I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 9-12.

There are three messages for distributed throughout today’s passage.  One of them a warning of judgement against a sinful people who think that they are serving God and righteousness.  One of them a promise that God will send a Messiah, a Savior.  And one a warning against those whom God uses to punish the wicked.

Isaiah warns those leaders who lead the people to destruction through hypocrisy.  They are assisted in their task by religious leaders who lie and misuse God’s word.  These are the leaders who are busy working people up over a splinter while ignoring a gaping wound.  Closely related to that is God’s warning to Assyria, and other powers throughout history, whom He used to punish His people for their sin.  The Assyrians came to believe that their power was due to some innate superiority which they possessed, rather than a result of God seeking a tool to discipline His people.  Throughout history, nations and individuals have come to believe that they have more power than God.  They see the success they have had and believe they can do what they please to the weak and the powerless.  They believe they will never be held accountable.  Isaiah reminds us that they are mistaken.

Finally, and in a way related to the previous two points, Isaiah promises that a light will shine in the darkness.  Through Isaiah, God promised to raise up a leader who would show the way for people to worship Him.  A leader who will transform the world so that predators will prey on the weak no longer.  In chapter 9 verses 2 through 7, and then again in chapter 11, we see what God’s Messiah will be like.  We get an idea of what the followers of Jesus should act like.  Let us call all people from every nation to rally to the banner which Jesus holds up.  Let us unite in calling all people to abandon behaviors which harm both themselves and others while admitting that we ourselves have been guilty of such behaviors in the past.