Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!
We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!
The Passage
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Journey Study?
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Isaiah 43:1-7 English Standard Version (ESV)
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
The Questions
1) Who are “Jacob” and “Israel”, do they relate to me?
2) What “name” are they called by? What does “you are mine” mean?
3) What do the references to Egypt, Cush, and Seba mean?
4) Verses 5-7 sound pretty cool, but whose offspring are called from all over the earth? And why?
The Findings for Intention
1) Who are “Jacob” and “Israel”, do they relate to me?
Jacob refers to Abraham’s son. You know, just like the kids’ song, “Father Abraham”. Israel refers to the name God gave Jacob because He had plans to craft an entire nation from the seed of Jacob (which started with “Father Abraham”).
So, these verses are talking straight to the entire nation of Israel, whom God crafted and called and set apart to honor Him.
2) What “name” are they called by? What does “you are mine” mean?
The idea of calling Jacob and Israel “by name” shows a form of intimacy. The nation was named by God Himself and despite her sinful wanderings, God claims her as His own. Note that this passage is not talking straight to one single person.
3) What do the references to Egypt, Cush, and Seba mean?
If your ancient history recall is a little shaky, clicking on a commentary can be quite helpful to give us context. In the case of Egypt, Cush, and Seba, we learn that during Sennacherib’s invasion of Jerusalem, God came to their aid at the expense of other powerful nations (Egypt, Cush, and Seba). God’s love for His people is extreme and furious!
4) Verses 5-7 sound pretty cool, but whose offspring are called from all over the earth? And why?
Doing a little word study, can help us see that “offspring” here refers to the descendants of Israel. And checking into some commentary history helps us see that because of exile and intermarriage and other things, many people of God’s beloved nation Israel had been scattered in all directions. God was pursuing them and bringing them back to Himself; He was intent on redeeming them!
The Everyday Application
1) Who are “Jacob” and “Israel”, do they relate to me?
Here Isaiah references Jacob and Israel and behind the scenes, Abraham, but Paul in the New Testament has some mind-blowing information for us! In Romans 4:13-16 Paul makes it pretty clear that whoever believes in God through faith is also a “son of Abraham” because faith is credited as righteousness in Christ! Just as Jacob and Israel refer to an entire nation created because of faith, so can we apply what is being said here to the called out and redeemed body of believers in Jesus! That’s us as the Church, people!
2) What “name” are they called by? What does “you are mine” mean?
Jacob and Israel were created, named, and called out by God. We, as New Testament believers have been given the same gift. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 tells us that we are a new creation created in Christ Jesus and called to be set apart as His ambassadors, just as the nation of Israel was. God’s intimacy with Israel points to His own with us as His bride!
3) What do the references to Egypt, Cush, and Seba mean?
God’s love knows no bounds and nothing can separate us from it. Romans 8:31-38 details just how great His love is for us and just like God didn’t withhold powerful nations to ransom His nation, God chose not to withhold His own Son for us to redeem us from sin. That is boundless love!
4) Verses 5-7 sound pretty cool, but whose offspring are called from all over the earth? And why?
Isaiah’s reference to offspring was clearly Jewish, but in Christ, all believers become the children of God. Gentiles have been “grafted in” as Romans 11:17-26 talks about. One beautifully glorious day when Christ returns to set all things right, every believer, all of God’s offspring or children, will be gathered together. Isaiah even hints at this amazing truth word for word in 43:7, “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Our hope is not dependent on surviving an earthly battle because one day, we will all be brought home!
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I Can Do That!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!
The Community!
Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into
Sketched II Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
The Tools!
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources. Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
The Why!
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Sketched II!