Israel’s punishment is complete. .

Verse 13 ….by the strength of my hand ….The king of Assyria believes his victory is the result of his own strength and cunning. Psalm 9: 20 Strike them with terror, LORD; let the nations know they are only mortal.
So In carrying out the assignment from God, Sennacherib did not wase time to exhibit his wickedness. Showing his pride and insolence. Magnifying himself and even showcasing his ignorance that he was in control as a fact. Unknown to him these were the very characteristics
that God abhor and God was to deal with him in the later verses. He actually demonstrated himself as a real punisher just like God intended as we saw in 2 kings 18.
So the prophecy continues to show case his pride and arrogance in his letter to Israel in vainglory. He boasts of his prowess over other nations, making of other kings and how he made them subjects to himself thereby making himself their master and even went as far as laying siege over – this actually came to pass in 2Kings 18:13-16 even after Hezekiah had given gifts to the Sennacherib, yet he did not let go of the Israelites.
We also see how King Sennacherib enriched himself through the peace making gifts that we later got to know were from Hezekiah just as he had always done to other nations as was prophesied by Isaiah(vs 14)

Lesson For Us
God sometimes makes use of men as instruments in His hands to do His work. Though in most cases those being used do not realise this. As children of God, we should strive to always make ourselves ready to be used as vessels of honour instead of dishonour.

SECTION 2 : JUGEMENT ON ASSYRIA – SENNACHERIB (VERSES 12-19)

Isaiah have outlined in his prophesy the use of the king of Assyria by God and went on to prophesy how God was going to deal with him. He would have served the purpose for which he was raised by God. So now we are going to see how God in his Justice reproves his pride and prophesies his fate. God by His servant Isaiah shows that God is above him.

Verse 15 The axe boast against the one who cuts. God used Assyria to bring judgment on rebellious Israel and Judah, but the Assyrians are still accountable for their actions and their arrogance. A tool is useless on its own. Assyria is judged for not recognizing that it is only a tool in the hand of God.

Verse 16 will send leanness See 37:36.

Verse 17 in one day See 9:14. The Assyrian king Sennacherib abruptly leaves his siege of Jerusalem. See 37:37 and 2 Kings 19:15-21. So due to his evil doings the prophet prophesies his down fall and destruction – it’s important to note that when God has finished doing his work of salvation on his people as we shall see in the chapter 37:37 and 2 Kings 19:15-37. Hezekiah and the children of Israel eventually repented.

Verse 20 the remnant of Israel Contrasts with the imagery in v. 19, which depicts the destruction of Assyria until only a remnant of forest remains, the survivors of the house of Jacob See 1:9 and 4:2.

Verse 21 A remnant will return referring to a spiritual, not necessarily physical, return. The phrase “a remnant will return” is also the name of Isaiah’s first son, Shear-Jashub. See 7:3 and 8:18.

Verse 22 like the sand of the sea …The Apostle Paul quotes this verse in Rom 9:27–28. overflowing with righteousness See Isa 28:22. God’s judgment is righteous and necessary.

Isaiah had foretold that the Lord himself will perform his work on mount Zion which we saw done by Sennacherib invading the land. Vs 20-23 elaborates how Gods promise of grace to His people and their suffering under affliction. The suffering indeed yielded some fruit as the remaining children of God eventually returned and repented as we shall see later in Chapter 37:14-37 Then the second part of the Vs 12. We see the punishment of King Assyria for his pride being elaborated which later came to pass in 37:38.

SECTION 3: GOD’S CHILDREN ENCOURAGED (VERSES 24 - 34)

The prophet now comforts the sincere ones. He encourages them not be afraid. He gives them hope promising them that all will eventually end well.

Verses 24 - 34

Verse 24 Assyria -This group of people came from central Mesopotamia on the Tigris River. They were the dominant power in the ancient Near East during the eighth and seventh centuries BC.

Verse 26 - Assyrians will be dealt with just as when Midian was defeated. The coming deliverance is compared to God’s victory over Midian in Judges 7:19–25. Also just as he did in Egypt. Referring to the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:15–31.

Verses 28–32 The path of the Assyrian invaders is laid out from the northeast part of Judah to the vicinity of Jerusalem. The place names are mentioned in order, drawing geographically closer and closer to the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem.

Verse 32 he will shake his fist at the mountain of Assyria gets close enough to threaten Jerusalem, but does not conquer her. Zion Refers to Jerusalem. Isa 1:8.

Verse 33 is about to lop off the branches with great power. Assyria was metaphorically depicted as a tool in the hand of God.

Verse 34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One. That metaphor is turned about as a cut down to size.

Isaiah in these last verses prophesied to confirm that all suffering will end soon. These words were intended to encourage the children of Israel. Letting them know that for sure their enemy will be destroyed in the end. That the storm will soon be over. The enemy that has been threatening them will soon come to his doom. Assurance that they will all be delivered from the power of the Assyrians.

Continues to reassure the children of Israel that the more daring the enemy was the more God will be exalted in all his strength. He flies to the defence of his Children in Zion. The power of the enemy will eventually be broken. In all these we should always remember that God does not leave the wicked unpunished.

Lesson For Us

This is an assurance that no matter the challenge that is threatening us , we should not be afraid as God will surely come through for us.

CONCLUSION/SUMMARY

Isaiah predicted that because of the evilness of Judah and Israel, the Assyrians would attack both nations. The Lord would no longer protect and help them. The Assyrian invasion would fulfil the Lord’s purposes in turning Judah to repentance and scattering the nation of Israel. From this chapter we have come to realise that our God is a sovereign God who has the power to make and to kill. Just s Proverbs 21:1 says - In the LORD’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him. He did just that with the heart of Assyria King. We are made to understand that walking in disobedience to Gods word can endanger us into the camp of the enemy. It is better to be on the right side of God at all times so that we will not be exposed to evil as we may not even come out of it. God is also a merciful God that forgives once we come to repentance. No matter how far gone or how long it may take. He is always waiting to take us back. We also need to understand that there is nothing too difficult for our God as he is a God of impossibility.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week’s study of Chapter 8 concluded with gloom and darkness for God’s people. Verse 22 says: “Wherever they look there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. And they will be thrust out into the darkness.” The invasion of the Assyrians would be terrible for the Jewish people, especially for the northern regions of the Promised Land, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. In today’s study is split into two parts, we will be looking at promises (from a loving God) and Judgement (from a just God).

