Read Isaiah 40-44 and then make observations on these 5 chapters. Read the whole thing through before making any observations. At this point you're looking to get an overview of this section of Isaiah.
It's probably best to start a WORD doc or something to keep all your work in. Then copy and paste your best work when you post. Make sure you post on the assignment that has your name in it. Then comment on at least one other person's post in your group (and any others that you want to).
Post your material by midnight Thursday. That will give you time to comment on other posts by Sunday.
Here are the TOP TEN tips for making good observations:
10. Report what is said, not what is inferred
9. Look for repetition/variations/possible patterns
8. Use different lenses: wide angle and zoom
7. Don’t just repeat the text; observe what it says and how it says it
6. Note major changes in form and content
5. When possible, make charts/lists
4. Raise questions
3. Be cautious of generalizing
2. Make your observations a variety of lengths
1. Don’t hesitate to state the obvious
0. Note the verse(s) you are making observation about (v12)
Okay, I'm very new at this but I'll give it a try. I will post more later but want to see if I have the right idea on Isaiah 40.
ReplyDelete1-The writer is speaking for God (40:1 -5)
2- Jerusalem is called a she.
3- God calls Jerusalem his people.
4- God is changing things: every valley will be lifted; every hill made low; uneven ground made even; rough places plain.
5- People are like grass and will fade but God's will is forever.
6- Nothing compares to God. Nobody comes close. (40:12-18)
7- God is a shepherd and cares for his flock. He cares lovingly for those with young. (40:11).
I think you're on the right track & father than me. Good work.
ReplyDelete8- He is powerful and he gives power and strength to the weary. (40:28-29)
ReplyDelete9- He is the first and the last and there is no God but him. (41:4, 44:6-8)
10- God is strong and mighty but he is personal, caring, loving and helpful. (41:8-10, 13 & 14 & 17)
11- Idols are like nothing/empty and he does not give glory or praise to them. He will put to shame those who worship them. There is no god but him. (41:29 & 42:8 & 42:17, 43:10, 44:6)
12- God will not break the hurting and he will establish justice in the earth! (41:3-4)
13- God tells us the future before it happens. (42:9)
14- God wants us to sing and praise and give glory to him and be joyful for him. (42:10-12)
15- He has created and chose Israel and called his people by name (43:1 & 7, 44:1-2)
16- People have eyes but don't see and have ears but don't hear what God wants. (42: 18-20 & 43:8)
17- God blots out our sins for his own sake. (43:25)
18- It says not to fear 8 times and not to be afraid once in these chapters.
40:7,40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall because the breath of the Lord blows on them. 40:8 The grass withers and flowers fall, but the word of God stands forever. 40:3,40:9 speaks about the voice. 40;12, 40:15 The dust of the earth being weighed on scales. Chapter 43-44 talk about the disobedience of Israel and the payment for their sins and then later the Lord blessing Israel as he had always intened to do. Hope Im on the right track everyone. God bless you all The example I gave in the first two scriptures are to show how the author repeats himself.
ReplyDeleteA. The Lord was mention 41x all throughout the 5 chapters
ReplyDeleteB. What does “ double for all her sins” mean in Isa. 40:2?
C. Sentences in a form of question are in an interrogative type:
1. 40:12-14 Who has measured the waters…and showed him the way of understanding
18 To whom then will you liken God…?
21 Do you not know? Do you not hear?...
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
2. 41:2 Who stirred up one from the east…?
4 Who has performed and done this,…?
3. 42: 19, 23-24; 43:9; 44:7,8,19-20
D. Comparison
1. 40:11 tend his flock like a shepherd
22 its inhabitants are like grasshoppers… heavens like a curtain
Spreads them like a tent
2. 41:15 hills like chaff
E. Who GOD is?
1.Mighty 40: 10,11; 42:13
2.Everlasting God/Creator 40:28; 42:5; 43:1,7,15
3. the first and the last 41:4
4.Redeemer/Holy One 41:14;43:3,15
5.Savior 43:3,11-12
Tony,
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff! I especially like how you reword and rephrase things without changing or interpreting the meaning too much. Your observations that notice repetition are really helpful. I also enjoyed your note about how that God is loving but also strong and you noted what verses. Do that on number 18 as well: what verses deal with fear?
An interesting question arises from one of your observations. What does it mean for God to blot out our sins for HIS sake? Don't we normally think of it as for our sake? Hmmmm :>) You got me thinking!
Dave,
ReplyDeleteGlad you're with us on this journey! I like how you noted the repetition that the author uses.
Great job on summarizing chapters 43-44. It is very helpful to pick up on the major themes of large sections. That is the point of this first assignment: wide angle lens. Don't worry, we'll get our zoom lens out soon enough!
Thanks Dave!
Lily,
ReplyDeleteYou always amaze me with your observations...you see things so clearly...very nice work!
I like how you asked a question already in one of your observations...inquisitiveness leads to discovery! I had the same thought when I read "double for her sins."
You picked up on the similes nicely (comparisons that use "like" or "as")
In your very first observation, you noted 41x 'the Lord' was used. Were all those usages capitalized (LORD) or were some lowercase? The reason I ask is because in the Hebrew they are different words (we talked about this in choir recently). When you see 'LORD' in all caps it is God's name YHWH (Yahweh) that is being used. When it is 'Lord' it is usually 'Elohim' (generic Hebrew term for god or gods) or 'Adonai' (a title that means lord, a person with authority or control).
