Tag Archives: Isaiah

Isaiah 41, 1 John 3-4

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Isaiah continues his message of hope in chapter 41, with God reminding Israel three times that He is with them, that He has chosen them and will help them. This is part of the comforting that Isaiah commenced in chapter 40.

God says “”You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  This is the God who causes coastlines to fear, the ends of the earth to tremble, who turns the wilderness into pools of water. This all-powerful deity has also said “I … hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you”“.

John reminds us that we have been called to also be part of this family that God comforts. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” God has shown His love, strengthening and helping us. It’s up to us to respond by loving not “in word or talk but in deed and in truth”.

Isaiah 26-27, Hebrews 10

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Isaiah continues his theme of the kingdom, referring to the future city, a time of peace, when “the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness“, and God has punished “the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity“. This will be a time when “those who were lost… and those who were driven out… will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem“.

Those who wish to enter that city should “trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock“. God keeps “in perfect peace” those who trust in Him, who focus their mind on Him. Isaiah writes “my soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you“. This is the passion we should have for God, focusing our lives in Him, constantly seeking Him.

While we wait for this time Isaiah writes about, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works”.

Isaiah 25, Hebrews 8-9

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Isaiah 25 starts with a song of praise, thanking and praising God for the future establishment of His kingdom on earth. “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure … For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress”.

Isaiah describes a time when all will be invited to a feast, much like Jesus’ parables of the kingdom. Death will be swallowed up forever, “and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces”.  On that day, people will say “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us … let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Hebrews 8-9 describes the work of Christ as a sacrifice and high priest, making it possible for us to be part of the future Isaiah wrote about. It’s up to us to respond to God’s calling, to have God’s laws written in our hearts and minds, to be God’s people, knowing that Christ will shortly “appear a second time… to save those who are eagerly waiting for him”.

Isaiah 9, 1 Thessalonians 5

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Isaiah 9 is a chapter of both hope and judgement. It starts with a prophecy of the birth of Christ, a great light in a time of darkness, who will sit “on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.”

Israel are condemned for their arrogance, “The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,
and it will fall on Israel… The people did not turn to him who struck them, nor inquire of the Lord of hosts.”  Yet twice we find the phrase “For all this his anger has not turned away,
and his hand is stretched out still.” We have a great and merciful God, who waits for the lost to return to Him.

We are encouraged to be children of light, to follow the example of Christ in illuminating a dark world. “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up”.

Isaiah 6, Colossians 3-4

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Having been provided with knowledge of the future and the glory of God, Isaiah feels inadequate to serve God.  “Woe is me… I am a man of unclean lips“.  Yet the seraphim reassures Isaiah that God can work with him, “your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”  So when the voice of the Lord cries “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?“, Isaiah willingly volunteers to be God’s messenger.

This is similar to our own situation. We’ve been called by God to serve Him, offered hope and a part of God’s future. Yet we feel unable to serve God, too inadequate to even share the message of hope we’ve been given.  Like Isaiah, we should be reassured that God is with us, and be eager to share our hope with others.

Paul offers the Colossians advice on living this way. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom… do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus… continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving“.

Deuteronomy 30, Isaiah 2

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Moses describes God’s mercy in Deuteronomy 30. If Israel return to God, obey His voice with all their heart and soul, then God would restore their fortunes and have mercy on them, gathering them from among the people they had been scattered.  Israel were offered a choice between life and good, death and evil.  The choice of life and good wasn’t beyond their reach, in heaven or across the sea, instead it was “very near” them, in their mouth and heart. “Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him“.

Isaiah 2 paints a future for those who choose life, a time when “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains… and all the nations shall flow to it“.  This is a future where “the haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day“.

“Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” is Isaiah’s plea to Israel, and to us.

 

Isaiah 1

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From the opening chapter of Isaiah, we read of God’s condemnation of a sinful and disobedient people. Israel is described as “a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity… they have forsaken the Lord… they are utterly estranged”.  Even their attempts to serve God were not acceptable, offering “vain sacrifices”.  God said He would hide His eyes, and not listen to their prayers.

Yet we can find encouragement for us, even in a chapter describing how far Israel had strayed.  The chapter concludes with a message of hope. “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land”. Whatever situation we’re in, no matter how far we might feel from God, if we return to Him then He will forgive us, just as He forgave Israel time and again.

1 Kings 6, Jeremiah 32, Mark 6

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In 1 Kings we read about the construction of the temple that Solomon built for God. It was a lavish building that took 7 years to complete, yet God makes the point that this temple wasn’t the reason God would dwell among the children of Israel.  Rather, it was conditional on them walking in God’s statutes, obeying His rules, keeping His commandments and walking in them.  As God tells Isaiah, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? … this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.“

Mark 6 describes the perfect example of such a person. Jesus, who knew God’s word so well that he could astonish the “experts” of the law, who selflessly healed “many who were sick”, who had compassion on the multitudes of people because they had no shepherd, feeding them spiritually and physically, who interrupted his night of prayer to comfort his disciples caught in a storm. In this Jesus manifested God perfectly, to whom Jeremiah exclaimed “Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands“.

Let’s follow God’s advice to Solomon, and imitate Jesus’ attitude, so that together we are built up as a spiritual house for God.

Jeremiah 27

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Jeremiah is sent to prophesy God’s words to Zedekiah and the delegates of the kings visiting him, “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me.” They were to serve Nebuchadnezzar, or be punished with sword, famine and pestilence.

From a natural point of view, relinquishing their national identity to serve a foreign king, instead of remaining autonomous, ostensibly a nation serving God, seems like a bad idea. Yet in two chapters time we discover that this submission and the captivity it involved was for the benefit of God’s people.  The same can be true in our lives, being placed in circumstances that don’t make sense to us, yet it is for our benefit rather than detriment.

We can take comfort in knowing that God’s arm is outstretched to save, and that He knows us better than we know ourselves. “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

 

 

Jeremiah 1, Matthew 12

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God sends Jeremiah to “go to all that I sahll send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak”. Despite God’s assurances, Jeremiah is afraid.  God’s encouragement for Jeremiah to stand out and speak God’s word applies for us as well, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you“.

Jesus reinforces this message. “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  We’ve been called to be children of God, to be part of the same family as Jesus, and along with that comes the responsibility to do the will of God.  We’ve been warned that this will be difficult, but we also have encouragement from God who has “bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”  Our God is mighty to save, and will be with us to deliver us.