“September 5–11. Isaiah 1–12: ‘God Is My Salvation,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: Old Testament 2022 (2021)
“September 5–11. Isaiah 1–12,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2022
The Prophet Isaiah Foretells Christ’s Birth, by Harry Anderson
September 5–11
Isaiah 1–12
“God Is My Salvation”
Consider ways to encourage class members to share impressions and understanding they received during their personal and family study.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families gives ideas for understanding the writings of Isaiah. You could invite class members to share how one of these ideas, or something else, helped them learn from Isaiah 1–12.
Teach the Doctrine
The words of Isaiah will all be fulfilled.
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Speaking of Isaiah, the Savior taught that “all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake” (3 Nephi 23:3). You might start a discussion about Isaiah by sharing this scripture and the statement in “Additional Resources.” You could then write on the board Isaiah’s day, The Savior’s mortal ministry, and The latter days. Class members could look for passages in Isaiah 1–12 that might apply to one or more of the phrases on the board (for example, Isaiah 2:1–5; 7:1–7; 7:10–14; 9:2–7; 10:20; 11:10; 12:1). Why is it a blessing to have these prophecies available to us today?
“Cease to do evil.”
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You might ask class members to share what they learned from their personal and family study of Isaiah 1, 3, 5 about the spiritual condition of the Kingdom of Judah in the days of Isaiah. Perhaps they could review these chapters and create a list of verses and the conditions they describe. What messages of hope did we find in these chapters? (If needed, you could refer class members to Isaiah 1:16–20, 25–27; 3:10.) If ancient Judah had a message for us, what might it be?
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Class members could pretend that they were living in Jerusalem when Isaiah prophesied. You could interview a few of them, asking them what Isaiah said and how they felt about it. For example, you might ask class members to talk about Isaiah’s words found in Isaiah 1:16–20; 3:16–26; 5:20–23. What did Isaiah say that inspires us to repent?
God will do a great work in the latter days.
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To help class members ponder how Isaiah’s prophecies about the last days are being fulfilled, you could select some verses from Isaiah 2; 4; 11–12 (such as Isaiah 2:2–3; 4:5–6). Then ask class members to find the future-tense verbs in these verses (such as “shall be” or “shall go”). Invite them to replace some of these with present-tense verbs (such as “is being” or “are going”). How are these prophecies being fulfilled in our lives? Why is it important to know about these prophecies?
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You might point out that when Moroni visited Joseph Smith in 1823, he quoted Isaiah 11 and said that it was about to be fulfilled (see Joseph Smith—History 1:40; see also Doctrine and Covenants 113:1–6). Class members could read a few verses from Isaiah 11 (such as verses 6–12) and summarize in their own words what Isaiah foresaw. What is our role in fulfilling these prophecies?
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6).
Isaiah prophesied of Jesus Christ.
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You might ask class members what they learn about Jesus Christ from passages such as Isaiah 7:14; 8:13–14; 9:2, 6–7. For example, why is Immanuel a good title for the Savior? (see Matthew 1:23). How has Jesus Christ been a “Counsellor” or “Prince of Peace” to us? Class members could also share other passages they found in Isaiah 1–12 that remind them of Jesus Christ. What do these passages teach us about Him?
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Before class, you could invite class members to bring a picture of Christ that they feel represents one of the descriptions of the Savior found in Isaiah 7–9. During class, give them time to show the picture they brought and explain how it relates to Isaiah’s words.
Additional Resources
Isaiah’s prophecies can have multiple fulfillments.
President Dallin H. Oaks taught: “The book of Isaiah contains numerous prophecies that seem to have multiple fulfillments. One seems to involve the people of Isaiah’s day or the circumstances of the next generation. Another meaning, often symbolic, seems to refer to events in the meridian of time, when Jerusalem was destroyed and her people scattered after the crucifixion of the Son of God. Still another meaning or fulfillment of the same prophecy seems to relate to the events attending the Second Coming of the Savior. The fact that many of these prophecies can have multiple meanings underscores the importance of our seeking revelation from the Holy Ghost to help us interpret them” (“Scripture Reading and Revelation,” Ensign, Jan. 1995, 8).
Improving Our Teaching
Invite the Spirit. “Sacred music, the scriptures, words of latter-day prophets, expressions of love and testimony, and moments of quiet contemplation can all invite the presence of the Spirit” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 10).