Book of Isaiah Quiz: Prophecies Against the Nations

1. Chapters 13–23 of Isaiah are a collection of oracles (burdens) against various nations. Which nation receives the first and longest oracle in this section?

1. Assyria
2. Babylon
3. Egypt
4. Moab

2. Isaiah 14 contains a famous taunt against the king of Babylon, including a description of a fallen heavenly being. What is this being called in Isaiah 14:12?

1. Morning Star / Son of the Dawn (Lucifer in Latin)
2. The Ancient Serpent
3. The Great Dragon
4. The Prince of Darkness

3. What were the five 'I will' boasts of the king of Babylon (or the fallen morning star) in Isaiah 14?

1. 'I will ascend to heaven, raise my throne above the stars, sit on the mount of assembly, ascend above the clouds, make myself like the Most High'
2. 'I will be feared, I will be worshipped, I will be exalted, I will be eternal, I will be all-powerful'
3. 'I will overthrow nations, silence kings, darken the sun, destroy the righteous, outlast the ages'
4. 'I will rule, I will conquer, I will reign, I will destroy, I will be worshipped'

4. Isaiah 19 contains an oracle against Egypt, but it ends with a remarkable promise. What does God say Egypt, Assyria and Israel will be called together in that future day?

1. A blessing on the earth — 'my people Egypt, my handiwork Assyria, and my inheritance Israel'
2. The nations of the new covenant
3. The three kingdoms of God's redemption
4. The three pillars of the coming kingdom of God

5. Isaiah 22 contains the 'key of David' prophecy. God says he will give this key to Eliakim, placing it on his shoulder. What can Eliakim do with it?

1. Open the treasury of the Lord to fund the rebuilding of Jerusalem
2. Unlock the gates of Zion for the returning exiles
3. Unlock the sealed scrolls of prophecy
4. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open

6. Isaiah 24–27 is often called the 'Little Apocalypse.' What does Isaiah 24 say will happen to the earth because the people have disobeyed God's laws?

1. Darkness will cover it for three years
2. It will be flooded with the waters of judgment
3. Its harvest will fail and famine will spread across all nations
4. The earth will be laid waste, ravaged and ruined — its foundations shake

7. Isaiah 25:7-8 contains a breathtaking promise about death. What does God say he will do?

1. He will grant immortality to all who call on his name
2. He will judge the dead and raise the righteous to eternal life
3. He will open the graves and restore breath to the lifeless
4. He will swallow up death forever and wipe away all tears from every face

8. Isaiah 26:3 contains a famous promise about peace. What is the condition for receiving it?

1. Fasting and praying in the approved manner
2. Keeping all God's commandments faithfully
3. Offering sacrifices in the temple with a sincere heart
4. Trusting in God and keeping one's mind fixed steadfastly on him

9. Isaiah 26:19 contains an early Old Testament reference to what doctrine?

1. The bodily resurrection of the dead
2. The coming of the Holy Spirit to all people
3. The Day of the Lord and final judgment
4. The new covenant replacing the law of Moses

10. Isaiah 28:16 speaks of God laying a stone in Zion — a precious cornerstone. Who does the New Testament identify this stone as?

1. David the king
2. Jesus Christ
3. The law of Moses
4. The rebuilt temple

11. Isaiah 31 warns Israel against seeking help from Egypt. What is the core reason God gives for not trusting Egypt?

1. Egypt will betray Israel and sell them to their enemies
2. Egypt's armies have never won a battle against the Assyrians
3. Egypt's gods are false and powerless
4. Egyptians are human, not divine — their horses are flesh, not spirit

12. Isaiah 35 describes a highway through the desert called the Way of Holiness. Who will walk on it?

1. All nations who turn to God in the last days
2. Only the priests and Levites returning from exile
3. The armies of Israel marching to final victory
4. The redeemed of the Lord — the ransomed will return and enter Zion with singing

13. When Sennacherib king of Assyria threatened Jerusalem in Isaiah 36–37, what did King Hezekiah do with the threatening letter he received?

1. He read it to the people to rally their courage
2. He sent it to Egypt, asking Pharaoh to come to Jerusalem's rescue
3. He tore it up and threw it at the Assyrian envoy
4. He went into the temple, spread the letter out before the Lord and prayed

14. How did God deliver Jerusalem from Sennacherib's massive Assyrian army surrounding the city?

1. A sudden plague struck the Assyrian army and they retreated in chaos
2. God opened the eyes of Hezekiah's armies to see angelic warriors surrounding the Assyrians
3. He sent a mighty storm that scattered the Assyrian forces
4. The angel of the Lord put to death 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp overnight

15. Isaiah told Hezekiah he would die from his illness. Hezekiah prayed and wept bitterly, and God added how many years to his life?

1. 10 years
2. 15 years
3. 20 years
4. 5 years

16. What unusual sign did God give Hezekiah as confirmation that he would be healed and the city delivered?

1. A rainbow appeared over Jerusalem without any rain
2. A spring of fresh water burst from the rock beneath the temple
3. The morning star appeared at midday for one hour
4. The shadow went back ten steps on the sundial of Ahaz

17. After his recovery, Hezekiah foolishly showed Babylonian envoys all his treasures. What did Isaiah prophesy as a result of this?

1. An Assyrian army would return and plunder the treasuries he had shown them
2. Everything in the palace would be carried off to Babylon — and some of his descendants would serve in the Babylonian court
3. God would shorten the fifteen years he had added to Hezekiah's life
4. The Babylonians would return with a great army within one generation

18. Hezekiah's response to Isaiah's prophecy about Babylon was surprisingly selfish. What did he say?

1. 'I will pray and perhaps God will relent as he did with Nineveh'
2. 'Let it be as you have said — God's will be done'
3. 'The word of the Lord you have spoken is good' — for he thought there would be peace and security in his lifetime
4. 'Warn me of the day and I will secure the treasuries against that evil'

19. Isaiah 36 records the speech of the Assyrian Rabshakeh (field commander) to the people of Jerusalem. What was the thrust of his psychological warfare message?

1. 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you — no god of any nation has been able to deliver his people from Assyria's hand'
2. 'Join Assyria willingly and you will prosper — resist and you will be destroyed'
3. 'Your God has abandoned you because of your sins — submit to Sennacherib'
4. 'Your king Hezekiah has made a treaty with Egypt behind your backs — he has betrayed you'

20. Isaiah 35 includes a striking promise about physical healings in the coming age of restoration. Which of these is NOT one of the healings mentioned?

1. The dead will be raised to life
2. The ears of the deaf will be unstopped
3. The eyes of the blind will be opened
4. The lame will leap like a deer
5. The mute tongue will shout for joy