PART I: PROMISES (FROM A LOVING GOD)
Verses 1-2: The Promise of Glory
Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair shall not go on forever. Though soon the land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be under God’s contempt and judgment, yet in the future these very lands, Galilee and northern Transjordan, where lies the road to the sea, will be filled with glory. 2 The people who walk in darkness shall see a great Light—a Light that will shine on all those who live in the land of the shadow of death.

From verses 1-2 of this chapter we see that although the land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be under God’s judgment. He now decrees that despite the fact that He has afflicted them for their sins, He will now show them a great light; giving them a way out of the darkness. See Matthew 4:13-16

What does this mean to us?
Jesus is that great light that has shone in our lives. It’s a light of deliverance and freedom from the power of darkness purchased by His blood. But we must accept it, arise, and shine! Isaiah 60:1

Verses 3-5: The Lord Will Make Israel Great Again and They Shall be Joyful!
“3 For Israel will again be great, filled with joy like that of reapers when the harvest time has come, and like that of men dividing up the plunder they have won. 4 For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the vast host of the Midianites by Gideon’s little band. 5 In that glorious day of peace there will no longer be the issuing of battle gear; no more the bloodstained uniforms of war; all such will be burned.”

These verses spell out the consequences of the great light the Lord promised. Israel will again be great, filled with joy because God will break the chains binding His people and the whip that scourges them, just like He granted Gideon victory over Midian in Judges 7.

What does this mean to us?
We must take God for His Words and promises in our lives, whatever the situation or circumstances, He has promised a change! Wherever we have fallen, we will rise and be great again!

Verses 6-7: The Glory of the Messiah and His Reign
“6 For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince of Peace.” 7 His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world. This is going to happen because the Lord of heaven’s armies has dedicated himself to do it!

A child is born, . . . a son is given
God could have sent an angel, or the Messiah could have been God without humanity. He could have also come as a fully-grown man, created as an adult even as Adam was created, but none of these options would have qualified the Messiah to be our Saviour and High Priest as Jesus is. The Child had to be born so that He could fully identify with humanity, and to display in His life the servant nature that is in God, He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7).

His name shall be called . . .
These are not to be literal names of the Messiah, but aspects of His character, that describe who He is and what He has come to do.
• Wonderful –Full of wonder! The glory of who He is and what He has done for us should fill us with wonder. There’s nothing too difficult for Him.
• Counselor – He knows the answers we need. He is the only One fit to guide our lives and should be our immediate resource as a counselor.
• Mighty God – He is the God of all creation and glory, the LORD who reigns in heaven, the One worthy of our worship and praise. He is Jesus, fully man and fully God.
• Everlasting Father – The idea in these Hebrew words is that Jesus is the source or author of all eternity, that He is the Creator Himself. Not that Jesus Himself is the Person of the Father in the Trinity.
• Prince of Peace – He is the One who makes peace, especially between God and man and puts peace in our hearts.
Jesus our Messiah will not only reign for 1,000 years, though the millennium is a special aspect of His reign, but there will be no end to it. He will rule for all eternity.

What does this mean to us?
We must accept what the Lord Jesus has paid the price for, believe in Him unreservedly and take refuge in His names in every area of our lives.

PART II: JUDGMENT (FROM A JUST GOD)
The prophecy now switches from the coming of the Messiah back to present day Israel, who has heard the Word of God through His prophets but has not listened. This section (Isaiah 9:8-21) is in three parts, the concluding fourth part is in the first few verses of chapter 10, each part concluding with an indication that more punishment was to follow because the Lord’s anger had not been satisfied.

Verses 8-12: Because of Their Unholy Pride, Israel Will Be Defeated By Her Enemies
“8-10 The Lord has spoken out against that braggart Israel who says that though our land lies in ruins now, we will rebuild it better than before. The sycamore trees are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars! 11-12 The Lord’s reply to your bragging is to bring your enemies against you—the Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west. With bared fangs they will devour Israel. And even then the Lord’s anger against you will not be satisfied—his fist will still be poised to smash you.”

In their pride, the leaders and the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel said, “Who cares if God judges us? Whatever is torn down, we will rebuild with something better. We have nothing to fear from what God can bring against us.” Instead of humbling themselves before the face of God on account of the many calamities that had already descended on them, they still entertained a light-hearted optimism regarding the future. So, God sent successive waves of enemies against Israel (The Syrians before and the Philistines behind). The destruction of Israel would be complete, and their proud promise to rebuild would be unfulfilled.

What does this mean to us?
God does not tolerate pride. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6
We must be humble and live our lives in humility before our Maker. James 4: 10 says: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Also see Micah 6:8

Verses 13-17: Because They Refuse To Repent, Their Leaders Will Be Destroyed
“13 For after all this punishment you will not repent and turn to him, the Lord of heaven’s armies. 14-15 Therefore the Lord, in one day, will destroy the leaders of Israel and the lying prophets. 16 For the leaders of his people have led them down the paths of ruin. 17 That is why the Lord has no joy in their young men and no mercy upon even the widows and orphans, for they are all filthy-mouthed, wicked liars. That is why his anger is not yet satisfied, but his fist is still poised to smash them all.

Each episode of judgment was followed by Israel’s refusal to turn to the LORD. They refused to turn to God for an explanation of why they were experiencing such evil. They were like dumb animals that resist even more when they are beaten.
“So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; 15 the elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.

What does this mean to us?
Although God is under no obligation to explain His divine decisions to us, He desires us to understand that His actions are not based out of ill-will but out of necessity as an answer for the sin and evil we humans create on the earth. It is the wickedness of Pharaoh’s heart that was hardened by the Lord. God did not put the wickedness there. See Romans 1:28.