Keep it up! So glad you got Marlon in the choir, by the way!
In Isaiah 41, rivers are opened on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys, and the wilderness is made a pool of water and the dry land springs of water, and puts trees in the wilderness and the desert (vs. 18-19).
ReplyDeleteIn Isaiah 42, mountains and hills are laid waste, the rivers are turned into islands, the pools are dried up, and the vegetation dried up (vs. 15).
In Isaiah 43, the LORD gives water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (vs. 20).
In Isaiah 44, the LORD pours water on a thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground, and pours his Spirit on Jacob’s offspring (vs. 3).
There are 20 questions in Isaiah Chapter 40
Israel burdens God with their sin, and He wearied of their transgressions. Isaiah 43:24
He blots out Israel's transgressions for His own sake and does not remember their sins. Isaiah 43:25
Isaiah 44:12-17 starts with an iron smith taking a cutting tool working it over the coal, fashioning it, which is used to cut down a cedar which makes a fire that man uses to keep warm, bake bread, and cook meat. The man is satisfied, and then he makes the rest of the cedar he cut into an idol and worships it. Elaborated on in vs. 18 to 20.
Jacob/Israel is God’s servant, his chosen, his friend, and should not fear or be dismayed for God will strengthen him, help him, and uphold him with his righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:8-10
ReplyDeleteGod’s soul delights in his chosen servant. Isaiah 42:1
God declares new things before they spring forth. Isaiah 42:9
God’s servant is blind and his messenger is deaf. He sees many things but does not observe them. His ears are open, but he does not hear. Isaiah 42:19-20 (I don’t understand this)
There are people who are blind but have eyes, and people who are deaf but have ears. (Isaiah 43:8)
God leads and guides the blind. He turns the darkness before the blind into light. (Isaiah 42:16)
There is no savior besides the LORD. (Isaiah 43:11)
There's a reason I majored in Child development-the reading is much simpler. Here's my meager attempt.
ReplyDelete40:2 Jerusalem is referred to as female.
40:3-5 a prophecy?
40:9 Jerusalem is the herald of good news
40:26 He knows the heavenly host by name, He is strong
40:28 the LORD is everlasting, doesn't tire, unfathomable
40:29 He gives power to the weak.
40:31 those who wait for him have renewed strength
43:1-15 redemption, God as the only savior
43:16-21 the Lord as provider
43:22-24 sin without sacrifice
Shana,
ReplyDeleteWay to go late-nighter! Wow...1:26am...impressive...you lawyers are probably used to being up late at night!
Love these observations. You are very articulate with how you rephrase verses...that's tough to do well. Also, your first several observations were pertaining to nature...I think that is the theme you were drawing out...make sure you say that so we are not guessing and it is very obvious
Love how you admitted that you didn't understand those couple verses. It's always good to come back to it later and see if you've gained more insight through your study.
'20 QUESTIONS' in Isaiah 40...I didn't know that game was invented in the Bible! :>)
Way to go Shana!
Teri,
ReplyDeleteA 'meager attempt' is better than 'no attempt'!
Great job for posting something. You and several others noticed that Jerusalem is referred to in the feminine. There is so much meaning implied in that, but it's too early to get to meaning yet! :>)
Remember, as you observed, "He gives power to the weak! (Is 40:29) Lean into him when you don't think you have the strength to pound out an assignment! :>)
Clay, thanks! I will expand....
ReplyDeleteMy observations from Isaiah 41-44 re. the waters, deserts etc. was to show the contrasts between the chapters- in one, there is a river, then the waters are dried up, in another they are restored, and finally they are poured out on a dry and thirsty land as His spirit. I thought that was really cool to see the progression in each chapter.
Yes, I do keep some late nights at times, more so lately.
:o)
Clay,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouraging words. I'll persevere because I want to understand God's word better. This kind of study is extremely helpful.
All, I really appreciate your observations.
Making observations is the hardest part for me in this process. It's been very helpful to me reading all of the comments from all three groups. I'm kind of looking at it now as "what a reporter would write if they observed the text" or what would I write if I were writing a report on the text? Still challenging though.
ReplyDeleteShana,
ReplyDeleteYes I had the same approach. I thought of it as a Crime Scene Investigator. You want to see what the evidence is and collect the data without spoiling what is actually there. Once we have that we will go to the next step about trying to interpret what the evidence means!
We wrote the same observation: " He blots out Israel's transgressions for His own sake and does not remember their sins. Isaiah 43:25"
Clay commented on it as well. I think it is in God's best interest to blot out our sins because he created and loves us and doesn't want to see us perish. After all, we are created for his pleasure in the first place, right?
I love the metaphors from Tony and Shana:
ReplyDeleteNews Reporter - trying to give the facts without any bias or twist (well, that's what they're supposed to do) :>)
Crime Scene Investigator - trying to get the facts without tampering with the evidence
Tony, I love your answer for the question, but at this point we are only raising the question, not trying to answer it. There will be a step later on that will cover this (I like your answer though). :>)
Clay, It's all in "Lord" - Elohim generic for god. Yes I thought of the video we have when I came across of the word "Lord" in my Observation.
ReplyDeleteTo all, I do enjoy reading your Observation and gained some insights.