Questions for Discussion
1. What do you make of Second Isaiah’s critique of idolatry? What is the problem with using concrete images / idols to access the power of Heaven? What idols tempt us to worship them in our lives today? Is Second Isaiah’s critique still relevant?
2. Several of the prophecies in this section of Isaiah sound rather sour to modern ears. Text such as Isaiah 11:14-15 may even sound nationalistic and chauvinistic. Can/should Christians today appropriate such texts? Does the editing of the texts by the Second Isaiah circle provide any guidance?
3. From their editorial additions, it seems clear that the Second Isaiah community saw Isaiah’s earlier prophecies as part of long-range trajectorypointingtoGod’sfuture. Can you see yourself on that continuing trajectory? How about the church?
4. How would you explain the virtue of “reverence” to a modern, secular person? Why should modern people embrace a messianic vision of reverence? Would reverence add anything to our modern lives that we currently lack?