Verses 18-21: Because of Their Wickedness They Will Attack Their Own Brothers
“18 He will burn up all this wickedness, these thorns and briars; and the flames will consume the forests too, and send a vast cloud of smoke billowing up from their burning. 19-20 The land is blackened by that fire, by the wrath of the Lord of heaven’s armies. The people are fuel for the fire. Each fights against his brother to steal his food but will never have enough. Finally they will even eat their own children! 21 Manasseh against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh—and both against Judah. Yet even after all of this, God’s anger is not yet satisfied. His hand is still heavy upon them to crush them.”

The wickedness of Israel was as a raging wildfire: unstoppable, swift, uncontrolled, and devouring everything it touches. However, the people shall themselves by their wickedness, be the fuel for the fire. If they had ceased from their wicked ways, the fire would have no more fuel to continue to burn. But their wickedness prevailed to the point where they lost all sense of reasoning and started attacking each other. Verse 20 says:
“Each fights against his brother to steal his food but will never have enough. Finally they will even eat their own children!”

What does this mean to us?
Proverbs 21:7 says, “Because the wicked are unfair, their violence boomerangs and destroys them". Let’s be wary of any and every form of evil. Psalm 34:21 says: “Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned”

CONCLUSION
In today’s study, we see how the Lord decreed that despite the fact that He has afflicted Israel for their sins, He will now show them a great light; giving them a way out of the darkness. However, for those who refuse to repent, there are consequences. Jesus Christ shone His marvellous light in our darkness; and we must continue to walk in the light (1 John 1:7). To refuse and be adamant is to grope in darkness (Job 12:25,Isaiah 59:10) and like Israel, suffer the consequences. The fire that burned Israel was not started by God, neither did He fan the flames; it was started, fanned and fuelled themselves. He simply did not extinguish the fire when it started. We are therefore encouraged that in this world of evil, to by the Grace of God, keep our hands clean and our hearts pure and know that there is a glorious future ahead, that the world will see the day of redemption, that the oppressed and the weak will be delivered. (Titus 2:11-13)

Parts of this wtudy was culled from https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/isaiah-9/

Contributor: Alex Kokobili

INTRODUCTION
The previous study of the seventh chapter emphasized on how Ahaz King of Judah feared being conquered by an alliance between Israel and Syria. God assured King Ahaz not to fear and gave him a sign “IMMANUEL” as an everlasting protection for His people which meanings He will always be with them. 

Isaiah 7: 13-16 Then said Isaiah, Hear ye now, O house of David, Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.15He shall eat butter and honey that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good; the land that thou dost abhor shall be forsaken of both her kings).

Despite  God’s warning to King Ahaz, he went ahead to make a treaty with the Assyrians for protection. The consequences of Ahaz’s action will be that the Assyrians take over Judah as the waters flood over a territory.
Isaiah’s message in this eighth chapter explained the confederacy of Syria and Israel against the house of Judah. God’s assurance to protect Judah, the disobedience of King Ahaz and the consequences that lies ahead on the people. Although Israel and Judah both were brethren, they were divided as two separate kingdoms.

Isaiah 8:1-9 explained God’s message to Judah through Isaiah with instruction that he should write it with a pen on a scroll and also call the priest –Uriah as a witness so that it can be in records for everyone to see and then reveal it to King Ahaz. Why was this done? This was because King Ahaz did not trust God for the salvation of Judah. The Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz was mentioned figuratively as a prophecy which means son of plunder which is opposite to God’s redemption of humanity “IMMANUEL”. God did not take Ahaz’s actions lightly because King Ahaz himself did not trust God to depend on Him for protection for the fear of attack from Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah despite His assurance of victory to the House of Judah.
The significance of Judah is beyond a territorial extension of Israel but part of the covenant and as such should “stood out to honor the praise of God” and from which is the lineage of David and also Christ the Messiah.

2 Kings 8:19 Yet for the sake of His servant David, the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah, since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and His descendants forever).

Also, Joshua willed Judah the Southern of the promised land which became part of Jerusalem in Judah (Joshua 15) and this region became the site for the temple in Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, and also Mount Zion, and became the spiritual headquarters and strength of other tribes. We see this in Genesis 22:2, And later David affirmed in Psalm 132:13 that God has chosen Zion as His desired habitation. Bible scholars also tells us that Mount Moriah where God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac later became known as Zion in Southern Jerusalem. David own his own evolution willed Judah the Southern part of the city to God (2 Samuel 5: 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David). This region of Judah was also where Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 3: 1 Then Solomon began to build the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David.

Despite the good news of God’s redemption that will be pioneered by the House of Judah, God will bring judgment against the House of Judah because of the actions of King Ahaz in which he aligned with the Assyrians to fortify Judah against the aggression of Syria and Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah. King Ahaz was justified and had reasons to be afraid because they had suffered similar situation in the past and the antecedent of the Syrians, Ephraim and Remaliah was enough to frighten King Ahaz.

We notice this in - 2 Chronicles 28:6-8

For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer over the house, and Elkanah who was second to the king. 8And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters; and they also took away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

However, we will observe despite Ahaz’s justification in Isaiah 8:7, that God showed displeasure with Judah for King Ahaz’s treaty with the Assyrians and how such an action will be a yoke and snare to them.

The Assyrians were also the enemies of Israel who had invaded them before which also made God not pleased with the actions of Ahaz (2 Chronicles 5: 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of King Pul of Assyria, the spirit of King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria, and he carried them away, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day).
However, the warning of judgement of the consequences of Judah and Israel’s disobedience will be a long lasting consequence on its people which we can trace in the scripture as it continued to Hosea to Malachi with emphasis on God’s desire for the restoration of Israel out of their backsliding state.

Isaiah 8:10-16 – At this point, God makes a demand on King Ahaz to ask for a sign as an assurance over His people. God’s intention was for King Ahaz to understand that He will be an everlasting savior over the people of Israel and Judah, and also out of the tribe of Judah comes forth salvation “IMMANUEL”. This prophecy was beyond the immediate threat of the Syrians and Israel against the House of Judah. As a people the task of trusting God for the fulfilment of His word means not settling for Ismael because of the NOW situation of temporary comfort which is short sightedness and only an opposition to God’s everlasting blessing of Isaac that requires our faith and complete obedience to Him.

