Hope Now Bible Church: Fresno, California

HEARING GOD'S CALL: Isaiah 6:1-8

I first remember having a desire to serve the Lord when I was in fourth grade. Several years earlier I recall memorizing various Scripture passages and getting a nickel from my mom for each verse I could quote. One of the first verses I remember is Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." That verse has stuck with me for over 45 years. It was worth a nickel.

Later, in junior high, I wanted to study the Bible more and more. I begged my mom and dad for a set of audiocassette tapes covering every book in the Bible by well-known Bible teachers. My parents gave in and I proudly displayed my twelve volume cases of Bible cassettes on a shelf in my bedroom. At night I would insert one into my Hitachi tape recorder and listen to great teaching on God's word.

At a young age I knew that I wanted to be a pastor when I grew up. Likewise, I wanted to attend a Christian college. My mom called Biola college and a representative came to our house to talk to me about my future -- I look back on that visit a bit amazed that they would come to my house to talk about college when I was still in elementary school, but I felt God was calling me to serve him and he was confirming my desire.

As the years went by, I still knew that God wanted me to serve him, but I lost the passion of my earlier days. At times I would wander away from the Lord, then come back and repent. After Carol and I were married, I began attending Biola College and struggled with understanding how God could possibly use me. I felt like such a weak, inconsistent Christian at times.

Maybe you have felt the same way? Maybe you have felt or are feeling the call of God? Do you feel inadequate to serve him because of your past or perhaps even your present sins? You and I are not alone. In our passage we are going to find out that Isaiah felt the same way we do. He couldn't understand how God could use him -- But God did use him, in a very surprising way.

BACKGROUND

As we have noted in previous studies, Isaiah is known as one of the great writing prophets. He wrote his book nearly 2,800 years ago and it still speaks to us today! God's word never gets old. It is always fresh and alive (Hebrews 4:12).

You may ask, "Who cares about a book that was written 2,800 years ago?" "Why would it even matter if I read it?" "What is important to me is my life right now: The problems I am facing now!" John Oswalt, in his commentary on Isaiah helps answer these questions for us:

We need "A strong dose of the truth of Isaiah, that there is a God who is at work in the corporate history and in our individual histories. We can know him in the daily experiences of life, as the Israelites did. Knowing him in that way, we can then recover for ourselves, and maybe for our culture, the reality that human choices matter, that we are headed somewhere, and that the transcendent (supreme, incomparable) God is calling us to go with him."

In other words, by reading and studying the book of Isaiah we get a glimpse into God's character. We can better understand that God works in and through the lives of people and, like the Israelites of old, he wants to work in your life too.

THE MAJESTY OF THE LORD (Isaiah 6:1)

One of the noteworthy things about the book of Isaiah is its historicity. In other words, like all of Scripture, it is historically accurate. Isaiah writes about real people, like King Uzziah, who lived and died. The Bible is not a fictional book made up of a lot of fanciful stories to make us feel good. No, it is an accurate book of the history of the world, both good and bad.

Isaiah states clearly in verse 1 that he "Saw the Lord sitting upon a throne..." The first thing that may come to mind upon reading this passage are John's words in John 1:18, "No one has ever seen God..." "Aha!" One might say. "I have found a contradiction in the Bible!" John says no one has ever seen God, but Isaiah wrote that he saw the Lord. Which is it? A closer look reveals, not a contradiction, but something awesome instead.

It is true that "No one has ever seen God" the Father. Then who or what did Isaiah see? He saw the "Lord" Christ sitting on upon a throne. How do we know he saw Christ? The verse we looked at in John 1:18 goes on to clear up this supposed contradiction by saying, "No one has ever seen God; [BUT] the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." John writes that while we cannot see God (because God is Spirit, John 4:24), he has been made known to us through his Son. The book of Hebrews 1:1-3 elaborates:

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, who he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

The apostle John identifies who it was Isaiah actually saw, "Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory [the glory of Jesus] and spoke of him [spoke of Jesus] (John 12:41). In Isaiah's vision he saw a future glimpse of Jesus Christ sitting on the throne next to God the Father. Why is Jesus sitting on the throne? Because his work is finished! He died on the cross for our sins, he was buried, and three days later he rose again. After our sins were forgiven through his death on the cross, he sat down. All that is required now is that we believe in Jesus, that he is God. At that moment, when we have a true conviction of our belief, we receive the free gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23). Then, daily, we confess our sins and they are immediately forgiven. It is only because Jesus Christ is seated on the throne that we have forgiveness of sins. He has shed his blood for us and has conquered death so that we might be saved.

Isaiah goes on to describe the Lord. He tells us that he is "high and lifted up." Jesus is above all! The apostle Paul wrote that Jesus is "Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:21).

The majesty of Christ that Isaiah described was so magnificent that we're told, "The train of his robe filled the temple."

LIGHT MY FIRE! (Isaiah 6:2-7)

Do you believe in angels? You should. The Bible speaks often of them. In Hebrews 1:14, angels are called "ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation."

Isaiah saw a vision of angels. In verse 2 they are called "Seraphim." In verse 3 these seraphim are calling out "Holy, holy, holy" and by doing so are perhaps indicating their worship of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The word seraphim means burning, or maybe more appropriately, fiery. The apostle Peter wrote, our faith is "tested by fire" (1 Peter 1:7). As these burning, fiery creatures move about in Isaiah's presence he is suddenly convicted of his sin.

He calls out "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips..." Here is Isaiah, standing the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, surrounded by angelic beings, and suddenly he recognizes his sinfulness. He sees that his sin separates him from enjoying the majesty and wonder that is surrounding him.

That is what sin does to us. It separates us from God. When a believer sins there is guilt. When guilt is not dealt with it causes us to move farther away from God.

