LESSON #90 (Week ending 02/05/12)

Isaiah 53-66

Isaiah 52:13-53:12:  The Suffering Servant

Ø  What things stand out to you about this description of the Messiah?

Ø  What do you think was the most traumatic part of Jesus’ suffering; the physical abuse or the fact that He carried all our sins on the cross?  Thoughts?

Ø  Why does Isaiah state that “it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer”?

Isaiah 54:  The Future Glory of Zion

Ø  Why is Israel’s future so bright?

Ø  Do you think this prophecy has happened or is it still future?  Why?

Ø  What does this tell us about the promises of God?  Application for us?

Isaiah 55:1-56:8: Invitation to the Thirsty

Ø  Even though God choose Israel to be His people, did they also have a choice in the matter?  Application for us?

Ø  Does verse 6 seem to give a time limit to seeking the Lord?  Application?

Ø  What does it mean to “turn to the Lord”?

Ø  Does the salvation of the Lord extend to those who are not Israelites?

Isaiah 56:9-57:21:  God’s Accusations Against the Wicked

Ø  List the sins of the wicked in this passage.  Do you see any correlation to our world today?

Ø  Where, according to this chapter, does God live? 

Ø  Why does God limit His judgment and pour out His grace?

Isaiah 58:  True Fasting

Ø  Why did God reject Israel’s fasting?  Application?

Ø  How does God define fasting?  Application?

Isaiah 59: Sin, Confession, and Redemption

Ø  What separates God’s people from Himself?

Ø  What is the remedy for the people of Israel?  For us?

Ø  What was the covenant God gave to His people?  Has He kept that covenant?  Have the people?

Isaiah 60: The Glory of Zion

Ø  Why will all the nations flock to Zion?  Explain the Light.

Ø  Does this description of Zion sound like anything that has happened yet?

Ø  To what do verses 18-22 refer?

Isaiah 61-62: The Year of the Lord’s Favor

Ø  To whom does the prophecy in verses 1-3 refer?

Ø  What will the world like when Jesus is reigning on earth?

Ø  What will be the response of God’s people during this time period?

Ø  What will Jerusalem be like during this period?

Isaiah 63:1-64:12:  God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

Ø   Is there coming a day when God’s vengeance will be poured out on all the nations who have rejected Him?  Application?

Ø  Why did God not totally destroy Israel?  Application for us?

Ø  Does anyone have any “righteousness” that can earn them the forgiveness of the Lord? 

Ø  What is the only thing that brings forgiveness?

Isaiah 65:  Judgment and Salvation

Ø  Who sought out the people of Israel?  Did they seek Him?  Application?

Ø  God promises a new heaven and a new earth.  Do you believe this is a literal prophecy yet to come?

Ø  What differences will there be in this new creation over what is in the present creation?

Isaiah 66:  Judgment and Hope

Ø  Who is the one whom God esteems?  Application?

Ø  What is the hope that is given to the Israelites who follow God?  Application?

Ø  Do you see this passage as referring to believers today? 

Ø  What is the hope that is given to those of us who believe?

LESSON #89 (Week ending 01/29/12)

Isaiah 40-52

Isaiah 40:  Comfort for God’s People

Ø  After all of the woes and judgments, God gave Isaiah a different message for the people.  What was it?

Ø  According to Jesus, who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3?

Ø  Why, according to Isaiah, can we trust in the Word of the Lord?  (40:5)

Ø  What does this chapter teach us about the omniscience of God?  Application for us?

Isaiah 41:  The Helper of Israel

Ø  Who is Israel’s ultimate Helper?  How can that apply to us?

Ø  What did Israel do to merit God’s calling them His chosen people?  Application?

Ø  According to Isaiah, as God’s chosen people, did Israel have any need to fear?  How does that apply to us?

Isaiah 42:  The Servant of the Lord

Ø  To whom does this chapter refer?

Ø  What does verse 3 mean?  Application?

Ø  What is the “new song” to which Isaiah refers?

Isaiah 43: Israel’s Only Savior

Ø  Is there ever a time when God’s chosen people are not under His care?  Application?

Ø  Did the nation of Israel understand and believe that truth?  Do we?

Ø  In spite of their sins, God forgave Israel?  What does this teach us about God?

Isaiah 44-45:  Israel the Chosen of God

Ø  God declares that He has chosen Israel, that He made them, that He is with them, and that He provides for them.  Why does He tell them these truths and how did they respond? 

Ø  What does God say about idols made by human hands?  Application?

Ø  Will God ever forget those He has chosen?  Application?

Ø  God chooses to use a man named Cyrus to accomplish His purposes?  Who is this Cyrus and when was he born?

Ø  How does God respond to those who quarrel against Him?  Application?

Isaiah 46: The Gods of Babylon

Ø  How does Isaiah describe manmade idols?

Ø  What is God’s response to those idols?

Ø  Is there ever a time when God shares His position with others?  Application?

Isaiah 47: The Fall of Babylon

Ø  If God chose Babylon to discipline His people, why did He then destroy Babylon?

