The Bible Meets Lifemedia1.razorplanet.com/share/510694-5121/resources/...the covenantal name God told Moses: Yahweh (Ex . 3:13-14), which essentially means I AM . Instead, they will

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SESSION 1

Holy

The PointGod is distinct from and above absolutely everything else .

The PassageIsaiah 40:25-31

The Bible Meets Life “You are one of a kind!”

Depending on who says it, that statement can be a compliment or an insult . When my nanna said it to me, it was always a good thing . She would say, “You’re not like your brother or your mother . Boy, you are unique!” And I always believed her .

It applies to you too . No one is exactly like you . When you put all the pieces together—your physical makeup, your personality, your temperament, your interests—you are truly unique . And God is big enough to put a different print on the fingers of each individual in all of human history!

But you are also somewhat interchangeable . You can donate blood and even certain organs that keep another person alive . Knee and hip replacements are proof that our parts can be replaced . And because of broken bones, many people have metal screws and plates . Many parts of our bodies are interchangeable and replaceable .

Only One is unique and completely unlike any other being in all of creation—the One who created all things . God is truly distinct .

The SettingIsaiah proclaimed the coming Babylonian exile (Isa . 39:5-7) . In his later years the Lord called Isaiah to a new task: to offer comforting words of God’s promises to return His people to their land after the Babylonian exile . After Hezekiah’s death, conditions worsened when Manasseh became Judah’s king, and Isaiah’s public ministry ended . Tradition has it that Isaiah died as a martyr during Manasseh’s reign (perhaps sawn in two, Heb . 11:37) .

14 Se S Sion 1© 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources

God is distinct from and above absolutely everything else.T HE P OIN T

5 MINUTES

GET INTO THE STUDYLEADER PACK: Display Pack Item 1, the “Holy Vocabulary” poster, to introduce the major theme of this study, along with the focus of each session .

DISCUSS: Question #1 on page 9 of the PSG: “When have you seen something that would be considered ‘one of a kind’?” Allow time for each person to respond .

LEADER PACK: In advance, make copies of Pack Item 2, “The Language of Faith” handout, and distribute them to your

group members . Use this handout to give an overview of the theological significance of the terms used in this unit .

GUIDE: Direct group members to “The Bible Meets Life” on page 10 of the PSG . Introduce the importance of God’s holiness by reading or summarizing the text or by encouraging group members to read it on their own .

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Use the nature walk option on page 23 of this Leader Guide to emphasize the ways we see God’s holiness expressed in nature .

GUIDE: Call attention to “The Point” on page 10 of the PSG: “God is distinct from and above absolutely everything else.”

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, prepare to play the traditional hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy!” by Reginald Heber, or a similar arrangement by Hillsong or some other more contemporary group depending on your group . Enlist someone to lead members in singing about the holiness of God . After singing, invite short prayers of praise .

NOTE: A video option can be found at BibleStudiesForLife .com/AdultExtra .

PRAY: Transition into the study by asking God to help the group understand God’s holiness . Lead the group in praising Him for being distinct from His creation and sovereign over our lives .

Want to know about biblical culture, people, archaeology, and history? Biblical Illustrator has articles that tie to each session in this study at lifeway.com/Bi.

BI BL E S T U DI E S F OR L I F E 15© 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources

Isaiah 40:25-2625 “To whom will you compare me, or who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. 26 Look up and see! Who created these? He brings out the stars by number; he calls all of them by name. Because of his great power and strength, not one of them is missing.

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Isaiah 40:25-26 on page 11 of the PSG .

RECAP: Through the prophet Isaiah, God asked two foundational questions: (1) Who is like me? and (2) Who is equal to me? If we attempt to answer those rhetorical questions with anything but the obvious answer “no one,” then we have not set apart God as holy . We have erroneously set as equals two distinctly differing beings .

DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 11 of the PSG: “In what settings do you find yourself in awe of God?”

