 Over the last several months, we've been walking through Isaiah Chapters 1-9. In this post, I am pausing to reflect on the overall theme of those chapters.
Can I be honest? I have read these chapters many times, allowing the LORD to give me more revelation and understanding. Overall, I found the God of love who was calling His people back to Him as He still does for us today. In each chapter, we see this call by God revealing that He is the only true and living God.
Many today may read these chapters and focus on God's judgment. However, I see this through the eyes of a parent's great love for their child, even when they have to result in a tough consequence. Let's say you have a young adult (I actually do). Let's say they have gotten out of control and turned from your guidance to rebellious and destructive behavior. And they also live under your roof. Now, as parents, we love our children and would do anything for them (within reason), but that young adult doesn't want to hear you. They have decided that their way is right no matter how much it destroys them. What do you do? It's a hard answer but it's truth. You let them go. You remove them from the home, and as a result the place where they find themselves causes them to either see you as one who loves them and want the best for them, or they rebel even more at the detriment of their own life. Because they have a free will and are in fact adults, there is nothing left to do but pray. You may find yourself worrying and attempting to reach out to them, even through other people. But they still refuse and fall deeper into destruction. This is how I saw these chapters. I saw Israel as the rebellious young adult and God as the loving parent trying to reach them, but they had a choice to make. Like God, us parents often have the answer to help guide or even save our children's lives. It's not about control. It's about us seeing what's not real or good for them. Some parents have given up everything in an attempt to save their children. This is God. He's not this eternal authority who wants to bully us. He is our creator. He knows the way. He knows what's going to destroy us. He knows what rebellion/turning our own way can do to us. And He's the answer. The solution. So, He calls us back. Back from our own ways. Back from trusting in everything but Him. Back to restore, redeem, and deliver. Back to HOPING in Him. That's the God revealed in Chapters 1-9 of Isaiah. How did Israel get so far away from God? Let's review the steps we've been following below: 1. Lies - There were lies they began to believe. 2. Truth - The lies caused them to question God's truth. 3. Identity - When the truth was exchanged for a lie, their identity was distorted (losing sight of who God created them to be). 4. Purpose - A distorted identity leads to confusion, chaos, and misplaced purpose. 5. HOPE - Without God's truth, identity, and direction, hope diminished. See the review of how they could they have gotten back: 1. They would identify the lie they believed and repent to God. 2. They would identify God's truth that replaces that lie and accept it. 3. They would become rooted in God and seek Him to reveal and cause them to walk in who He created them to be. 4. They would move in His purpose and obey His direction. 5. As a result, their hope and trust would increase. As we continue in Isaiah, we will continue focusing on the overall themes of "Wholeness and how there is still HOPE," I want us to continue looking for the components listed throughout the chapters and keep digging deeper. Sometimes God will give us different nuggets, but we won't get too far off track. Finally, I want us to decide that we are going to apply the steps to our own lives as we seek to draw nearer to Him in the coming weeks, months, and even years. Let's keep going! Let's keep pushing! Thank you for stopping by the blog, Be Blessed & Continue to study with HOPE in CHRIST! Denise M. Walker Author, Minister, Founder
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 Well, we are almost through the first 10 chapters of Isaiah. When I first felt God leading me to do this Bible study blog, I thought we would be moving at record speed. However, we all know that we are still doing life as we study, so I fell behind because we were moving and several other things came up. I'm sure you can relate. As you know, reading the word has never been about how fast we can read it in order to check off a box. That's not God's desire for us. He wants us to read His word, understand it, connect with it, and apply it to our lives. If it takes an entire year to finish one book, He wants to draw you and I nearer as we engage with His word through that one book. With that being said, we are going to now dive into Isaiah chapter 9, zooming in on verses 1-7. Sometimes you will also find that you only want to focus on the verses that stood out or the ones that spoke to you, and that's okay. We will continue with the asking questions (annotating strategy) to summarize this chapter. Remember, it's important to reread and use scholarly resources to help you better understand the parts of the scripture if you get stuck. Let's jump into chapter 9:1-7! Here are my list of questions and answers as I read through this section: This chapter begins where chapter 8 left off. Isaiah begins this chapter prophesying what the people will encounter in the future, a great light that will shine on them. When was I ever in need of a flashlight or other source of light? I found this question in my Life Connections Study Bible. It really got my attention because light is so significant, and the word of God references it often. My answer to this question is I needed a flashlight or other source of light when we loss power and we couldn't see in front of us. This answer helped me visualize what Christ does for us. In this dark and fallen world, we are wandering the earth in spiritual darkness without the light of Christ, which is redemption, renewal, and transformation. When we accept Him, we are like those walking around shining their flashlight into the darkness to know the way to go. The flashlight is Christ and His power moving in our lives. However, we have to acknowledge that the darkness is overtaking us, keeping us from seeing things clearly. Then, we grab the flashlight, the source of light and allow it to guide us. Why