But Isaiah didn't let his guilt take hold of him. He immediately recognized his guilt and he expressed it before the "King, the Lord of hosts!" Isaiah confessed his sin. At that moment one of the seraphim swooped down with a piece of coal that had been taken from the altar that was before the Lord. As the seraphim touched the lips of Isaiah with the coal the angel pronounced that his "guilt is taken away, and [his] sin atoned for." Sin can only be atoned for by the sacrifice Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross -- the coal taken from the altar symbolized the work that Jesus did as our final sacrifice. Our guilt is removed and only Jesus Christ atones for our sin. This is a perfect passage that shows how Old Testament people were saved. They were saved the same way we are today, through belief in Jesus Christ.

CLEAR! (Isaiah 6:8)

Verse 8 presents another wonderful picture of the Trinity. The Lord is speaking, "Who will go for us?"  Who is the “us” that the Lord is speaking to in this verse?  Throughout the entire Bible we read of the concept of the Trinity, consisting of the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit. The first hint of this Trinitarian theology is found in Genesis 1:26 where God says, "Let us make man in our own image." Who was God talking to? He was speaking to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Likewise, in this verse, the Holy Spirit is speaking to the Father and the Son (See Acts 28:25-27).

Isaiah, who is now rid of his guilt, is ready for the challenge of serving the Lord. He quickly responded to God's call. "Here I am! Send me." What Isaiah is saying is, "Please use me! I am clear from all my guilt and sin! I'm ready to be used in your service for whatever you want me to do." But Isaiah probably never dreamed what God was about to make him do.

THREE "HOLY" LESSONS

1. God is enthroned in heaven. We live in a world of chaos today. Enemies threaten us wherever we turn. It is nearly impossible to not get depressed or discouraged after watching or reading the news. Trouble surrounds us, yet the message for us today from Isaiah is that God still rules. God is fully aware of our circumstances. He knows what we are going through and he knows how to handle our problems. Our sin is thinking we have a human solution for our problems. When we continue to worry and rely on human solutions we fall deeper into discouragement and/or depression. When we think WE can handle our own problems, God then becomes our servant rather than our sovereign (Oswalt.) God is sovereign, which means he is Lord over all. When we become the servant and say, "Here I am Lord, send me" then God begins to work in our lives. Do you have problems? Then look up to the throne at the one seated in majesty and power.

2. Recognize that you are a sinner and accept Christ's forgiveness. In the 1970's there was a bestselling book entitled I'm Okay, You're Okay. The idea behind the book was that you could lead a happier and more productive life by performing some self-help techniques. The book sold millions of copies, but our world today is no better off. People are not happier than they were in the 1970's. Arguably, we might say that people throughout the world are less happy. Isaiah presents us with another option; I'm Not Okay, But God Is, therefore confess your guilt and sin to God. Stand up and boldly proclaim to God that you are lost without him.

Many people recognize that they are sinners, but they live in misery because they fail to accept Christ's forgiveness. They cannot possibly imagine how God could forgive them. Some people and perhaps even you are so laden with unconfessed sin that they are afraid to even look to the Lord because of their guilt. But the Bible tells us to look to the One who is "high and lifted up!" for the forgiveness of our sins.

In the book of Numbers there is an interesting story about the Israelites who had left Egypt and were now wandering in the desert. You remember the story of Moses going to Pharaoh and saying, "Let my people go!" God was leading them through the desert, but they did not want to follow him and continually disobeyed him. They grumbled and complained to Moses about God. Because of their grumbling and disobedience we read in in Numbers 21:6, "The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died." Fiery serpents? Sound familiar? Remember the seraphim? They were burning, fiery angels and God used them to convict Isaiah of his sinfulness. In the desert God did the same thing with the Israelites and they were convicted of their sin. In Numbers 21:7, "The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord..." They recognized that they had sinned and they asked for forgiveness. Then in verse 8, God told Moses to do a wonderful thing. God said, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live"

That story in Numbers was told for a reason. The serpent on the pole represented the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus said, in John 3:14 & 15, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." Recognize that you are a sinner and look to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin!

3. God calls but it is up to you to answer. Just the fact that you are reading this Bible study may be indication that God is calling you. Do you take time to listen for God's call? Isaiah 6:8 says, "[Isaiah] heard the voice of the Lord." The word "heard" means to "hear and obey" but sometimes we have so much noise around us that we can't even hear what the Lord is saying to us. The noise in our lives comes in all forms:

Emotional noise: We worry about everything, never giving God a chance to help us through our emotional stresses.

Spiritual noise: We fail to hold up to the Bible every belief we encounter and we believe whatever sounds good. We watch a movie about Jesus being married and because it sounds plausible we tend to believe it without ever finding out what Scripture has to say. We hold on to ancient religious practices of our ancestors because it is what we have always done, but we fail to see what God has to say about following other gods beside him.

Physical noise: We listen to music on our iPods, watch DVD's, play X-box, text message, talk on our cell phones, chat on our computers, send e-mail and we're always surrounded by noise. We never have an opportunity to quietly "wait" on the Lord and "hear" his message.

It's no wonder we are weak, and troubled, and hurting. We never get our strength renewed because of the noise. Isaiah addressed this in chapter 40, "But they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Be like Isaiah and listen for God's call, then obey him and ask him to "send you."

This week: Examine your sin daily and confess it before God. Be assured that God offers you forgiveness of sins. Push the noise out of your life this week and read and meditate on God's word, listening for his call. Tell God that you are ready to obey him and ask him to send you!

Study Questions:

1. How have you pictured God in heaven? Does the Isaiah 6 passage change the way you thought about God? Explain.

2. Do you think it is hard to ask for forgiveness? Why or why not.

3. The Bible says God is "Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion" in the world. Does that give you any comfort when you see our world disintegrating around us? Explain.

