Greetings listeners. If you've ever opened the book of Isaiah and felt overwhelmed, you're not alone. With its vivid poetry, shifting tones and ancient context, it can be hard to know what's going on, but this book holds some of the most powerful and hope-filled messages in the whole Bible. In today's episode, we're going to break it down, explore its big themes and see why Isaiah still matters for us today. We're going to walk through chapters 1 through 39 of Isaiah in this episode, a section filled with bold warnings, urgent calls to return to God and deep heartbreak over a people who turned away, but also glimpses of light and a lasting hope a future savior. So grab your Bible, maybe a cup of coffee, and let's walk through these chapters together. I hope this episode gives you a clearer sense of Isaiah's message and a deeper desire to explore it for yourself. Well, welcome everyone. I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole, and this is the Bible Basics Podcast, where, weekly, we break down the basics of the Bible into understandable, bite-sized chunks. So whether you've read Isaiah before this or it's your very first time, I'm so glad you're here. So let's start by setting the scene. To really grasp this part of Isaiah, we need to understand what was going on at the time. These chapters were written during the 8th century BC, when a massive empire, Assyria, was expanding and threatening smaller nations like Israel and Judah. These two kingdoms made up the people of God, the descendants of Abraham, the nation God had chosen to reflect his character and carry out his promises. But by this time, fear, war and uncertainty surrounded them, and Isaiah's message wasn't just about politics or armies. It was about God's people whose hearts had wandered far from him. Throughout it all, God used Isaiah, who was one of his prophets, to write this book, one of the major books of prophecy in the Bible. He talks about sin, he talks about judgment, but he speaks of healing, forgiveness and a future hope. That hasn't changed to this day. Now we'll look at an overview of chapters 1 through 39. To keep this overview simple, I'm going to use a framework from the NIV Open Bible. It breaks this part of Isaiah into two big sections. First, prophecies of condemnation, that's, chapters 1 through 35, and second, a historical interlude chapters 36 through 39. Let's look at each one. 6 through 39. Let's look at each one.

First, the prophecies of condemnation Isaiah begins with a spiritual diagnosis God's people were sinning against God, their worship was empty, their leaders were corrupt, justice was missing and the poor were being ignored. But in the middle of all that brokenness, god doesn't walk away. He doesn't go silent, he doesn't destroy and move on. He speaks and what he says is stunning. God offers mercy. Look at Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 18. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. And he also offers a bright future. That's in chapters 1, verse 26 to 28. 1, verse 26 to 28. I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. So, right in the middle of judgment, we hear grace. This is the heart of Isaiah and, honestly, the heart of the whole Bible A holy God confronting sin but always offering a way back.

Some other major highlights from this section include Isaiah's vision in chapter 6. Isaiah's life-saving encounter with God's holiness is what we read there. Then we have what's called the book of Emmanuel, that's in chapters 7 through 12. Here we see early glimpses of a coming Savior called Emmanuel, which means God with us. Then, in chapters 13 to 23, we see what we call judgment on the surrounding nations. These 11 chapters group together prophecies against foreign nations who were enemies of God's people. And then we have chapters 24 through 27, which is God's triumph over the nations. These four chapters give praise to God for his future victory over all enemies and the final deliverance of Israel. These chapters show God is sovereign over all nations. Then there's what we call the six woes, w-o-e-s, that's chapters 28 to 33. Here we see strong warnings about pride, injustice and turning to anything but God for help. Each section in these chapters begins with the word woe. And finally we have the final vision, chapter 34 to 35. That's where devastation gives way to healing. Isaiah describes a desert bursting with life and a road called the way of holiness, a safe path for the redeemed. It's a picture of the journey God invites us all to walk. So that's chapters 1 through 35.

The second part of Isaiah chapters 36 through 39, zooms in on one moment in Judah's history. Around 701 BC, the Assyrian army had invaded Judah and Hezekiah, the king of Judah, has a choice Trust political alliances or trust God. He prays, god responds and Jerusalem, the capital, is miraculously spared. That's chapter 37. Later Hezekiah becomes sick. He prays again and God heals him and extends his life. But then he makes a mistake. He shows off his treasures to visiting ambassadors from the nation of Babylon. And Isaiah warns him this kingdom you welcomed, one day they will take everything. Hezekiah didn't know that Babylon would become his next threat and they not the Assyrians would conquer his nation. And that's chapter 39. So this moment ends the first half of Isaiah and sets the stage for the comfort and restoration to come in chapters 40 through 66. We'll address those chapters in our next episode.