GUIDE: Use the commentary for the verses on the next page of this Leader Guide to help explain how God described His own holiness .

RECAP: Our God is so holy and set apart that Jewish people will not pronounce the covenantal name God told Moses: Yahweh (Ex . 3:13-14), which essentially means I AM . Instead, they will substitute Adonai, which means Lord . Even in most English translations, “Yahweh” is replaced with the word Lord in caps (or lower caps) . (See Isa . 40:27 .)

If anyone wants to know what makes Him unique, the Holy One says: look and see for yourself . No one but God can bring out the stars, number them, and call them all by name . No other being could have named and known each star . And certainly no one could have made a single star, yet God made each one! God stands alone in this, highlighting just how holy He is . His holiness cannot be undone by anyone or anything .

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Use the stars option on page 23 of this Leader Guide to further illustrate the wonder of God’s distinct majesty .

TRANSITION: God is without equal as our Creator . In the next verses, we also see that God is without equal in His knowledge .

STUDY THE BIBLE

10 MINUTES

ALTERNATE QUESTION:

What do you think of when you hear the word “holy”?



Isaiah 40:25-26 Commentary[VERSES 25-26] When we know the truth about God, our hearts will become filled with wonder. Coming to grips with the holiness and grandeur of God enlightens our reasoning to know the truth about Him. When we know the truth about God, it fills us with wonder. If we fail to understand His true nature, we will never be amazed by Him. We will never worship Him as we ought or run to Him for refuge or realize the great love He has demonstrated in the immeasurable distance He bridged to rescue us.

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four Judean kings—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isa. 1:1)—and met his death under a fifth, the evil Manasseh. The vision Isaiah had of the Lord in His heaven’s throne room greatly influenced his prophetic ministry. Instead of serving the Lord with humility and offering love to their neighbors, the nation of Judah offered meaningless sacrifices in God’s temple at Jerusalem and committed injustices throughout the nation. God’s people had turned their backs and alienated themselves from Him.

As many as twenty years before his death, Isaiah could see the Babylonian exile approaching. This weighed heavily upon Isaiah; however, he did not expound greatly on the exile in his preaching. Rather with the ascension of Manasseh to the throne and the increasingly fierce opposition that came with that event, it became impossible for Isaiah to preach at all. The nation and its king no longer wanted to listen to his voice. Only after the exile and after Judah had reaped the consequences of their unfaithfulness would they become teachable again. Then Isaiah’s comforting words, preserved beginning in Isaiah 40, would bring encouragement to Israel as they returned to their homeland.

Certainly the victories of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia discouraged the people because it appeared the false gods of those nations were stronger than the God of Israel. However, Isaiah reminded the people of the greatness of the Lord. The prophet rattled off a long list of qualities that demonstrated God’s

greatness. He did so hoping the people might see everything else in life in its proper perspective.

After Isaiah reminded his audience of God’s greatness (vv. 12-24), he rounded out this section with a question posed on behalf of God, “To whom will you compare me, or who is my equal?” God created the earth and sits on the throne of heaven. The prophet urged his listeners to come to the only conclusion possible when considering the evidence. Nations and their gods cannot rival Him. Isaiah compared the nations “like a drop in a bucket” (v. 15) compared to the Creator. No one and nothing can come close to demonstrating God’s wisdom, power, and immensity.

The same God who brings out the stars by number and calls all of them by name can heal a broken heart (Ps. 147:3-4). Isaiah called Him the Holy One. The translator supplied the definite article the to smooth out the verse, but the absence of the article showed that this was used as a name for God rather than serving as a descriptor. Isaiah used “Holy One” thirty-eight times, a much higher percentage than normal in the Old Testament, which likely reflected the impact of the prophet’s call experience in Isaiah 6.

Isaiah called his listeners to look up and contemplate the heavens and see God’s handiwork. God created the starry hosts and keeps them and everything else in His creation in order. In so doing, Isaiah countered Judah’s sinful adoption of Assyrian and Babylonian addictions to astrology and wizardry. Though they formed images of their gods from created matter like stones and wood, God alone created all the heavens because of His unmatched power and strength.

