“Lesson 135: Isaiah 59–66,” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)
“Lesson 135: Isaiah 59–66”
Lesson 135
Isaiah 59–66
Prepare to Learn
Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Remove all distractions and focus on studying and learning. This shows your willingness to be taught by the Spirit.
Begin your study with prayer.
Think of someone close to you who might be struggling and feeling that there is no hope. How can you help bring hope to this person?
Consider this message about hope shared by President Russell M. Nelson.
A Scenario
How would you respond to this scenario?
A young woman meets with her bishop and confesses that she has repeatedly broken the Word of Wisdom. She describes how she has lost her parents’ trust, was removed from a school club because of poor grades, and does not feel the Spirit’s influence in her life anymore. She adds, “I don’t understand why God has made my life so hard and has abandoned me.”
The Effects of Sin
In Isaiah 59 we read that the Lord spoke through Isaiah to people who had committed many sins.
Read Isaiah 59:1–2, looking for a principle that Isaiah taught the people about how their sins had affected them. The phrase “the Lord’s hand is not shortened” in verse 1 means that the Lord’s power to save has not decreased.
Separation from God
We can identify from Isaiah 59:1–2 that when we sin, we separate ourselves from God.
We read in Isaiah 59:3–4, 7 that the people had committed sins such as lying, having evil thoughts, and shedding innocent blood.
Isaiah likens being separated from God to the loss of light and to blindness. Read Isaiah 59:8–10, looking for effects of being separated from God. The word “grope” (verse 10) means here to search or attempt to find in the dark.
1. Answer one of the following questions:
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Why do you think committing the sins listed in verses 3–4, 7 would separate someone from God?
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In what ways is being separated from God like being blind?
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What are some of the potential consequences of trying to find your way in the darkness?
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What are some of the effects of being separated from God that you identified in verses 8–10?
Review of the Scenario
In addition to lacking peace and walking in darkness, the people in Isaiah’s time became hardened and continued to sin, distancing themselves from God and His salvation (see Isaiah 59:11–13).
Let’s review the scenario about the young woman who had committed a serious sin. She had had the thought, “I don’t understand why God has made my life so hard and has abandoned me.”
How could it help the young woman in this scenario to recognize that by choosing to break the Word of Wisdom, she had separated herself from God?
Hope through Our Savior
Even though we may feel separated from God, hope still exists because of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Read Isaiah 59:15–16, looking for what the Lord saw that the people needed.
The Savior’s Atoning Sacrifice
The Lord saw that the people needed an intercessor. An intercessor is someone who helps settle differences between two people or groups.
When we sin, we offend God, and a penalty must be paid to make things right. However, we are unable to pay the penalty for sin by ourselves. We need someone to intercede on our behalf to satisfy the demands of God’s justice. Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ became our Intercessor with Heavenly Father.
In Isaiah 59:17–19, Isaiah described how the Lord would punish His enemies.
Read Isaiah 59:20, looking for the title Isaiah used for the Lord.
Quiz 1
The Blessing of Repentance
From Isaiah 59:16–21 we can identify the following principle: If we turn from transgression, then the Lord will intercede for us and redeem us. Repentance is turning from transgression and turning to God. We read in For the Strength of Youth that repentance “is a change of mind and heart. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments” ( [booklet, 2011], 28).
2. Answer one of the following questions:
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Why do you think our repentance is needed for the Lord to intercede for us and redeem us?
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If you could personally express your gratitude to the Savior for interceding for you and redeeming you, what would you tell Him?
Prophecy Fulfilled
Isaiah 60 contains some of Isaiah’s prophecies about events that will occur in the last days and during and after the Millennium. Isaiah 61 contains some of Isaiah’s teachings about the Savior’s mission. During His mortal ministry, Jesus read Isaiah 61:1–2 in a synagogue in Nazareth and declared that the prophecy contained in those verses would be fulfilled in Him (see Luke 4:16–21).
Read Isaiah 61:1–3, looking for different parts of the Savior’s mission.
3. Consider the following questions and answer two of them:
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What are some of the “good tidings,” or good news, the Savior preached and continues to preach?
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How did the Savior “bind up the brokenhearted” during His mortal ministry? How does He continue to do so in our day?
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How does the Savior bring “liberty to the captives” and open “the prison to them that are bound”? (See D&C 138:11–12, 15–18, 29–31.)
Those Who Mourn
What does it mean to mourn?
The Israelites had a custom of pouring ashes on their heads when they were deeply saddened, such as in times of grief, hopelessness, and despair.
Reread Isaiah 61:3, looking for what the Savior will do for those who mourn.
God promised to replace “ashes” with “beauty,” which refers here to a beautiful head covering or crown of beauty, and to replace “mourning” with “joy” and “heaviness” with “praise.”
According to Isaiah 61:1–3, how would you summarize Jesus Christ’s mission as the promised Messiah?
The Promised Messiah
From Isaiah 61:1–3 we can identify the following truth: As the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ preaches hope, heals, liberates, and comforts.
4. Choose one (or more) of these roles of the Savior and answer two of the following questions:
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In what ways does this role have special meaning for you?
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How has watching Jesus Christ fulfill this role in your life increased your faith in Him?
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What is something you can do to help others know that the Savior will fulfill that role for them?
The People in the Millennium
In the remainder of Isaiah 61 we read that Isaiah spoke of Zion being built up in the last days. Isaiah also spoke of the Lord making an everlasting covenant with him and with the people and clothing them in “the garments of salvation” (Isaiah 61:10).
The final chapters in the book of Isaiah contain more of Isaiah’s teachings and prophecies about the redemption of the Lord’s people in the last days, the Savior’s Second Coming, and the Millennium. During the Millennium the Lord’s people will enjoy happiness, peace, and prosperity.
Quiz 2
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According to Isaiah 63:1–3, what color will the Savior’s clothing be when He returns to the earth?
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White
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Green
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Red
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According to Isaiah 64:1–2, what will the Lord’s people pray for in the last days?
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That the Lord will protect His people
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That the Lord will come down and make His name known to the adversaries (enemies) of His people
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That the people will be ready when the Lord comes
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According to Isaiah 65:17–19, what will the Lord’s people experience during the Millennium?
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Joy and rejoicing
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Sadness and sorrow
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Wonder and amazement
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A Time to Reflect
Reflect on the following questions:
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Are there any sins in your life that are separating you from God?
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What can you do to repent so that the Lord can intercede for and redeem you?
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What can you do to prepare for the Lord’s Second Coming?
Answer Key
Quiz 1: (1) a; (2) b
Quiz 2: (1) c; (2) b; (3) a