do people living in darkness need light rather than simply better circumstances? This question is powerful. The context of the scripture is how spiritually the leaders and people of Judah had fallen. Much like people today, they couldn't fix that with better circumstances. God had given them better circumstances when He brought them out of the bondage in Egypt. Yet, they still turned from Him. Why? Because mankind needs the power of God to spiritually change their hearts, the light of Christ working within them. What titles are given to the child who will come? In verses 6, the titles given to the child to come are as follows: a.) Wonderful Counselor - the supernatural power of God will advise, consult, help, and/or lead others. He would be an extraordinary strategist (Moody Bible Commentary). b.) Mighty God - God is a warrior; God is mighty; divinity (Moody Bible Commentary). c.) Everlasting Father - the adjective eternal/everlasting speaks to the idea of one who is forever; the author or creator of time; God the Son, distinct in person from God the Father. The title pictures the king as the protector of his people (NET Translation notes). d.) Prince of Peace - The king who destroys their enemies. The ruler whose reign will bring about peace because the nations will rely on his just decisions (The JESUS Study Bible). How does this prophecy connect to Jesus' birth and ministry? According to Luke 1:32-33, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to Galilee to tell Jesus' mother Mary that she would find favor with God, the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and she would conceive a son. Jesus would be called the Son of the Most High, He would give to Him the throne of His father David, and He would reign over the House of David forever. He, the light of the world, brought the light by preaching, healing, and delivering in Galilee. Why is peace emphasized so strongly? During Isaiah's time and all throughout Israel's history, as they disobeyed God, they experienced much turmoil from their enemies. When Jesus died and was raised from the dead, He was given all authority: "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all (Eph. 1:21-23 ESV)." In other words, for those who placed/place their faith in Him, He would/will give them total peace because they would/will live free and rest in His eternal power. This is our testimony! Which of these titles about the coming Messiah is too magnificent to be fulfilled by one of the kings of Judah? Of course, the giveaway is that He would be Eternal/Everlasting. We all know that no human leader is deity. However, I want to focus on the "Prince of Peace." When I think of things from a practical standpoint, I think back from when I was a kid until now. There has never been complete peace on this earth because human beings are flawed. In government, there is always a side one should take, and often leaders make things more about them instead of the people God created and placed in the earth. However, when I think about Jesus, He has become my peace and yours as well. He cares for us. He loves us and builds us up. His goal has always been our redemption. What stood out the most in Isaiah 9:1-7? The thing that stood out to me the most was how God encouraged them in the midst of correcting them. He made them understand (as I said before) that He does not want to destroy them, only to turn them back to the truth (HIM). He wants the same for us as well. What's the theme of this section of chapter 9? I think the theme of this chapter is "God had a plan from the beginning." I say this because He knew what He created in humanity. He knew what we would become. He knew what our hearts could be like, but He planned to redeem each and every one of us anyway. Now that's real love. He and only He could and would save us. Are you fully experiencing the promised Messiah, whom Isaiah spoke of thousands of years ago? Yes, I am fully experiencing the promised Messiah. He is my LORD and savior. He has truly become my peace. My past may have been difficult, but my present (in Him) is filled with love, joy, and peace. Can I get an amen? Now, let's dive deeper: Today, the 4 questions will focus on the coming Messiah. Answer them in your journal or notebook. Once you're done, return here for the next part. 1. What lie says God's promise of a Messiah was only for people in the past? Many don't believe God exists because of the evils in the world. We often hear people ask, "If there is a savior, why do so many bad things happen?" 2. What truth do the names of the coming Messiah (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) teach us about God's character? These names teach us that God is a personal God. He can fulfill any role we need. 3. How does trusting in human solutions instead of Christ distort our identity and purpose? Our identity and purpose are distorted because we then remove God from the "equation" (so to speak). When we trust in our own solutions, we result to just being an entity that somehow came into existence, not a creation sustained by the creator. Our purpose becomes a worship of self. Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how Christ became HOPE for us. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. H (Spiritual Healing) - How does Christ heal us spiritually? O - (Overcoming) - How can He give us the power to overcome our past? P - (Purpose) - What does the promise of Christ's everlasting kingdom reveal about God's ultimate purpose for us? ?E - (Eternal Perspective) - Why is it important to remember that God's promises often extend beyond what we can immediately see or experience? What were your answers from chapter 9:1-7? Add them below and any other comments you have. Share this and encourage someone else. Thank you for stopping by the blog! Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope-in-Christ Ministries Minister, Author, Speaker, & Podcaster  Welcome back to the Come Bible Study with Me Blog. We are pressing forward through the word in the book of Isaiah. As you have probably noticed, it is taking time to deeply study this amazing book. This is how we should study, slow down and get the true message. In many instances Prophet Isaiah is seeing present and future and there is some symbolism also, so we want to be sure we understand the parts clearly. Remember context is very important.
