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Isaiah Chapter 53 (Part 2)

October 3, 2019 by memullin

1. Copy Isaiah 53:7 here. Meditate on that. What are your impressions?

2. Read Matthew 26:59-63. Summarize what is going on in your own words.

3. Read Matthew 27:11-14. Summarize what is going on in your own words.

4. How do Matthew 26:59-63 and 27:11-14 related to Isaiah 53:7?

5. Read Acts 8:26-35. Describe in your own words what is occurring in this passage. How does it relate to Isaiah 53:7?

6. Read Isaiah 53:8. For whose transgressions is Messiah stricken?

7. Read Daniel 9:25-26. What additional information is given?

8. Read 1 Peter 2:20-25. What is said of Christ’s suffering in this passage? What do we learn of how we should endure suffering from this passage?

9. Read Matthew 27:57-60. What do you learn about Jesus’ burial?

10. What do these verses confirm about Jesus?
□ 2 Corinthians 5:21
□ 1 Peter 2:22
□ Hebrews 4:15

11. Read Isaiah 53:10. Try to put the truths of this verse into your own words. What does this verse mean to you?

12. Read Isaiah 53:11. What does this verse mean to your life?

13. Read Isaiah 53:12. What does this tell you Messiah did for you?

14. Read Mark 15:28. What does this add to your understanding?

15. Read Luke 22:37. What does this add to your understanding?

16. Re-read Isaiah 53 and record all of your thoughts. How has studying this chapter changed your understanding of Jesus? His work on the cross? God the Father?

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Spiked Shoes for Battle

October 2, 2019 by memullin

having [c]strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news] Ephesians 6:15

The premise of Ephesians 6:15 is very similar to that of Psalm 119:11 which says, “Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”

It is our daily, consistent, verse-by-verse study of the Word of God which is analogous to strapping the “gospel of peace” on our feet in preparation to meet the enemy with firm-footed stability and readiness.

We strap the gospel on our shoes not unlike the golfer attaches the spikes to his golf shoes–to improve traction. With each scripture a believer studies, meditates on, discusses with others and thereby stores in his heart, he improves traction and is better able to stand in the battle. Our time in the Word of God daily, gives us confidence and amounts to us strapping on the gospel of peace to our shoes. God’s commands, statutes and promises give us that firm-footed stability Paul had in mind. It makes us more likely to be standing at the end of the battle.

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Isaiah Chapter 53 (Part 1) – Suffering Messiah

October 1, 2019 by memullin

Read Isaiah Chapter 53; Read Psalm 22
Try to read these two chapters in different versions than what you usually use to study. If you only have one version, read them multiple times. Meditate on the imagery. Record your observations.

1. Read Isaiah 6:8-9 and record how it relates to the statement in Isaiah 53:1.

2. Why do you think that the words of the prophets were so hard for men to believe? What is it about the voice of the prophet that the heart of man wants to reject?

3. What do you learn from the following verses?
□ John 12:37-38?

□ Romans 10:14-16?

□ 1 Corinthians 1:18-29

4. What do these verses teach about the tender plant mentioned in Isaiah 53:2?
□ Isaiah 4:2
□ Isaiah 11:10
□ Jeremiah 23:5
□ Zechariah 3:8
□ Zechariah 6:12
□ Revelation 5:5

5. What do the following tell us about this man described in Isaiah 53:3?
□ Psalm 22:6
□ Isaiah 49:7
□ John 1:10-11

6. Read John 6:26-69. This is just one example of Jesus interacting with people. What evidence is there in John 6 that Jesus was this man being described in Isaiah 53:3?
Going deeper.

7. Using what you know of the New Testament, answer the following questions:
What sorrows did Jesus suffer?

How was He acquainted with grief?

How do you know He was despised? Not esteemed?

4. Re-read Isaiah 53:4-5. Meditate on this. Consider it in other versions. Consider looking up some of the Hebrew words, e.g. “griefs,” “sorrows,” “transgression,” “chastisement,” to understand more clearly how the words are being used. Record what you learn and your reactions to this disturbing picture.
5. What do the following verses add?
□ Matthew 8:17
□ John 1:29
□ Romans 3:20-26
□ Hebrews 9:28
□ 1 Peter 2:24

Going deeper
6. What does the word “propitiation” mean? How does it apply to Isaiah 53? Jesus?

7. Why was this bearing of our griefs and sorrows necessary? Why was it necessary that Messiah be stricken, smitten, afflicted, and wounded? (Hint: Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23; Psalm 14:1-3)

8. According to Isaiah 53:6, whose punishment was Jesus taking?

9. Respond to these verses in your daily conversation with God. Tell Him what it means to you when you read these verses.

 

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Breastplate of Righteousness

September 30, 2019 by memullin

having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart) Ephesians 6:14b

Paul encourages us to “put on” righteousness–right standing with God. Right standing with God requires that we be without sin. This is not possible for us without Christ. Paul is not advocating a works-based righteousness. He is not saying to “do” right things. He is speaking of the imputed righteousness that comes from Jesus Christ. We must believe that Christ was the Son of God, that He was without sin. He died a sacrificial death for all who would believe, acknowledging their sin and their need for the atoning sacrifice of His blood.

[God] made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].2 Corinthians 5:21

Our righteousness comes from Christ–it is His righteousness that God sees when He looks at us. When we visualize the breastplate of righteousness as a piece of the spiritual armor, we are covering ourselves in the righteousness of Christ. We are standing with an upright heart–a heart that seeks to be in right-standing with God–a heart that knows it could never be “right” with God without the imputed righteousness of Christ covering him or her.