Isaiah 8:16-20, God warns Isaiah not to focus on the conspiracy against Judah but to tell the people to adhere to His law but regardless Ahaz put his trust and that of His people in the might of the Assyrians. Furthermore, the people Judah continued in their ways and then God tells Isaiah to pay attention to the testimony (law) of the Lord; wait on Him and position himself and his children as God’s sign and wonder which the people will now read because they have derailed to seeking mediums and fortune tellers. The became a case of backsliding and complete derailment from the only true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The failed to come to the understanding their action of seeking other gods through mediums was a rejection of God’s law and also an abomination before Him.

Isaiah 8:21-22 The consequences of Judah’s level rejection of God will bring His God’s judgment and hardship on both Israel and Judah which prevailed for many years until the fulfilment of the coming of Jesus Christ, Immanuel (Mathew 1: 23) whose coming reconciled humanity to God.

CONCLUSION
Sometimes Christians struggle to trust God due to fear of the security of the future and most often our confidence is rather tilted towards other processes such as education, insurance policy, pension and retirement plans, etc. that point us towards a good future. God is calling us to a faith-based relationship

Hebrews 1: 1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear).

This is a life void of sentiment, because life of sentiment focuses on reality and pragmatism which cannot pass the test of faith in God. Did you wonder why God’s rebuke of Judah and Israel was so severe? This is because God does not spare His own when it comes to complete adherence. He expects us to trust Him in order to bring out the best in us even though the process might seem unrealistic just as He assured King Ahaz of the safety Judah and His redemption “Immanuel”, but Ahaz was shortsighted by aligning with the Assyrians.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight)

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Throughout the history of God’s people, there are several instances where siege was laid against them, and also several accounts where the Almighty God intervened. There is an interesting account in Isaiah 37:1-38 where God sent one Angel in verse 35 to destroy the entire army of the Assyrians made up of 185,000 soldiers. This account is also recorded in 2 Kings 19:1-36 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-23. Isaiah Chapter 7 is the account of another of such failed attempt of the enemies of God’s people, that later culminates in the greatest deliverance in Isaiah 37:1-38; during king Hezekiah’s reign. 
But this time, Ahaz is king; and the prophet Isaiah summarises the entire failed attempt with this statement at the end of verse 1. “However, they were unable to carry out their plan.”
And then, from verse 2, he tells us how it all happened. And as we progress through the incident, it presents us with very important learning points.

IMPORTANT LEARNING POINTS
1. Point 1 (Verses 2-4): See Your Challenges Through The Eyes Of God!
“The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.” [NLT]

As we see in verse 2, Bad news had come that Israel and Syria had formed an alliance to fight against Judah and they were terrified. Just like Israel at the walls of Jericho who said they were like grasshoppers in the eyes of the Anak (Numbers 13:33) the people were terrified. But the Almighty has this to say in verse 4
“Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those
two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah.”

God called the two kings burned-out embers. All smoke no fire. All bark no bite. Here is an unfailing truth. “Everything fades into irrelevance when they come in contact with the Almighty.” So whose report will you believe? Isaiah 53: 1

2. Point 2 (Verse 7-9a): Sometimes God Does Things For His Namesake
“But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place; for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus, and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely  destroyed. Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.

Psalms 23: 4 says: “He leads me in the path of righteousness for His namesake”
That’s why we see here that although Ahaz was not a good king, God still saved His people and thwarted the attempt of Syria and Israel. He does certain things in spite of us, not because He is pleased with us. He, choosing to remain faithful to His Word and promises, is not a yardstick to measure our standing with Him. We must consistently seek His grace made available to us through Christ, to live each and every day of our lives in right standing with Him.

3. Point 3 (Verse 9b): We Need Faith to Stand Firm
“Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.”
The MSG says: If you don't take your stand you won’t have a leg to stand on.

This statement stands true even to today. It is very important for us as Christians to in faith, stand up for what we believe
• 1 Cor.16:13 says: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
• 1 Pet. 3:15 says: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
• Phil.1:27 says: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel”

4. Point 4 (Verses 10-12): Faith and Trust is better than Signs and Wonders
Ask for a sign from your God. Ask “God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, “ anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!” But Ahaz said, “I’d never do that. I’d never make demands like that on God!”” MSG
Having faith and trusting in God completely is the sign of a healthy relationship with God. And people with such give Him more pleasure as opposed to those who will not believe unless they are given signs. (See 1 Peter 1:8)
Signs are really for the unbelieving. Matthew 16:4a says: “A wicked and adulterous  generation looks for a sign . .”
In John 23:20, Jesus told Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Ahaz was an idolater. So God asked Ahaz to choose a sign. And when he refused, God gave him His own sign.

5. Point 5 (Verse 14): The Significance of the Virgin Birth
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” NLT
In this verse, Isaiah prophesies of a virgin birth.

Why was the birth of Christ through a virgin very important?
It is because it is crucial to and the bedrock of our faith. After the fall in Eden, sin started to be passed down through Adam, through the father. So if a human father had been responsible for the birth of Christ, Jesus would have been born with sin Himself. And His death on the cross would not have been substitutionary for us. He would have been dying for His own sins not ours. For Jesus to die for us, it was necessary for him to be born sinless. It was the virgin birth that enabled Jesus to be as human as his mother, Mary while at the same time as sinless and divine as His Father God Almighty

6. Point 6 (Verses 15-16) Assurance of Safety
“By the time the child is twelve years old, able to make moral decisions, the threat of war will be over. Relax, those two kings that have you so worried will be out of the picture.” MSG

Here again is where the prophecy of Isaiah spans two eras. He prophesies the birth of a miraculous child and that before that child will attain maturity, Israel and Syria would have been dealt with by the Assyrians and will no longer be a threat. Although the virgin birth refers to Jesus here, but it was 730 years after this prophecy that Jesus was born. However, if Jesus had been born at that time, the time frame would still have been valid!
Because a Hebrew child celebrates his passage to adulthood at age 12; and in less than 12 years, the Assyrians came and wiped out Israel and Syria. See Isaiah 17:1-6
2 Kings 17:6 also records how Assyria swept out of the north, captured the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and took the ten tribes into captivity. And from there they became lost to history.
“In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.”
Also see 2 Kings 18:5–18

7. Point 7 (Verses 17-25): God Does Not Compromise When It Comes To Consequences
In these verses, the prophet Isaiah prophesies against Judah. Immediately after prophesying against their enemies. Verse 17 says

“But also be warned: God will bring on you and your people and your government a judgment worse than anything since the time the kingdom split, when Ephraim left Judah. The king of Assyria is coming!” MSG

This prophecy came to pass as recorded in 2 Kings 18:13, when the new Assyrian King Sennacherib led a powerful invasion force to suppress Judah’s revolt. He came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
“In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them.”