The stars obey their Creator and give witness to His sovereignty, therefore they do not deserve to receive worship from people through idolatry. That not one of them is missing anticipated Israel’s concern that God had somehow forgotten about them because of their cruel circumstances. If God can order the stars in the sky, surely He will not abandon His chosen people.


STUDY THE BIBLE

Isaiah 40:27-2827 Jacob, why do you say, and, Israel, why do you assert: “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my claim is ignored by my God”? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding.


RECAP: God used Isaiah to speak these words of comfort to the Jews . The cause of their murmurings may have been when the Assyrian army was at the door threatening to attack . They didn’t know what to do .

We also know times when we don’t know what to do . It is easy for us to complain when we’re scared or don’t know what the future holds . We grumble in our uncertainty and search for answers—but we do so with no clear direction of where to look for the right answer . Too often we have more than enough voices offering us an answer, but we lack the wisdom to hear the correct response above all their noise .

GUIDE: Use the commentary for the verses on the next page of this Leader Guide to help explain the background of this passage regarding the Assyrian army .

RECAP: How can God know all that is going on in my life and the direction my life is heading? When such questions arise in our minds, we’re doing what the Jews did when they wondered if God had forgotten about them or had no direction for them . Even when we are experiencing those “dry seasons” when we wonder if God has forgotten about us or has any direction for us, God is present, He knows us, and He knows what we need . That is why He is God and we are not . We cannot even begin to fathom His understanding . He never tires or grows weary of our questions and needs . God is without equal in His knowledge, and His infinite wisdom points to His holiness .

DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 13 of the PSG: “When have you felt that God was unaware or uninvolved in your circumstances?”

TRANSITION: In the next verses, we see that God is without equal as our Sustainer .

10 MINUTES

ALTERNATE QUESTION:

What are the practical implications of God knowing everything about us?



Isaiah 40:27-28 Commentary[VERSE 27] Because Isaiah made no reference specifically to the Babylonian exile, the specific circumstances in chapter 40 may refer to a brief period of time when God allowed the Assyrian army to attack and defeat Judah and yet spared Jerusalem. Therefore, it would not come as a surprise to hear people complaining about feelings of abandonment by God. Isaiah may have also anticipated the day when the people in Jerusalem would be carried off to Babylon and would need a word of comfort from the Lord. Some of the people needed to come to faith in the Lord, while others needed to rekindle their faith that God had not forgotten. The exile to Babylon came as a result of their own sinful choices.

The Jews complained God had forgotten them but should have been taking care of His people to ensure their safety and well-being. Isaiah’s use of the imperfect tense (why do you say . . . assert?) underscored the repeated nature of their complaints. They can be understood as “Why do you continually say?” and “Why do you continually assert?” They suffered at the hands of their enemies, and with these questions seem to complain that God had forgotten His promise. Judah expected that their covenant relationship with God required that He should always deal mercifully with them.

Not only did Yahweh call the stars by name, He called His chosen people by name as well. Jacob and Israel were two names for the same man—the man whose name the nation bore. God had not forgotten them.

Specifically, Israel complained their way had been hidden from the Lord. The emphatic position of the verb indicated the people believed that God did not know some things. However, nothing can escape His view. God not only knew Israel’s sinful ways, He also had planned for them delightful ways in the future.

The phrase my claim is ignored by my God intensified the accusatory sentiment of Israel’s

complaint. The Hebrew word translated as claim carried the idea of justice. Isaiah used the term forty-three times. It referred to God’s right administration of all matters. God will not do anything that is unfair, untrue, or inappropriate to all the considerations in any matter. Therefore for Israel to declare God had ignored or disregarded their situation presumed He had violated their rights to live as they chose.

