Isaiah An Introduction Series

Isaiah An Introduction

(If you are reading this message… I am sorry for the typo’s but as far as I know word can’t see words spelled wrong in all caps)

TODAY WE BEGIN OUR STUDY OF ISAIAHH -- OUR SUNDAY MORNING STUDY THAT IS (WE’VE BEEN ISIAH FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS ON WED).

AS WE BEGIN THIS STUDY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US FIRST TO DO SOME INTRODUCTORY WORK; FIRST WE WANT TO REVIEW THE BACKGROUND OF GOD’S PEOPLE THAT BRINGS US TO THE TIME OF ISAIAH.

ISAIAH; "THE BACKGROUND"

THE HISTORY OF GOD’S PEOPLE (THE NATION OF ISRAEL BEGAN WITH A CALL. IN THE YEAR 2057BC A MAN NAMED ABRAHAM LIVING IN MESOPOTAMIA -- RECEIVED A CALL FROM GOD, WE READ ABOUT THAT CALL IN GENESIS CHAPTER 12.... AND GOD SAID TO ABRAHAM, "LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY, YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR FATHER’S HOUSEHOLD AND GO TO THE LAND I WILL SHOW YOU. I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A GREAT NATION AND I WILL BLESS YOU; I WILL MAKE YOUR NAME GREAT .... AND ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH YOU."+

AND ABRAHAM OBEYED THAT CALL AND WENT EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ASKED TO LEAVE THE FAMILIAR AND JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN. AND BY FAITH ABRAHAM SETTLED IN THE PROMISE LAND, BUT HE NEVER DID (NOR DID HIS CHILDREN FOR THAT MATTER) HAVE A REAL HOME -- THEY LIVED AS NOMADS

IN TENTS IN THE DESERT... AND ABRAHAM WAS ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE HE HAD FAITH AND HE WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE HE LIVED ON THIS EARTH -- BECAUSE HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO LIVING IN THAT HEAVENLY CITY WHOSE BUILDER AND DESIGNER IS GOD.... HE ENDURED IN THIS LIFE BECAUSE HE WAS CONVINCED OF THE FUTURE GLORY THAT AWAITED HIM.

ABRAHAM FATHERED ISAAC AND ISAAC WAS THE FATHER OF JACOB AND JACOB HAD 12 SONS.... ONE OF WHO WAS JOSEPH (YOU KNOW THE COAT OF MANY COLORS) WHO WAS SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS AS A SLAVE, SPENT TIME IN JAIL BECAUSE HE REFUSED THE ADVANCES OF POTIPHAR’S WIFE, AND WHO LATER BECAME 2ND IN COMMAND OF ALL OF EGYPT AND WHO ALSO LATER FORGAVE HIS BROTHERS (WHO HAD COME TO EGYPT SEEKING FOOD DURING A FAMINE) SAYING

"YOU INTENDED TO HARM ME, BUT GOD INTENDED IT FOR MY GOOD, TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS NOW BEING DONE, THE SAVING OF MANY LIVES. SO THEN DON’T BE AFRAID. I WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN"

SATAN ON THE OTHER HAND ALWAYS INTENDS THINGS FOR OUR HARM...

ROMANS 8:28; "AND WE KNOW THAT GOD CAUSE ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD, OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.."

(NOTICE THAT IT IS CONDITIONAL -- WE CAN’T CLAIM THE PROMISE ALL THINGS WORKING FOR GOOD UNLESS WE LOVE GOD AS EVIDENCED BY OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS AND BY OUR LIVES..)

AND JACOB CAME TO EGYPT BRINGING ALL HIS SONS AND THEIR FAMILIES (70 IN ALL) TO LIVE THERE..

AND NOT LONG AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN EGYPT WHEN A NEW PHARAOH AROSE TO POWER WHO DID NOT KNOW JOSEPH)-- WE SEE GOD’S PEOPLE IN CHAINS, SLAVE IN EGYPT FOR 400 YEARS.... BUT DESPITE GOD’S PEOPLE BEING OPPRESSED BY THE CRUEL WHIP OF THE EGYPTIANS... DURING THOSE 400+ YEARS GOD’S PEOPLE SWELLED TO OVER A MILLION DURING THEIR YEARS IN CAPTIVITY.

BUT GOD NEITHER FORGOT NOR NEGLECTED HIS PEOPLE, IN 1447 BC AS HE HAD PROMISED, GOD SENT THEM A DELIVERER, AND MOSES THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD PERFORMED GREAT MIRACLES (NILE TO BLOOD, PLAGUES OF: FROGS, GNATS, FLIES, HAIL, BOILS, LOCUST AND THE DEATH OF THE FIRST BORN).

AND GOD BROUGHT THE MIGHTY EGYPTIAN EMPIRE TO HER KNEES. AND PHARAOH LET GOD’S PEOPLE GO... AND THEY LEFT EGYPT GUIDED BY A CLOUD BY DAY AND A PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHT..... AND WHILE IN THAT DESERT GOD MET THEIR NEEDS PROVIDING THEM MANNA FORM THE SKY EVERY MORNING, PROVIDING THEM QUAIL AND WATER.

AND IT WAS WHILE CAMPED IN THAT DESERT THAT MOSES BROUGHT DOWN FROM THUNDERING MT. SINAI THE LAW OF GOD....ENGRAVED ON TO STONE TABLETS BY GOD’S OWN HAND....

FROM THERE MOSES LED THE PEOPLE RIGHT TO THE EDGE OF THE PROMISE LAND... AND IT WAS HERE THAT GOD’S PEOPLE FACED A GREAT CHALLENGE TO THEIR FAITH... WE READ ABOUT IT IN NUMBERS CHAPTER 13. MOSES SENT OUT 12 MEN (SPIES) TO CHECK OUT THE PROMISE LAND TO SEE WHAT KIND OF LAND IT WAS AND TO SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE WERE LIKE, BEFORE THEY ENTERED AND TOOK POSSESSION OF THE LAND.

YOU SEE, GOD WANTED THEM TO GO SO THAT THEY COULD SEE JUST HOW GREAT THE LAND WAS THAT HE WAS NOW GIVING TO THEM.... BUT RATHER THEN SEEING THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND, SEEING THAT IT WAS A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY -- ALL 10 OF THE SPIES COULD SEE WERE THE OBSTACLES; "YEAH THE LAND OVER THERE IS PRETTY GOOD BUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THEIR ARE POWERFUL, AND THE CITES ARE FORTIFIED AND VERY LARGE -- WE CAN’T ATTACK THOSE PEOPLE THEY ARE STRONGER THAN WE ARE...WE ARE MERE GRASSHOPPERS IN THEIR SIGHT."