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Fall 2025: Judah, From Isaiah to Exile
Unit 1: Isaiah and the Renewal of the Temple

The first unit presents us with the prophetic ministry of Isaiah. These lessons recount the theological reasons for the decline of Judah, seen mainly through Isaiah and two faithful kings of Judah. Lesson 1 introduces the call of that prophet and the substance of his witness to a king of Judah (Isaiah 6:1–8; 38:1–5; see lesson 1).
While most kings of Israel and Judah earn bad grades from the writers of Kings and Chronicles, two seventh-century kings of Judah are revealed as seeking the Lord and reforming worship. King Hezekiah celebrates Passover according to what was written in the Law of Moses (2 Chronicles 30:1–9, 26–27; see lesson 2), while King Josiah is a “by-the-book strategist” who sought proper obedience to the Lord (34:15–22, 26–27; see lesson 3).
The destruction of the temple, according to Scripture, was the result of social injustice, moral decay, and covenantal disobedience. Isaiah finds a spark of hope in the devastation—the prophetic suffering of the people has a redemptive purpose, testifying to God’s judgment and restoration. Near the end of the Babylonian exile, the prophet envisages a humiliated and afflicted servant who carries the sins of many (Isaiah 52:13–53:12; see lesson 4).

Lesson 1 Isaiah’s Call and Ministry Isaiah 6:1–8; 38:1–5
Isaiah began his prophetic ministry about 200 years after the nation of Israel divided. In 931 BC, the united monarchy of Israel split into two parts: Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). Isaiah’s ministry focused on the southern kingdom of Judah, as reflected by the Judean kings listed in Isaiah 1:1. The people of Judah had become a “sinful nation,” being openly rebellious against the Lord (Isaiah 1:1–5). A sense of self-sufficiency accompanied a facade of economic prosperity, military security, and religious arrogance (2:7–8). The Lord depicts his people as a vineyard that produced unacceptable fruit (5:1–7). In their doing of injustice, they had redefined the terms good and evil (5:20). Such was the era that Isaiah found himself in when his call came about.

Lesson 2 Hezekiah’s Passover 2 Chronicles 30:1–9, 26–27
The division of the united monarchy of Israel into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah occurred in 931 BC during the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. Instead of peaceful coexistence, the two kingdoms were hostile toward each other (1 Kings 15:16, 32; 2 Chronicles 13:1–20). When Ahaz’s son Hezekiah took the throne (reigned 715–685 BC), the temple was in physical disrepair and spiritual defilement. As a result, Hezekiah initiated a restoration project to purify the temple so that the people might again faithfully worship the Lord (2 Chronicles 29:3). After the project concluded in only 16 days (29:17), the king held a rededication ceremony, which included rightly ordered worship (29:20–36).

Lesson 3 Hilkiah’s Discovery 2 Chronicles 34:15–22, 26–27
This lesson continues exploring the kings and prophets of the kingdom of Judah. As such, the context of lesson 2 also applies to this lesson. Following the reign of Hezekiah in Judah (715–685 BC), the Jerusalem temple fell into disrepair and neglect. Much of this occurred during the reign of Judah’s longest-reigning king, Manasseh (696–642 BC). His reign was marked by sin and evil. He reestablished idolatrous practices (2 Kings 21:3), shed innocent blood (21:16;24:4), and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (21:2). His sinful acts culminated in his desecration of the Jerusalem temple (21:7), the same temple that Hezekiah had purified (see lesson 2). Scripture lists Manasseh’s sinful actions as a reason Judah faced disaster, destruction, and exile (21:10–15).

Lesson 4 The Servant’s Suffering Isaiah 53:1–7
When we cross from chapter 39 to chapter 40 in the book of Isaiah, we enter what is commonly called “the book of comfort.” The chapters therein include some of the most significant prophecies of Jesus and the impact of his life and ministry. This section begins with a word of “comfort” to God’s people and assures Jerusalem that “her sin has been paid for” and that “she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1–2). This likely describes how the captivity of the people in Babylon, predicted in Isaiah 39, was to end. There was, however, another more serious and oppressive captivity affecting God’s people: the captivity of sin. This captivity was the primary cause for the heartbreak of exile experienced by both the northern kingdom of Israel (to Assyria in 722 BC) and the southern kingdom of Judah (to Babylon in 586 BC). The solution to this spiritual bondage was described by Isaiah in terms of a “servant” raised up by the Lord to provide the needed deliverance. This is highlighted in what is often called Isaiah’s “servant passages” or “servant songs” since they are written in the style of Hebrew poetry.

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“Who are you when no one’s looking?”

When her people were threatened, Esther had to ask herself that question. Would she step out and risk her own life to try to save her fellow Israelites? Or she could “keep her head down” to wait out the threat in obscurity and safety?

This 9-week study leads you to examine the story of Esther. You’ll discover how godly character often develops under pressure. And you’ll discover ideas for living a godly life in the midst of contemporary pressures.