ISAIAH - Session 1&2 - 1 Mar

THE
GOD OF SALVATION

The Message of the Book of
ISAIAH

1, 8, 15, 22, 29 March and 5 April 2022
SJSM Christian Education Course
Bishop RENNIS PONNIAH

SPH Hon. Fellow/GSFA Hon. Director
Diocese of Singapore
SJSM CE Course | Mar-Apr 2022
COURSE OUTLINE
MARCH 1 S1 INTRODUCTION: STRUCTURE & BACKGROUND
S2 REBUKE & PROMISE TO WAYWARD JUDAH Ch 1 - 12
MARCH 8 S3 JUDGMENT AGAINST NATIONS BUT A FUTURE Ch 13 – 27

UNIVERSAL KINGDOM PROMISED
S4 MAJOR CRISIS IN ISAIAH’S DAY: WOES, Ch 28 – 39

ASSURANCES & OUTCOME
MARCH 15 S5 CONSOLATION & HOPE FOR ISRAEL & THE WORLD Ch 40 – 48
MARCH 22 S6 GOD’S GREAT SALVATION THROUGH THE Ch 49 – 55

ANOINTED SERVANT
MARCH 29 S7 THE REDEEMED PEOPLE OF GOD AWAITING THE Ch 56 – 66

FINAL CONSUMMATION
APRIL 5 S8 SUMMARY & CONCLUSION
2
SESSION 1
INTRODUCTION
Structure & Background to the Book of Isaiah
1. Preliminaries
1.1 Course Objectives
1.2 Spiritual Posture of ‘the Bible Student’
1.3 References
2. Principles of Interpretation
3. A Basic Outline of ‘Isaiah’
4. Structure of the Book
4.1 It’s unity
4.2 Authorship
4.3 Flow & Movement
4.4 Some Vital Themes
5. Historical Background
Appendix 1.1 A Detailed Outline of ‘Isaiah’

Appendix 1.2 Map of Judah’s Socio-Political Situation in 8th Century BC
3
INTRODUCTION: Structure & Background to the Book of Isaiah
1. PRELIMINARIES
1.1 Course Objectives
(a) Participants gain a working knowledge of the book’s content and

understand the inter-relationship of the parts.
(b) Participants grasp the message of the book through sound, Spirit-
enabled interpretation.
(c) Participants grow in knowing God and living in the light of that
knowledge.
1.2 Spiritual Posture Of ‘The Bible Student’ (Pro 2:1-11)
(a) How to read the Bible in order to gain personal knowledge of God
i. A submissive heart (v 1):

a willingness to obey and cherish the Word of God
ii. A disciplined attentiveness (v 2):

learning to listen to the Spirit in the text
iii. A prayerful spirit (v 3):

crying out to God for understanding
iv. A diligent approach (v 4):

searching out its meaning and digging out nuggets of truth (v 4)
(b) What you gain when you grow in knowing God in HIS Word:
i. Wisdom and “Spiritual taste-buds” for life in all its fullness

(v 6, 9, 10)
ii. Spiritual victory in life’s circumstances (v 7)
iii. Protection from the perverseness and crookedness of the

world (v 8, 11)
4
1.3 References
(a) Alec Motyer The Prophecy of Isaiah Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press 1993.
(b) Barry Webb The Message of Isaiah. The Bible Speaks Today Series.
Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press 1996.
(c) John N. Oswalt Isaiah 1-39 and Isaiah 40 – 66, NICOT. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, _______ & _______ respectively.
(d) William S. Lasor, David A. Hubbard, Frederic W. Bush. Old Testament

Survey. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. 1996 (2nd edition).
2. PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
2.1 Treat the Bible as a God-inspired text (2 Tim 3:16-17).
(a) Follow sound literary rules for interpreting a passage.
(b) Rely on the Holy Spirit’s illumination.
2.2 Recognise the genre (literary type) of the text.
(a) ‘Isaiah’ is _____________ literature.
(b) The literary type Isaiah uses is _______________.
(c) The central feature of Hebrew poetry is parallelism.

In parallelism. The second line is _______________ to the first line. It is
similar in sense but it is not a mere re-statement. The second line/
versette clarifies or intensifies or focuses the first/versette. Though
resembling the first versette, there is subtle differentiation in the
second versette.
5
Example 1: Isaiah 25:2
“You have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.”
Example 2: Isaiah 42:1a
“Behold! my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight.”
2.3 Understand the historical background of the author (and/or editor) as well as
his intended audience.
2.4 Identify the distinct pericopes or oracles within the text.