CONCLUSION
We have looked at seven learning points from the study of this chapter. We are admonished to take these learning points to heart and allow them guide us as we journey through our paths in life. Every of our actions and inactions have consequences. Galatians 6:7-9 says:
“God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest. The harvest you reap reveals the seed that you planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit. And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!”

Contributor: Peter Folikwe

INTRODUCTION
We shall be reviewing Chapter 5 - the six woes/curses pronounced on Israel, borne out of their defiance to God’s commandments. And in Chapter 6, we shall x-ray the birth of prophet Isiah’s ministry and a call to service.
Societal decadence of morals and spirituality in Isiah’s time is not any different from what we see around us today.

Is 5:1-7. It begins with a very sorrowful, bitter and heart-breaking song. Here the song composer (God Almighty) who gave a description of a vineyard that He had invested in.

Verses 1-2 - He bought a land, removed stones that will hinder the roots of the vine from nourishment, He planted special breed of vines/not genetically modified, ensured there is wall of protection around the vine, and employed experienced vine dressers to keep it.
He expected bumper harvest of sweet choice grapes, but on the contrary He harvested useless and sour grapes.

In Verse 3, God asked His people to judge between Himself and the vineyard he had planted (the people of a Israel). He asked why the vineyard produce sour grapes against His expectation.

In Verse 5, God describes what will happen to this fruitless vineyard; destruction and curses await them. God tearing down the hedge that was meant to protect it, and dressers will no longer prune/hoe it. It was left for weeds and thorns to choke it to death till it becomes stone dried.

In Verses 5 & 6, God pronounced His judgment on the vineyard.
He will tear down its hedges and let it be destroyed. He will break down its walls and let the animals trample it. He will make it a wild place where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed, a place overgrown with briers and thorns. Rain to cease from falling.
Now God itemizes specific sins, 6 in number, for which curses “WOEs” are pronounced in V8, V11, V18, V20, V21, & V22.

Verse 7 tells us, who this vineyard of the Lord is. The vineyard is the people of Israel and by extension the body of Christ, living unrighteous. God chose the most fertile piece of land - Israel. He dug a trench around them, because they are surrounded by enemies. Removal of the stones may well indicate how God empowered them to eliminate the Canaanites in order for His people to give undiluted service to Him. They are the choicest vine.
The expectation God from them, for all the privileges (provision, protection, nourishment, etc.) enjoyed by these chosen people, is that they produce excellent fruits.
The expectations of God of them is holiness, righteousness, justice and love for mankind.
God asked in Verse 3, what else was expected of Him to do for them, reason He asked that they judge between Himself and they - the vineyard.

Verse 8: The focus here is on how His people have abandoned the faith and focused on material possessions.
God pronounced a curse Verses 9 & 10 reminiscent of famine conditions, where many of the land and houses they acquired illegally will become desolate and yield very little fruits.
The next “WOE” - curse is directed at the sin of drunkenness and pleasure seeking in

Verses 11 & 12. Within the body of Christ some defend their position on strong drinks with the popular quote by Apostle Paul 1Tim 5:23 “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.”

In Verses 14 & 15 this class of sinners (drunks and pleasure seekers) are condemned to death. The mouth of hell is open to swallow them in large numbers.

God in Verse 16, vindicates Himself of their judgement as He remains holy and righteous.
We see the next judgement - “WOE” in Verse 18. It paints a picture of those who have truck load of sin, evil, iniquity immortality and wickedness: yet they drag their sins all over the place with impunity and without shame.

Verse 19 states that not only are they shamelessly exhibiting their folly, they have the audacity to challenge God to do His worst.
I struggled to exonerate the church from this group, but having pondered over the list, I asked sincerely, don’t we still have pride, deceit, envy, unforgiving and disobedience to parents, still prevalent with the church - I want to believe that Miracle Land is absolved in Jesus name.

We find the next category of “WOE” in Verse 20 where everything is made contrary to the norm. This seems familiar to what is happening in our world today. What is evil they call good and vice-versa. What was light they call dark, what was bitter they call sweet. I want us to critically review this with practical examples in our world today.

The next curse “WOE” in Verse 21 is matted to those who indulge in the sin of arrogance - what we call back home as “ITK”. They have a very arrogant disposition to life. They are highly opinionated of themselves. They hate being corrected and do not heed advice. One of the learnings from our Proverbs challenge is Prov. 24:6.” No wonder the arrogant goof always.

Verses 22 & 23 reel out the final curse “WOE” upon leaders in government, the society the church who take bribes to pervert justice, and take away the rights of the righteous. These are leaders who are corrupt and lack integrity.
The above are the specific sins in Chapter 5 that propelled God to bring judgement’s upon the children of Israel.

And in Verse 24, it reels out the unavoidable punishment where all that fall into the above categories are consumed like grass in a summer bonfire, because they all have rejected the word of the Lord and despised God.

Verse 25 says God is furious against these people. He promised to whisper to the enemies of Israel to go into a battle with them and destroy, and even the remnants captured by the enemy.

