Isaiah WEEK 1 - Isaiah 2 v1-5: Mountain of the Lord

Isaiah Big Picture “Yahweh’s sovereign majesty and redemptive love, is revealed in his dealings with His chosen people, the Israelites, who are destined for both judgement and salvation, in which the nations will be included.”   Isaiah Prophet of Jerusalem, Judea   Prophetic Activity 740BC to 638BC   Emphasis The holiness, majesty and righteousness of Yahweh; the compassion and saving mercy of Yahweh; the central role of Israel in Yahweh’s plans for the nations and the world; the glorious final future God has in store for all who are his.   Week ONE Theme: The Mountain of the Lord – A place of Redemption or Judgment -  you choose   Welcome Share a place in the world you have always wanted to go but have not yet gone! Share the most significant place or journey you have made made in your life.  Worship Read                    Psalm 8 – focusing on God’s creation and majesty. Then have some silence. Praise God          Spend some time praising God for his majesty and the scale of his creation. Word  Background       Set the scene (see above) Isaiah, Judah, Jerusalem and the Israelites (740). The Assyrian Empire are ruling most of the surrounding lands, the Northern Kingdom of Israel has not yet fallen (722BC) and the exile (590BC)is over 100 years away. Read                  Isaiah 2:1-5         “The Mountain of the Lord” Big Idea             Prophecy a picture of the gap between God and his people’s rebellion and the mercy and salvation offered to close that gap. Secondly prophecy reveals the consequence of not closing that gap and the benefits of coming back to God! This passage tells of the offered salvation and consequences of coming back. The text either side of this passage is very different! What is v.2 referring to when it talks about “the last days”? What is the “mountain of the Lord’s temple” in those days? The verse finishes by saying “all nations will stream to it”; what is this referring to and can this be seen happening today? v.3. describes what will happen when people come to the mountain of the Lord; is this something we can experience today and how might that be possible? v.4 talks of God judging the nations; why does God judge nations and what this tell us about the nature of God? The second half of v. 4 paints a clear picture of increasing military peace; to what extent do you believe God intends us not to be at war today? v.5 invites Judea to “walk in the light of the Lord”. What does this mean practically for Judea in the context of Isaiah 1 and how might we achieve this today?  Witness Think how you might walk in the light of the Lord this week with the people you will meet With Christmas approaching and Alpha coming up next term, whom could you invite this week? Prayer Pray that God would give you the strength to walk in the light of the Lord this week. Pray that God would show you people to invite to church and to Alpha this week.   Isaiah 2  1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: 2In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3Many peoples will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more. 5Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. The Day of the LORD     Matthew 24   The Day and Hour Unknown  36 No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;  39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.  41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.  43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.     Micah 4   The Mountain of the LORD  1 In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. 2Many nations will come and say,  Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3 He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.