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Isaiah Chapter 52 and 53 (selected)

September 28, 2019 by memullin

Read Isaiah 52:13-15 and Isaiah 53:1-12

1. What does Isaiah 52:13 say of Messiah?

2. Copy Philippians 2:9 here. What additional insight do you gain?

3. What does Isaiah 52:14 say will happen to his face? What does Isaiah 52:15 say will be the result of that?

4. What does Isaiah 53:1-2 tell you about Messiah?

5. What do the following verses add to your knowledge of Messiah?
□ Psalm 22:6
□ Mark 9:12
□ Romans 10:12-16
□ Philippians 2:7

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The Belt of Truth

September 27, 2019 by memullin

So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist. Ephesians 6:14a

We are to stand firm, hold our ground. We are to tighten the band (belt) of truth. The truth Paul is referring to here is absolute truth. Be honest with yourself. Be honest before God. Be honest before others. This type of truth is reflected in personal integrity and moral courage.

Personal integrity speaks of wholeness–soundness on the inside. Are you sound on the inside or are you merely a shell of righteousness on the outside with no real substance underneath? You are not fooling God with this facade you have built for yourself. He sees you. He sees the real you. He sees the empty shell of you.

Paul is reminding us to be sound. Fill yourself with the truth of God–His word, His statutes, His righteousness. Allow the Spirit of God to give you integrity, soundness that you might be a person whose words and actions are consistent, that you might be a person characterized by moral courage–bravery in your inner parts.

Moral courage is facing the truth about yourself and allowing God to come in and make the necessary changes. Moral courage makes the hard decisions of life and follows God. Moral courage is obedience in the tough spots, in the times when only God is watching and only God will know that you have lied or deceived or cut a corner or cheated.

Moral courage characterizes the man or woman of God. Moral courage says that I will not allow others to think more of me than God already knows of me. Truth. Not personal truth that shifts like the sands of the desert in the wind storm, but absolute truth–the truth of the One who created all things and knows all things and is in all things. Absolute Truth.

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Isaiah Chapter 52 – Awake Zion!

September 26, 2019 by memullin

Read Isaiah Chapter 52

1. What does Isaiah say to Zion (Jerusalem) in Isaiah 52:1?

2. What does the Lord God say about His people in Isaiah 52:4-5?

3. What does God say that His people will know/realize in Isaiah 52:6?

4. How might this understanding of God, e.g. “I am He who speaks: behold it is I,” be important in your life? Your relationship with God?

5. What people are Isaiah 52:7 referring to? What do these people do? Are you one of these people? Explain.

6.. What celebration is being foretold in Isaiah 52:8-10?

7. What is being described in Isaiah 52:11-12?

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The Complete Armor

September 25, 2019 by memullin

Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. Ephesians 6:13

The purpose of the armor is to resist, to withstand the action. To resist means to exert force in opposition, to push back. To resist is not to remain static–it involves action. The force we bring as believers–the only force that could possibly compete with these supernatural forces of wickedness–is the power of God that indwells us (the same power that raised Jesus Christ from dead)–other-realm power.

God has given us the armor to allow us to stand our ground. God has given each of us a hill to hold–the hill of my life–your life–your faith, your family, your sphere of influence. God wants us to do “everything that the crisis demands.” Again, this is not static–it’s a call for action–for meekness–power under control.

As a child of God, you need to stand firm in your place. This means that you do not need to fight others’ battles. You just need to stay and maintain the hill God assigned you–not the one you assigned yourself. (See Ephesians 2:10)

The “evil day of danger” is not a possibility–it is a reality. You will have trouble. Jesus told us that in this world we will have tribulation. This, then, is a call to be ready.

Be immovable. So that you can’t be distracted, can’t be deceived, can’t be led astray, can’t be duped, can’t be worn down by trial, and can’t be pushed over. Because you will give an account to God for your actions–or lack thereof. (See Romans 14:12)

How is this possible? God will keep us. But even the saved can be pulled off mission. We need to be ready, prepared. James teaches us that faith without works is dead. (See James 2:14-26).  Put on the armor.

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Isaiah Chapter 51 – Comfort for Zion

September 24, 2019 by memullin

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Read Isaiah Chapter 51
1. To whom is Isaiah speaking in Isaiah 51:1?

2. What instruction does he give them in Isaiah 51:1-2.

3. Why would he tell them that? (See Isaiah 51:3)

4. What does Isaiah say about God in Isaiah 51:3?

5. Who is speaking in Isaiah 51:4-5? What does He say about Himself?

6. What does He promise in Isaiah 51:6 about the earth? About those who live there? About His salvation? His righteousness?

7. What instruction/exhortation does He give in Isaiah 51:7?

8. What exhortation is given in Isaiah 51:9? To whom is it directed?

9. What does Isaiah 51:9 give as a prophecy about the sea? About those God has purchased back?

10. What human frailty does God address is Isaiah 51:12-13? What does He say about it?

11. What do the following verses teach?
□ Proverbs 29:25

□ Isaiah 8:12-13

□ Luke 12:4-5

12. Copy Isaiah 51:15 here. What do you learn from this verse?

13. What does God say of His people in Isaiah 51:16?

14. What message does God have for Jerusalem in Isaiah 51:17-23? How does this encourage you?

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Isaiah Chapter 50

September 21, 2019 by memullin

Read Isaiah Chapter 50
1. What does God say of Israel in Isaiah 50:1?

2. In Isaiah 50:4-6, what do you learn about Messiah?

3. What do the following verses teach?
□ Matthew 26:39, 67
□ Luke 9:51
□ John 14:31
□ Philippians 2:8

4. What does Isaiah 50:8 teach about the one who justifies us? The adversary?

5. What do you learn from the following verses?
□ Exodus 23:22
□ Romans 8:31-39
□ 1 Peter 5:8

6. What application to your own walk with God can you make from Isaiah 50?

 

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