Isaiah 1-2 Notes, Precept study on Isaiah, Part 1, Lesson 1
Tim Davis
October 3, 2010

about 900BC: N and S Israel split (Israel, with capital in
    Samaria, vs Judah with capital in Jerusalem)

740 BC, the year King Uzziah died:
    
    Egypt to the south was weakened by internal strife.
    Assyria to the north / northeast was busy with the Urartu
        to its north, and with internal problems (succession of kings). 

    Aram (Syria) was under pressure from Assyria.

    So both Israel (N Kingdom) and Judah (S Kingdom) were free to
    expand, and prospered economically.

    But things were getting tense.

    745BC Tiglath-Peleser (Assyria) came to the throne and began
        to stabilize Assyria

    Babylon was subject to Assyria, but was rising.

734BC Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Aram wanted to ally with
    Ahaz of Judah to fight Assyria, but Ahaz refused.  So
    Pekah and Rezin attacked Judah.

732BC Aram (capital: Damascus) fell to Assyria
722BC Israel (capital: Samaria) fell to Assyria

712BC Babylon saw Judah as a potential ally against Assyria, so ambassadors
    from Babylon came to Judah & met Hezekia (Isaiah 37-39, about 712BC).

701BC Judah was next.  Hezekiah opposed Assyria, which attacked Judah in 701BC
    but failed to conquer Jerusalem.

698BC Hezekiah dies.  His evil son Manaseh comes to the throne.
    Reverses policy, and attempts to appease Assyria.  Thus the
    reintroduction of Assyria idolatry (2 Kings 21:1-16).





God calls the peoples sin to account

    1:2 revolt
    1:3 rebellion
    1:4 abandon the LORD
    1:11-12 mixing iniquity and solumn assembly
    1:15 hands covered with blood
    1:20 REFUSE AND REBEL
    1:21 harlot, murderers
    1:23 rebels, bribes, pervert justice
    1:28 forsake the LORD
    ----
    2:6 eastern influences, soothsayers
    2:7-8 worship their own wealth / idols
    2:9 pride

Result of their sin

    1:5-6 sickness (figurative)
    1:7-9 desolation
    1:15 God will not see, nor listen to them
    1:20 devoured by the sword
    1:24 God's vengence
    1:28 crushed, come to end
    1:29 ashamed
    1:30 dry
    1:31 burn
    ----
    2:9,11-17 humbled
    2:10 hide from His terror, in dust
    2:18,20 idols discarded into dust 
    2:19,20 men discard themselves into dust
    2:22 men worthless

God calls the people to repentence

    1:16 cease evil
    1:17 seek justice
    1:19 CONSENT AND OBEY
    2:5 let us walk in the light of the LORD

Result of repentence

    1:18 made white
    1:19 eat the best of the land
    1:26 judges restored, faithful city
    1:27 redeemed with justice / righteousness
    ----
    2:2 Zion established, nations come
    2:3 nations learn his ways and laws
    2:4 judge / render decisions; no more war