[A pericope or oracle is a structurally identifiable unit that is unified by a single
thought or subject matter or event. Examples in Isaiah would be Isa 5; 14:28-
32; 42:1-7. Pericopes/Oracles can at times be treated as distinct source
material before the final editing of the book by the inspired author].
2.5 Pay attention to how the book is put together: i.e. its structure and
arrangement of the different parts. The “stitching” of a book is as inspired as
the content of each part.
6
2.6 In prophetic literature, take note of the prophet’s shifting time frames.
The Prophet’s Shifting Time Frames:

Watch out for quick shifts in what time setting the Prophet is addressing
e.g. - the Prophet’s immediate historical context (Isa 14:28-32)
- the future horizon beyond the prophet’s time (21:1-10)
- the final consummation of this age (24:1-23)
Present Situation
Future Horizon
Final Consummation
2.7 Seek to interpret the text at different levels:
(a) at the literary level:

i.e. its meaning and function within the flow and structure of the book.
(b) at the canonical level:
- The Bible is one book, with a transcendent Author.
- We need to interpret the message of the particular book and its

texts in terms of the larger message of the whole Bible.
- We need to see how the New Testament interprets the

prophetic books of the Old Testament. In particular, N.T.
7
authors interpret O.T. texts in the light of the Christ event i.e.
Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection (eg. Matthew’s use of
Isa 9:1-2 in Mt 4:15-16).
(c) at the application level: its significance to our present context
- Draw from Scripture the abiding principles of a historically-

specific situation and apply it to our world and our situation.
- The validity of our application cannot be scientifically proven;

it depends on our ‘spiritual taste’ and ‘the ring of the Spirit’ in
the believer’s heart and in the community of believers.
- We only ‘know’ a truth and its validity when we apply it and live
it out.
2.8 Flow Of Biblical History
Creation → Fall → Call of Abraham & Abrahamic Covenant → 1st Exodus:

Deliverance from Egypt → Mosaic Covenant → Posession of Promised Land
→ Kingship & United Kingdom (Saul, David, Solomon) → Divided Kingdom:
North (Israel, Samaria, Ephraim) & South (Judah) → Northern Kingdom exiled
by Assyria (722BC) → Southern Kingdom (Judah) exiled by Babylon (587/586
BC) → 2nd Exodus: Deliverance of Judah from exile (Cyrus of Persia, 538 BC) &
return to the Promised Land → Rebuilding of Jerusalem & Temple → Christ
and His finished Work of Salvation on the Cross → The Church (Jew & Gentile)
as the New Covenant People of God → The Return of Christ/Consummation
of History → A new heaven & a new earth
8
3. A Basic Outline of ‘ISAIAH' (See Appendix 1.1 for detailed Outlined)
Part (1): The People of God in Deep Trouble Ch 1 – 39
I. REBUKE AND PROMISE TO WAYWARD JUDAH Ch 1 – 12
A. The Problem: Diagnosis and Prognosis Ch 1 – 5
B. The Solution: God’s Grace and The Anointed King Ch 6 – 12
II. JUDGEMENT AGAINST NATIONS BUT A FUTURE Ch 13 – 27

UNIVERSAL KINGDOM PROMISED
A. God’s Purposes for Judgment and Salvation Ch 13 – 23
B. The Eternal Battle: City of God vs City of Man Ch 24 – 27
III. MAJOR CRISIS IN ISAIAH’S DAY: WOES, ASSURANCES Ch 28 – 39

AND OUTCOME
A. Woes and Assurances to Judah: Salvation comes Ch 28 – 35

from God alone
B. Assyrian Threat Overcome, Babylonian Threat Ch 36 – 39

Looms Ahead
Part (2): The Redemption of Israel and Salvation of the World Ch 40 – 55
IV. REDEMPTION AND SALVATION: BOTH FOR ISRAEL AND Ch 40 – 55

THE WORLD
A. Consolation and Hope for Israel and the World Ch 40 – 48
B. God’s Great Salvation through the Anointed Servant Ch 49 – 55
Part (3): The Redeemed People of God Awaiting the Final Consummation Ch 56 – 66
V. GOD’S NEWLY-REDEEMED PEOPLE AWAITING Ch 56 – 66