[VERSE 28] To counter Israel’s grievances, Isaiah did not directly attempt to address the complaint raised but rather turned to the nature of God. First, the prophet posed two rhetorical questions. The first question, Do you not know? began with a Hebrew word that implied the listeners should already know the answers to these questions. Past experience, teachings from the Torah, and exposure to prophetic proclamations should have provided more than enough for Judah to know God and how He deals with His people.

Recognizing that the people needed to be schooled again on these matters, Isaiah listed some theologically rich declarations about God. By doing this, the prophet nailed down aspects about the Lord that should have reassured his listeners. First, God is eternal or everlasting, having no beginning or end, so nothing existed outside of His knowledge. The Lord knew about their circumstances. Second, since God is the Creator of the whole earth, no nation or group of people escapes His knowledge or exists outside His control. Even if the Assyrians or Babylonians worshiped another god, it had no bearing on God’s ability to act in Israel’s best interests. God’s creative power and control have no limitations. Third, God never becomes faint or weary in overseeing the earth and His people. His power extends to superintending the stars in the universe and to administering the affairs of people on the earth, yet He never becomes fatigued or exhausted. Finally, God possesses unlimited understanding; therefore, nothing escapes His watchful eye so that He loses track of any little detail on the earth.


STUDY THE BIBLE

Isaiah 40:29-3129 He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. 30 Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, 31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.


GUIDE: Use the commentary for the verses on the next page of this Leader Guide to help explain the metaphors used in these verses .

RECAP: Facing our weaknesses is not just about physical limitations . We can struggle spiritually . We can feel weak when it comes to maintaining good relationships, struggling with temptation, or enduring difficulties at home or work . We may want to do the right thing, but we can’t stand on our own . Thankfully, God can sustain us . In fact, God is the only One who can sustain us . To sustain means to strengthen or support mentally or physically . And we all need to be strengthened and supported, even when we are young . No one can sustain himself nonstop; we all have limits .

DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 14 of the PSG: “When have you felt especially sustained or supported by God?”

RECAP: So when we trust God to sustain us, we not only renew our strength, but we rise to new heights! We “will soar on wings like eagles .” We don’t just survive in this life; we thrive . All this happens because of the God we serve . God is holy in that He is the only One who can sustain us and provide what we need at just the right time and in just the right measure . He truly is without equal, and we can stand when we rest in His holiness .

DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 14 of the PSG: “How can God use our group to help us soar, run, and walk in our spiritual journey?”

DO: Direct group members to Engage with “Holy, Holy, Holy” on page 15 of the PSG (page 23 in this Leader Guide) to help them reflect on God’s holiness .

GUIDE: Refer back to “The Point” for this session: “God is distinct from and above absolutely everything else.”

15 MINUTES

ALTERNATE QUESTION:

In what areas of your spiritual life do you tend to grow weary or faint?



Isaiah 40:29-31 Commentary[VERSE 29] The prophet offered a word of comfort and encouragement to those in a difficult predicament they did not understand. Having reminded them of their everlasting God who never grows weary or faint, Isaiah promised an infusion of God’s strength if Judah would turn to Him. God gives strength (the Hebrew word means “to be firm; vigor”) to the faint. In this context the faint referred to the Jews who were exhausted and suffering under oppression. Isaiah used forms of this word repeatedly in verses 28-31 to emphasize the contrast between God’s strength and human weakness. Isaiah said God strengthens the powerless. Here Isaiah used a different verb for strength than earlier in the verse. It conveyed the idea of “abundant strength,” while the powerless translates a word meaning “nothing.” By returning to the Lord, God promised to strengthen them as they faced hardship in exile so His glory and power might be displayed.

[VERSES 30-31] These verses demonstrate two requirements Isaiah identified for God to renew the listeners’ strength. First, they had to confess they needed God’s strength. These verses also form a single sentence and should be considered together. As such, Isaiah placed youths and young men in emphatic positions, and the conjunction but served to introduce this emphasis. By identifying the strongest among them, the prophet slapped down any notion they could muscle their way through their hardships on their own. Even energetic youths eventually wear down as they become faint and weary. With his word choice, Isaiah also made sure to communicate that even the best would eventually fail by adding an emphasis, seen in the Hebrew text, that the young men will surely stumble and fall.