Ø   What is the outcome of any nation that rejects God?  Application?

Isaiah 48:  Listen Israel!

Ø  Why did God use prophecy with His people Israel?  Did they listen?  Application?

Ø  Why did God give us this account of Israel’s stiff necked disobedience?

Ø  How did Israel (and how do we) know that the prophecies of God are accurate?

Ø  According to verse 17, why did God direct Israel the way He did?  Application for us?

Isaiah 49:  The Servant of the Lord

Ø  What did God want Israel to be to the world?

Ø  Is there coming a time when Israel will fulfill that mission?

Ø  Has God set aside His people and forgotten them?

Isaiah 50:  Israel’s Sin

Ø  Why was Israel dispersed from their land?

Ø  To whom do verses 4-9 refer?

Ø  Whenever man tries to sustain himself apart from God what happens?  Application?

Isaiah 51-52:12:  Everlasting Salvation for Israel

Ø  Why can Israel trust in the Lord?

Ø  Even though the earth will perish and the heavens be destroyed, will God’s salvation and righteousness ever end?

Ø  Will Israel ever return to the land that God gave them?  Application?

LESSON #88 (Week ending 01/22/12)

1st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John

1^st John Theme:

“The epistle of John presents three criteria for testing the Christian profession of teachers and individual Christians. First, professing Christians needed to present righteousness as the right behavior (2:3–4). Second they must demonstrate love as the correct attitude of Christian living (4:8). Third, they needed to hold to the correct view of Christ as the proper teaching of Christians (4:3). Those who demonstrate these three traits have eternal life. John would repeat these three themes several times in the epistle as tests to determine the presence of eternal life.”^[1]

1^st John 1:1-4:  The Word

Ø  Does John’s testimony leave any room for doubt that he knew the risen Christ?

Ø  What was John’s purpose in declaring that he knew Christ?

Ø  What should be our purpose when we declare Christ to others?

1^st John 1:5-2:14:  Walking in the Light of Jesus

Ø  What does it mean that “God is light and in Him there is no darkness”?

Ø  To what is John referring when he talks about people walking in darkness or walking in light?

Ø  What happens when we walk in the light?

Ø  Is it possible to walk without sin?  What happens if we claim to do so?

Ø  What is the remedy for a believer’s sin?

Ø  For whom, according to John, did Jesus die as a sacrifice?  Application?

1^st John 2:15-27:  Warning!!!

Ø  What is the danger of loving the world?

Ø  How does John define an antichrist?

Ø  Who, according to John, is a liar?

Ø  Are believers immune from deception?  Application?

1^st John 2:28-3:10:  Walk as Children of God

Ø  What does it mean to be called a child of God?

Ø  What is the relationship between a believer and sin?

Ø  Why, according to John, did Jesus appear on earth?

Ø  What is the bottom line evidence of being a child of God?

1^st John 3:11-3:24:  Love One Another 

Ø  Why are we always surprised that the world hates us?

Ø  With what is “hate” compared?

Ø  What is God’s command?  Are there any stipulations to that command?

1^st John 4:1-6:  Test the Spirits

Ø  Why is it important to test what we are taught?  Do you think there are still false prophets/teachers today?

Ø  How can you tell whether or not a prophet/teacher is on God?

Ø  Who is our ultimate Teacher?  Where does He reside?  Do you listen to Him?

1^st John 4:7-21:  Love Comes From God

Ø  How can we measure our love for God?

Ø  How does John define love?

Ø  Is it possible to love God and hate a brother?  Application?

1^st John 5:1-21:  Why I Have Written

Ø  How can someone overcome the world?

Ø  What does it mean that Jesus “came by water and blood”?

Ø  How does one gain eternal life? 

Ø  Why did John write this letter?  What is eternal life?  Can we lose that gift from God?

***********

2^nd John Theme:

            “John mentioned twin themes in writing 2 John. First, he urged his readers to practice love with one another (2 John 5). Second, he called them to practice truth in affirming the correct doctrine about Jesus (2 John 7–11).”^[2]

2^nd John

Ø  What is John’s command to the recipients of this letter?  Application for us?

Ø  What does John mean when he tells his readers to “continue in the teachings of Christ”?

Ø  What did John recommend as a response to those who teach false doctrine?  Application for us?

***********

3^rd John Theme:

            “This letter presents a contrast between the truth and service demonstrated by Gaius and the arrogance shown by Diotrephes. John emphasized that “truth” was a type of behavior that agreed with the doctrine Christians professed (3 John 8). The autocratic behavior of Diotrephes violated this behavior. John wanted to bring his domineering practices to an end.”^[3]

3^rd John

Ø  Why did John praise Gaius?  Application for us?

Ø  List John’s indictments against Diotrephes. 

Ø  List John’s praises for Demetrius.

Ø  What can we learn from these two men?

