wow
Inductive Bible Study
You have learned the three steps—Observation, Interpretation, and Application. Now, let’s walk through the entire process using our example passage, Isaiah 55:8-13, to see how the Inductive Method comes alive.
START
Observation
Scripture
Use the menu to read Isaiah 55:8-13 in multiple versions. Focus on the purple verses. When you are ready click the obsesrvation button to continue.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Observation
Scripture
Use the menu to read Isaiah 55:8-13 in multiple versions. Focus on the purple verses. When you are ready click the obsesrvation button to continue.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”
Observation
Scripture
Use the menu to read Isaiah 55:8-13 in multiple versions. Focus on the purple verses. When you are ready click the obsesrvation button to continue.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”
Observation
Interpretation
Match the observations to the correct category or corresponding part.
Interpretation
Use the Resources Tab in the menu to answer the following questions. Click on the icon to view the resource.
Bible Handbook
Bible Dictionary
Commentary
Topical Lexicon (Key Words)
Application
Application
God's transcendent power guarantees the success of His saving Word and purpose, leading His people to joy and peace.
Focus on God's Guarantee. Meditate on the image of the rain/snow (vv. 10-11). Believe that God's plan for your salvation and transformation is as certain as the rain making the earth fruitful.
Replace doubt with trust. Commit to pausing when anxiety arises and reciting a simplified form of the truth: "His Word works; His plan succeeds."
Claim the promise of joy and peace. Write out Isaiah 55:12 and claim it over a current situation characterized by "thorns" (worry or distress).
Confess the sin of self-sufficiency. Name one area where you are trying to manage things in your own strength, believing your thoughts are superior to God's.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Title
Sin to Confess
Title
Truth to Believe
Title
Attitude to Change
Title
Promise to Claim
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Great Job!
You have completed your first inductive Bible study.
Click me to celebrate.
experience is never stated in those terms... The last datable prophecy records the Sennacherib crisis of 701 B.C. (chaps. 36-37), although the prophet may have continued to minister beyond this point. The Assumption of Isaiah, an apocryphal book, preserves the tradition that the prophet was sawn in half at the command of Manasseh, who began to reign around 689 B.C. Relatively little is known about the prophet in spite of the large book associated with him. He was the son of Amoz (1:1). Jewish tradition mentions Amoz as the brother of King Amaziah of Judah. If this assumption is correct, Isaiah and Uzziah were cousins, thus making Isaiah a member of the nobility. Isaiah was married to the "prophetess" and had at least two sons. The sons names were symbolic and served as warnings to Isaiah's generation of God's coming judgment.
Holman Illustrated BIble Dictionary
Isaiah
"Personal name meaning "Yahweh saves." Isaiah ministered primarily to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, although he was interested in the affairs of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during its time of demise and ultimate fall in 722/21 B.C. According to Isaiah 1:1, the prophet ministered under the Judahite kings of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Neither the beginning nor closing dates of Isaiah's prophesying ccan be discerned with certainty. Isaiah 6 dates the temple vision of Isaiah to the year of Uzziah's death in 740 B.C. Often the temple vision is assumed to be Isaiah's "call," but the
The message of Isaiah 40-66 is directed toward a later context, written to those Jews who were carried off in the Babylonian exile (after 5886 BC). Although some scholars assume that Isaiah 40-66 was written later during the Babylonian or Persion era, it is probalby best to see Isaiah prclaiming the material to those future exilies that he knows will be in Babylonia after Jerusalem inevitably falls. In Isaiah 55:6-7, God calls on sinners to repent and be saved. In light of the serious sin that Isaiah has been highlighting throughut the book, one might wonder how mercy and forgiveness can now be offerred. Isaiah 55:8-9, however, reminds us that God's ways and his understanding are often above us and not easy to grasp. God declares that his word is powerful and will accomplish all that he sends it out to accomplish (55:11). Therefore his people--indeed, all creation--will be filled with joy due to this gread deliverance (55:12-13).
Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook
The Book of Isaiah
Isaiah preached during some very tumultuous years. Dudring this time period the Assyrians are expanding their empire, brutally subduing nation after nation until they control most of the ancient Near East. Indeed, the Assyrians conquer and destroy the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C and lay seige on Jerusalem in 701 B.C. With such such geopolitical uncertainty, and with the five-hundred-pound Assyrian gorilla already in the backyard, the driving question for kings of Judah is, "Whom will you trust for deliverance?" This is the context for Isaiah 1-39.
translator. We need the Holy Spirit to enable us to ahve a heavenly perspective, we need "the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16). These verses offer rich encouragement regarding the power of God's word. Rain falls from heaven, waters the earth, and causes plants to grow (55:10). Even children understand this truth about how God made the world. But God says his Word works the same way. It proceds from his mouth and does not return...empty. It will accomplish what [he pleases] (55:11). Humans often make grand plans. They plot and scheme. Sometimes they succeed; often they fail. That's because they lack the power to guarantee their plans. Power is the ability to effect change or produce a desired result, and God's Word alone has that kind of guaranteed power. The unstoppable power of God's Word to accomplish all of his purposes, in fact, sets it apart in a class by itself. God's word is always purposeful, and his purposes are always achieved. The Bible can be trusted.
Tony Evans Bible Commentary
Isaiah 55:6-11
God's invitation was gracious, but there was an urgency to it. The wicked were warned to abandon their evil ways and thoughts and return to the LORD for forgiveness and restoration (55:7). God can forgive even the worst of sinners because, as he told Israel, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways...For as heaven is higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (55:8-9). If we're honest, grace does not make sense to us because it does not reflect how people treat one another on earth. But God's perspective is not our perspective. That is why we need a divine
Thoughts: The noun מַחֲשָׁבָה occurs roughly fifty-six times in the Hebrew Scriptures. It denotes mental activity that moves from inward reflection to outward purpose: thoughts, plans, intentions, schemes, artistic designs, or devices. The context determines whether the term carries a positive, neutral, or negative sense. Scripture repeatedly affirms that the LORD’s thoughts stand in majestic contrast to human reasoning. God’s מַחֲשָׁבוֹת are unchanging, morally pure, and effectual. They encompass creation (Psalm 92:5), providence (Psalm 40:5), discipline (Jeremiah 23:20), and salvation (Isaiah 55:7-9).
Bible Hub
Topical Lexicon
Ways: (derek) spans the concrete and the abstract. In its plain sense it denotes a road, highway, track, or journey, but the word quickly widens to express a course of action, a habitual pattern, moral choice, or even the providential direction of God Himself. From Genesis to Malachi, the term carries the reader along literal caravan routes, through moral decision-points, and into prophetic visions of the “way of the LORD.”
Inductive Bible Study
Micah Stover
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Transcript
wow
Inductive Bible Study
You have learned the three steps—Observation, Interpretation, and Application. Now, let’s walk through the entire process using our example passage, Isaiah 55:8-13, to see how the Inductive Method comes alive.
START
Observation
Scripture
Use the menu to read Isaiah 55:8-13 in multiple versions. Focus on the purple verses. When you are ready click the obsesrvation button to continue.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Observation
Scripture
Use the menu to read Isaiah 55:8-13 in multiple versions. Focus on the purple verses. When you are ready click the obsesrvation button to continue.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”
Observation
Scripture
Use the menu to read Isaiah 55:8-13 in multiple versions. Focus on the purple verses. When you are ready click the obsesrvation button to continue.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”
Observation
Interpretation
Match the observations to the correct category or corresponding part.
Interpretation
Use the Resources Tab in the menu to answer the following questions. Click on the icon to view the resource.
Bible Handbook
Bible Dictionary
Commentary
Topical Lexicon (Key Words)
Application
Application
God's transcendent power guarantees the success of His saving Word and purpose, leading His people to joy and peace.
Focus on God's Guarantee. Meditate on the image of the rain/snow (vv. 10-11). Believe that God's plan for your salvation and transformation is as certain as the rain making the earth fruitful.
Replace doubt with trust. Commit to pausing when anxiety arises and reciting a simplified form of the truth: "His Word works; His plan succeeds."
Claim the promise of joy and peace. Write out Isaiah 55:12 and claim it over a current situation characterized by "thorns" (worry or distress).
Confess the sin of self-sufficiency. Name one area where you are trying to manage things in your own strength, believing your thoughts are superior to God's.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Use this side of the card to provide more information about a topic. Focus on one concept. Make learning and communication more efficient.
Title
Sin to Confess
Title
Truth to Believe
Title
Attitude to Change
Title
Promise to Claim
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Write a brief description here
Great Job!
You have completed your first inductive Bible study.