This above prophecy of Isiah was fulfilled during the Babylonian destruction of Israel and captivity of remnants into exile. The Babylonian captivity or Babylonian exile is the period in Jewish history during which a large number of Judeans from the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylon, the capital city of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, following their defeat in the Jewish–Babylonian War and the destruction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

Chapter 6

Isaiah must have struggled with this prophecy of doom and gloom. He must have asked, if God was still in charge and in control. This led to the birth of Isiah’s ministry in Chapter 6.
The opening verses 1-4 gave vivid account Isaiah’s visit to the temple to seek the face of God, after the death of king Uzziah. King Uzziah became king at age 16 (2 Chron. 26:1-4).
God showed Isaiah a vision of His throne, that in spite the confusion, He - God is still on His throne, in control and He reigns in His majesty. Angels are at His beck and call. That He - God remains Holy.

In Verse 5, the awesome wonders of God’s majesty, His power, glory and honour in His throne Isaiah was faced with no choice than to curse himself, just as he had been instructed to curse the people of Israel in chapter 5. How filthy, unrighteous and sinful natured he was as a human being became glaring to him as he compared himself with God in His throne room.
Isaiah admitted that he is a man of unclean lips, living in the mist of unclean people.

Verse 6: Isaiah had to go through a purification process after a genuine repentance. The coal touching his lips portrays atonement of sin, purification and cleansing from all forms of unrighteousness

Verse 8: The question here is who is God looking to send into a world in crisis and confusion as we have today? As we have learnt, this person must have a clear vision of God’s glory, majestic splendour, His holiness and unshakable kingdom.
This person must be broken, having an awareness of his sinful nature.
The person should be humbled enough to admit his sins and ask for forgiveness. Only such will be willing to Go.

Verse 9: Having displayed his preparedness and willingness to Go, Isaiah was asked to keep preach until there will be no one left to hear it.

CONCLUSION
Finally in Verse 13: Despite the confusion, impunity and blatant disregard for God’s commands, God still kept His 10%, His holy seed who will hear, see and understand with a brokenness of heart.My prayer is that Miracle Land will be among the holy seed of God in Jesus name.

Contributor: Clem Roberts

INTRODUCTION
Isaiah 1:1–31 
The first chapter of Isaiah serves as a summary vision and presents the major themes of the book: judgment on Judah for rebelliousness and hope for the future restoration of Zion. 

Verse 1- The vision of Isaiah This opening heading identifies the book as prophetic revelation associated with Isaiah the prophet. 
Isaiah The prophet’s name means “Yahweh’s is salvation.” Or “The Lord shall save”.  
Isaiah’s ministry spans the reigns of four kings of Judah over a period of several years, but most of his prophetic activity relates to the crisis during the reign of Ahaz or the Assyrian king Sennacherib’s invasion and siege of Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah. His access and relationship to the royal court seems similar to that of Nathan, Elijah, or Elisha (2 Sam 7; 1 Kings 18–19; 2 Kings 6).

Judah and Jerusalem The northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria, during Isaiah’s lifetime. This and other traumatic events provide the dramatic backdrop for Isaiah’s warning of impending judgment against the southern kingdom of Judah.

Verses 2–20 God’s formally brings a legal suit against Judah for a breach of contract (breaking their covenant with Him). The accusation appears in Isa 1:2–3, followed by a direct address to the people outlining the charges detailed in Verses 4–20.

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1 - God’s Case Against Judah
Verses 1- 9
•    Jerusalem is called by more than 30 different names in the book Isaiah.
•    The chastening of the Lord (re: Deut. 28-29) has been visited upon the land and the time of expulsion is near. 
•    Total destruction: Deut. 29:22; Amos 9:11; Isa 13; Jer. 50.
God’s condemnation - of sheer outward religion and formalism: Hos. 6:6; Amos 4:4; 5:21-25; Micah 6:6-8; Jer. 7:4, 21; Ps 50:3-15.
•    10 Reference to Jerusalem as Sodom (Rev 11:18).
•    13 “Abomination due to use of images and idolatry (Rev 13).
•    18 - 31 Entreaty and warning. 
•    18 An invitation to “Reason together”
•    19 Grace for all which includes full amnesty.

Again another derailment 
•    20 - 22 Silver & Harlotry: Ex 34:15; Hos. 1:2; Isa 50:1; 54:1, Ex 30:11-16
•    24 The call of Trinity. 
•    25 Dross: Ezek. 22:18-22.
•    26 Judges are to be restored in the future kingdom (Mt 19:28).
•    29 Trees: 2 Kgs 16:4; Hos. 4:13; Jer. 2:20; 3:6-13; 17:2; Ezek. 6:13; Isa 57:5.
•    Gardens: Isa 65:3; 66:17.

A CLOSER LOOK
Rebellion:
Vs 2 - “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; 
God is emphasizing His role as caretaker or master over Israel’s well-being; He cared for them like a father.  Yet they rebelled against Him. The Hebrew word for “rebel” is used to describe political rebellion (see 2 Kgs 3:5–7). It indicates a breach of contract—when someone has not fulfilled his or her contractual obligation. 
In this case, the Israelites are accused of breaking their agreement to obey God. The metaphor of Israel as a rebellious child connects directly to the covenant law in Deut. 21:18–21, where the penalty for disobeying parents was death.

Are we conscious and committed?
1:3 An ox knows its owner God’s children have shown less sense and loyalty than stubborn farm animals, who at least recognize their master’s role in providing for them.
Israel here, refers to God’s people generally, not just the northern kingdom. The vision is addressed to Judah and Jerusalem, the southern kingdom.
1:4 children Indicates that those being addressed are connected to God’s rebellious children in Isa 1:2.
The Holy One of Israel This title for God is frequently used in Isaiah to emphasize the holiness of God. Isaiah’s experience may have profoundly impacted his vision of God, and led him to stress this aspect as central to God’s identity. 
Isaiah develops a portrait of God as all powerful and greater than other so-called gods. He also emphasizes God’s separateness and otherness compared to His creation (Hosea 11:9), and His demands for moral perfection and ritual cleanness (Lev 19:2). Isaiah’s dismay in Isa 6:5 is related to his awareness of his own uncleanness for standing before that which was most holy.

God’s Grace  
As God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Gen 19). The prophets frequently referenced the cities to illustrate what God’s judgment looks like (see Isa 13:19; Jer. 49:18; Amos 4:11; Zeph. 2:9). 
A small remnant was saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah—only through God’s grace.  But Isaiah referenced it and also added a spiritual angle to it.

