Victory Fellowship Bible Study
273 23rd St. S.W., Barberton, OH 44203
Wednesdays at 7pm - Roderick D. Grabski (330) 858-0223
WEBPAGE: victoryfellowshipministries.com
Session Eleven: Real Power
1) GATHERING and OPENING PRAYER
2) READ / LISTEN to Isaiah 21:1 – 23:18
What are your initial impressions? Questions?
Are there notable differences in various translations?
3) BLOWING AWAY BABYLONIA (21:1-10):
Military Might will not keep a Nation from the Wrath of God’s Judgment Day.
a) We don’t know until verse 9 that the “desert by the sea” is Babylon.
i) Assyria defeated Babylon 3 times (710, 700, & 689 B.C.) and the Medes and Persians completely destroyed Babylon in 539 B.C. This prophesy very likely relates to all of those events, as well as the final battle in Revelation 17-18.
b) Distressing Truth (vv. 1-2)
c) Frightening Truth (vv. 3-5; See Daniel 5, especially verses 22-31)
d) Justifying Truth (vv. 6-7)
e) Punishing Truth (vv. 8-10)
4) ARROWS OVER ARABIA (21:11-17):
Economic Might will not keep a Nation from the Wrath of God’s Judgment Day.
a) Repent of Sin (vv. 11-12).
i) Dumah means “silence” and refers to Edom. Isaiah is doing a wordplay here - in the Hebrew bible Dumah is Edom (Idumaea) minus the first letter.
b) Trust in God (vv. 13-15)
c) Heed the Warning (vv. 16-17).
i) The timing of this prophesy is very specific. In 691 B.C. Assyria began their assault of Northern Arabia and defeated them by 689.
5) ZION’S ZERO HOUR (22:1-14):
Religious Tradition and History will not keep a Nation from the Wrath of God’s Judgment Day.
a) Presumptuous View of God’s Grace (vv. 1-4). This is the prophet Isaiah’s voice.
b) Presumptuous View of God’s Word through the Prophet (vv. 5-7).
i) Even though Assyria withdrew from Jerusalem in 701 B.C. Isaiah saw no reason to celebrate. Elam and Kir fought with the Assyrians against Jerusalem.
c) Presumptuous View of God’s Trust and God’s Promises (vv. 8-14).
i) The House of the Forest was built by Solomon out of the cedars of Lebanon (1 Kings 7) and was used for weapons storage. Hezekiah had built another wall around the city, stopped up the water supply and made a tunnel to access the water supply from inside the city walls.
(2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 20)
6) THE PRESUMPTUOUS STEWARD WILL FALL (22:15-25):
Fame and Position will not keep a Person from the Wrath of God’s Judgment.
a) Shebna, Violator of Trust (vv. 15-16).
b) Demotion Comes (vv.17-19).
i) We can imagine a Christ vs. Antichrist scenario. (Revelation 3:7)
c) Loss of Honor (vv. 20-25). Eventually, even Eliakim fails.
7) TAPS FOR TYRE (23:1-18): A well-protected location, combined with economic success and power will not keep a People from the Wrath of God’s Judgment.
a) Marketplace for the Nations (vv. 1-3). Tyre = Modern Sur in Lebanon.
i) Ezekiel prophesied between 593-570 B.C. and in 26:4 he stated that Tyre would be reduced to a flat rock. In 322 B.C. Alexander the Great leveled the city to a flat rock to construct his highway.
b) Point of Pride (vv. 4-5). The sea represents a false god.
c) A Mercenary Spirit: Money over Ethics. (vv. 6-9)
d) The Ravished Woman and Wailing Ships (vv. 10-14)
e) The Harlot’s Song (vv. 15-18)
8) APPLICATION:
a) If we are in a position of authority we should use it to glorify God and be a help and blessing to others. (Galatians 5:13-14)
b) An ungodly nation, no matter how powerful, will ultimately face God’s judgement. (Revelation 19:15)
c) We should check ourselves to be certain we are truly trusting in God for our decision making and help-seeking – rather than anyone or anything else. (Proverbs 3:5-8)
9) WRAP UP and CLOSE IN PRAYER
NEXT LESSON:
Apocalyptic Announcements - Read Isaiah 24:1 – 27:13 to prepare.