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^[1] Lea, T. D. (1998). The General Letters. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary: Simple, straightforward commentary on every book of the Bible (D. S. Dockery, Ed.) (644). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[2] Lea, T. D. (1998). The General Letters. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary: Simple, straightforward commentary on every book of the Bible (D. S. Dockery, Ed.) (651). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[3] Lea, T. D. (1998). The General Letters. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary: Simple, straightforward commentary on every book of the Bible (D. S. Dockery, Ed.) (653). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

LESSON #87 (Week ending 01/15/12)

Isaiah 13-39

Isaiah 13:1- 14:23:  Prophecy Against Babylon

Ø  What do you think about God’s declaration that he “is mustering an army for war”?  How does this “fit” your picture (or doctrine) of God? 

Ø  What does “the day of the Lord” look like?  Is there any application for us?

Ø  In the midst of the Lord’s judgment, He declares He will have mercy of Jacob.  Does Jacob deserve mercy?  Why is he getting it?

Ø  To whom does the term “morning star” refer?  (vs. 14:12)

Isaiah 14:24-32:  Prophecy Against Assyria and the Philistines

Ø  Why was God upset with these two nations?

Ø  What does this teach us about God’s wrath toward those who reject Him?

Isaiah 15:1-16:13:  Prophecy Against Moab The Last Days

Ø  What was Moab’s sin? (vs. 16:6)

Ø  What does the phrase “in love a throne will be established” mean?

Isaiah 17:1-21:17: Prophecies Against Damascus, Cush, Egypt, Babylon, Edom and Arabia

Ø  What do these prophecies tell us about how God will deal with the Gentile nations?

Ø  What is one of the results of God’s wrath being poured out? (17:7)

Ø  What is the end result of “forgetting God your Savior”?

Ø  Does the rage of the nation's cause God to change His plans?  Application for us?

Ø  Why is there such a vivid description of what will happen to Egypt?

Ø  Why does God offer the Egyptians a Savior and redemption?  Application for today?

Isaiah 22:  Prophecy Against Jerusalem

Ø  Why was God upset with His city Jerusalem?

Ø  Why does Isaiah say (v. 14) that this sin “will not be atoned for”?  Is there any sin for which one cannot get forgiveness?

Ø  Is there ever come a time when the Lord’s long-suffering and grace stop?  Application for us?

Isaiah 23: Prophecy Against Tyre

Ø  What was the sin of Tyre?

Ø  What does this teach about God’s control over nature?  Does God use natural phenomena to accomplish His purposes?

Ø  What would be different about Tyre after her judgment?  Application for today?

Isaiah 24: The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth

Ø  Will anyone living escape the devastation of God’s wrath on the earth?

Ø  Why is this earth cursed?  What application does that have for us today?

Ø  Is there any hope for restoration of the earth?  What is its final outcome?

Isaiah 25:1-26:21:  Praise to the Lord

Ø  List the things for which Isaiah praises the Lord.  What can we learn from this?

Ø  Is Isaiah speaking of something that has already taken place or is future?

Ø  What is the “strong city” to which Isaiah refers?

Ø  Who is the only One in whom to place our trust and who never ceases to exist?

Isaiah 27: Deliverance of Israel

Ø  Has the day of Israel’s deliverance taken place? 

Ø  What does this teach us about God’s love for His chosen ones?  Application for us?

Isaiah 28:  Prophecy Against Ephraim

Ø   What is God’s complaint against Ephraim?

Ø  To whom is Isaiah referring in 28:16?

Ø  Is this a Messianic prophecy?

Isaiah 29:1-31:9:  Woes

Ø   Ariel is literally “alter of God,” and refers to Jerusalem.

Ø  Why this “woe” against Jerusalem?

Ø  Do verses 29:13-16 have any application for us today?

Ø  Why the “woes” against the whole nation of Israel?

Ø  Do verses 30:9-11 have any application for us today?

Ø  In spite of all the rejection of the Lord, what is His greatest desire for His people?

Isaiah 32:  The Kingdom of Righteousness

Ø  Who is the King who will reign in righteousness? 

Ø  List the fruits of His reign.

Isaiah 33:  Distress and Help

Ø   What is the “solution” during times of distress for Israel?  Application for us?

Ø  What is the reward for those who seek the Lord?

Isaiah 34: More Judgments

Ø   To whom is this prophecy directed?

Ø  Why id God upset with the gentiles?

Ø  Has the “day of vengeance” come yet?

Isaiah 35:  The Joy of the Redeemed

Ø   What will happen when the Lord comes in “vengeance and divine retribution”?

Ø  What will happen in Zion after the Lord returns?

Isaiah 36:1-37:38:  God Delivers Jerusalem

Ø   Why did God intervene against Sennacherib?

Ø  What does this tell us about prayer? 

Ø  What can we learn from Hezekiah’s prayer?

Isaiah 38:  Hezekiah’s Illness

Ø  Did Hezekiah’s prayer change God’s mind?

Ø  Did God change Hezekiah’s heart?  In what ways?

Isaiah 39:  Envoys From Babylon

Ø   Did Hezekiah do something wrong that caused Isaiah to prophecy about the overthrow by the Babylonians?

Ø  What can we learn from Hezekiah’s indiscretion with the “foreigners”?