Step Over The Line: Isaiah 1:10-20

A few years ago I visited Germany. It was wonderful to be in that country and experience all of its history, both good and bad. One of the things about the trip that still stands out in my mind is the infamous Berlin Wall. The wall stood for 28 years as a dividing point between the Communist controlled East Berlin (and East Germany) and the free city of West Berlin (and West Germany). Today, the wall only stands in a few places for tourists to look at and photograph as a reminder of a country divided. In places where the wall is completely gone, a painted line designates where it once loomed. As I stood in the street I noticed that I was straddling the line. I had one foot in the former East Germany and another foot in former West Germany.

In our passage in Isaiah we are going to discover that the people of Jerusalem where straddling the line of faith. They were worshiping God on one side, yet living in sin on the other. God shows his complete disdain for their actions. We'll find in our study that we too, like the people of Jerusalem, have a tendency to want to straddle the line between obeying God and satisfying our own pleasures.

BACKGROUND

Isaiah was one of the great "writing prophets" of the Bible. Written nearly 2,800 years ago, primarily to the people of Jerusalem, his message is just as relevant today as it was then.

Previously, we looked at the first 9 verses of chapter one. We learned that because of our sinfulness we have rebelled against God, but we concluded "Because of God's great mercy we are not consumed" (Lamentations 3:22). Even though we sin and continually rebel against God, his steadfast love never ceases!

OKAY PEOPLE, LISTEN UP! (Isaiah 1:10)

Our passage begins with Isaiah telling his readers to "Hear" the word of the Lord. The word "hear" means to "hear and obey. You see hearing is more than just listening. If you are to really "hear" Godly instruction, you must obey it too. The book of James tells us to "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). You might say, "Okay I read the Bible everyday, I must be a pretty good person." James says, you are deceiving yourself -- you're not really good, because you are not obeying what you have heard. Here's what else James says about a person who only "hears" God's word, "He is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (James 1:23,24). No, when God tells you to "hear" he wants your obedience too.

In verse 10 Isaiah mentions Sodom and Gomorrah again. He is equating the people of Jerusalem with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of Sodom were "Wicked, great sinners against the Lord" (Genesis 13:13). The sin of Gomorrah was "very grave" (Genesis 18:20).

Isaiah is essentially saying, "You better listen and obey what God has to say, you wicked and sinful people."

YOUR RELIGION SMELLS (Isaiah 1:11-15)

Do you know that you cannot please God by being religious? People have tried it for years and have failed. In verse 11 God makes an interesting statement. He says, "I could care less about all of your religious talk. I could care less about how many times you read the Bible. I could care less about how many theological words you might know. All of your sacrifices mean nothing to me!" Why? Because you are doing them in "vain" (Isaiah 1:13). Vain means "emptiness" or "false."

The people of Jerusalem where practicing their religion in vain. Their religion was evil, worthless, deceptive, and fraudulent. Years earlier King Solomon warned against this type of religion and prayed that he would not fall into the trap of worshiping God in vain when he said, "Remove far from me falsehood and lying" (Proverbs 30:8). But the people of Jerusalem forgot Solomon's words and continued to practice their religion falsely.

It didn't matter what outward appearance the people put on. It didn't matter how much incense they burned! God said, even your smelly "incense is an abomination to me" (Isaiah 1:13). God uses the same word, "abomination" when he speaks against child sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31) and homosexual behavior (Leviticus 18:22).

Today, our world sacrifices humans through abortion. Life begins at conception. When the sperm and the egg meet, a new life is created. Psalm 139:13 says, God "formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb." Abortion is a terrible tragedy -- it is child sacrifice that God forbids throughout his word. He calls it an abomination.

Isn't it interesting how God calls homosexual behavior an abomination? Many people are working hard to gain approval of homosexual behavior, yet God is clear that it is offensive. Additionally, homosexual groups stand up and shout "Gay pride, gay pride" but what they are forgetting is that not only does God hates homosexual behavior; he hates pride.

"Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate" (Proverbs 8:13).

Don't buy into the world's "tolerance" of homosexual behavior. The Lord hates it; it goes against the natural relations of a man and a woman and it destroys families.

WHERE GOD DRAWS THE LINE (Isaiah 1:13-15)

We always think of God in terms of what he "can" do, but seldom do we consider what God "can't" or "won't" do.

God does not always delight:

God is not pleased when we worship him out of duty, or because we think we are being spiritual. The apostle Paul, in the book of Romans tells us what type of sacrifice God does delight in. "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1). God only wants you to sacrifice yourself through obedience to him. He delights in us when we are "not conformed to the world" rather we are "transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:2).

God does not always endure:

God "cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly" (vs. 13).  The word "iniquity" means nothingness -- God cannot endure religion that is made up of nothingness. God says he can't stand it when people get together for a church service and nothing takes place. In other words, he can't handle fake church services.

God hates certain things and gets weary:

In our passage God says he hates "Your new moons and your appointed feasts. In fact, he says they make him "weary." All of the festivals that the people celebrated, God had become weary of. The celebrations would come and go every year and the people would celebrate them with no thought of worshiping God or serving him. They had become like a carnival or a county fair. God wants all of our celebrations to be centered around him -- in worship and praise of him.

God stops looking and listening:

The people of Jerusalem pretended to pray. They would stretch out their hands as if they were worshiping God, but God knew it was all fake. He said that he would not even look at them -- he would not even listen to their prayers -- it was all nothingness!