CONSUMMATION
A. The Challenge God’s People Face in Everyday Life Ch 56:1 – 59:15a
B. The Shining Light of God’s People and the Final Ch 59:15b – 66:end
Consummation by the Anointed Conqueror
9
4. STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK (See Motyer)
4.1 Its Unity: One helpful way is to see the book as built on three Messianic
figures: The Anointed King, the Anointed Servant and the Anointed
Conqueror (The N.T. writers see all these three Messianic figures synthetically
fulfilled in Jesus). The three Parts are seem to be linked as follows:
Part 1 Ch 1 – 39: The Anointed King
a. Failure of the Monarchy (Ahaz)
b. God’s answer: The Perfect King (esp. Ch 7 – 9, 11)
c. Unsolved: The nations are in rebellion. God’s people are compromised. The
promise is that the Anointed King will rule over a renewed people. How will
the people be renewed?
Part 2 Ch 40 – 54: The Anointed Servant
a. Failure of Israel as the People of God (to be holy…to be a light to the nation)
which contributes to the nations (Gentiles) walking in the darkness of idolatry
and self-reliance.
b. God’s answer: The Anointed Servant who saves people from their sin by the
offering of himself in order to establish a people in Righteousness (Is 53 – 54)
c. Unsolved: (As Isaiah looks down the time-line of history)

The life of the newly redeemed people of God is still incomplete (not yet as
God intended it to be). They have an on-going battle with sin within and hostile
forces from the wider unredeemed world.
Part 3 Ch 55 – 66: The Anointed Conqueror
a. Failure of the Redeemed People to Experience the Full Victory: Pressure and
hostility from without; falleness and weariness within as they face the daily
onslaught of evil
b. God’s answer: The Anointed Conqueror who at the end of the age brings
complete comfort to God’s people and takes vengeance on all God’s enemies.
He executes the final settlement of things by bringing full salvation and final
judgment.
10
4.2 Corollary on Authorship: Given the above, there is no convincing reason to

deny that the prophet Isaiah could himself have composed and edited the
whole book. This is contrary to those who hold a ‘Deutero’ or even ‘Trito’
Isaiah view: that two or three authors have penned the distinctive sections of
the book.
4.3 Flow And Movement
(a) “… the overall movement (seems to be) from Jerusalem to new

Jerusalem and from fallen creation to new creation. But in fact this
movement takes place again and again within the book as well as
across the whole of it … We glimpse the (consummated) end many
times before we finally arrive and rest there.” [Webb, pg 30]
(b) The book ends on the note that the final consummation involves both
judgment and salvation. That God’s judgment and salvation go hand-
in-hand is a running theme throughout the book.
4.4 Some Vital Themes
(a) Yahweh (YHWH) is the ‘high and exalted King’ who reigns over the
whole universe and over all of human history. YHWH is Sovereign
Lord.
(b) This ‘high and exalted King’ is morally pure, fully consistent and
dependable, and totally different from man and his gods. YHWH is the
‘Holy One of Israel’.
(c) While YHWH is ‘high and lifted up’, He dwells with those who are
humble and contrite in heart. He cares for His subject people and will
keep covenantal faithfulness in restoring His people even after
disciplining them.
(d) YHWH’s care goes beyond His own people to reach out to the nations.
He will redeem His people and bring salvation to the ends of the earth
through the Anointed Servant of the Lord (Note the four Servant
Songs).
(e) Judgment and Salvation always go hand-in-hand, even in the

consummation of this age (see 4.3 above).
11
(f) To experience Salvation, you must trust in God alone. A running

question in Isaiah is ‘Whom will you trust?’
(g) God is unstoppable in bringing about His gracious rule over all creation.
This rule of God over a people, with all its attendant security,
wholeness and vigour of life, is represented by ‘the city of God’. Its
referent in Isaiah’s usage is Mt Zion/Jerusalem but see also Hebrew
12:22.
5. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: ISAIAH’S WORLD
5.1 The Time of Isaiah’s Prophecy/Vision
(a) Isaiah vision (Isa 1:1) was received during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham,
Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (c. 740 – 696 BC; i.e. latter half of
8th Century BC).
(b) The Northern Kingdom (Israel/Samaria) would be crushed by Assyria