Now a bit about the literary features of chapters 1 through 39. Isaiah isn't just powerful in its message, it's also stunning in its style. Like the rest of the Bible, isaiah was inspired by God. We see that in 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17. These are God's words spoken through his prophet Isaiah. But one of the beautiful things about scripture is that, while God is the ultimate author, he works through real people. He uses their personalities, experiences and even their writing styles to bring his message to life. That's especially true in Isaiah. Some of his words are personal, spoken in first person, like chapters 6 and 8. Others are more like historical accounts reporting events from his lifetime, as we see in chapters 20 and 36 through 39. And throughout the book, what really stands out is both the depth of the content and the beauty of the expression. Here are a few features that make Isaiah so distinctive. Here are a few features that make Isaiah so distinctive. First, we have poetic language. Much of Isaiah is written in Hebrew poetry. The structure uses rhythm and repetition to make the message more memorable and moving. Here's an example from chapter 5, verse 20. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Here's an example from chapter 5, verse 20. Another feature is vivid imagery. Isaiah doesn't just tell you what's wrong, he also shows it. Here a rebellious nation is pictured as a prostitute. The people had turned from the worship of the true God to worshiping idols. Quote see how the faithful city has become a prostitute. She once was full of justice, righteousness used to dwell in her, but now murderers. That's Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 21. And then there's prophetic drama. Isaiah's life becomes part of the message. In chapter 20, at God's command, we see Isaiah walking around naked and barefoot for three years as a living sign of coming judgment, as a sign and warning to Egypt and Ethiopia. This symbolized the coming captivity and humiliation of these nations by the Assyrians. This is just one example of Isaiah's messages being bold, unforgettable and filled with meaning. And the last feature I want to point out is the rich vocabulary. Isaiah uses more unique Hebrew words than any other biblical writer. His vocabulary and phrasing bring a richness and variety that makes his writing stand out. All of this and more makes Isaiah not just compelling to read but deeply reflective of a God who speaks creatively, personally and powerfully through his chosen messengers. And here's a tip for you listeners as you read try to notice when Isaiah's voice shifts from personal reflection to prophetic announcement or from poetry to narrative. These kinds of things make the book so rich and it can really help the message come alive. Now let's turn to Jesus and Isaiah. Isaiah gives us some of the clearest Old Testament glimpses of Jesus long before the manger in Bethlehem. In chapter 7, he tells King Ahaz that a virgin will give birth to a son and his name will be Emmanuel, which means God with us. That's in chapter 7, verse 14. Matthew later points to this as a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus. That's in Matthew 1, verses 22 and 23. In chapter 9, Isaiah speaks of a child who will be called Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of Peace. That's chapter 9, verse 6. These aren't just poetic names. They describe who Jesus is, and that's confirmed in Luke 2.11 and Ephesians 2.14-18. And in chapter 11, he describes a spirit-filled king from the line of David who will bring peace and justice to the world. That's chapter 11, verse 1 through 10. The Gospels and Acts echo this when speaking about Jesus' identity and mission. That's Luke 3 and Acts 13. So Isaiah doesn't just hint at the Messiah, he points directly to him. And here's a side note If you love the musical masterpiece Handel's Messiah as much as I do, you might recognize some of these verses. Isaiah's words regarding the coming Messiah are all over the first part of this oratorio. Here are three examples. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. That's chapter 9, verse 2. Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. That's chapter 9, verse 6. And behold, a virgin shall conceive. That's chapter 7, verse 14. So the next time you hear that music you'll know you're hearing Isaiah sing. So what does this first half of Isaiah mean for us? Here are three ways we can apply lessons from the book of Isaiah. First, religious routine isn't the same as a heart that seeks justice and mercy. In the early chapters of Isaiah, God makes it clear he doesn't want empty religious rituals. He wants lives that reflect his character, lives that reflect justice, compassion and obedience. Look at verse 1, chapters 11 through 17. The multitude of your sacrifices. What are they to me, says the Lord. Stop bringing meaningless offerings. Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight. Learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed. We see this theme again in Isaiah, chapter 5. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed. For righteousness, but heard cries of distress. But heard cries of distress. And later, in the first two verses of chapter 10, woe to those who make unjust laws, who deny justice to the oppressed, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. So even their outward worship didn't move God because their hearts were far from him. Chapter isn't looking for empty routines. He's looking for changed hearts. With this in mind, let's look for one way. Today we can live out our faith by showing mercy or seeking justice. We can help someone in need. We can forgive someone who hurt us or do something kind for someone who can't repay you. Now let's move on to the next application, point number two. God still calls us to trust him, especially when life feels uncertain. Trusting God isn't just for peaceful times it's for when we experience pressure, crisis and fear Over and over. In Isaiah, we see God's people tempted to run to human solutions for help. We see God's people tempted to run to human solutions for help, like political alliances, powerful nations like Egypt or their own strategies. But God calls them to something deeper to rely fully on him. In the second part of Isaiah, chapter 7, verse 9, god warns If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. In Isaiah 30, god warns Israel not to put their confidence in Egypt's armies. Instead, he offers a different kind of strength In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. That's verse 15 of chapter 30. And that same call still stands today. God invites us to trust him, not just in what we say, but in how we live. As we read his word, listen for his direction and choose to follow him. He gives us the strength and stability we need, no matter what we're facing. And here's number three God doesn't give up. He calls us back. In Isaiah, God clearly names the people's sin, but he doesn't leave them stuck in it. He offers a way forward. His goal isn't condemnation, it's restoration. He wants his people to turn back to him and be made clean. Quote Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. That's chapter 1, verse 18. The mess we've made can feel permanent, but God's forgiveness reaches deeper. He offers us a clean start, and this message is all throughout Isaiah. Let's take a moment today to confess where we've drifted and ask God to help us start fresh. Where we've drifted and ask God to help us start fresh. So that's a big picture. Look at Isaiah, chapters 1 through 39. There's much more richness to explore and I hope you'll take some time this week to open Isaiah and read a few chapters for yourself. Maybe start with chapter 1 or chapter 6, or even chapter 9. And next time we'll step into the second half of the book chapters 40 through 66, where the tone shifts from mourning to comfort. We'll meet the suffering servant, we'll hear the cry to come all who are thirsty, and we'll catch a powerful glimpse of what God promises for the future A world made new, where peace, joy and justice are forever. You won't want to miss it. Until then, keep reading, keep seeking and keep growing in your faith so that we can spread God's Word further. Please share, like, follow, comment and subscribe.