EIGHT WAYS TO GET CLOSER TO GOD (Isaiah 1:16-17)

God always has a simple solution to sin -- Just stop doing it! Here he gives eight ways for the people of Jerusalem to draw closer to him. This solution applies to us today too. They all require action:

Wash yourselves (vs. 16):

God says to "Wash...and make yourselves clean." In other words, repent. For us, this is not talking about how you receive salvation, for salvation requires coming to God just as you are. Salvation is a gift to those who believe in Jesus Christ (John 6:47). Salvation is never given to us by doing anything. It is always a gift. But, once you have the conviction that you believe in Jesus Christ you must confess your sins and repent. At that point, God forgives all of your sins and you become clean. Then you continue to turn from your sins and follow him.

Remove evil (vs. 16):

God commands us to remove the evil that is in our lives. Remember, sin is knowing what is right, but doing what is wrong. Whatever is causing us to sin we are to remove it from our lives.  What tempts you to sin?  Recognize what it is, then get rid of it.  It might be the music you listen to, or the T.V. shows you watch.  It could be the Internet, or alcohol, or drugs.  Remove the things that cause you to be tempted and give in to sin.

Cease to do evil (vs. 16):

This falls in line with removing things in our lives that cause us to sin, but it takes the idea a step further: Stop doing it. When you know you are sinning, stop.

Learn to do good (vs. 17):

Sometimes we need to learn how to do good things in life. We're born sinners; we don't have to be taught to sin, but we do need to be taught how to do good. We learn how to do good by reading God's word (2 Timothy 3:16) and listening to the encouragement and instruction of other believers.

Seek justice (vs. 17):

We are to seek justice. We seek justice by being submissive to rulers and authorities (Titus 3:1; Romans 13:1-7).

Correct oppression (vs. 17):

We are to correct oppression. When we see people who are oppressed, we are not only to help them, but also correct the situation so that it won't continue to happen.

Bring justice to the fatherless (vs. 17):

God continues his theme of justice by telling us to bring justice to the fatherless -- those who have been orphaned. We think of orphans as a bunch of little kids living in an orphanage, but this is far from the truth. Today, in our society, there are millions of orphaned children. They are orphaned by deserting fathers through illegitimate births caused by sex outside of marriage and no commitment; they are orphaned by weak fathers who lack self-control and end up in prison time and time again; they are orphaned by lazy fathers who only think of themselves and would rather focus on the pleasures of their own life rather than sacrificing for their children.

Plead the widow's cause:

It is always the duty of the Christian to make sure a widow in their family is taken care of. It is never to fall on the government -- the burden always falls on the family and if the widow does not have a family, the burden of her well-being falls on the church (1 Timothy 5).

When we do these things or actions, we are taking the focus off of ourselves and putting it on others.

YOU CAN'T STRADDLE THE LINE (Isaiah 1:18)

God says, it's time to make a decision.  "Come, let us reason together." To reason means to "decide." It's time to stand on one side of the line or the other. You can't have one part of your life in sin and the other in a pretend world of worshiping God. You must step over the line and draw near to God. James says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

When you turn from your sins and false worship of God he takes your sins that are (metaphorically) scarlet and red like crimson and washes you clean.

The Hebrew word for scarlet literally means "double-dyed." He takes our deepest darkest sins and purifies them.

DEAL OR NO DEAL (Isaiah 1:20-21)

God offers the people of Jerusalem a deal. He says they can be obedient and reap all of his blessings or, they can refuse and rebel and suffer the consequences.

WHICH SIDE WILL YOU STAND ON?

What happens if you obey God? First, you must recognize that obedience requires believing in Jesus Christ. The blessing you receive is eternal life. The consequence of not believing is God's wrath (John 3:36).

Obedience always leads to righteousness (Romans 6:16). When you obey God by believing in his Son you become righteous and this righteousness is reflected in your character and conduct allowing you to make right decisions.

You can't serve God by sticking your toe over the line once a week, but living the rest of the week standing on the side of sin. God requires a decision. Here's what Joshua told the Israelites,

"Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15).

This Week: Remove evil from your life this week. Cease doing the things that are dragging you down. Don't straddle the line between sin and holiness. Spend time in prayer and ask God to give you strength to step over the line into his righteousness. Live your life for God this week. Live your life better than you did last week.

Study Questions:

1. Is it comforting to know that God is a merciful God? Explain?

2. Why is it easier to "hear" the Word of God, rather than "obey" it?

3. What are some ways you can "draw near to God"?

The Open Wound of Rebellion: Isaiah 1:1-9

The book of Isaiah was written nearly 2,800 years ago yet it is important for us to study and understand the book for several reasons.  One reason is that it is quoted so often in the New Testament.  Most important of all is that Isaiah recorded some remarkable prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Additionally, Isaiah describes the future ministry of John the Baptist (Literally, John the Baptizer). Isaiah gives a prophecy of John in chapter 40:3, "A voice cries:  In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God."  (See John 1:23, where the prophecy is fulfilled).   In the closing chapter of the book of Isaiah he deals with the creation of the new heavens and the new earth -- the same subject that the book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament deals with.

A MINIATURE BIBLE

Coincidently (or not), the book of Isaiah is divided into 66 chapters.  Similarly, the Bible contains 66 books.  Isaiah is divided into two distinct sections; The first 39 chapters deal with Judah's sin and warns people of the punishment to come if they don't repent.  Likewise the Old Testament is divided into 39 books.  The final 27 chapters of Isaiah (40-66) deal with words of comfort and hope of the Messiah.  The New Testament is divided into 27 books, teaching us how to live and have the hope of eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

We mentioned in previous studies that the people of Israel are God's chosen people.  He promised to bless them if they would obey his commandments and not follow after other gods like the surrounding nations.  But because of their sin, they made the choice not to follow God and they were plunged  into war and chaos.  Because of their unbelief and disobedience to God they began to fight among themselves and the nation split into two kingdoms; The Kingdom of Israel to the north and the Kingdom of Judah to the south.  Isaiah's message was directed primarily to the people of Judah.  He focuses on the city of Jerusalem.