in 722 BC and its people scattered in exile. What would become of
Judah? What would become of God’s purposes for the world?
(c) Isaiah was a prophet based in Jerusalem, his home city (Isa 7:1-3; 37:2)
5.2 The Spiritual Condition of God’s People
(a) The historic claim of the Israelites was that their God, the LORD
(Yahweh), was the Creator of the universe and the Supreme
King/effective Ruler of everything. For the most part, “Judah lived in
the conviction that the LORD was the true king, and looked forward to
the day when all the earth would know it.” [Webb, pg 20].
(b) Uzziah’s reign (791 – 740 BC) was prosperous one: a time of economic
growth, military expansion and political stability. Towards the latter
stages of his reign, these conditions led to greed and exploitation by
the upper classes, uneven distribution of wealth, corruption in the
administration of justice and religious ritualism. The spiritual rot had
set in and evidenced by the lack of ethics and compassion in social
behavior.
12
5.3 The Wider Political World (see Appendix 1.2)
(a) Three main players in Judah’s political world:
- Egypt (its former oppressor and presently a potential ally

against a greater threat)
- Assyria (the super-power of the day and Judah’s big threat)
- Babylon (a potential world power starting to emerge towards

the end of Hezekiah’s reign)
(b) The might of Assyria
- Under Tiglath-Pileser III, from 745 BC on, Assyria became a

world power with a mercenary army. His westward expansion
threatened the Palestine nations.
- In 734 BC, King Pekah of Israel (Northern Kingdom) and King

Rezin of Damascus (Syria) formed a defensive alliance and
wanted King Ahaz (of Judah) to join them. Ahaz refused, and
contrary to Isaiah’s counsel to trust in the Sovereign LORD, he
sought help from Tiglath-Pileser in exchange for tribute and
subjugation.
- The Assyrian yoke became increasingly intolerable, and it was

Hezekiah who brought in the spiritual reforms and prepared
the nation militarily to revolt. Sadly, he leaned on Egypt for
support. His well-intentioned move incurred the wrath of
Assyria and almost proved fatal. By 701 BC, Sennecharib
ravaged Palestine from Sidon in the north to Lachish in the
south, and placed Jerusalem under siege. God in His mercy
delivered His people (Isa 37:1-38; Mic 2:12-13)
- At the end of Hezekiah’s reign (Isa 38), we see the prospect of

Babylon, mobilized by the very competent Merodach-Balan,
becoming the new world power. It was not to be for at least
another century but Isaiah, through prophetic vision, foresaw
that Judah would eventually go into exile at the hands of
Babylon (Isa 38:5-7).
(b) Impact on the people: In the light of the ‘real’ world of hard politics, the
historic creed that ‘Yahweh is the true and soverign King’ was hard to
translate into practical politics and the common people seemed to let
it slip into lip-service.
13
5.4 Isaiah’s Biographical Sketch
- Few biographical details in the text: ‘The servant is hidden behind his
God, the messenger is hidden behind the message’.
- Jerusalem was his home city and featured much in his preaching as it
stood for the ‘city of God’.
- Isaiah’s ready access to the king suggests he was high born and moved
in the circle of the city’s nobles. But nothing about his words or actions
(see Isa 7) suggest he was part of the status quo or restrained in
addressing them on God’s behalf. Some scholars depict him as a
prophetic poet in the royal court – perhaps the forcefulness of his
message combined with God’s compassion for His people justifies us
seeing him rather as a poetic prophet!
- His wife is called ‘the prophetess’ in 8:3 and his sons’ names are used
symbolically to express his message. In 8:16-18, we have a glimpse of
a small band of disciples gathering around him, probably including his
sons. His family could well have been an asset and a source of comfort
and strength to his ministry.
- His vision of God and his experience of God in Isa 6:1-8 shaped his
reality and his message. He has seen the King, the LORD, ‘high and
exalted’ and he had experienced God’s grace in his cleansing and
deliverance from death. He held to this conviction to the very end with
great courage and hope.
- Isaiah probably was killed during the early reign of Manasseh,

