Category: Bible Journey

Reflections on Isaiah 10-12

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God will use Assyria to bring judgment upon Judah, but restoration is ultimately promised.

  • God’s Sovereignty – Assyria’s attack against Judah is not beyond God’s control, but rather Assyria is being used by God to bring judgment on his people. God will judge evil and proud Assyria for their sins too.  God reigns over all the world.  How does this truth encourage you today in the midst of wars and rumors of wars?
  • Messiah’s Coming Reign – Chapter 11 speaks of a Messiah in the line of David who will rise. The Spirit of God will rest upon him.  He will reign with justice and peace.  The earth will be filled with the knowledge of God.  We know that this Messiah has come, and is coming again.  Use chapter 12 to praise the Lord for this certain hope.

Reflections on Isaiah 7-9

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Enemies threaten evil King Ahaz, but Isaiah calls him and all of Judah to look to the Lord for deliverance.  In the process, Isaiah proclaims the coming Messiah.

  • Sign of Immanuel – God tells Ahaz to ask for a sign of Judah’s deliverance. Ahaz, who has followed other gods, refuses, faking piety with religious language.  So God gives him a sign of a virgin conceiving and bearing a son called Immanuel.  This child will show Ahaz that God is with Judah.  Yet the ultimate fulfillment comes in the virgin birth of our Messiah (Matthew 1:23).
  • Coming King – Isaiah predicts the birth of a child in the line of David who will reign forever with peace and justice. This child has been born and we await his return and glorious reign!

Isaiah 7-12: The Promised Child

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(7-8) Syria and Ephraim come against Judah.  How does Ahaz respond, and how should he respond (7:1-8)?  How do you tend to respond when trials come upon you?  Why?

Isaiah predicts the birth of a child.  What will happen before the child can talk (8:3-4)?  What will happen before the child becomes a man (7:14-16)?

Instead of trusting God, Ahaz looks to Assyria for help (see I Kings 16).  How does that work out for him (7:17, 8:5-8)?

When do you find it hard to trust God?  To who or what might you look instead?  How has that worked out for you?

(8-10) God instructs Isaiah not to walk like the people, but to follow the Lord (8:11-22).  What should this look like?  How well does this describe your life?  How do you need to heed these instructions?

How does God respond to Judah’s continuous unrepentant sin (9:8-10:4)?  Notice the repetition in 9:12b, 9:17b, 9:21b, 10:4b.  What warning is there for us?

Assyria is coming against Judah (10:5-19).  What does God intend?  What does Assyria intend?  How does this text help us see the interplay between God’s sovereignty and man’s choices?  Why are both of these truths important?

(7, 9, 11) How does the promised child and shoot point forward to Jesus (7:14, 9:1-7, 11:1-10; see also Matthew 1:18-23, 3:16-17, 4:12-16)?

What glorious promises do we find in these passages?

How should we live in response to these promises?

(12) What responses does God call us to make (v1-6)?

Why should we respond in these ways (v1-6)?

How do these reasons spur you on to respond in these ways?

Reflection on Isaiah 4-6

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

A glorious day is coming, but first judgment is coming for sin.  Isaiah is called to serve.

  • Woe to the Wicked – Isaiah pronounces judgment for those who call good evil and evil good (5:20). In what ways does our world confuse evil and good?  Isaiah sees his own wickedness and cries out his own woe upon himself as he stands before a holy God (6:5).  Through sacrifice (note the altar in 6:6), God cleanses him.  Before a holy God, we too stand guilty.  To whom do you look for forgiveness?
  • Call – God called Isaiah to proclaim his Word (6:8). What work has God called you to do?  Are you doing it faithfully?  If you are unsure how God wants you to serve, seek his direction.

Reflections on Isaiah 1-3

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Isaiah warns of coming judgment because of Judah’s sin, yet notes a coming day of blessing.

  • Repent – God condemns Judah for their sin: their insincere religious activities, their idols, and their haughty pride. Are you guilty of any of these sins?  He calls Judah to repent and return to the Lord.  If they will repent, God will forgive (1:18).  If they refuse, they will be judged.  For what sins do you need to repent?  Do it!  And then rejoice in God’s forgiveness!
  • Mountain of the Lord – Isaiah foretells the day when all the nations will serve the Lord, and peace shall reign over all the earth (2:1-4). How does this certain hope encourage you today?

