Victory Fellowship Bible Study
273 23rd St. S.W., Barberton, OH 44203
Wednesdays at 7pm - Roderick D. Grabski (330) 858-0223
WEBPAGE: victoryfellowshipministries.com
Lesson One: An Overview
1) GATHERING and OPENING PRAYER
2) Class Structure, Timeline / Agenda, Ground Rules
3) COURSE OBJECTIVES
a) To Glorify God in our study of His Word.
b) To edify our own knowledge and understanding.
c) To discuss Major Themes addressed in this writing.
d) To understand how important Isaiah is to the New Testament.
e) To either come to know Jesus as our Savior, or to be affirmed in our faith.
f) To be blessed by the Holy Spirit in our Study.
4) AUTHORSHIP:
a) Isaiah = the LORD is Salvation (see Isaiah the man chart)
b) Isaiah used over 2200 Hebrew words. Far more than any O.T. Book.
c) Question of Authorship:
i) Deutero-Isaiah (Second-Isaiah for Chapters 40-55)
ii) Trito-Isaiah (Third-Isaiah for Chapters 56-66)
d) The Case for Only ONE Isaiah:
i) Early Judaism Testimony
(1) No break in the original text manuscripts
ii) Most quoted prophet in New Testament (22 times)
(1) (Matthew 3:3 & Isaiah 40:3; Romans 10:20-21 & Isaiah 65:1-2)
iii) larsy vwdq = Holy One of Israel
(1) (12 x’s in 1-39; 13 x’s in 40-66; only 7 x’s in rest of the Bible)
5) ISAIAH AT A GLANCE (see chart)
a) Timeline and Messages (see chart)
i) Events of his own day – 740-690 B.C. (Chapters 1-39)
ii) Events in the days of Cyrus of Persia – 559-530 B.C. (Chapters 40-55)
iii) Events in the days of the Rebuilt Temple – 515-480 B.C. (Chapters 56-66)
6) Message and Purpose of ISAIAH
a) Isaiah accused God’s people of sin by rebelling against their maker and redeemer.
b) Isaiah urged the rebellious to reform their ways and be obedient to God.
c) Isaiah pronounced God’s judgment on the sinful people.
d) Isaiah foresaw God’s restoration of the faithful remnant of His people; God’s judgement on the nations, and future returning of the nations to God.
e) Chapters 1-39 deal with the sinful people, the call to repentance, and judgement.
f) Chapters 40-66 emphasize the hope of restoration.
7) Prominent THEMES in ISAIAH:
a) HOLY ONE of ISRAEL – larsy vwdq (43:3)
b) THE ALMIGHTY - LORD OF HOSTS - T/OabXu hwhy (6:3)
c) TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD (25:9)
d) GOD VERSUS THE IDOLS (42:8)
e) THE GLORY OF GOD (40:5)
f) THE DAY OF THE LORD (2:12)
g) SYMBOLIC ACTS of the PROPHET (20:2)
h) GOD’S GRACE (1:13)
i) GOD THE CREATOR (40:28)
j) SALVATION (12:2)
k) THE SERVANT OF YAHWEH (52:13)
l) GOD’S REDEMPTION (30:18)
m) THE SPIRIT OF GOD - hwhy jwr (51x’s in Isaiah; 378 in OT) (61:1-3)
8) THE MARTYREDOM OF ISAIAH
a) Ancient Jewish-Christian tradition suggests that Isaiah was martyred (in 699 B.C.?) by King Manasseh, son of Hezekiah. According to the tradition, Isaiah was tied inside a sack, placed within the hollow of a tree trunk, and then sawed in two. This story traces back to a first-century, noncanonical book called the Ascension of Isaiah, which claims to tell the story of Isaiah’s death.
b) Tertullian and early Christian apologist Justin Martyr both mentioned the legend of Isaiah’s death in their writings, with Justin Martyr specifying that the saw used to execute Isaiah was made of wood (Dialogue with Trypho, 120). Bible scholar and philosopher Origen of Alexandria also upheld this traditional view of Isaiah’s death in his writings and offered various justifications for it.
9) WRAP UP and CLOSE IN PRAYER
NEXT LESSON:
Restoration Through Repentance - Read Isaiah 1:1-31 to prepare.