WHO WAS THIS GUY?

We don't know a lot about the man Isaiah outside of the book itself, but we do know from the first chapter that he began his prophetic ministry around the year 740 B.C.  His ministry probably lasted about 60 years.

Isaiah was married to a "prophetess" (see Isaiah 8:3), and he had two sons.  He was an excellent writer, poet and a man of great intellect (He was aware of the political structure of all the surrounding nations.)

Like us, Isaiah lived in troubled times.  We face the problems of rampant sin, the breakup of families, and the threat of terrorism from within our country and from without.  Isaiah confronted the same issues.  When Isaiah was called by God to be a prophet, the Assyrians were a huge threat to the nation of Israel.  In fact, some historians have called the Assyrians the largest and cruelest empire that western Asia had ever seen.  The people of Israel and Judah had become sinful themselves.  They were "laden with inquity", "evildoers" and corrupt (Isaiah 1:4). It was to this Isaiah was called.  Although Isaiah lived and spoke nearly 2,800 years ago, we are going to find that his message on "How to trust God in troubled times" is just as relevant for us today as it was for the nation of Israel.

WHAT IS A PROPHET?

A prophet means "One who speaks for God."  In the Old Testament, before Jesus came to earth, God used prophets to warn the people and the leadership of their sin.  The prophet’s purpose was to reveal what their sin was and the judgment from God that would take place if they did not repent.

Prophets had two primary ways of speaking:

1. They would speak the exact words of God.  They would use expressions like, "Thus says the Lord."  Isaiah for example uses this phrase 36 times throughout his book.

2. They would tell the future.  They were not fortunetellers, rather they were foretellers of God's future consequences.

DUMBER THAN ANIMALS! (Isaiah 1:1-3)

Verse 1 begins by stating that Isaiah had a vision.  Earlier in Israel's history God told them that he would make himself known to prophets through visions and dreams. 

And he said, "Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6)

Isaiah wrote down the words of the Lord word for word as the Lord revealed them to him in the vision.  He recorded the very words of God.  All Scripture is a record of the words of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

The words that the Lord is commanding Isaiah to speak are so important that he tells both those in heaven and those on earth to listen to them (1:2).

The Lord began by giving Isaiah a vision of children growing up with a loving and caring parent only to, later, watch the child rebel and turn away from the parent's  instruction  (1:2).

The people of Israel were so disobedient that they were worse than simple animals.  Even an ox knows who his owner is and who takes care of him.  Likewise, even a donkey knows where to sleep at night in his master's stable.  But the people of Israel were so rebellious that they didn't even want know God anymore and did not even attempt to understand him (1:3).

CHARGES LEVELLED AT JUDAH (1:4)

Isaiah's description of the people is that they are:

Sinful:  Sin is knowing what is right, but doing what is wrong.  James says this about sin:  "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17).  The people knew they were rebelling, but they chose to do their own thing.

Laden with iniquity:  In the literal Hebrew language this means the people were "Stupid with perversity!"  A person who is "stupid" is one who is senseless, or completely lacks understanding.  They were being senseless in their perversions -- not considering the consquences of their actions.

Evildoers:  This word literally means "one who breaks things into pieces" for no reason.  It's a picture of a person who is good for nothing, or worthless to society.

Corrupt:  We see here a picture of "decay" or total "ruin."  In the sense of this word someone who is corrupt is an utter waste.

Deserters of God:  The word in the text is "Forsaken" but it means a person who deserts.  When a person deserts the military, for example, they run as far away as possible and hide -- they don't want to be found.  They never want to go back.

Despisers of God:  A word we might use for despise is abhor.  The people of Israel destested anything and everything related to God.

Estranged:  The word estrange means to break any type of loyalty or affection with the other party.  The term, "He was estranged from his wife" means that all affection is gone, it's over.  Perhaps nothing could be more heart-wrenching in a relationship, espcially a marriage relationship, as when one spouse says to the other, "I don't have any feelings for you anymore."  It is a sad and final event in a relationship.

ISRAEL'S GRIM SPIRITUAL CONDITION (Isaiah 1:5-6)

Through Isaiah they are asked a question, "Why will you still be struck down?"  In other words, why will you keep allowing God to discipline you?  Won't you ever wake up?  You keep on rebelling!  You are sick people.  He describes their spiritual condition as a bruised and bloodied body.  Their spiritual sores are left open and raw and oozing.  God has been willing to bandage their wounds and apply healing oil, but they have not allowed him to.

WILTED VINES AND SOGGY CUCUMBERS (Isaiah 1:7-8)

Now Isaiah begins to describe the future of Israel.  He does it in a way that makes it sound like the events have already happened.  He gives a prophecy of what Israel will be like if they do not repent of their sins and turn back to him.

He says that the country will be desolate and burned and that foreigners would take over the land.  This would happen twice to Israel.  First, in 722 B.C. to the Northern Kingdom as they were taken captive by the Assyrians.  Then, it would happen again to the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land, burned Jerusalem and took the people captive.

Verse 8 goes on to say that the people of Jerusalem will be like "a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city."  Since agriculture was a main occupation of the people of Israel, they would know what this meant.  The picture here is of an abandoned hut or shack in the middle of a once thriving vineyard or field.  Now, the crops are gone.  The plants are withered and all that is left is a ramshackle hut that once housed all of the workers in this thriving vineyard or field.  Lonely and desolate, the shack stands empty and beaten down by the weather.  It was a picture (or metaphor) of the future of Jerusalem because of their rebellion.

