God’s Story – Our Story
Bringing the Heat – In God We Trust?
July 14, 2024
Overarching Theme: 2024 – A Year in God’s Story
Instructions:
When using this resource as teacher, feel free to discern the points you wantto emphasize in the lesson. See “The Grand Sweep” material for additional
information.

Core Point: 2024 can be a year of living into God’s Story as we journey from
Genesis to Revelation together.
Reflect on this Scripture: Isaiah 28:14-18; 21-22 (NRSV)
14Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people inJerusalem. 15Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,and with Sheol we have an agreement; when the overwhelming scourge
passes through it will not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, andin falsehood we have taken shelter”; 16therefore thus says the Lord GOD,See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a preciouscornerstone, a sure foundation: “One who trusts will not panic.” 17And I will
make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; hail will sweep away
the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter. 18Then yourcovenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will notstand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through you will be beaten
down by it.
21For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim, he will rage as in the valleyof Gibeon; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien
is his work! 22Now therefore do not scoff, or your bonds will be madestronger; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD ofhosts upon the whole land.
Commentary: What is this “covenant of death” that Isaiah attributes tothose who “rule this people in Jerusalem?” This phrase likely refers to thefact that the Jerusalem government has made covenants in the form ofpolitical and military alliances (likely with Egypt in this case against an
impending Assyrian threat) instead of trusting in its covenant with the LORD.
The Isaiah tradition views all such political alliances as foolhardy attempts on
Israel’s part to secure its own existence, when in fact its real security cancome only from submission to and trust in the LORD. It is clear incovenantal theology that the king in Jerusalem is to be son and servant only

of the LORD and no other power. It is no wonder, then, that the prophetic
tradition maintains that the king’s choosing other alliances will only lead todeath and destruction. The Isaiah tradition consistently critiques all attempts
to secure our own existence through political posturing and military
expansionism. In the long run, such ventures are destructive and will notwork.
The prophetic oracle turns from this harsh indictment to a promise that God
will lay a “precious cornerstone” that will be the pivot point for the rebuilding
and restoration of Jerusalem and God’s people. The phrase is itself enigmaticand clearly appeals to architectural imagery. It is plausible that the precious
cornerstone here anticipated in the 8th Century B.C. is the rock-bottom faithout of which newness is possible. The early Church, in pondering this text,
took over the phrase and understood Jesus of Nazareth to be thecornerstone for God’s newness in the world (Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:4-8)-Adapted from “The Life with God Bible” Isaiah commentary by Walter
Brueggemann, pp. 1018,1020.

Questions to Ponder for Accountability in the Group:
1. Prophet Isaiah refers to political alliances/covenants with foreign
powers to be a “covenant with death.” How could these covenants
undermine their life giving covenant with the LORD?
2. Isaiah challenges the people to trust in God’s “foundation stone…aprecious cornerstone, a sure foundation” – to trust and not panic in
the face of adversity/opposition. Why is ‘panic’ deemed so unhelpful?
In what ways is panic the opposite of trust?
3. When are you most tempted to panic and what helps you ‘regain yourfooting’, trusting in God’s foundation?
4. 1 Peter 2:6 understands Isaiah’s ‘precious cornerstone’ to ultimately
find fulfillment in Jesus. What are some ways that Jesus can be a surefoundation for our spiritual lives today?
Activity for the Life of a Disciple:

1. Remember to find encouragement for the day by reading the daily
devotional from FUMCC.
2. Ponder and pray on this scripture this week: Isaiah 28:16 16therefore
thus says the Lord GOD, See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, atested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: “One whotrusts will not panic.”