Isaiah

ISAIAH

Objectives:

Students should identify Isaiah as a prophet to the kingdom of Judah, the southern kingdom centered around Jerusalem, and Hezekiah as a king of Judah at the time of Isaiah.
Students should know the story of Isaiah’s calling.
Students should know that Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah.

Possible Lesson Plan:

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 6, 37:33-38:8, 39. This would be a good time to mention again the split between Israel and Judah and that Isaiah was an advisor to the kings of Judah. During Isaiah’s lifetime, the kingdom of Israel in the north would be captured by the Assyrians and utterly destroyed, but Judah was spared, only to fall later to the Babylonians.

Learning Game: Hangman. Pass out to each student a card with a word from the chapter on it: Isaiah, Hezekiah, Sennacherib, Assyria, seraphim, coal, etc. Play Hangman with each word.

Discuss the role of a prophet: What are some other ways God can speak to us? What did prophets speak about? (the future, yes, but also advice for the kings of their day and words of warning.) Do we have prophets today? Paul talks of prophets in his epistles as an existing ministry. Who might be a prophet today? What warning might today’s prophet give? Can you make a list? Why wouldn’t the people listen to Isaiah’s warnings? Would we listen any better today? What were the consequences for the Hebrew nation, first Israel in the north and then Isaiah’s Judah in the south? What consequences will we suffer today if we fail to listen?

Make a “Burning Coal”: Take a piece of charcoal. Cut flames from red, orange, and yellow felt and glue to the charcoal. This one’s ridiculously easy! You’ll have to punch a small hole in a flame or two to string a hanger.