Likewise, they would be like a "besieged city" where no one can come or go because it is surrounded by the enemy.

WHY DO WE REBEL AGAINST GOD?

1. We deny that God is the Holy One.  The book of Isaiah records the words "The Holy One of Israel"  24 times.  The same phrase is used in seven other passages throughout the Old Testament.  Because God is Holy and because he is the Creator, he has set up certain standards by which we must obey if we are to be able to stand before him.   We'll discuss some of those standards next week.

2.  We are sinners from birth. All people are born with sin.  When someone says, "Ah look at that innocent little child."  They are correct in that the child is innocent from a worldly perspective (and children should be.)  But from a spiritual perspective the child was born a sinner.  That is why you never have to teach a child to hit another child, or to hang on to his toy and not share, or disobey an order from a parent.  Children know these things instinctively because they are sinners -- We're all sinners.  Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned."  1 John 1:8 says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."      

WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE? (Isaiah 1:9)

It's really this:  Because of God's great mercy, he would end up allowing some of the Israelites to survive.  Otherwise, their fate would have been the same as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Their fate is found in Genesis 19:24).

For us, the message is this:  "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases."  (Lamentations 3:22).  Literally, "we are not consumed because of God's love for us."  God is reaching out to you and asking you to obey him; to love him; to recognize that he is the Holy One who can save you from being "struck down" (Isaiah 1:5).  Your job is to trust him and to turn your life over to him.

This Week:  Last week we were encouraged to take the focus off of ourselves and reach out to others.  This week, continue doing that, and as you do remember that it is because of God's great mercy that you are saved.  He has reached out to you with his great love, you should continue to do so to others.  Stop rebelling against God this week -- be obedient to him in all aspects of your life.

Study Questions:
1.  How would you feel if you had a child who rebelled against you and despised you?  Do you think your feelings are different from God's?
2.  Why do people turn their backs on those who love them?
3.  Do you believe that God decides your fate in life? (see Isaiah 1:9).  Explain your answer.

When You Feel Depressed: 1 Kings 18:41 - 19:18

There are three types of Christian experiences, according to Vance Havner, a well-known Southern Baptist pastor.

1. Mountaintop days:  Everything is going well and the world looks bright.  These experiences are temporary: They can't go on forever.  It is unrealistic to expect, as many people do, that we can spend life leaping from one mountain peak to another as if there were no plains or valleys in between.

2. Ordinary days:  Working at our usual tasks.  We're neither elated or depressed.

3. Dark days: We trudge heavily through confusion, doubt, despair, and discouragement.  Sometimes these days string out into months or even years before we begin to experience a sense of relief and victory.  When they persist, dark days are days of depression.

Discouragement, depression, despair and doubt all seem to go hand in hand.  Being discouraged is a natural emotion that everyone faces from time to time.  Jesus himself suffered from a time of discouragement or depression.  In Mark 14:33, Jesus was about to be handed over to the authorities to be crucified.  Going up the a place called Gethsemane to pray, the Bible tells us that he "began to be greatly distressed and troubled."  The word "troubled" in the Greek means to be "Full of heaviness." 

Have you ever felt full of heaviness?  You're not alone.  The prophet Elijah struggled immensely with a time of discouragement and depression.  Yet in our passage we find the answer to getting through and overcoming this emotion in our own lives.

BACKGROUND

Elijah had just completed a stunning victory on Mt. Carmel.  He had challenged King Ahab and his 450 prophets of Baal to a contest in order to discover whose God was the One True God (1 Kings 18:24.)  After an entire day of the prophets of Baal crying out to their god to no avail, it was Elijah's turn.  With one simple prayer, Jehovah blasted the altar with fire that consumed everything in its path (1 Kings 18:38.)  In addition, Elijah had the people take the prophets of Baal down the mountain where they were killed for leading the people away from God and for making human sacrifices of innocent people (Jeremiah 7:31; 19:4-6.)

THE SOUND OF RUSHING RAIN (1 Kings 18:41-46)

Drought had persisted in Israel for three and a half years.  Now it was time for the drought to end.  Elijah first prophesied to King Ahab that rain would not fall on the land "Except by my word."  Not until Elijah prayed to the True God of heaven would the land get its first drink.

The rain was coming and it was going to be torrential.  Elijah told Ahab to get some food and drink, because the drought was over.  There was probably no doubt in King Ahab's mind that Elijah meant what he said.  Ahab had just witnessed a miracle that proved Elijah was speaking for Jehovah.  After such a long drought, Ahab could finally relax and enjoy a meal, knowing that the land would be saved.

While King Ahab enjoyed his meal, Elijah traveled back to the top of Mt. Carmel to pray to God that he would send rain on the land.  It is here that we get our first indication that Elijah was running out of spiritual and physical steam.

Earlier that day, Elijah had made the trek to the top of Mt. Carmel (elevation 1,792 ft.)  He had challenged the prophets of Baal, waited for them to summon their false god, built his own altar, watched Jehovah perform a miracle, traveled down the mountain for the execution of the prophets of Baal, and climbed back up to the top of the mountain to pray to God for rain.  It had been a long, trying, and emotionally draining day.

Verse 42 says when he reached the top of the mountain he "cast himself down and put his face between his knees."  We can just picture a man, exhausted, yet compelled to finish his task. It’s like a picture of a man standing watch, keeping a lookout, not leaving his post. The prophet Habakkuk said, "I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me..." (2:1).
We're not told the exact words of Elijah's prayer (although we know he prayed specifically for rain, James 5:18), but he prayed it at least eight times.  Each time his servant would run to a little ridge on the mountain and look toward the sea for any sign of rain.  The final time Elijah's servant reported back that there was a "little cloud like a man's hand...rising from the sea" and Elijah knew that was it; That little cloud would form into giant cumulonimbus clouds that would drench the land with life giving water.
Elijah gave Ahab fair warning that the rain was coming so he could get his chariots back to the city (about 10 miles away) before the roads became clogged with mud and debris.