I will continue using the asking questions (annotating strategy) to summarize this chapter. I pray you are enjoying this strategy as much as me. A few of the Bible study resources I am using while studying are www.biblehub.com, the Experiencing God Bible, and the Olive Tree Bible app. These resources help me to deep dive into the context, background, and to also look up the words for understanding. In addition, I use the YouVersion app to listen to the text more than once if needed. It's important that we reread and use scholarly resources to help us better understand the parts of the scripture where we get stuck. Let's jump into chapter 8! Here are my list of questions and answers I came up with as I read through the chapter: How many sections are in this chapter? This chapter is broken into 2 sections, "The Coming Assyrian Invasion (1-10)" and "Fear God, Wait for the LORD (11-22)." How was Isaiah's life a sign to the people that God is real and was all they needed? Isaiah's name alone meant "Yahweh is salvation." In addition, he followed all of God's instructions. He remarried a virgin after his first wife passed away. His sons' names were given prior to God bringing to pass what he had spoken through Isaiah. They were physical signs of remembrance of God's power and truth. In section one, what do the waters of Shiloah -vs- the mighty river of (Euphrates) Assyria represent? According to the ESV study Bible in, Shiloah was a quiet spring feeding Jerusalem—a picture of God's steady, faithful care. In contrast, Assyria was a roaring flood of empire politics. Its military power would flow over Syria and Ephraim and flood south into Judah as well, causing destruction. In section one, why did they prefer the "Euphrates?" Maybe because the Assyrians were seen as a world superpower that everyone feared. Maybe they believed they had drawn far away from God where they were not hearing his voice or they thought the situation was bigger than the LORD. In section one, why does Isaiah say, "Give ear all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered?" Well, the simple answer is in verse 10, "For God is with us." Because of this truth, no one would completely destroy them, no matter how powerful the Assyrians believed they were because of the power and authority of God himself. In section 2, what does God mean when He instructs Isaiah to not walk in the way of the people around him? God tells Isaiah to honor Him instead of fearing what others could do to Him. I believe He is making Isaiah aware that there shouldn't be any idols in his life. If he feared the power of the Assyrians so much as to join forces with them to keep them from destroying them was equivalent to bowing to an idol as a god. He needed to trust God and watch God move on their behalf. In section 2, verse 14, what does "he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel…?" This is a prophecy about Jesus Christ. I did a little digging about these phrases, and I found some profound details. According to Professor David Chapman at Covenant Theological Seminary, Christ's crucifixion and being the Messiah were stumbling blocks (obstacles, hindrances, or barriers) to the Jews. One reason was because people who were hung on trees were considered "cursed" by God. They were rebels, slaves, robbers, etc.). Therefore, they wouldn't be able to understand how one who seemed to be cursed by God and had undergone the same death by the enemy's of the Jews was a savior for them. Most Jews of the first century expected a powerful, conquering Messiah who would liberate Israel from Roman rule and restore the Davidic kingdom. In section 2, why would the people inquire of the mediums and necromancers? I believe they considered this to be a short cut to placing their trust in God. Maybe they wanted to follow after others' practices. Either way, they wanted to come up with the solution on their own, which God won't violate. This is why the LORD instructed Isaiah (who loved Him and obeyed Him) to not follow what the others were doing. They had a free will. In section 2, what does "they have no dawn" mean? This means, without relying upon and turning to God's wisdom and truth, they will be in spiritual darkness, distress, and gloom. This is the consequence of ignoring God. What stood out the most? The thing that stood out to me the most was how God sent Isaiah to the people knowing they would still refuse his words and warnings. God did everything to reveal himself to them, but they rejected Him over and over. This, to me, shows God's grace and mercy while at the same time not violating their free will. It also reveals His plan for redemption (Christ) that he spoke through Isaiah. What's the theme of this chapter? I think the theme of this chapter is "Despite the judgment and correction of God, He is still merciful, even when we don't deserve it." How does it apply to us today? I think many today must stop seeking the answers from self and others. They must seek to understand the Ancient of Days in the context of scripture, understand his character, and his truth in order to truly be free. I think we must denounce the idols we fear because they are not bigger than the LORD of hosts. We must hold to faith in the LORD as Isaiah, not superficial but life-preserving. Now, let's dive deeper: The 4 questions will focus on the people of the land this time. Once you're done, return here for the next part. 1. What lie did the people believe? The people believed that they could overcome trouble in their own power and strength. King Ahaz didn't ask God's help because he had sought the help of the help of the Assyrians. They also believed they could get support from mediums and necromancers, which is why Isaiah said, "Should not a people inquire of their God?" They were speaking to the dead who know nothing, instead of seeking the God who made them. 2. What truth did God reveal about Himself to the people? He revealed that He is all-knowing. He told them (through Isaiah) that He knew their ways, yet He attempted to extend grace to them in the prophecy that was fulfilled in Isaiah's son. God went through lengths to show Himself to the people, but they still rejected Him. 3. How did the lie they believed distort their identity? It distorted their identity by giving them a false hope in themselves. They were nothing without the God who brought them out of the bondage of Egypt and kept them from being destroyed by the evils around them. 4. What was their purpose as revealed to them by God? Their purpose was to honor and worship the God who created and sustained them. Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how there was still HOPE for them by answering the questions below. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. H (Spiritual Healing) - In chapter 8, how did the people's misplaced trust affect their relationship with God and their deliverance from the wickedness in the land? O - (Overcoming) - What hope did God's presence offer even though judgment was coming? P - (Purpose) -What does Isaiah's faithfulness teach us about remaining committed to God's purpose even when others reject Him? E - (Eternal Perspective) -Why was trusting God's promises a greater source of hope than trusting political alliances or human wisdom? Finally, take a few moments to journal the application question below: In what area of your life is God calling you to stand firm and remain faithful? What were your answers from this chapter? Add them and the answers below and any other comments you have. Share this with someone else. Thank you for stopping by the blog! Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope-in-Christ Ministries  Well, we made it to another chapter. Welcome back to the blog! This week, I'm sharing my thoughts and strategies used with Isaiah chapter 7.
