 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 takes time to deeply study this amazing book. This is due to Prophet Isaiah seeing present and future and there is some symbolism, 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 also word understanding. I also use YouVersion 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 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 my Olive Tree resources, 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. It's military power would flow over Syria and Ephraim and flood south into Judah as well. 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 this 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. Maybe they believed that submitting to and seeking God was to submit to His will and His way. However, 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. 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 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. What were your questions from chapter 8? 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
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 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 (possibly someone who was aligned with them or someone they could control). They believed they could possibly defeat them if they all joined forces. In essence, this was a sign of how much the Assyrians were feared. Why did God instruct Isaiah to bring his son "Shear-jashud" to meet with King Ahaz? According to various Bible commentary within the LOGOS Bible software, 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. 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. How does God's prophecy through Isaiah come to pass? According to various commentary, God's prophecy that He spoke through Isaiah came 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. 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 with a people who sought to destroy them. 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. What were your questions from chapter 7? Add them and the answers below and 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 that 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 theme of this chapter? The theme is "No matter how difficult the call, obedience to God is the best choice." How does this apply to my own life? I should respond to God with a heart of surrender, knowing that (like Isaiah) everything that I am is because of Him. So, what did you think about the "Questioning Strategy?" I enjoy asking questions while I read. It's simple and impacts my Bible study each time. What were your questions from 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 are going to dive right in with our strategy What S.T.U.C.K. as we walk through this chapter.
Summary of Chapter: Let's begin with the summary. I have used the 5 w's and the H reading strategy below: 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? His 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 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?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)? He expected it to yield good grapes, but it 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 our His judgment? He will send in a ruthless army, roaring like a lion (Assyria in 701 BC)
What Stood Out? Next, what first stood out to me was 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, 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 often ask the question, "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, "the 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). What Truth is Revealed? 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 confusing 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. What's the Universal Lesson? 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. What’s the Connection to Your Life? The connection to my life is our current climate all across the world. I must stand on God's truth, know what His word says, and place my whole trust in Him as the righteous judge and the LORD of all. Finally, let's kneel and seek the LORD for our nation and world. Here are some example points to pray: -Ask God to help you stand on His truth in a world that chooses their own truth. -Ask the Lord to fight for and protect the innocent in the land. -Ask Him to help you humble yourself under His mighty hand and exalt His holy name. -Ask the LORD to help you to store up your treasures in Heaven, not on earth. -Ask the LORD to keep you when He releases His judgment. Leave a comment below with your answers to “What STUCK with you?” Also, leave any questions or 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, and 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 have used What S.T.U.C.K., but for this one we will use something different to look more closely at "The Branch of the LORD." As I shared with you before, the LORD uses my brain in a unique way. I'm always amazed by Him. He simply told 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, grab your journal and write your own summary about "the Branch" of the LORD using the letters from the word. Feel free to leave a comment or a question on the blog. Also, share what you came up with. 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." 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. 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 this He would give them those who were not fit to 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. Next, let’s take a look at the truth about God revealed in chapter 3. A truth about God in this chapter is He will hold us accountable for our sin against Him unless we repent and turn back. This accountability is not just on this side but into eternity. What universal lesson does this truth teach all of us? This teaches us that our souls belong to the one who created them. We were created to walk in His righteousness and truth. This can only be done in a relationship with Him. In addition, God is concerned with the way we treat others and how we view His creation. We should never see ourselves as more valuable than others created by God. We were all made in His image and likeness. How does this truth and universal lesson connect to our own lives? I would say this connects to my life as a believer in Christ. I must keep in mind that He will hold me accountable for my life on this side and in eternity. I know that I can’t do this on my own but in Christ alone. Finally, let’s kneel and pray. Ask God to help you with steps to assist you with honoring Him with your life. Ask Him to help you evaluate your relationships in this current society that is similar to the society in Isaiah’s day. Be specific. Be honest. Leave a comment below with your answers to “What STUCK with you?” Also, leave any questions or commentary. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST” Denise M. Walker Founder of Hope in Christ  Welcome back to the blog. We are continuing in the book of Isaiah. This week, we are taking a look at Isaiah chapter 2. Remember, our theme for the year is "wholeness." As a review, "wholeness" means to be mentally or emotionally sound; free or defect. Other synonyms are well, restored, free from wounds, healed or recovered. This is what God desired for Israel as they placed their faith in Him, but as you know (from chapter 1), they had fallen far away from God (they were barren), and He was pronouncing His judgement through Prophet Isaiah because of this. Let's jump in to chapter 2. Don't forget we will use the What S.T.U.C.K. strategy at the end of our study. After reading Isaiah chapter 2, here is my short summary: Prophet Isaiah continued to speak to the leaders ad the people of Judah and Jerusalem. In this chapter, he reference "the latter days (the time of the Messiah; when He will reign over the earth; the 1,000 year reign)." He indicated that there would come a time when the mountain of the house of the LORD would be lifted up and all nations would flow to it to learn from Him and submit to His way. This prophecy is also repeated in Micah 4:1-3. Isaiah challenges them to walk in His light in that very moment. He then highlights the many sins that was keeping them from walking in the light of the LORD. The land was filled with idols, they worshiped their treasures, and they walked in pride, but it was all going to come to an end because the LORD would judge the earth. The verses that stood out to me were 22. I kept reading it over and over. It stood out so much that I began to do a deep dive and studied the term "regarding (ESV)." It seemed like a simple instruction from the LORD, yet we still see it today. The term regarding means to "esteem, value, or be guided by. We must be very careful to not esteem or be guided by any voice but the LORD's. They are mere humans who God can remove in an instant. Yet, He is eternal and holds all power in His hand. This was some of the idolatry in the land, hanging onto the guidance of those in power. It showed their greater trust in those individuals. It is like hanging onto the doctors for dear life when you are having a major surgery, instead of praying and seeking God to keep us. See my screenshot below.  Now, let's dig deeper into what we can learn from chapter 2 of Isaiah using the rest of What STUCK? Next, what truth about God was revealed in chapter 2. The one truth revealed is that God is our only true source, and the day will come when all will know His power, whether they submit to it now or not. What truth stood out to you? What universal lesson does this teach all of humanity? It reminds us that our very breath belongs to God. What do you believe the universal message might be in chapter 2. How does this truth and universal lesson connect to your own life? Our current world seems to be a repeat of chapter 1 and 2. My goal is to continue to share the gospel to those around me and never submit to another voice. We must believe and know that Christ is truth, and He is coming again to reign over His earth. How does it connect to your life? Be specific. Finally, kneel and pray. Ask God to help you with steps to walk out this universal lesson and to help you draw near to Him in these times. You may even want to write out your prayers in a notebook. Leave a comment below with your answers to "What STUCK?" with you. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker  Welcome back to the "Come Bible Study with Me" Blog. Before we begin our Bible study for 2026. Please take a minute to read the reminders from the previous post below:
We will begin the year in the book of Isaiah. God has taken me back to this book, and it has been speaking to my heart. I believe it is relevant for our time. The theme he has given me for this year is "wholeness." This word is the foundation of my ministry and my writing, and the Lord has brought me back to it. According to the Webster's Dictionary, wholeness means to be mentally or emotionally sound; free of defect. Other synonyms for wholeness are well, restored, free from wounds, free from injury, recovered, and healed. The opposite of "whole" is barren. This means that one is "lacking, infertile, desolate, devastated, destroyed, or shattered." I know what you are probably thinking, "This is going to be deep." I agree, and I believe that is exactly where God wants us to go, deeper. He wants us to slow down in the word and identify our own areas of "barrenness," allow Him to make us whole, so we can move in purpose and help others out of their barren places. Let's begin. To start this study, we will be using a strategy titled What S.T.U.C.K. as one of our main strategies while we read. I will walk you through the steps below. We begin with a summary of the text. After reading Isaiah chapter 1, here is my short summary: Prophet Isaiah was speaking to the leaders and the people of Israel about their rebellion and iniquity. They had "forsaken and despised" the LORD, resulting in them only practicing religion, oppressing, and even murdering. God would purge the evil from among them and restore them as before, and those who didn't repent would be consumed. In chapter 1, the verses that stood out to me were 21-31. These stood out because Prophet Isaiah explained (in detail) the causes of their barren condition. I sorted his statements using "cause and effect." This is a simple reading strategy that can help with a deeper understanding. I completed this T-chart in OneNote. See image below.  Now, let's dig deeper into what we can learn from chapter 1 of Isaiah using the other steps in What STUCK?
Next, what truth about God was revealed in chapter 1. One truth is that we are God's creation and the earth (land) belongs to Him. He is truth. He is the creator of morality. In addition, He is all powerful and provides for our spiritual and physical needs. What universal lesson does this teach all of humanity? I believe it teaches us that we can't live the moral life He desires apart from Him, relying on His power and authority over evil. Because He made us to walk in "wholeness," only He can keep us "whole." How does this truth and universal lesson connect to your own life? I would say I must rid myself or disconnect from anyone or anything that causes me to be unfaithful or rebel against God in any way. Our alignment is key. We should also seek God at all times, so He can reveal whatever He needs to show us. Finally, kneel and pray. Ask God to help you with steps to walk out this universal lesson and to maintain a Kingdom mindset as it relates to what was revealed in Isaiah chapter 1. Be Blessed & Keep Studying with "HOPE in CHRIST" Denise M. Walker |
“Where literacy strategies meet Scripture.”AuthorDenise M. Walker is the founder of 
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