The prophets were people who were called by God to speak a targeted word to the community of God in a specific time and place. The books of 1-2 Kings often provide the backdrop for each of the prophets whose books we find in the Old Testament. In these books we read about the ups and downs of the people of God as they were led by kings and other leaders who sometimes lived for God and sometimes did not.
The messages the Lord spoke through the prophets often came through visions the prophets were given by God, a way of seeing reality that reflected God’s concerns. In both Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 2, we are told that Isaiah “saw” something (1:1, 2:1). But the descriptions of Isaiah’s two visions are very different. In chapter 1, we read about the ways that Judah and Jerusalem have gone wrong. They have put other things ahead of God (idolatry). They have failed to obey God’s law (immorality). They have treated other people poorly (injustice). In chapter 2, by contrast, Isaiah recounts another vision: in the last days, Jerusalem would be a beautiful, peaceful city where all nations come together, serving the Lord and hearing his word. Where there once was war, now there would be harmony. In these two visions we come to recognize God’s true vision: though the present is unpleasant or even disastrous, a different future is possible: a future of hope and joy and peace.
Our lives can sometimes seem like one giant mess. But God presents us with the possibility of a better future that is in perfect harmony with his ways. How do we get there from here? The key is in 1:18: our sins need to be dealt with. Atonement must be made. Cleansing must happen. Our hearts need to be made new. All of this has been provided for in Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit. If we will trust and receive Jesus, we can “settle the matter” with God. Our sins, which were like a scarlet stain on our lives, can be washed perfectly clean.
We are invited by the words of Isaiah 2:5 to find our future by walking with Jesus: “Come… let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Jesus, the light of the world, calls all of us to walk with him today, whether for the first time or as another step of a long journey we’ve been on for many years.
Discussion Questions:
1. Read 2 Kings 16:1-4 and 2 Kings 18:1-8.
What were the reigns of kings Ahaz and Hezekiah like?
As generations passed, Judah’s fortunes went through a number of ups and downs. Often the royal sons of good kings did not follow the ways of their fathers, and vice versa. How difficult is it to pass along our faith and values to the next generation?
2. Read Isaiah 1. What things does the LORD mention in his complaint against the people of Judah and Jerusalem? Do these problems have modern-day equivalents?
3. Read Isaiah 2:1-5. What are the main hopeful elements of Isaiah’s vision of Judah and Jerusalem “in the last days”?
4. Is there a gap between where you see your life now and what God wants for it? Reflect on the sins that need addressing in your life. Where can you find hope?
5. Light is a theme in Isaiah (Isaiah 9:2, 60:1-2) that the New Testament says is fulfilled in Jesus (John 1:1-5, 9; 8:12; Ephesians 5:8-14).
What do you think it means for Jesus to be the light of the world? What does it mean for you to walk in the light of the Lord Jesus?
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