Click me to celebrate.
experience is never stated in those terms... The last datable prophecy records the Sennacherib crisis of 701 B.C. (chaps. 36-37), although the prophet may have continued to minister beyond this point. The Assumption of Isaiah, an apocryphal book, preserves the tradition that the prophet was sawn in half at the command of Manasseh, who began to reign around 689 B.C. Relatively little is known about the prophet in spite of the large book associated with him. He was the son of Amoz (1:1). Jewish tradition mentions Amoz as the brother of King Amaziah of Judah. If this assumption is correct, Isaiah and Uzziah were cousins, thus making Isaiah a member of the nobility. Isaiah was married to the "prophetess" and had at least two sons. The sons names were symbolic and served as warnings to Isaiah's generation of God's coming judgment.
Holman Illustrated BIble Dictionary
Isaiah
"Personal name meaning "Yahweh saves." Isaiah ministered primarily to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, although he was interested in the affairs of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during its time of demise and ultimate fall in 722/21 B.C. According to Isaiah 1:1, the prophet ministered under the Judahite kings of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Neither the beginning nor closing dates of Isaiah's prophesying ccan be discerned with certainty. Isaiah 6 dates the temple vision of Isaiah to the year of Uzziah's death in 740 B.C. Often the temple vision is assumed to be Isaiah's "call," but the
The message of Isaiah 40-66 is directed toward a later context, written to those Jews who were carried off in the Babylonian exile (after 5886 BC). Although some scholars assume that Isaiah 40-66 was written later during the Babylonian or Persion era, it is probalby best to see Isaiah prclaiming the material to those future exilies that he knows will be in Babylonia after Jerusalem inevitably falls. In Isaiah 55:6-7, God calls on sinners to repent and be saved. In light of the serious sin that Isaiah has been highlighting throughut the book, one might wonder how mercy and forgiveness can now be offerred. Isaiah 55:8-9, however, reminds us that God's ways and his understanding are often above us and not easy to grasp. God declares that his word is powerful and will accomplish all that he sends it out to accomplish (55:11). Therefore his people--indeed, all creation--will be filled with joy due to this gread deliverance (55:12-13).
Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook
The Book of Isaiah
Isaiah preached during some very tumultuous years. Dudring this time period the Assyrians are expanding their empire, brutally subduing nation after nation until they control most of the ancient Near East. Indeed, the Assyrians conquer and destroy the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C and lay seige on Jerusalem in 701 B.C. With such such geopolitical uncertainty, and with the five-hundred-pound Assyrian gorilla already in the backyard, the driving question for kings of Judah is, "Whom will you trust for deliverance?" This is the context for Isaiah 1-39.
translator. We need the Holy Spirit to enable us to ahve a heavenly perspective, we need "the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16). These verses offer rich encouragement regarding the power of God's word. Rain falls from heaven, waters the earth, and causes plants to grow (55:10). Even children understand this truth about how God made the world. But God says his Word works the same way. It proceds from his mouth and does not return...empty. It will accomplish what [he pleases] (55:11). Humans often make grand plans. They plot and scheme. Sometimes they succeed; often they fail. That's because they lack the power to guarantee their plans. Power is the ability to effect change or produce a desired result, and God's Word alone has that kind of guaranteed power. The unstoppable power of God's Word to accomplish all of his purposes, in fact, sets it apart in a class by itself. God's word is always purposeful, and his purposes are always achieved. The Bible can be trusted.
Tony Evans Bible Commentary
Isaiah 55:6-11
God's invitation was gracious, but there was an urgency to it. The wicked were warned to abandon their evil ways and thoughts and return to the LORD for forgiveness and restoration (55:7). God can forgive even the worst of sinners because, as he told Israel, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways...For as heaven is higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (55:8-9). If we're honest, grace does not make sense to us because it does not reflect how people treat one another on earth. But God's perspective is not our perspective. That is why we need a divine
Thoughts: The noun מַחֲשָׁבָה occurs roughly fifty-six times in the Hebrew Scriptures. It denotes mental activity that moves from inward reflection to outward purpose: thoughts, plans, intentions, schemes, artistic designs, or devices. The context determines whether the term carries a positive, neutral, or negative sense. Scripture repeatedly affirms that the LORD’s thoughts stand in majestic contrast to human reasoning. God’s מַחֲשָׁבוֹת are unchanging, morally pure, and effectual. They encompass creation (Psalm 92:5), providence (Psalm 40:5), discipline (Jeremiah 23:20), and salvation (Isaiah 55:7-9).
Bible Hub
Topical Lexicon
Ways: (derek) spans the concrete and the abstract. In its plain sense it denotes a road, highway, track, or journey, but the word quickly widens to express a course of action, a habitual pattern, moral choice, or even the providential direction of God Himself. From Genesis to Malachi, the term carries the reader along literal caravan routes, through moral decision-points, and into prophetic visions of the “way of the LORD.”