Isaiah 1-6: Of God and Men

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(1, 3, 5) What is God’s diagnosis of Israel in 1:2-15?

What further sins does God point out?
1:21-23 –
3: 9, 11, 13-17 –
5:8-12, 18-23 –

What does God call Israel to do, and what would be the results (1:16-18)?

What would happen if they refused?
1:20 –
3:1-8, 5:5-6 –
3:18-26, 5:13-14, 5:24-30 –

(1-5) What names and attributes are given to God in 1:4, 1:24, 2:10, 5:16?  What overall picture of God are we given?

(2) What will God do with human pride in v9-22?

When are we tempted toward pride?

When are we tempted to regard men instead of God (v22)?

From the text, what do you think is the antidote?

(6) In chapters 1-5 we see God’s greatness, man’s sin, man humbled, man called to repent, and the results if they will repent.  How do you see these same themes in 6:1-7?

How does v6-7 point forward to Jesus?

What task is Isaiah given, and what success will he have in v8-13?  What might we learn from these verses?

(2, 4) What pictures of our future hope are given in 2:1-5, and 4:2-6?

How might we respond today to this future hope?

Reflections on Joel 3

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Joel speaks of the final Day of the Lord when the nations will be judged, and God’s blessings will fall on his people.

  • Judgment – God’s judgment will fall upon the nations because of their sins. Will his judgment fall on you?  Or have you called upon the name of the Lord (2:32) so that you might be saved?
  • God’s Blessings – God will bless his people with plenty – like the Garden of Eden. No more will people hurt us in word or deed.  We shall know the Lord and he will dwell among us.  Ponder your glorious hope!

Reflections on Joel 1-2

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Joel speaks five times of the Day of the Lord in his book – a day of judgment followed by blessing.  The Day of the Lord is both past (locust invasion), coming soon (through a coming army), and future (at the end of time when Christ returns – II Peter 3:10).

  • Return – The day of judgment was near, so God calls the people to return to him with all their hearts. Consider that God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and full of love (2:12-13).  Ponder those truths.  Have you drifted?  Do you need to return to him?  Does he have all your heart?
  • The Spirit Comes – Joel predicts the day when God will pour out his Spirit on mankind (2:28-32). Peter saw this fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. How have you seen the Spirit’s work in your life?

Joel 1-3: The Day of the Lord

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(1) What kind of army has come upon Judah (v4), and what are the results?

How does Joel call them to respond in v3?  How does Joel call them to respond in v5, 8, 11, & 13-14?

Why are these good responses to tragedy?

What keeps us from responding in this way?  How else might we respond instead?

(2) How does Joel describe the Day of the Lord in v1-11?

How does he describe the army coming against them?  What do you think is the identity of this army?  Why?

God calls the people to return to Him in v12-17.  Describe the return that God calls them to make.

What motivation is given for their return in v13?  How would this encourage you to return when you have sinned?

(2) How will God restore Judah in v18-27?  What will he pour down in v23?

What will he pour out in v28-29?  When do we see this happen (see Acts 2)?  What practical affects does this have in our lives?

How would you describe the Day of the Lord in v30-32?

What hope is given in v32?  How does Paul apply this hope in Romans 10:12-13?

(3) How would you describe the Day of the Lord in v1-16a?

What hope is given in v16b-21?

When do you think chapter 3 will happen, and why?

How would you summarize what Joel is teaching about the Day of the Lord in this book?

Reflections on Hosea 11-14

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

God will judge Israel for their sin.

  • Judgment – God will judge Israel for their sins. Assyria will come against them, and Israel will fall.  God hates sin.  Do you?  Do you take it seriously?  What sin in your life is God calling you to turn away from?
  • Return to the Lord – In chapter 14, God calls for Israel to return. If they do, God will restore them.  Are there ways you need to return to the Lord?  God calls them to walk in his ways.  Are you?