I will be using the asking questions (annotating strategy) again to summarize this chapter. Remember, there is no fixed way to use any of the strategies I am sharing here. Choose to make it work for you. Let's begin! Here are my list of questions and answers as I read through the chapter: Why are the King of Syria and the King of Israel waging war against Jerusalem? After studying different commentary, I learned that these two kings united against the coming all-conquering Assyria. They were so serious that they were even willing to overthrow King Ahaz and replace him with the son of Tabeel. They believed they could possibly defeat them if they all joined forces. Why did God instruct Isaiah to bring his son "Shear-jashud" to meet with King Ahaz? According to various Bible commentary, Isaiah's son symbolized God's judgment and His restoration that would come. His son name meant "a remnant will return." This was a show of Isaiah's faith in God keeping His promise to preserve David's throne in Jerusalem. Therefore, they wouldn't be annihilated. In addition, King Ahaz was the king of Judah at the time. He had led the people into sin, to act sinfully against God. Through Isaiah, God made sure that his (Isaiah's) son was a symbol that God's judgement would come to pass because of their great sin against him. Why did Ahaz refuse God's help to fight against all of their adversaries? According to 2 Kings 16:8, King Ahaz secretly tried to buy aid from the Assyrians with silver and gold from God's Temple. Even with God telling him (through Isaiah) that Ephraim (Israel, the northern kingdom) would no longer exist within 65 years, Ahaz still struggled to place his faith in God alone. He worshipped the "god" that benefitted him. How does God's prophecy through Isaiah begin to come to pass? According to various commentary, God's prophecy that He spoke through Isaiah began to come to pass when the northern kingdom was invaded by Assyria. By 669 BC, the nation no longer existed. What does God, through Isaiah, mean when he says in chapter 7:9, "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all?" In the context of what was taking place at the time, I believe the LORD was saying that Ahaz would never be firm or stand for anything. He would always waver in his thinking. He would always seek his own will, what seemed right in his own eyes. Others would be able to use him, and he would ultimately fall, which he did. Overall, God was trying to get him to understand that he had his trust in the wrong place, and it would cost him. Why did God speak to Ahaz about the virgin that would conceive and bear a son and would call him Immanuel? This was two-fold. There would be a virgin (in their time) who would give birth to a son and name him Immanuel, which would be a sign of remembrance that God spoke the two kings would no longer be an issue. They died two years later, before the boy knew how to refuse evil and choose good (he was young). This was also the prophecy of the Christ to come, the redeemer of souls, the one who would make the ultimate atonement for all of humanity. What stood out the most? The thing that stood out to me the most was King Ahaz belief that he could buy a friendship, instead of seeking God. He rejected the word of God (through Isaiah) because he seemed to walk after his own will and his own wisdom. What's the theme of this chapter? I think the theme of the whole chapter is verse 9, "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." How does it apply to us today? I believe many are not firm in their faith in Christ. This is why emotions are able to rule over individuals so easily. Our world is much like the mindsets of all the kings in chapter 7, let me figure it out on my own, separate from the LORD. I often practice (even what seems like smaller decisions) asking God to give me direction. I ask Him to help me to walk strong in my faith and not place my trust in myself or others. This is vital because we don't want to fall prey to the enemy and the adversaries that seek to harm us. We must stand still and see the salvation of the LORD. Now, let's dive deeper: As usual, we will take a few minutes to answer the 4 questions below either in our Bible or a journal. Notice these are focused on King Ahaz. Once you're done, return here for the next part. 1. What lie did King Ahaz believe? He believed he could protect himself from the evil against them. 2. What truth did God reveal about Himself to King Ahaz? 2 Chronicles 28:23 reveals, "For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, 'Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.' But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel." Therefore, the truth revealed here is that all the gods of man are worthless. God is the creator and sustainer of all. The worship of idols only destroy. 3. How did the lie King Ahaz believed distort his identity? King Ahaz seemed to believe that he was the keeper of the southern kingdom. He didn't submit to God like his father David, knowing that God knew all things and was able to keep him. He had a god complex, which destroyed him in the end. 4. What was King Ahaz's purpose as revealed to Him by God? He was supposed to trust God and seek Him for wisdom to protect the land He had given. Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how there was still HOPE for the people by answering the questions below. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. H (Spiritual Healing) - How did God hold the people of the land accountable for their spiritual downfall? O - (Overcoming) - How did God send assurance to the people in the midst of the threats? P - (Purpose) - What was Judah's overall purpose? E - (Eternal Perspective) - How did God's promise to Judah reveal His faithfulness even while they struggled with unbelief? Finally, take a few moments to journal the application question below: Have I allowed fear to make decisions that faith should make? What were your answers from chapter 7? Add them below with any other comments you have. Share this to bless someone else. Thank you for stopping by the blog! Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope-in-Christ Ministries  Welcome back to the Bible study blog! We made it through the first 5 chapters of Isaiah. We are now in chapter 6, one of my favorites. Although chapters 1-5 came before this one, chapter 6 is actually noted as the beginning of Isaiah's journey, his call by the LORD.