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 2 Emphasises On A Vision Of The Coming Kingdom.
•    Verses 2-5 similar to Prophet Micah in Micah 4:1-3, 5.
•    Mountains an idiomatic expression for kingdom, authority, rule: Dan 2:35, 44-45; Rev 17:9-11; etc.
•    6 - 22 The necessity of humility
•    11 Compare with Isa 14: the fall of Lucifer through pride.
•    17 Only God should be exalted. 
•    19 Rev 6:16; Josh 10:16,17.

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 3 - National And Regional Disintegration Of Israel Due To Sin And Transgression
•    Talks about the chaos that will befall those leaders who lead people away from God almighty.
•    Obscene nature of the society at large. 

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 4:1-6: We Will See A Vision Of The Coming Kingdom.
•    Seven women 
•    “The Branch of the Lord” to be fully manifested after His return in glory (Mt 25:31);
•    “The Branch” of David (Isa 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15), the Messiah, “of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Rom 1:3), revealed in earthly glory as King of Kings.
•    The Lord’s “servant, the Branch” (Zech. 3:8), Messiah’s humiliation and obedience unto death (Isa 52:13-53:12; Phil 2:5-8);
•    Cloud covering for them that believe: Ex 13:21,22.

CONCLUSION
What we have learnt in these first four chpaters on the book of Isaiah is a theme pointing towards, a call to righteousness and total reliance on God

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION:
We must remember to thank God for our past studies, acknowledge the help of the Holy  Spirit; the Spirit of truth and the hard work of our teachers.
We are studying the book of Isaiah until the end of 2023 and I believe that the lessons stored up for us by God will enrich our knowledge of the Bible and transform our lives.
The book of Isaiah was written between 739 and 681 B.C. during the time when Israel was a divided nation. After King Solomon’s death, the ten northern tribes formed Israel, with its capital city being Samaria. The two remaining tribes of Benjamin and Judah united to become the southern kingdom, Judah, with Jerusalem as its capital. Isaiah spoke mainly to Judah (but sometimes also to Israel) “in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isa.1:1)
His message was to a nation that had turned a deaf ear to the Lord. Instead of serving Him with humility and offering love to their neighbours, the nation of Judah offered meaningless sacrifices in God’s temple at Jerusalem and committed injustices throughout the nation. Prophet spoke mainly to the people of Judah and the message was mostly to ‘repent’ and turn from their wicked ways that the Lord might bless them yet again (Isaiah 1:2; 2:11-20; 5:30; 34:1-2; 42:25).
At the same time, Isaiah understands that God is a God of mercy, grace, and compassion (Isaiah 5:25; 11:16; 14:1-2; 32:2; 40:3; 41:14-16). The nation of Israel (both Judah and Israel) is blind and deaf to God’s commands (Isaiah 6:9-10; 42:7). Judah is compared to a vineyard that should be, and will be, trampled on (Isaiah 5:1-7). Only because of His mercy and His promises to Israel, will God not allow Israel or Judah to be completely destroyed. He will bring restoration, forgiveness, and healing (43:2; 43:16-19; 52:10-12).
More than any other book in the Old Testament, Isaiah focuses on the salvation that will come
through the Messiah. The Messiah will one day rule in justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:7; 32:1).
The reign of the Messiah will bring peace and safety to Israel (Isaiah 11:6-9). Through the Messiah, Israel will be a light to all the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 55:4-5). The Messiah’s kingdom on earth (Isaiah chapters 65-66) is the goal toward which all of the book of Isaiah points. It is during the reign of the Messiah that God’s righteousness will be fully revealed to the world.

1. The Author (Isaiah 1:1)
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
As is the case with nearly all the books of “the prophets,” the book of Isaiah takes its name from its writer. Isaiah was married to a prophetess who bore him at least two sons (Isaiah 7:3; 8:3). He prophesied under the reign of four Judean kings; Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1).
The name “Isaiah” means “Jehovah saves” or “Salvation of Jehovah.” It is believed that Isaiah
was from a prominent family, or perhaps even related to the royal family of Judah, because of his apparent influence among the rulers of Judah. Isaiah is sometimes called the “prince of prophets” for this reason. He made the most prophecies regarding the Jewish people and Christ. And he is the prophet who is most often quoted in the New Testament.
Isaiah is considered a “major” prophet of the Bible (along with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel) as opposed to the “minor” prophets (Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Nahum,
Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). These prophets are not divided based
on significance of the messages, however, but rather simply by the length of their books.
Some scholars debate whether or not one man, Isaiah son of Amoz, actually wrote all sixty-six chapters of this book, dividing the book into three sections: 1–39(Punishment of Jerusalem),
40–55(Captivity in Babylon), and 56–66(Persian Era). These scholars insist multiple authors must have added to the scrolls to account for the fulfilment of the words in the book of Isaiah; in other words, someone snuck in and added prophecies after foretold events had already occurred. However, if you believe in the Holy Spirit and in God’s ability to speak to and through His prophets, you can set aside this reasoning.

2. Historical Perspective (Isaiah 1:2-3)
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.”
Isaiah lived in the eighth century BC, during the time when Israel was a divided nation. After King Solomon’s death, the ten northern tribes formed Israel, with its capital city being Samaria. The two remaining tribes of Benjamin and Judah united to become the southern kingdom, Judah, with Jerusalem as its capital. Isaiah’s ministry as a prophet took place in the range of 740–680 BC, during some very turbulent times for the Jewish people. There were threats to their safety and culture on all sides, including between and among the tribes themselves.
The northern kingdom of Israel was taken captive by Assyria in 721 BC. Then, the southern kingdom of Judah was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in 586 BC. At this time, the capital, Jerusalem, major buildings, and the beautiful temple Solomon had built were all destroyed. Thousands of Jewish people were taken to Babylon for seventy years, a key event in the history of the Jewish people, known as the Babylonian captivity or exile.
Isaiah predicted these and other events long before they occurred. These and many other prophecies spoken by Isaiah can be traced through secular, non-Christian sources.

