Isaiah 13-27

1. As a group, what do you remember about Egypt and their interactions with the Jews?

2. Read Isaiah 19:1-4. When it came to a threatening invasion, what did Egypt put their trust in? In times of crisis, where do people tend to put their trust? Share a recent crisis when you didn’t first put your trust in God. In what did you initially place your trust?

3. Read Isaiah 19:5-15. According to these verses, where else did Egypt place their trust? How was this an expression of independence and not dependence on God?

4. Like Egypt, how might you and I place our trust in finances and the voice others in times of overwhelming crisis?

5. Read 19:16-25. Beginning in verse 16, Isaiah begins using the phrase, “In that day”, to describe tremendous events in the future. What are some of Isaiah’s amazing predictions?

6. Reread 19:23-25. If you were a Jew, how excited would you be to hear that your past enemy, Egypt, and your present enemy, Assyria, will one day be profoundly blessed by God ahead of you? What does that say about your heart?

7. God will punish the sin and pride of all and He will bless all who humbly turn to Him. What area of pride or self-confidence do you need to confess to this group? Is God revealing any other actions you need to take or attitudes that He wants to change in you?

Isaiah 7-12

To Whom Will We Turn?

Read Isaiah 7:1-9. What do you remember about the historical context? Who are the main characters? What is about to happen? What nations are represented and what role do they play in the story?

Have you had many "crisis moments" where you were challenged to look to God ... or try to go it alone? Describe one of these crisis moments to the group.

How are we to understand prophecies like we find in Isaiah 7:10-14? When we talk about a "near / far" relationship in these prophecies, what does that mean?

Read 8:19 - 9:7. A people who were very lost and very godless suddenly found themselves in the light of the gospel - in the face of Jesus! Talk about the hope that this story should bring us.

Does anyone remember the story of Gideon from the book of Judges? Go back and find it and reflect on why it is referenced by Isaiah.

Jesus is given four beautiful names in 9:6. What do those names/titles mean and how do they impact your faith? How should they specifically be considered as you enter "crisis moments?"

What will it take?

Isaiah 2-6 Questions:

1) What is the greatest experience you have ever had with God?

2) At what level do you feel like you are encountering God regularly? Explain. Is the experience you are having with God what you desire? Is is what He desires?

3) What would have to happen in your life for you to be totally willing to do "whatever" God was desiring for you to do?

Isaiah Begins!

Opening question: when you heard we were going to study Isaiah, what
was your reaction?

1) Have you had "wow" experiences of worship that left your life unchanged?
2) What does it mean to say that God is "the Holy One of Israel?"
3) What are tangible ways we could pursue justice?
4) What are the two paths we can choose between? Where does each lead?
5) When you read the opening verses of chapter 2, does the knowledge
that God will eventually bring peace and justice to the world
encourage you to pursue peace and justice even more, or does it cause
you to become complacent?
6) (If you have extra time) How does this passage compare to Romans 6:1?