Exhausted as Elijah was, God gave him supernatural power to run ahead of Ahab to the city of Jezreel where Elijah arrived first (1 Kings 18:46).

THE DEATH THREAT (1 Kings 19:1-2)

There is no doubt that Ahab was excited to tell Jezebel what had happened on Mt. Carmel.  You should have been there!, might have been the first words out of his mouth.  In relating his story to Jezebel it is important to note that Ahab never said, "You should have seen what Jehovah did!"  Rather, he told her "all that Elijah had done...” After hearing the story of what had happened, instead of Jezebel believing in Jehovah, she sent out a death threat to Elijah.

ELIJAH LOSES HEART (1 Kings 19:3-4)

God had just performed some of the most amazing miracles through Elijah.

• Fed him by sending ravens twice a day with food (1 Kings 17:4,6)

• Provided an unending supply of food for a widow and her son (1 Kings 17:14)

• Raised the widow's son from death (1 Kings 17:22)

• Challenged the prophets of Baal and won (1 Kings 18:39,40)

• Prayer was answered for rain (1 Kings 18:45)

• Ran 10 miles, beating a chariot (1 Kings 18:46)

Yet even with all of these acts of God, Elijah became dreadfully afraid of Jezebel because of her death threat.  And he "Ran for his life!"  His faith suddenly failed him!  He ran to Beersheba (and then, after leaving his servant, went a day's journey farther into the wilderness), which is just about as far south in Israel as he could go.

DARK DAYS OF DESPAIR (1 Kings19:4-5)

It was over.  Elijah had gone as far as he possibly could go.  He could run no further (or so he thought).  He felt there was no use for his life.  What good had it all been?  God performed all those miracles, but now Jezebel was going to kill him.  Is that all life is; you do good things an then you die?  Elijah could do no more -- he quit. He "sat down...and asked that he might die."

Elijah did two things that are classic signs of deep depression.  First, he was ready to die (vs. 4), and second, he fell asleep (vs. 5).  But God wasn't finished with Elijah.

CAKE THAT HEALS (1 Kings 19:5-8)

Elijah needed sleep.  He also needed food.  He had been on the run.  Barely getting any sleep or food.  God knew that he needed both and as he slept God prepared a wonderful meal for Elijah. A fresh cake was baking on hot stones right near his head and a cool jar of water was next to it.  An angel awakened Elijah and he ate the cake and drank the water.  Then he fell back to sleep.  After sleeping for a while the angel awakened him again and told him to eat more because his journey was not over.  He was now to travel 200 miles in forty days and forty nights to Mt. Horeb (Sinai), where God had given the Ten Commandments (the Law) to Moses -- There was still more for him to do!

A NEW JOURNEY (1 Kings 19:8-10)

God met Elijah at a cave on Mt. Horeb and asked him a simple question, "What are you doing here?"  Elijah began to spew out his own self-righteousness to God.  He turned all of the attention on himself:

• "I have been very jealous for the Lord."

• "I, even I only, am the only prophet left."

• "They want to take my life."

He was proclaiming to God that he was the only faithful one left in the land.  He was saying, "Why do I have to suffer?  I've done everything right?  I'm the only believer in the land and yet I'm being pursued to be killed?  Why ME?

ELIJAH IGNORES GOD (1 Kings 19:11-13)

After Elijah vented, God told him to "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD."  But Elijah stayed in the cave; he was too depressed and discouraged to listen to God's commands. [When we fail to listen to God it is because of our own self-centeredness] Elijah was putting all the focus on himself; it was a Woe is me mentality.  When he focused on himself he fell into depression.  When Elijah's attitude changed from God centered to self-centered, his usefulness as a servant suffered.
God passed by the cave and as he did he was followed by a great wind, and an earthquake and fire.  Still, Elijah remained inside the cave.  Finally, there was the sound of a faint whisper -- it got Elijah's attention.  It was the quiet graciousness of God that attracted Elijah and drew him out of the cave.  It’s when the Lord speaks to us through his Spirit and we listen, that we can be set free from the bondage that oppresses us.  God’s Spirit gives us freedom.  It was God’s gentle Spirit that drew him out of the cave.  The apostle Paul said, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)

God was showing him that just as he could not be coerced out of the cave by miraculous signs, neither would the nation of Israel be compelled to turn from their sins because of miraculous signs.

NO TIME FOR A PITY PARTY (1 Kings 19:14-18)

God didn't stand around arguing with Elijah about his problems.  Rather, God gave him another job to do:

1.  Go back and anoint Hazael to be King over Syria.
2.  Go back and anoint Jehu to be King over Israel.
3.  Go back and anoint Elisha to take your place as a prophet.

Then God gives Elijah the punch line.  Elijah had constantly been saying that he was the only one who was a true believer.  He said it in 1 Kings 18:22 and he said it again to God in 1 Kings 19:10 and again in 1 Kings 19:14.  But God said to Elijah, Oh, by the way thanks for doing all of these things for me, but I want you to know that you are not the only true believer left; there are seven thousand people in Israel who have never bowed to Baal!  So get moving...there's work to be done.

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Through the life of Elijah, we have seen God do mighty works.  The book of James tells us "Elijah was a man with a nature just like ours."  James tells us that so we might realize what God can and will do through us when we pray. 

But because Elijah's nature was like ours, he entered into times of despair.  He wanted to give up; to say, "What's the use!" 