Hezekieh’s son. Manasseh renounced his father’s allegiance to
Yahweh and reversed his father’s policies. Tradition tells us that Isaiah
was martyred at this time, sawn in two (cf. Heb 11:37) by Manasseh’s
men.
“A cruel end indeed, but not a defeat … it is likely that it was

in those last silent years, when he was confined by old age
and persecution, that he (Isaiah) plumbed the depths and
scaled the heights of spiritual understanding … (and saw) the
whole shape of God’s future plans for His people and for His
world. It was what the opening verse of the book calls ‘his
vision’.” [Webb, pg 25]
14
‘Isaiah’ Reading Plan (Week 1)
Daily Passage Tick when read

Ch 1 – 5
Ch 6 – 12
Ch 13 -23
Ch 24 – 27
Ch 28 – 35
Ch 36 - 39
15
Appendix 1.1
A Detailed Outline (adapted mainly from Motyer, Prophecy of Isaiah)
Part 1 THE ‘ANOINTED KING’ (CH 1 – 39)
I. Rebuke and Promise to Wayward Judah (Ch 1 – 12)
A. Judah: Diagnosis and Prognosis (Ch 1 – 5)
B. Triumph of God’s Grace (Ch 6 – 12)
B.1 Prologue: Isaiah’s Commissioning (6:1–13)
B.2 The promised Anointed King and His people (Ch 7–11)
B.3 Epilogue: Salvation and Joy (Ch 12)
II. Judgment against Nations (Ch 13 – 23)
III. The Eternal Battle: City of God vs. City of Man (Ch 24 – 27)
IV. Major Crisis in Isaiah’s Day: Assyrian Threat and Prospect of Babylonian
Threat (Ch 28 - 39)
Part 2 THE ‘ANOINTED SERVANT’ (CH 40 – 55)
V. The Consolation of Judah in exile and the World in darkness (40:1 – 42:17)
A. Consolation of Zion (40:1 – 41:20)
B. Consolation of the Gentiles (41:21 – 42:17)
B.1 Court Scene: Plight of the nations and their idol-gods (41:21–29)
B.2 Remedy: ‘Servant of the Lord’ as answer to world’s plight

(42:1 – 9)
B.3 New Song of the Lord’s Salvation (42:10–17)
VI. Redemption of Israel as the People of God (42:18 – 44:23)
VII. The Great (Political) Deliverance: Cyrus (44:24 – 48:22)
16
VIII. The Greater (Spiritual) Deliverance: The Servant of the Lord (49:1 – 55:13)
A. The Servant’s Double Task: Israel and the World (49:1–6)
B. The Servant’s Success: Divine Confirmation (49:7–13)
C. Zion and her children (49:14 – 50:3)
D. The Servant, the righteous and the wicked (50:4–9)
E. Salvation in Prospect and Reality (51:1 – 52:12)
F. The Triumph of the Servant: The Arm of the Lord (52:13 – 55:13)
F.1 The Servant’s Victory through Suffering (52:13 – 53:12)
F.2 Good News for the Whole World: Proclamation and Invitation
(54:1 – 55:13)
Part 3 THE ‘ANOINTED CONQUEROR’ (CH 56 – 66)
IX. Waiting for a New World: The Ideal Marks vs. the Actual Condition of God’s
Redeemed People (56:1 – 59:15a)
X. The Coming of the Anointed Conqueror (59:15b – 63:6)
A. Divine Commitment to effect Final Salvation and Judgement

(59:14–20)
B. Covenant Mediator (59:21)
C. Coming Glory: Consummation of Abrahamic Blessing (60:1–22)
D. Transforming Power: The Anointed One and the People blessed by

the Lord (61:1–9)
E. Commitment of the Anointed One (61:10 – 62:12)
F. Day of Vengeance and Victory for the Anointed Conqueror (63:1–6)
XI. Prayer and Response: Steps to a New Heaven and Earth (63:7 – 66:24)
A. Prayer and Intercession by One who remembers (63:7 – 64:12)
B. Sure Promises: Final Reckoning and the New Jerusalem (65:1 – 66:24)
17
Appendix 1.2

18
SESSION 2
REBUKE & PROMISE TO WAYWARD JUDAH
ISAIAH Ch 1 - 12
OUTLINE OF THIS SECTION
1. Judah: Diagnosis & Prognosis Ch 1 - 5
2. Basis of Hope: The Lord is Exalted King, Holy & Full of Ch 6

