Session 17: Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 53

Session 17: Isaiah 6:1-8; Isaiah 53

Summarize:

Isaiah 6:1-8

I. Isaiah has a vision of the throne room of God(1-5)

1. The holiness of God terrifies Isaiah and brings humility because of awareness to his sin
2. God sends a seraphim to remove Isaiah’s sin and transgressions
3. Isaiah is aligned to the priorities of the Lord

Isaiah 53

II. A man will come that is despised, rejected, and unvalued

1. This man will serve the people that turn him away
2. This suffering servant will suffer for the sake of those he serves though he is innocent
3. This servant will justify the wicked and they will belong to Him

Philippians 2:1-10

III.

Analyze:

Read Isaiah 6:1-8

1. How does the description of the throne room of God influence your view of God?  Your view of self?

1. How is God described in this scene?  
2. What does being in the presence of God cause Isaiah to say? (Pr. 9:10)
3. How is Isaiah allowed to stand in the presence of God?(Eph 2:8-10) What is the difference between sin and transgressions/iniquity?

Sin is a term that describes our relational position to Holy God. Transgressions/Iniquity are the works that cause us to be sinners, people who run and hide from God because of guilt and shame. When confronted with sin each of us faces the decision to flee God, like Adam and Eve in the garden, or to humbly run to Him. Remaining in the presence of God is scary, but He is the only one who can forgive us and release us from our sin(guilt/shame).

4. How does this influence your understanding of biblical fear of the Lord? When was the last time your vision/understanding of God brought you to your knees?  
5. How does God respond to Isaiah’s humility(Ps. 51:17,2 Chron 7:14 )

When we recognize the burden of our sin,  there is no room for anything else.  We can have no peace and no hope to be saved from our sin so long as we shoulder the burden.  When we lay our burden at the feet of Jesus,  only then are we saved,  cleansed,  and purified.  Then instead of our vision being filled with the guilt and shame of our sin,  we begin to have a burden that God gives us as a result of our vision of Him.  

6. What does God say that causes Isaiah to respond? How does godly perspective prepare and shape you to do His will?

Read Isaiah 53

2. Who is this passage talking about?

1. What are some clues to the identity of this person?

This is a prophetic messianic text. The servant or man of suffering described in Isaiah 53 is a reference to the Messiah to come, Jesus. the text tells us that this suffering servant wasn’t physically exceptional or charismatic, these are not the traits that make him worth mentioning. Rather the fact that this servant continues to serve despite rejection, ridicule and punishment from the very people He serves is what makes Him unique.

2. How is this servant described?  What are the things this man does?
3. What are two descriptions this passage uses for the people the man serves? (6, 12) How does the text describe how the people have treated the servant?
4. Where do you see yourself in this passage?  How have you not valued,  despised,  gone astray,  or rebelled against Jesus?
5. How does this passage affect your attitude toward Jesus?  

Read Philippians 2:1-10

3. Who does this passage tell us to emulate/be like?

1. What are some specific examples of how we can be servants like Christ? How does this affect our relationship with God? with others?
2. What keeps you from serving others? What keeps you from humbling yourself like Christ?
3. How can you continually keep an attitude like Christ?

Contextualize

1. The presence(holiness) of God drives man to his knees
2. Humility leads man to submit and surrender our burdens to God
3. God fills up and uses people who have emptied themselves before Him

Actualize:

Meditate on the readings for this week and spend time in quiet contemplation of who God. Ask God to meet You and reveal His presence to you powerfully this week.