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Isaiah 47 – Bible Study Questions.
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Intro: Chapters forty to fifty-one of Isaiah deliver a series of messages to Judah and the remnant of Israel. Isaiah looks into the next two centuries. He sees beyond the Babylonian captivity to the fall of Babylon, and even predicts that Cyrus king of Persia will return the captives to Jerusalem to rebuild it.
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The Fall of Babylon
God condemns Babylon, and the Chaldean empire as a whole, for its arrogance and presumption. He pictures Babylon as a queen who will become a slave girl. (Isaiah 47:1-7). The pagan arts, such as sorcery and astrology, will not help Babylon (Isaiah 47:8-15).
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God’s judgments on Babylon. –Isaiah 47:1-7
- v1: What judgement on Babylon does this indicate: “sit on the ground, not on a throne”? What was Babylon’s throne? Who is on the throne of your heart? –Isaiah 57:15;James 4:4-8
Note: Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary Daniel 5:18-31
Daniel reads Belshazzar’s(Isaiah 46) doom. He had not taken warning by the judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. And he had insulted God. Sinners are pleased with gods that neither see, nor hear, nor know; but they will be judged by One to whom all things are open. Daniel reads the sentence written on the wall. All this may well be applied to the doom of every sinner. At death, the sinner’s days are numbered and finished; after death is the judgment, when he will be weighed in the balance, and found wanting; and after judgment the sinner will be cut asunder, and given as a prey to the devil and his angels. While these things were passing in the palace, it is considered that the army of Cyrus entered the city; and when Belshazzar was slain, a general submission followed. Soon will every impenitent sinner find the writing of God’s word brought to pass upon him, whether he is weighed in the balance of the law as a self-righteous Pharisee, or in that of the gospel as a painted hypocrite. - v2: What does the millstone represent? How does this compare to Isaiah 46 – idols or false god’s putting heavy burdens on the people who worship them?
Take the millstones. -Always the most servile form of female slave labor. - v3: What do private parts being exposed with nothing to cover up with indicate? –Luke 23:28-30;Hos 10:8;Rev 6:16
- v5-7: What does this image of Babylon as a “queen” who is dethroned make you think of? –Rev 17:1-5; 18:1-4
The Rebuke of Babylon. –Isaiah 47:8-15
- v8-11: Why does sudden tragedy strike Babylon?
Note: Babylon trusted in it’s own strength and wisdom.
* The proud sinner trusts in their continuing wickedness to cover the tracks of their previous sin. They are clever, but their wisdom in wickedness has led them astray.
* Babylon was suddenly conquered in one night when they believed all was safe and secure (as recorded in Daniel 5). The rebuke of Babylon’s pride is a simple fulfillment of a principle repeated three times in the Scripture: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6; 1Peter 5:5). - v14-15: What does this verse look forward to? What choices are highlighted? –Jn 3:16-21,36; Mt 25:41-26
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Acts 4:11-12 AMP … This Jesus is the stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief Cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].
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Acts 2:38 AMP … And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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Related:
https://www.simplybible.com/f910-isaiah-outline-chapters-45-46-47-48.htm
https://www.simplybible.com/f83b-tulip-god-has-purpose-do-we-have-choice.htm
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Touching the King! 