Grace
2.1 Context
2.2 Exposition
2.3 Application
3. The Promised Anointed King and His People Ch 7 – 11
A. Ahaz at the Cross roads 7:1-25
B. From Darkness to Light 8:1 – 9:7
C. The Lord’s Anger against His 9:8 – 10:4

People
D. The Lord’s Anger against Assyria 10:5-34
E. Messiah’s Kingdom 11:1-16
4. Epilogue: Salvation & Joy for God’s People Ch 12

1. JUDAH: DIAGNOSIS & PROGNOSIS (Ch 1 – 5)
1.1 The great vision entrusted to Isaiah (1:1)
1.2 Isaiah’s ‘State of the Union’ Address (1:2-31; 2:5 – 4:1)
(a) Judah has become like the heathen nations (1:9-10)
(b) A lot of religious ritualism, no practical holiness (1:13-17)
(c) What God requires: Practise righteousness (1:16-17; cf. Mic 6:8;
Mt 5 – 7; Eph 4:22-24; Jas 1:26-27; 1 Pet 2:9-12)
(d) Syncretism: Incorporation of superstitions (2:6)
(e) Reliance on man not God (2:22)
(f) Corrupt leadership: Prophets, Priests, Rulers (3:12-15; cf. Mic 3:1-12)
(g) Pride and false security (2:11; 3:16-17)
(h) Invitation to return to God (1:18-19)
To consider: “A nominal church does more damage to the cause of Christ than its
sworn enemies”. Do you agree?
2
1.3 Judgment will fall on God’s people (3:1 – 4:1; 5:1-30)
(a) God will judge His own people (3:1-11; 5:25-30; cf. 1 Pet 4:17; 2 Pet 3:11-
14)
(b) God’s lament over His people (5:1-7; cf. 28:21)
1.4 The Day of the Lord (2:1-4; 12-22; 4:2-6)
(a) A Day of wrath against all human pride and rebellion (2:12-22)
(b) A Day of exalting His people and establishing His reign (2:1-4; 4:2-6)
To consider: Has “the day of the Lord” happened? (see Mt 3:2; Lk 17:21; Jn 19:30;
20:19-22; Heb 12:22-24; Rev 11:15)
2 BASIS OF HOPE: THE LORD IS EXALTED KING, HOLY & FULL OF GRACE
2.1 Context
a. The people of God are at a ‘make or break’ point in their history. They
are on the brink of severe judgment, death and settled darkness. God
asks:
“What more could have been done for My vineyard
than I have done for it?” (Isa 5:4a)
b. Isaiah’s commissioning for ministry occurs at a critical moment which

epitomises what is at stake:
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated
on a throne…” (Isa 6:1)
3
2.2 Exposition
(a) ______________ by the stunning ______________ of God.
(b) ______________ by the sheer _________________ of God.
(c) ______________ by the salvation ______________ of God.
2.3 Application
a. How does the self-revelation of God in Isa 6 convict you? How does it
comfort you?
b. The vision of this God is one of His majestic supremacy, holiness and
grace. What can dim your vision of the LORD? How can you keep this
vision of Him fresh in your life and ministry?
3. THE PROMISED KING AND HIS PEOPLE (Ch 7 -11)
3.1 The present King Ahaz fails the test (7:1-25)
(a) With King Ahaz and the people of Judah facing the threat from
Ephraim and Syria, Isaiah finds his people at a crisis point: Whom will
the leader and the people trust for their security? (see 2 Ki 16, 2 Chron
28).
(b) The sign of ‘Immanuel’ (7:10-16)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,
and will call Him Immanuel. (v14)
(c) The consequences of failing to trust God (7:17-25)
4
3.2 From darkness to light (8:1 – 9:7)
(a) The fiery judgment: through the Assyrian assault (8:1-8)
(b) The holy remnant: their distinctiveness and survival (8:9-22)
(c) The glorious hope: Peace through the Anointed King (9:1-7)
3.3 The Lord’s Anger against His People and against Assyria (9:8 – 10:34)
Note: The text is back suddenly to present realities
(a) The Lord’s immediate purposes for Judah and Israel (Northern
Kingdom) are not identical: Assyria conquers Israel (10:4, 9, 11)
whereas Assyria serves to chastise Judah (10:12, 24 f).
(b) Assyria will suffer a blow at Zion and begin to collapse (10:12, 16-19,
27-34).
(c) The promise of a purified (holy) remnant (10:20-27).
3.4 The Glorious Hope: Messiah’s Kingdom (11:1-16)
(a) The ideal (Anointed) King (11:1-9)
(b) The picture of final salvation (11:10-16; cf. Rev 7:9-12)
5
4. EPILOGUE: SALVATION AND JOY FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
4.1 Salvation and Joy for the Individual (12:1-2; cp. 6:1-7)
4.2 Salvation and joy for the Community (12:4-6)
Owing to the inexhaustible fullness of God’s salvation (12:3), the people of

