Isaiah 1-12 & Micah: A Summons to Faith & Justice

By Stuart Love

This volume of the Streams of Mercy Study Series is devoted to two Old Testament prophetic writings: Isaiah 1-12 and Micah. Both prophets have unique qualities, but they also have much in common. In contrast, Isaiah was an urban prophet in Jerusalem and Micah was a rural prophet. However, both address similar issues. For instance, both condemn worship that was unrelated to ethical behavior. Many of the problems they faced, we still face today. Their answers still inspire us to greater faith and dedication today.Includes classroom suggestions and discussion questions and points at the end of each chapter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leafwood Publishers
• Release date: Jul 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9780891129790

Book preview

A SUMMONS TO FAITH AND JUSTICE

Isaiah 1-12 and Micah

Stuart Love

A Summons to Faith and Justice

Isaiah 1-12 and Micah

Copyright 2007 by Stuart Love

ISBN 978-0-89112-554-9

Printed in the United States of America

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise—without prior written consent.

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from The Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers.

Cover design by Mark Decker

For information contact:

Leafwood Publishers, Abilene, Texas

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For D’Esta My Beloved Partner and Companion

FOR TEACHERS AND CLASS LEADERS...

The word of God is powerful. This belief is the driving force behind the Streams of Mercy Study Series. Assigned reading, brief commentary, and questions for reflection and class discussion are presented for each section of the biblical book. The goal is changed lives–changed by the power of the Word.

Consider the following suggestions as you prepare for class:

Even though class members may have read the passage assigned for the week, select some verses to be read aloud in class: let the Word speak.

Give a brief summary of the points made in the lesson, then begin working with the questions. As you prepare for your class, explore the possibility of a variety of answers to the questions. Don't be afraid of momentary silence when you ask the questions; give people a chance to think, but be prepared to prompt the discussion.

Be creative with your classroom time. Sometimes, have the class work in small groups to discuss the questions. Consider having someone prepare to comment on a particular question for the next scheduled class meeting. Perhaps, you could ask someone to be prepared to share his or her experience with finding time to work on the lesson in the middle of work and family obligations—in this way we acknowledge the struggle to make time for Bible study. Give someone the task of praying for the whole class throughout the coming week as they all find time for study. Let the class know this will be happening.

Ask class members to make a plan of action that puts into practice the things the text calls for. This may be a service project or a commitment to pray for help in overcoming specific problems the text brings to light. Be prepared to suggest plans of action and to get the class involved in brainstorming about this. Avoid taking charge too much, let the class get involved.

Find out if anyone in the class would like to create banners or any kind of visuals pertaining to the study. This is a good way to validate the gifts of others.

Try to inspire excitement about the class working together each week to hear and understand the word of God. Stress that this is one of the ways we are in fellowship with one another.

Be sensitive to people who don't want to speak in class. Encourage those who want to speak, but who may be a little tentative. Practice good leadership by not allowing any one person to dominate the discussions.

Try to keep the discussions on target. One complaint we often hear about Bible classes is that the group too easily gets off the subject. These volumes are designed to promote discussion of the biblical text. Pray for help to keep the class focused without preventing healthy discussion.

Nothing is more important than seeking God's guidance as you prepare for class. Ask him to open your heart so the text speaks to you and convicts you, then you will be more preparedto lead the group. May the Lord bless all of you as you seek his will, and may you know the ever flowing streams of his mercy.

The Editors

INTRODUCTION

This volume of the Streams of Mercy Study Series is unusual in that it is devoted to two Old Testament prophetic writings, Isaiah 1-12 and Micah. Why? Even though both prophets are unique, they possess a great deal in common. Both were Judean, Isaiah an urban prophet of Jerusalem and Micah a rural prophet from a small town southwest of Jerusalem, Moresheth-gath. Both believed that God was behind the historical events of their era. Accordingly, both address similar issues and supply a similar theological interpretation of the unstable events near the end of the eighth century, including the fall of Samaria and the future of Jerusalem whose survival was threatened by the aggressive political expansion of the superpower of the day, Assyria. Both saw the importance and centrality of Jerusalem for the destiny of God's people and the nations. Both condemned worship that was unrelated to ethical behavior. And both never lost faith in a future for God's people.

So, due to the limitation of the size of individual volumes in the Streams of Mercy Study Series, these two prophetic texts will be studied together. The first two chapters are devoted to reading Isaiah 1-12 and Micah in their entirety. Chapter three examines the social and political setting surrounding the prophetic ministries of Isaiah and Micah. Then the next six chapters (4-9) provide a more detailed study of Isaiah 1-12, followed by a careful analysis of Micah in the final four chapters (10-13).

Each chapter contains special teaching features: A Closer Look, Clearing Up Muddy Water, and Reflection and Application. The first two are designed to help the reader understand details both in the writing and about the writing. The last feature is designed to help the reader explore applications for today.

My hope is that readers will discover how real to life Isaiah and Micah were—they served God amidst real people and struggled with definite social issues in an actual world. But in addition, I hope these ancient inspired books become windows by which Christians today can evaluate contemporary social issues. A line can be drawn from Isaiah and Micah to Jesus and from Jesus to us, and at each point in this line there is a concern for the poor and the need for faith and justice to coalesce.

You are beginning a challenging study that I believe will help you serve Christ better. May God bless you in this study!

1

READING ISAIAH 1-12

Take heed, be quiet, do not fear… (Isa 7.4).

Welcome to a study of the eighth-century prophets Isaiah and Micah, two of four prophets (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah) of the eighth-century B.C.E., about 750 years before the ministry of Jesus.

Clearing up Muddy Water

B.C.E. means Before the Common Era and is synonymous with B.C.— Before Christ. A corresponding designation for A.D. is C.E., the Common Era. Scholars use these time tags frequently.

Many of us are not well acquainted with Isaiah and Micah beyond what we know from quotations in the New Testament. For example, Matthew explains God's plan for Jesus’ conception by quoting Isaiah 7:14, Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel. Or, Matthew draws from Micah 5:2 to identify the birthplace of the coming Messiah.

"But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

whose origin is from of old,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

from ancient days."

A Closer Look

Have you ever considered that the biblical origins for the Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, are drawn from Micah 5:2?

Sometimes we know the words of prophets like Micah or Isaiah because famous persons have brought them to our attention. When Jimmy Carter was inaugurated as President of the United States in 1977, he took his oath of office on a King James Version of the Bible opened to Micah 6.8: He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? This verse not only keynoted Carter's presidency, but it also has guided his current efforts to alleviate poverty and promote peace in the world as a devoted Christian.

Isaiah may be familiar to us because it is the first of a group of Old Testament writings in Protestant Bibles that we