We will summarize this chapter using a new strategy, asking questions. As in any other text we might read, some of our answers to our questions can be directly answered from the text. Others, we would need to make some inferences based on the clues provided, our background knowledge, and the background knowledge of the chapter/verse we are reading. This literacy strategy is the most common one used while reading. You would just ask questions (or write them down) as you are reading, anything that would help you better grasp the understanding of the scripture. Let's begin! Here are my list of questions and answers as I read through the chapter: Why is Isaiah 6 not chapter 1? The commentary I checked shares that it's probably because Isaiah wanted to show the depravity of Israel before explaining his calling to prophecy to them. It also states that Isaiah 6 is not the beginning of his ministry, but a new assignment. This may have been near the beginning of his ministry. What's happening in verses 1-5? Isaiah is answering God's call. He sees a vision of the LORD sitting high on a great throne with seraphim flying in His presence and cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts. This takes place while he is in the temple. Isaiah responds with humility and honor, "Woe is me." He recognizes himself as a sinner before the Holy God. What is the meaning of the seraphim touching his mouth with the burning coal? The meaning of this was stated in the text. It represented the LORD's atonement for Isaiah. His guilt was taken away and God had equipped him to speak his holy messages to the people of Israel and their leaders. How does Isaiah respond to God's commission? Isaiah tells God, "Here I am. Send me." This represented complete surrender without hesitation. He never shrank back, even when the LORD shared that the majority wouldn't change. He was going to pronounce God's righteous judgment. Isaiah only asked God clarifying questions about His instructions, "How long should I prophesy to them?" What stood out the most? The thing that stood out to me the most was Isaiah's heart for the LORD. He recognized the greatness of our LORD. He didn't have a prideful heart about being given such an honor to see HIM on HIS throne. NO, his heart was a heart of humility, and God knew He could trust him. What's the possible theme of this chapter? The theme is "No matter how difficult the call, obedience to God can bring hope to someone else." How did Isaiah show that his heart was surrendered to God? Isaiah asked God, "How long would you like me to prophesy to the people." This indicated that he was willing to obey God and needed His specific instructions on how to do that. Now, let's dive deeper: As usual, we will take a few minutes to answer the 4 questions below either in our Bible or a journal. Notice these are focused on Isaiah. Once you're done, return here for the next part. 1. What lie did Isaiah believe? He believed he was too sinful. 2. What truth did God reveal about Himself to Isaiah? The holiness of God was revealed through the seraphim. In addition, His power and authority was shown as Isaiah saw Him "high and lifted up sitting upon a throne." Finally, God revealed that He is the one who takes away sin (atonement). Therefore, He made Isaiah ready to be used by Him. 3. How did the lie Isaiah believed distort his identity? He identified himself as a lost man of unclean lips, unworthy to be used by the God who made him. 4. What was Isaiah's purpose as revealed to Him by God? God sent him to prophesy to Israel (to warn them to turn back) "until the cities lie waste without inhabitants." How was Isaiah the HOPE for the people.... Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how Isaiah was HOPE for the people by answering the questions below. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. H (Spiritual Healing) - How did Isaiah attempt to assist Judah and Jerusalem with their spiritual health? O - (Overcoming) - How would he overcome the people's rejection in order to continue to obey God? P - (Purpose) - How was his purpose as a prophet intended to bring the people hope? E - (Eternal Perspective) - How is Isaiah perspective an eternal one that differs from the people's in chapters 1-5? Finally, take a few moments to journal the application question below: How are you someone else's hope as you obey God and move in His purpose for your life? So, what did you think about the "Questioning Strategy as a summary?" I enjoy asking questions while I read. It's simple and impacts my Bible study each time. What were your "diving deeper" and HOPE acronym answers for chapter 6? Thank you for stopping by the blog! Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope-in-Christ Ministries  Welcome back to the blog! In this post, I'm sharing a few of my favorite Bible journaling pages. As you know, God has given me a unique way to journal. For years, I would read the Bible and would think, "I need more. I want to dig deeper, or I want what I'm reading to stick." During that time, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and led me to begin creating strategies for Bible journaling using reading comprehension skills. I would sit on the carpet and come up with ways for me to organize and understand the word more clearly. Here are a few: 1. Below is an image insert. I sometimes use images to help me better visualize specific things in scripture. This one was my study of Exodus 28 about the high priest, their garments, and their role in Israel. I simply printed the image and wrote out how each part of the garment was described and their purpose. It better helped me better understand the chapter overall.  2. This next image is an insert of a graphic organizer I created. I am big on organizing the details from the scripture I'm reading, and this insert works so well. Organizing details is a reading comprehension strategy to help the brain process and understand the information better.  3. This strategy is one of my personal books. It is an acronym. I love creating and using acronyms. They are made with reading comprehension skills embedded in each of them. As you can see, I also love to decorate my pages with stickers and washi tape. These things are not a must while studying the word. They are just fun to use.  4. This is one of my digital journaling pages. Here I was studying Psalm 23:1. I did a deep dive research of a "shepherd." This is the vocabulary strategy of understanding figurative language. Here a metaphor is used, which is a comparison. I enjoy vocabulary focused studies. This is something I do often when I am studying the scriptures. Understanding the words in scripture are key to our overall comprehension.  These are only a few of my journaling pages. I hope you enjoyed the previews of each one. I recommend you try journaling the scriptures. It has transformed my study time and helped build my biblical literacy.
Leave a question, comment, or share it with a friend. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "Hope in CHRIST." Denise M. Walker Founder of HOPE-in-CHRIST Ministries  Welcome back. We are now in chapter 5 of the book of Isaiah. This chapter goes deeper into God’s disappointment of the people of Israel and why He must bring about His righteous judgment. We will summarize this chapter using the classic (Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?) strategy. Then we will dig deeper using our 4 questions (I changed them up a bit).
