Introduction to the Bible

Session 13

Isaiah (selected) and Jeremiah (selected)

God Does Not Give Up

(The work of the prophets calling Israel/Judah to repent)

I.Introduction

The work of the prophets was God’s attempt to draw Israel and Judah back to Himself. Through the prophets, God called Israel/Judah to repent—to turn away from their faithless behavior and their despising of His covenant and to trust Him and keep His Law. The prophets warned that failure to do so would have disastrous consequences.

Today we only have time to consider selected passages from two of the prophets. These passages will help us understand that even though God’s people gave up on Him, God did not give up on them.

Isaiah does his prophetic work between 740 BC and 690 BC. During this time the Northern Kingdom (Israel) falls to Assyria in 721 BC. Most of this prophet’s work is directed toward Judah (the Southern Kingdom).

Jeremiah did his work between 628 BC and 580 BC. During this time, in the year 587 BC Judah and Jerusalem fell to Babylon and are completely destroyed. On as many as three different occasions before 587 BC Babylonian forces invade the land and take wealth and prisoners to exile in Babylon (almost 1000 miles away).

Note: Sometimes it is difficult to understand the message of the prophets because the focus of the message often changes between Israel, Judah, surrounding nations, Assyria, Babylon. Themes of judgment shift between the fall of Israel, the fall of Judah, and the final judgment at the end of time on all creation. Words of restoration may apply to life after the Babylonian Exile, the Messianic Age or the new creation at the end of time. On top of all of this, the message of the prophets is not arranged in chronological order.

II.Readings from Isaiah

Isaiah 1:1-4 / The problem
1:5-9 / A call to consider their current situation
1:10-15 / Ritual is useless if the heart is not righteous
1:16-20 / A call to repent
3:8-26 / Judgment is coming
5:1-7 / A parable
5:8-23 / Woe to the wicked
5:24-30 / A nation far away is coming (Assyria)
10:5-19 / Assyria won’t escape God’s judgment
10:20-25 / A remnant restored
43:10-21 / Rescue from Babylon will come
44:6-20 / The folly of idolatry during days of exile
45:1-7 / God will use Cyrus of Persia (speaking of 200 years in the future)
55:1-11 / The compassion of God

III.Readings from Jeremiah

Jeremiah 5:1-13 / Refusal to repent
5:14-19 / Judgment is coming
7:1-15 / Mere words don’t fool God
25:1-7 / Summary of Jeremiah’s work
25:8-14 / Judgment on Judah and Babylon
36:1-7 and 20-36 / Words of the scroll despised