WHAT CAUSED ELIJAH'S DESPAIR?

There are several causes of depression and Elijah was not immune to them.

First, he may have fallen prey to what one psychologist has called "post adrenalin depression."  This is common in people who have recently had an emotional high.  It happens to Christians sometimes when they go away to camp and make a decision to follow Christ.  At camp, they are away from the trials and problems of their lives and they're able to focus closely on God; they're excited about what God has done in their lives, but when they go back home, down the mountain, the depression sinks in.  It's as if the adrenal system switches off and they slip into a state of depression.

GOD DESIGNED US THAT WAY

Our adrenal system was designed by God to give us the strength to physically get through emotionally charged situations.  That's why people may say this about someone who has lost a loved one, "It is amazing how well he is taking this death.  He is so strong!  He's really trusting the Lord."  That may all be true, but often times, days, weeks, even months after the funeral, after the adrenal system shuts down, the person begins to despair.

DON'T BE DEPRESSED OVER DEPRESSION

But depression is not all bad.  When Elijah fell asleep, it was his body's way of rejuvenating.  Even though he was depressed, the sleep acted as an agent of recovery.  It gave his adrenal system time to repair.  "The longer a person is in a state of demand or energy the longer it may take for the adrenal system to repair.  Likewise, the older we get, the less resilient is our adrenal system and the more depressed we become after an adrenalin high." (Hart, Counseling the Depressed)

EAT YOUR SPIRITUAL CAKE

This is why those who have recently believed in Christ need discipleship.  When a person comes to Christ he or she realizes that their sins are forgiven and that they are  recipients of the gift of eternal life.  For many they feel as if a burden is lifted off of them.  They hunger for the Word of God, they want to tell others about Christ, they desire to live their lives pleasing to the Lord.  At the same time, because they are human, they are tested by the trials of life and it's possible that they can get worn down.  Which is why we constantly need the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Like the "cake and water" that was provided to fill Elijah and give him strength, so the Holy Spirit fills us, guides us and strengthens us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling (2 Thessalonians 1:11).  Like Elijah, we must wake up and eat.  Here are two Scriptures that will help in your time of despair:

Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Focus on Christ.  If you only focus on yourself you will sink deeper and deeper into the mire of despondency.  You need to focus your life on something much bigger than yourself. 

HOW DO I PREVENT DEPRESSION OR DESPAIR?

1.  Trust in God.  Do you really believe that God knows the situation you are in?  God didn't forget Elijah while he was wandering in the wilderness and neither will he forget you.  Look at what the Apostle Paul said:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:11-13

2.  Expect Discouragement.  Here are words from Jesus that help put life into reality:

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

It is unreasonable for you to think that depression, discouragement, doubt and despair shouldn't be a part of your life.  Jesus said, that you WILL have tribulation. 

Here's what Jesus' half brother James said;

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
James 1:3 For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

You see, it is what you do when you are depressed or discouraged.  James says to remain steadfast!

3.  Reach Out:  We've touched on this already, but part of the problem in our world today is that we are too self-focused.  We want happiness.  So, we look for happiness in areas that never satisfy us, like money, drugs, sex, entertainment, sports, etc.  Earthly pleasures never satisfy.  They simply cause more distress in a person's life. 

It's like buying a car.  Before you had the car you never worried about it being stolen or breaking down!  You never worried about getting a scratch on it, because you didn’t have a car to worry about.  But as soon as you owned the car all these worries and more flooded into your life. 

If you are constantly striving for money, you can never get enough.  Gamblers understand this very well.  They can never stop because they are always craving more. They never win enough -- never satisfied.

Some think having sex will satisfy them only to find out that it won't.  It's the relationship that is built around sex that satisfies and sex is the natural outcome of that relationship between a husband and a wife.

When you only look to satisfy yourself, you'll find yourself sinking into depression;
Because you can't satisfy yourself.

So how do you do it?  How do you reach out to others?  How do you get the focus off yourself?  J.P. Moreland, professor at Talbot Theological Seminary puts it this way:

One must "learn to give one's life away for Jesus’ sake."  We must "grow in the skill of daily, habitual, healthy self-denial for Jesus' sake.... Here’s one simple suggestion for progress in this area.  When you get up in the morning, start off with praise and thanksgiving to God for the things you honestly appreciate about him and his dealings with you.  Then lift all your burdens to him until you have a sense of rest before the Lord.  Then tell him that between now and, say, lunch, with his help you are going to orient your morning towards focusing on others and giving yourself away for their good."

SUMMARY

Things were going pretty well in Elijah’s life and perhaps that caused him to take his focus off of God and place it on himself. We can learn from Elijah's mistakes.  We don't need to spend time in the wilderness like Elijah did, but if we do we should remember that God never leaves us – he never runs from us, we run from him.  He is always there to impart to us his gentle, gracious whisper of encouragement.  As God sent Elijah to anoint two new kings and a new prophet, so God wants to use you to anoint friends, family and co-workers with his blessings.  When you are depressed or discouraged you can't do that -- gain your strength from God and go forth and obey his will this week!

This Week:  Give your life away for Jesus.  Take the focus off of your problems and make an attempt to help someone else.  Maybe you can just bless someone with a note that says you are praying for them?   Or, perhaps you reach out and help someone in need in the name of Jesus?  Ask God to show you how you can reach out to others.

Study Questions

1.  Elijah became depressed after all he had seen God do.  God works in our lives and yet we too become depressed from time to time.  Does it encourage you to think that we face the same emotional issues that Elijah faced?  Explain.

2.  If you had met Elijah while he was sitting under the broom tree, what would you have told him?

3.  What would you tell a friend who is struggling with his or her Christian walk and being obedient to Christ?