Summary of Chapter: Let's begin with the summary. Who? Isaiah is writing about his beloved's (The LORD's) vineyard on a very fertile hill. The vineyard is the house of Israel, the men of Judah, the plant the LORD delighted in. Who is Isaiah addressing? Israel’s elite and the farmers who exploited the people. What? Isaiah's beloved had broken up the soil, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the finest vines. He built a tower in the middle of it and dug out a winepress there. The LORD speaks through Isaiah, “What more could I have done for my vineyard than I did? Why did it yield worthless grapes?" “Now, I will remove your hedge, and you will be consumed.” “I will tear down your walls, and you will (the vineyard) will be trampled.” “I will make you a wasteland.” There were physical vineyards in the hills of Judea. When? Bible commentary states that Isaiah prophesied during the years of 740-700 BC. There was an economic boom during the reign of Uzziah but before Assyria. Where? Judah and Jerusalem Why? Why did God plant them there (the Vineyard)? God had a future purpose for them, and He expected them to yield good grapes, but they yielded worthless grapes. Why is God now removing their hedge of protection? He expected justice but saw injustice instead. He expected righteousness but heard cries of despair. Because of their rebellion. Because they celebrate their sin and mock God (see verse 19). They call good evil and evil good and substitute darkness for light and light for darkness. They consider themselves wise, get drunk, acquit the guilty, and deprive the innocent. They have no fear of the LORD. Why did God have to judge them?
How? How will God carry out His judgment? He will send in a ruthless army, roaring like a lion (Assyria in 701 BC)
What Stood Out? What first stood out to me was the revealing of the free will. God placed them in the land and provided what they needed to prosper, grow, and be successful. However, the leaders and the people, in their own wisdom practiced injustice, rebelled against God's laws, and celebrated their sin. It is evident that God spoke to them through the prophets numerous times, but they refused to listen. God's righteous judgment also stood out to me. Many may wonder, "Why would God do such a thing as destroy a people or cause an evil enemy to come upon them." If we look closely at verse 16, "our holy God demonstrates his holiness through his righteousness," we notice that God shows that He's holy through His actions toward the evil that was taking place in the land. We also see in verse 24, "for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Armies, and they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." This means that as many times as God had spoken to get them to turn back, they chose their own way. They even went as far as mocking God (verse 19). Now, let's dive deeper: 1. What were the possible lies Israel believed? Much like the world today, they may have believed that the land belonged to them and they could do what they wanted to do in it. Also, they may have believed that they weren't accountable to anyone but themselves. 2. What was the real truth about God? The truth revealed in this chapter is pretty much repeated throughout 1-5. It is, "The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the LORD" (Psalm 24:1 CSB). Therefore, the people and the land of Israel belonged to God, and they chose to not walk in His wisdom, but in their own, which brought about moral confusion and injustice. People were suffering as Israel had suffered in Egypt. God raised up the deliverer (Moses), and He used him to lead them out of captivity. So, the only true God, who is holy, responded as such. He would make the land "whole" again by removing the evil and injustice. The LORD of heaven's armies changes not. The same way he brought about justice to those who practiced evil and walked in their own way then, he will do it again. We should never fear the evils of man, how they exalt themselves and attempt to create their own truths, and their own "Christ." Why? Because God sees and He hears. He will render justice to all who practice false religion and operate in evil, the leader and the citizen in the land alike. 3. How did the lies they believed impact their identity? They would go into exile as slaves of others. They would no longer be free with the LORD as their guide and protection, but they would be bound and homeless as a result of their sin. 4. What did they believe their purpose was in their current condition? Same as in Chapter 4. But there was still HOPE for them... Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how there was still hope for them by answering the questions below. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. H (Spiritual Healing) - What spiritual fruit were they expected to produce? O - (Overcoming) - How could they turn back? P - (Purpose) - What are some examples of the things they did that distorted their godly purpose? E - (Eternal Perspective) - In verse 16, how did God need their perspective to change? Finally, take a few moments to journal at least one of the application questions below: 1. What has God done to provide a fruitful love relationship with Him? (Taken from the "Experiencing God Bible") 2. How does the following verses (choose one, two, or all of them) better help you understand Israel as a vine planted by God: Psalms 80:8-16; Jer. 2:21; Hosea 10:1-3; and John 15:1? 3. According to 1 Peter 1:14-17, how are we instructed to walk in holiness as God is holy? When you're finished, return here. My answer: I chose to answer #3. Verse 14 uses a simile (a comparison to an obedient child) as a visual representation of what holiness looks like. It states to not be conformed to the passions of one's former ignorance (ESV). The term conformed means to behave according to social conventions; to comply with rules or standards. In addition, the word passions means "desires or cravings." When we put this all together, we are instructed to walk as an obedient child would do when they are obeying their parents instructions at all times. The adjective "obedient" tells us how our lives should look. We are to not comply with what the world thinks or even our former desires, which kept us in bondage, but with what God instructs, knowing that He judges all, just as our parents would give consequences to us as kids. Leave a comment below with your answers to the questions. Also, leave any questions or other commentary. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope-in-Christ Ministries  I know I'm a little out of order, but I was reading ahead in the book of Isaiah, and this verse jumped out at me. It fits out current time more than ever before. I decided to share how I break down a scripture. People often ask how I create my Bible study resources—this is it. This is what Bible study looks like for me as an English/reading teacher. It all began with me wanting/needing to dig deeper. When I open Scripture, I approach it the same way I would a challenging text in my classroom. I slow down, gather the essential background information as needed, annotate, and ask questions as I’m reading. I let the words guide me instead of rushing to conclusions. In other words, I use literacy strategies to study Scripture. In the Isaiah 5:21 example, I followed the repeated idea of being “wise in our own eyes” across Scripture. That led to a deeper understanding and a clearer application. I don’t believe Bible study has to be intimidating. It just requires slowing down, inviting the Holy Spirit in, and letting Scripture explain itself in context. That’s the heart behind everything I create—to make Bible study accessible and meaningful. Notes About the Scripture: As it relates to Isa. 5:21, we live in a world where many believe they are wise in their own eyes. However, the creator of heaven and earth is still all powerful, the giver of true wisdom and knowledge. When we seek our own wisdom separate from Christ, we are operating in our flesh, which causes us to idolize ourselves. But God is the giver of our very mind. Therefore, we must humble ourselves and fear the LORD as stated in Proverbs 3:7. No matter how the world walks in their own wisdom, we must draw near to Christ and seek His wisdom every second of the day. Be Blessed and Keep Studying with Hope in Christ! www.denisemwalker.com www.hope-in-christ.com  Welcome back! I'm truly enjoying this study in Isaiah. Although this poetic book is not the easiest to understand, it is relevant to our time. This week, we are zooming in on Isaiah 4. Keep in mind that our theme for the year is "wholeness," which can only be realized in Christ Jesus.