God call on one another to make the Lord and His glorious salvation known to
all the world (12:4-6)
5. LINK TO NEXT SECTION
Ch 1 -12 end with a vision of a people drinking from the wells of God’s salvation. But
in Isaiah’s day, that is still future. The next section (Ch 13-27) describe the hostile
nations surrounding God’s people Isaiah’s day, and goes on to describe the historical
conflicts in terms of the eternal battle between the City of God and the City of Man.

ISAIAH - Session 1&2 - 1 Mar

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THE

Bishop RENNIS PONNIAH

MARCH 1 S1 INTRODUCTION: STRUCTURE & BACKGROUND

S2 REBUKE & PROMISE TO WAYWARD JUDAH Ch 1 - 12

MARCH 8 S3 JUDGMENT AGAINST NATIONS BUT A FUTURE Ch 13 – 27

S4 MAJOR CRISIS IN ISAIAH’S DAY: WOES, Ch 28 – 39

MARCH 15 S5 CONSOLATION & HOPE FOR ISRAEL & THE WORLD Ch 40 – 48

MARCH 22 S6 GOD’S GREAT SALVATION THROUGH THE Ch 49 – 55

MARCH 29 S7 THE REDEEMED PEOPLE OF GOD AWAITING THE Ch 56 – 66

APRIL 5 S8 SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

1.1 Course Objectives

1.2 Spiritual Posture of ‘the Bible Student’

3. A Basic Outline of ‘Isaiah’

4. Structure of the Book

4.1 It’s unity

4.3 Flow & Movement

4.4 Some Vital Themes

Appendix 1.1 A Detailed Outline of ‘Isaiah’

INTRODUCTION: Structure & Background to the Book of Isaiah

1.1 Course Objectives

(a) Participants gain a working knowledge of the book’s content and

1.2 Spiritual Posture Of ‘The Bible Student’ (Pro 2:1-11)

i. A submissive heart (v 1):

ii. A disciplined attentiveness (v 2):

iii. A prayerful spirit (v 3):

iv. A diligent approach (v 4):

i. Wisdom and “Spiritual taste-buds” for life in all its fullness

ii. Spiritual victory in life’s circumstances (v 7)

iii. Protection from the perverseness and crookedness of the

(d) William S. Lasor, David A. Hubbard, Frederic W. Bush. Old Testament

2.1 Treat the Bible as a God-inspired text (2 Tim 3:16-17).

(a) Follow sound literary rules for interpreting a passage.

(b) Rely on the Holy Spirit’s illumination.

2.2 Recognise the genre (literary type) of the text.

(a) ‘Isaiah’ is _____________ literature.

(b) The literary type Isaiah uses is _______________.

(c) The central feature of Hebrew poetry is parallelism.

Example 1: Isaiah 25:2

“You have made the city a heap of rubble,

the fortified town a ruin,

the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;

it will never be rebuilt.”

Example 2: Isaiah 42:1a

“Behold! my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom I delight.”

2.4 Identify the distinct pericopes or oracles within the text.

The Prophet’s Shifting Time Frames:

- the future horizon beyond the prophet’s time (21:1-10)

- the final consummation of this age (24:1-23)

2.7 Seek to interpret the text at different levels:

(a) at the literary level:

(b) at the canonical level:

- The Bible is one book, with a transcendent Author.

- We need to interpret the message of the particular book and its

- We need to see how the New Testament interprets the

(c) at the application level: its significance to our present context

- Draw from Scripture the abiding principles of a historically-

- The validity of our application cannot be scientifically proven;

2.8 Flow Of Biblical History

Creation → Fall → Call of Abraham & Abrahamic Covenant → 1st Exodus:

3. A Basic Outline of ‘ISAIAH' (See Appendix 1.1 for detailed Outlined)

Part (1): The People of God in Deep Trouble Ch 1 – 39