3. The Message or Purpose (Isaiah 42:6-7)
“I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles 7, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
More than any other book in the Old Testament, Isaiah focuses on the salvation that will come through the Messiah. The Messiah will one day rule in justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:7; 32:1). The reign of the Messiah will bring peace and safety to Israel (Isaiah 11:6-9). Through the Messiah, Israel will be a light to all the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 55:4-5). The Messiah’s kingdom on earth (Isaiah chapters 65-66) is the goal toward which all of the book of Isaiah points. It is during the reign of the Messiah that God’s righteousness will be fully revealed to the world.
Chapter 53 of Isaiah describes the coming Messiah and the suffering He would endure in order to pay for our sins. In His sovereignty, God orchestrated every detail of the crucifixion to fulfil every prophecy of this chapter. The imagery of chapter 53 is poignant and prophetic and contains a complete picture of the Gospel. Jesus was despised and rejected (v. 3; Luke 13:34; John 1:10-11), stricken by God (v.4; Matthew 27:46), and pierced for our transgressions (v. 5; John 19:34; 1 Peter 2:24). By His suffering, He paid the punishment we deserved and became for us the ultimate and perfect sacrifice (v. 5; Hebrews 10:10). Although He was sinless, God laid on Him our sin, and we became God’s righteousness in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Conclusion Isaiah (12:1-3)
Isaiah’s overall theme receives its clearest statement in chapter 12:1-3
Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

DAY 29 – CHAPTER 29 Verse 17
“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.” NLT

Revelation

Discipline a child early enough in life to avoid heartache in the future Application Severally in the book of Proverbs we are admonished to discipline our children Many restrain from discipline and indulge them indiscriminately because they think they love their children too much but Proverbs 13:24 says:

“If you withhold correction and punishment from your children, you demonstrate a lack of true love. So prove your love and be prompt to punish them.” TPT

Proverbs 19:18 TPT says “Don’t be afraid to discipline your children while they’re still young enough to learn. Don’t indulge your children or be swayed by their protests.”

Indulgence is not a mark of love but a bait for destruction

DAY 30– CHAPTER 30 Verse 5
“Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.”  NLT

Revelation

Every word of God is tried, tested and proven true

Application

Psalm 12:6 tells us that The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times
I will never doubt God’s Words; especially what it says about me

Prayer

Lord Jesus please grant me the grace and strength to continually trust in your unfailing Word

DAY 31–CHAPTER 31 Verses 4-5

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol.”

For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed.

Revelation

Respectable people should steer clear of all sorts of intoxicants If you have the ambition to become somebody in this life then you must refrain from certain actions Application There are consequences for all actions we take.

Verse 5 tells us of the consequences.

“they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed.”
Although these verses refer to wines and strong drinks, the same applies to things that will impact your judgment, your resolve and your reputation.

Because as long as you remain a nobody no one cares. But as soon as you get out there, ready to, or already making an impact in the world there are those who will go searching for mud to sling at you. And if by your actions either as a youth or past adult life you have by the lack of self-control engaged in anything scandalous, it will come out in the open.

Contributor: Tobi Morakinyo

DAY 23 - CHAPTER 23

Verse: 1-3.

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.

Revelation

Not every opportunity should be taken! Some are like weapons specially fashioned to derail us from God’s will.

Application

Daniel and his friends knew by wisdom that the King’s meat was defiling and should not be consumed (Daniel 1:8), otherwise, God’s plans for their lives would be thwarted. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin (Heb. 11:24-28). However, because our God can as well prepare a table before us (Psalms 23:5), we must continually watch, and pray for the spirit of discernment to know whether it is a table set by God or distraction from the enemy of our soul.

DAY 24 - CHAPTER 24

Verse: 4 and 16

4If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. 16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief”.

Revelation:

• Adversity is not necessarily synonymous to mishap, other Bible translation used “under pressure” (Joseph in Gen. 39:7-12), “distress” (David and his army in 1 Sam 30)”, “temptation” (our Lord, Jesus Christ in Mathew 4:1-11), “persecution” (Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10), trial of faith (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3:8-25) etc.

• Everyone will experience that the day (period) of adversity as many times in his/her lifetime. One thing is guaranteed, our faith in God will be put to test. As often as that happens, God expects us to stand firm.

• However, the strength to stand on such day must be sufficiently garnered ahead of time. God’s expectation from us during such moments, days or periods of adversity is to draw on His strength for victory. He is not expecting us faint on such day(s) because His grace is sufficient for us, and his strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). However, if we faint, it is indication that we need to build strength (capacity) in that area or sub-area of life. We should not remain in our fainting mode, we should rise again – vs 16 says “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief”.

Application

We must continually build capacity to stand on the day of adversity. The day of adversity is not the day to build but to manifest strength. How then can we build strength ahead?:

• Through God’s word and by His spirit. He is the true source of strength. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalms 46:1).

• By trusting and having faith in God because we know that “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13), and “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalms 34:19).
• By continually wait on him because “they that wait on the Lord, he shall renew their strength”(Isa. 40:31).
• By rejoicing always because the joy of the lord is my strength (Neh. 8:10); and • By not forsake the assembly of the brethren, and seeking godly counsel and prayers - Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend (Prov. 27:17).

Day 25 – Chapter 25
Verse: 4

Take away the dross [impurities] from the silver, and there comes out [the pure metal for] a vessel for the silversmith [to shape]. Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.

Revelation

Dross can be likened to sin or any attitude, character and association that could deprive us from reaching our full possibilities in life and Godliness.

Application

The silversmith can make nothing valuable out a dross-filled silver. Remaining intertwined with impurities limits our full potential in God.
Who takes away the dross? God, through the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus and His word (Heb. 9:14, Eph.5:26); and individuals – through wisdom, discipline and self-control. This responsibility can be established from these scripture - “Mortify therefore your members …..”(Col. 3:5), “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure”(1 John 3:1-3), “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:4-6), “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…(Heb 12:1-3)”. Therefore, we must identify, ask God to reveal and be willing disentangle myself from dross limiting us from reaching our fullness in life and Godliness.