These scriptures in chapter 4 prophesy about the Messiah (who is the Christ). He is known as the "Branch of the LORD" in Isaiah 4:2 and in other places in the Old Testament. There are times during Bible study when our focus is drawn to one small phrase. This is the one that caught my attention. Therefore, we will only focus on this for this study. See the reference below: Isaiah 4:2 - "In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. Now, as you know, the previous chapters remind us that the LORD will judge sin and rebellion because we are His creation, and the earth belongs to Him. However, Prophet Isaiah pauses in chapter 4 and shifts in this short chapter to remind the audience that there is HOPE, which is what we have included in our previous three studies. God allowed him to see a vision of the coming Christ, the redeemer. This was a time in the future of course. In addition, "in that day" points to the time of the end. For the previous 3 chapters, we began by summarizing the chapter but for this one we will do something a little different to look more closely at "The Branch of the LORD." The LORD uses my brain in unique ways. I'm always amazed by Him. He led me to use the letters in BRANCH to help us see Christ's purpose and work, not just for Israel, but for us all. In Isaiah 4:2, we see the branch shall be beautiful and glorious, which sounds like when He comes to reign in the future. Let's checkout some other places where "The Branch of the LORD" is mentioned: Jer. 23:5; 33:15-16 - "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’" Zech. 3:8 - "Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch." Isa. 11:1-5 "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins." These scriptures are powerful to say the least! As I read over them, I could see the power and authority of the Christ that would come, and the power of the Spirit would be upon Him. What a blessing to be able to see Him prior to His coming. God is amazing. Isaiah 4:2 speaks of a remnant (possibly: the survivors of the Exile) who would return to Israel in the land. It and the other scriptures noted above also reference Christ as the fulfillment of "the Branch" of the LORD (using the pronoun "he" in Jer. 23:5) who came from the line of David, had the Spirit of the LORD upon Him, had the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, and would judge the earth with righteousness. Side note: Early in my walk with Christ, I remember reading the book of Isaiah for the first time. Honestly, I understand it much more now than I did back then. I was so confused I assumed he lived during the time of Christ because he was so specific in his prophecies. Now, I understand that God in a greater way. He has the ability to show us what He chooses, in the distant future or the present. That's what makes it so amazing to know that He is the truth. Back to the study. Now that we have taken a closer look at "the Branch" we now know as Lord and savior, let's use those letters to summarize His work in the earth and our lives: Christ is the B.R.A.N.C.H. of the LORD: He is the… B - is the righteous branch sent from God, sprung up from the root of Jesse R - was sent to redeem the souls of man from the sin we once walked in and to make us righteous as we place our trust in Him A - is the anointed one, appointed to bring restoration Israel and the earth N - draws souls from the nations and teaches them God's way C - cares for justice and his wisdom is evident H - holds the wicked accountable into eternity As I reflect on the words above, I am thankful for finding the truth in Christ. There are so many ways you and I could have gone, but the power of God led us in His direction, and we must help others to turn towards Him as well. Only the true and living God can bring such an amazing gift to us, to save and redeem. No matter how the world turns, remain in Christ and keep telling others about Him. He wins and will be glorified in the end. Now, let's dive deeper: This time, our questions will be focused on Christ, not Israel. We will take a few minutes to answer the 4 questions below. You can use your Bible or a journal. Once you're done, return here for the next part. 1. What lies does our world today believe about Christ? Some believe the prophecies are made up. Some believe He never existed. Some believe He was just a prophet. Some believe there is more than one way to God. 2. What truth about Christ do they question? He is the Son of God. All things were made through Him. He has all power in His hands. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He died on the cross and rose again with all power in His hands. 3. How do the lies they believe distort their identity? This causes them to seek other ways to God. This causes some to live life not knowing who they are. They then take on false identities. 4. What do they believe their purpose is in that distorted identity? Some believe their purpose is to live by their own "truth" and do whatever feels right to them. They would chase after their identity in things. But Christ is our HOPE... Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how Christ (the righteous branch) became our HOPE. Use the questions below to assist you. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. Also, look up cross reference scriptures to help you answer in detail. H (Spiritual Healing) - How does Christ heal us spiritually? O - (Overcoming) - How does He cause us to overcome the lies we might find ourselves believing about Him? P - (Purpose) - How is our purpose fulfilled in Christ? E - (Eternal Perspective) - How does the renewing of our mind in Christ give us an eternal perspective? Instead of answer application questions, grab your journal and write your own summary about "the righteous Branch" of the LORD using the letters from the word. Extra Journaling idea: Dig deeper into the metaphor. What is the purpose of a physical branch? How does its purpose relate to Christ and what He came to do for humanity? Feel free to leave a comment or a question on the blog. Also, share your answers to the questions. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST” Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope in Christ Ministries  Welcome back. As we continue in the book of Isaiah, let us consider if we are truly following the LORD with our whole heart or the ways of man. This week, we are taking a look at Isaiah chapter 3. Remember, our theme for the year is "wholeness" and remembering that there is still HOPE. See the previous posts for definitions and commentary on the theme.
