Community Bible Study -- Isaiah

Photos for Introductory Presentation, Lesson 0

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Left: Jerusalem at the time of David and Solomon and Isaiah was a small but highly defensible city on a hill. Right: Solomon's fortified city of Megiddo represents his building programs, which placed high tax burdens on the people.

Although Solomon built a temple to the LORD, he married many pagan wives, and allowed them to worthip idols. Left: Model of Solomon's temple. Right: Solomon's pagan wives worshiped idols in this forest at the top of the Mount of Olives.

When Solomon's son Rehoboam wanted to raise his father's taxes, Jereboam led 10 tribes to revolt and form a new kingdom, with altars in Dan and Bethel so the people no longer worshiped at the temple. A later King, Ahab, allowed his wife Jezebel to institute idol worship. Left: Jereboam's altar in Dan. Right: Jezebel's idols.

Left: Ahab's ceremonial royal road and throne in Dan. Right: One of Ahab's successors, Jehu, was forced to pay tribute to the Assyrian Empire, as recorded on this Black Obelisk (British Museum).

Both Jewish kingdoms have fallen away from God as Isaiah prepares to begin his ministry. The Assyrians -- a brutal people -- undertake a military buildup which will make them the dominant empire in the Middle East. According to the bible, God plans to use Assyria as a vehicle to punish His unfaithful people. (Artifactspictured are found in the British Museum and the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul.)