Second, Isaiah promised that those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength. Trusting in the Lord provides the means for tapping into God’s strength. The word translated trust comes from a word meaning “to bind together, perhaps by twisting.” Therefore to receive this strength from the Lord, one must do more than passively wait around

until the Lord does something. The word conveys demonstrating complete dependence on God and a willingness to allow Him to decide the terms.

Those who confess their weakness and trust in God will renew their strength. By giving up their own frantic efforts to save themselves to make life better and turning in expectant faith to God, they will experience God’s renewing strength. God will exchange their worn-out strength for new strength.

Isaiah called for an act of trust that would enable God to replace human weakness with a powerful word picture: soar on wings like eagles. Israel’s impatience and insistence on prompt action by God had led to their predicament. The prophet’s urgent plea to trust in the God of the ages and His sovereign plan would gain them the strength they would need to rise above their troubles. A day would come for Israel when they would soar like eagles to their homeland. But note that the soaring eagle does not climb to such heights because of his powerful wings, but by the wind currents lifting his rigid pinions. The Spirit of God lifts up and carries those who trust in the Lord. Far from being crushed by their enemies due to their own frailties, those who depend on God can stretch their wings in the effortless way of eagles and sail off on the wind. When the release would come, they would escape with energy and quickness like eagles mounting up.

Verse 31 includes the third repetition of the two words for wearing out and becoming exhausted in four verses. Weary means “exhaustion because of the hardness of life.” Faint means “failure through loss of inherent strength.” Isaiah clearly wanted his listeners to know that while even the strongest and most powerful among people will eventually wear out, the Lord never tires. God graciously will make His vitality available to all who will humble themselves to the Lord, causing them to run and not become weary and to walk and not faint. God supplies His strength to His faithful followers so they can move forward and progress for Him.


Free additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesforLife .com/AdultExtra

GUIDE: Direct group members to page 16 of the PSG . Encourage them to choose one of the following applications:

> Thank Him. Thank God for His uniqueness and holiness . Thank Him for His incredible power, infinite wisdom, and gracious sustaining work in your life .

> Trust Him. Only God has the power and wisdom to save you, help you, and sustain you . Consider any areas of life where you might have questioned Him or relied more on yourself . Commit to trusting Him with all your life .

> Be holy. God is holy, and He calls us to follow Him and be holy as well . Commit to living a life set apart for Him . Memorize 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy .”

Wrap It UpTRANSITION: Read or restate the final paragraph from page 16 of the PSG .

We all have things about us that make us unique, but God is in a league all of His own . Understanding that truth will help us live well knowing He is God and we are not!

PRAY: Conclude by asking God to confront group members often with His holiness and to give us humility in His presence . Thank Him for calling us to holiness .

LIVE IT OUT

5 MINUTES

EXTRA!


T HE P OIN T God is distinct from and above absolutely everything else.

ENGAGEHoly, Holy, Holy. In the space below, draw a picture that captures what you see when you think of God’s holiness. Then write a prayer of praise to the One who alone is holy.

My Prayer:

BONUS CONTENTACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Take a brief nature walk outside or invite members to gather around the windows. Ask members to describe elements of nature they observe. After they resume their seats, encourage members to share how God’s creation reflects His holiness.

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Show some images of stars in our galaxy, contrasted with the size of

our galaxy and others. You can also create a slideshow on your computer using various pictures of stars to further demonstrate the distinct majesty of God. Make the point that God is without equal as our Creator.

NOTE: A link can be found at BibleStudiesForLife.com/AdultExtra.


Documents

The Bible Meets Lifemedia1.razorplanet.com/share/510694-5121/resources/...the covenantal name God told Moses: Yahweh (Ex . 3:13-14), which essentially means I AM . Instead, they will