Between chapters 1-3, we see a pattern of those who had turned from the LORD and followed others. As a result, they would lose resources and provision from the LORD. Let’s jump into the specifics of chapter 3. We will start with summarizing the chapter. This chapter starts out with God removing food and leadership from Jerusalem and Judah because they were not ashamed of their sin and they trusted in others more than God. Prophet Isaiah then began to give the specifics of those who would be removed. Next, he explained to them that God would replace them with “boys and infants,” which is a metaphor for those who are not responsible or mature. This would bring about chaos and unrest. It would also cause the people to oppress one another. Finally, he explains that the LORD would take away the wealthy garments of the prideful women because they flaunted their pride and sin. Everyone would mourn. The verse that stood out to me was verse 24, “Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.” This verse spoke to my heart. The word "instead" continued to leap from the page. This was a great warning for the women of the land. Although, God addresses the entire nation as a whole, the pride in the women stood out like a brightly lit billboard on a long dark road. What happens to a society when even the women, the nurturers get to such a stage of sin? It collapses. Being a woman, a wife, and a mother, these verses about the women make me think about the conditions of the children’s hearts during that time. If those who were called to train up the children (the men and women alike) had turned from God, there is no one else to lead the young people. I imagined the children following their wickedness and their idol worship. In addition to verse 24, verse 4 also stood out to me, “And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them.” As stated in the summary, God even spoke through Prophet Isaiah that he would replace their leaders with children. I saw this not as God being harsh toward children, but that He was revealing to them how far they had fallen, no one was leading in the way of the LORD anymore, so to make them aware of their current spiritual condition, He would give them those who were not fit, not just lead them, but also to Lord over them. I believe this was to open their eyes in hopes that they would come to know that they needed to return to the LORD’s truth, guidance and direction, and away from the evil guides they followed. This was all a result of their great pride and becoming rich by taking from the poor. They flaunted their sin before God, not realizing that they were barren, seeking greatness and riches, but they were empty without the LORD. The evil in their society had come to a head, and God would deal with it and cause them to experience humiliation in the process. Some would probably not see the consequences of their sin as the grace of God, but that’s exactly what it was. Now, let's dive deeper: As usual, we will take a few minutes to answer the 4 questions below either in our Bible or a journal. Once you're done, return here for the next part. 1. What lies did Israel believe? They believed that their resources, wealth, magic, and leaders would bring them success. The women believed their status and wealth was their identity. They believed their guides would lead them in the right direction. 2. What was God's truth they questioned? God is their true leader and guide. 3. How did the lies they believed distort their identity? This distorted their identity because their achievements, appearances, and status became more important. They became experts in things that were not of God, instead of God's praying people. 4. What did they believe their purpose was in that distorted identity? I think they believed their purpose was to build their status by any means. But there was still HOPE for them... Now use my HOPE acronym and journal how there was still hope for them by answering the questions below. Feel free to change or add your own questions as well. H (Spiritual Healing) - How would their spiritual health improve when God removed their support and supply (v. 1-3) and enters into judgment with the elders and princes? O - (Overcoming) - How will God respond to the righteous in the land? P - (Purpose) - What do you think was God's real purpose for the women in the land? E - (Eternal Perspective) - Why is God trying to shift their perspective to an eternal one? Finally, take a few moments to journal at least one of the application questions below: 1. What are the signs that your nation is in danger of God's judgement? (Taken from the "Experiencing God Bible") 2. How does poor leadership result in the suffering of the poor and vulnerable? (Taken from the "Experiencing God Bible") 3. How does James 5:4-5 relate to this chapter? When you're finished, return here. My answer: The question I chose to answer is #1. The signs that a nation is in danger of God's judgment is the same as those things taking place in chapters 1-3. I list a few of them:
Junk Journaling idea: I also love to junk journaling in my free time. Here is a simple idea to help us meditate on God's words from Isaiah 3: Print out pictures of Jenga blocks or draw them (for those who are artistic). Make sure some of them are standing with missing blocks and some are scattered across the page. Next, add note bubbles that explain that the fallen blocks represent a society that has collapsed because of God's judgment. Include how they collapsed as well. On another page, write a prayer for our nation and those around the world. Make sure the prayer includes repentance and praying for the nations to return to God. Please leave a comment below with your answer to the question you chose to answer and an image of your spread if possible. Also, leave any questions or commentary. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST” Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope in Christ |
“Where literacy strategies meet Scripture.”AuthorDenise M. Walker is the founder of 
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