Tag Archives: Isaiah

Isaiah 50, Revelation 10-11

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Isaiah 50 is one of the “servant prophecies” that refers to Jesus. It describes Jesus’ constant communication with God, submission to those that tortured him, trust in God, and reliance on God’s protection.  It provides an insight into the difficulty of Jesus’ life, as he endured so that we could have hope of salvation.

By contrast, Revelation 11 gives us a glimpse of the future kingdom, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever”. This is part of our hope, our motivation, for taking up our cross and following Jesus, looking for that city whose builder and maker is God.

 

Isaiah 49, Revelation 7-9

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Isaiah was told “the Lord, who is faithful…has chosen you.”  We too have been chosen by God, predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s son.  God constantly helped His people Israel, even when they turned their back on Him. Through Isaiah, God promised them “I will not forget you…I am the Lord your Saviour, and your redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob.“

In Revelation we read of those who have responded to God’s calling, who have accepted God’s help. “They are before the throne of God…shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore…God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” We have the chance to be part of the “great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”.

Let’s keep this vision of the future in our minds as we commence another week of battling against sin, and “stand firm in the faith“

Isaiah 45

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God created light and darkness, heaven and earth, clouds and rain. Yet He is also taking the time to shape us, from blobs of clay into something useful. There is none like God, who created the earth to be inhabited, who has given us a way to form a relationship with Him. God describes Himself as a righteous God and a Saviour. He makes us the offer, “turn to me and be saved”.

The culture of today highly values knowing important people, knowing intimate details of their life as though that somehow makes us more special. But we have knowledge and a relationship with the most powerful being ever to exist, who gave His son that we might have  hope.

Isaiah 42, 1 John 5

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“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you”. This passage might apply to Jesus, but I think it applies just as much to us. We serve an amazing God, so far beyond our understanding that He could create everything around us. This same God has also called us, you and me, to be righteous. Not only that, but He has stretched out His hand, to guide us and keep us on our journey.

We have been offered life and hope. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.” We can have confidence in this hope, provided we demonstrate our love for God by keeping His commandments.

Isaiah 35

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Isaiah 35 paints a marvellous portrait of the kingdom.  The weak hands and knees will be strengthened, the anxious will no longer fear, there will be gladness and joy, sorrow and sighing having fled away.

“Be strong; fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Joshua 22, Isaiah 28, Hebrews 11

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In Joshua 22 we read about the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh building an altar of witness, a permanent object to remind them and their descendants that they were part of the covenant made with God, to serve God and keep the law.  They describe the altar as “a witness between us that the Lord is God.”

God says in Isaiah 28 “I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation”.

Hebrews 11 describes faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” We’ve never physically seen that sure foundation that God created. We have no physical monument to remind us of the covenant we’ve made with God. But through faith, we know that the sure foundation of Christ exists, that we can build our lives on the certainty of God’s promise.  Through faith, we can be witnesses to each other, to encourage and remind of that covenant made with God, and help each other grow and develop in God’s love.

Joshua 13, Isaiah 17-18, 2 Timothy 3-4

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“To the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel is their inheritance”.  The Levites are great examples for us. They stood up for Godly principles, and in so doing received an inheritance greater than the physical land. Forced to rely completely on God for their continued existence, their lives were dedicated to God. Although by Isaiah’s time the people were condemned for not remembering “the God of your salvation…the Rock of your refuge”, the Levites were forced to live a life that demonstrated that trust, by virtue of them not receiving part of the promised land as an inheritance.

That sort of trust in God is important for us to develop, especially as Paul says “in the last days there will come times of difficulty”. We all have difficulties in our life, and together we can help each other overcome those difficulties.  Prayer for each other is an important part of that help, and when we’re aware of specific problems that others are having, I think it’s important to follow Paul’s example and pray for God to help them.

Let us, as Timothy, follow Paul’s teaching, conduct, aim in life, faith, patience, love and steadfastness, that we too might be “complete, equipped for every good work” in our discipleship of Christ.

 

1 Timothy 4-5

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Paul exhorts his readers to “train yourself for godliness…as it hold promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” This is something we each must do for ourselves. Although we can help each other, ultimately the similarity of our character to God’s character depends on our own thoughts and actions.

Just as Timothy was to be “an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” to the believers, we should do the same.  “We have our hope set on the living God“, a God whose “hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear“.  In this we can find great confidence and reassurance.

Joshua 7, Isaiah 11, 2 Thessalonians 3

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Joshua’s reaction to a difficult situation is a great example to us. He approaches God, leading the elders of Israel in heartfelt prayer until evening, to seek understanding and forgiveness. God responds to that prayer, and the problem is addressed, allowing Israel to continue to conquer the land.

God kept His promise that Israel would inherit the promised land, just as He was faithful to the prophecies about Messiah, the “shoot from the stump of Jesse“.  Isaiah paints a picture of a time we all long for, when Jesus will judge the poor with righteousness  when the breath of Jesus’ lips will kill the wicked, and the earth will be full of the knowledge of God.  Even at that time, God will extend mercy “yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people.”  Our God is both just and merciful, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance“.

Paul describes God as faithful. “He will establish you and guard you against the evil one…May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ“

 

Isaiah 5, Colossians 2

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“My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” That vineyard represented the house of Israel. Its hedge was removed, wall broken down, rain stopped, left to become a waste.  All because Israel rejected what God had done for them.

Paul encourages us to walk in Christ Jesus, “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught“.  We’ve been buried with Christ in baptism, and raised with Christ through faith in God.  We’ve been given “the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ“. Like Israel, we’ve been given everything necessary to be faithful and produce fruit.

It’s powerful, motivating, uplifting and encouraging  to reflect on all the things God has done for you and I.  We who were once dead,  “God made alive together with [Jesus], having forgiven us all our trespasses“. Let’s truly live for Christ, showing his love by our actions and care towards one another.