I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation through August 10th.  I have prepared my daily Bible Studies for each day throughout that time in advance since I will have limited access to the Internet during this time.  The timing on when I publish these blogs may be erratic during this time.  As I feared might happen, I was unable to get this published as soon as I would have liked.  My apologies to anyone whose Bible study schedule was disrupted.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 60-63.

When I was growing up, from time to time my Dad would say that many of the Old Testament prophecies referred to more than one future event.  That has always stuck with me and influenced my understanding of these prophecies because I believe that he was correct.  For example the description in today’s passage about the ways in which the people of Israel will return to Jerusalem reminds me of modern Israel.  The way in which Isaiah describes the Jewish people returning from all over the world,  followed by his description of the economic success of the restored nation, strikes me as being fulfilled by the establishment of the modern state of Israel.  But then Isaiah goes on to speak of them living in the land in peace and the parallels fall apart.

Then I get to the end of today’s passage where Isaiah refers to God bemoaning how the people of Israel betrayed Him time and again.  This made me think of something one of my brothers says about Israel: since they returned from the Babylonian Exile the descendants of Jacob have never been sovereign over the Land of Israel for more than 100 consecutive years at a time.  This leads me to believe that these prophecies of their return have been fulfilled more than once.  Each time, the final fulfillment has been delayed because they have, like every other people, turned away from God to sin.  However, the day will come when God’s people will not turn away from Him and He will finally bring them peace.

Today’s passage also contains the passage which Jesus used to announce the beginning of His ministry.   Jesus declared that the Spirit of God was on Him to declare good news that the time of the Lord’s favor had come.  Jesus stopped reading there, but the passage continued one more key line: the time of God’s favor was also the time of His vengeance.  The Good News which Jesus gave us includes both God’s favor on the faithful and His vengeance against the wicked.  

And speaking of God’s vengeance, Isaiah 63 verses 3 and following inspired the song “Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory”.  That writer of that song saw fulfillment of God trampling His foes in the horrors of the Civil War.  I believe that there use of those themes was more apt than the writer realized.  Certainly, the Civil war can be aptly viewed as God trampling His foes and avenging the oppressed.  The writer in my view inaccurately believed the Union Army to be doing the trampling for God, when in fact the Union Army was as much the subject of God’s trampling as the Confederate Army.   The blood, death, and suffering of the Civil War was God’s punishment upon the people of the Untied States for allowing the injustice and oppression of the institution of slavery to go on as long as it did.  This passage and that song remind us that while there is great joy when God takes His vengeance, it is also a time of great suffering.  Let us pray that the day of God’s vengeance is delayed and that those whose actions bring it ever closer will repent and turn to God before that day arrives.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation through August 10th.  I have prepared my daily Bible Studies for each day throughout that time in advance since I will have limited access to the Internet during this time.  The timing on when I publish these blogs may be erratic during this time.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 57-59.

The prophet tells us, almost as an aside, that when the good die before what we would consider “their time”, God is protecting them from coming evil.  Those of us who survive them should be more concerned about what God is leaving us to face than about grieving over those who will face no more suffering.

The rest of the passage contains messages about our sin and what true worship of God looks like.  Attending Church every Sunday, singing the good songs, listening to sermons about the Bible do not compose true worship of God.  No, true worship involves feeding the hungry, freeing the oppressed, and providing shelter for the homeless.  There is nothing wrong with that first set of actions, but they will not bring us into a relationship with God unless we are doing the second set.  Our sins cut us off from God.

OK, changing direction here a bit.  Isaiah was explaining to the people of Jerusalem why bad things were happening to them, even during King Hezekiah’s reign.  When people are more concerned with what is in it for them than in what is fair and honest, bad things will happen.  As I read Isaiah’s condemnation of the people to whom I speaks, I see parallels to our society today.  They worship idols, constantly seeking out new and different idols to satisfy their cravings.  They sacrifice their children and demand the right to call on others to sacrifice theirs.  They redefine “good” and call those who call people to righteous behavior evil.  People pay lip service to God while refusing to listen to His commands.  Yet, for all of our sin and rejection of God, He still offers us healing and salvation.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation through August 10th.  I have prepared my daily Bible Studies for each day throughout that time in advance since I will have limited access to the Internet during this time.  The timing on when I publish these blogs may be erratic during this time.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 52-56.

I have always seen the portion of this passage about the messenger who brings good news (chapter 52 verses 7-12) separated from the portion about the suffering servant (starting with verse 13 and continuing through the next chapter).  However, as I read today I saw that the suffering servant was also the messenger who brings good news (chapter 53, verse 1).    His suffering made it possible for us to be healed.  He bore our sins so that we could be counted as righteous.

I love reading this whole passage.  It is incredibly powerful.  We separate it into parts because the prophet includes so much that we cannot possibly cover it all at once.  Chapter 54 tells us the results of the actions of God’s suffering servant, the Messiah.  Then chapter 55 explains the message which God’s servant brought and why He brought it.  Jesus has invited all to come and drink of the Water of Life.  God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts.  Stop trying to put Him in a box.  Stop trying to take God’s words and use them for our ends.  Isaiah tells us that God’s words accomplish God’s purpose, every time, all of the time.  I just wrote that we should stop trying to use God’s words for our selfish ends.  I meant that, but for our own sake, not for the sake of those who hear us.  We are the ones who suffer for misusing God’s words.  When we speak God’s words ,even if we have distorted them, they accomplish God’s purpose.

Isaiah tells us to be accepting of everyone who commits themselves to God, because God has already done so.  God calls us to be just and fair to everyone, to always do what is right and good.  If we reject any one who has committed themselves to God, we reject God.  There was so much more I wanted to say about this passage, but it just is not coming out.  Well, I wrote of how God’s words accomplish His purpose.  So, read the words He gave the prophet Isaiah and see the power they possess.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation through August 10th.  I have prepared my daily Bible Studies for each day throughout that time in advance since I will have limited access to the Internet during this time.  The timing on when I publish these blogs may be erratic during this time. 

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 48-51.

Usually I am skeptical that God provides prophecies like that recorded here, where Isaiah calls out by name as the conqueror of Babylon a man who was not yet born when Isaiah died.  However, this passage explicitly states that God is making a prophecy so that those who heard it could not doubt His power.  No image or other god could have done what God did through Isaiah.  God does not usually make such prophecies, but He is not bound to not do so.  God does not usually give such specific information about the future, but that does not mean that He is unable to do so.  Nor does it mean that He did not do so this time.

Chapter 49 contains another portion of Isaiah’s Messianic prophecy, but in some ways that portion applies to everyone who serves God.  God called Jesus while He was still in the womb, but He has also called each and every one of us.  First let us look at how more of this applies to Jesus.  As an adult, He never traveled more than 100 miles from where He grew up.  The movers and shakers of the world never heard of Him before His death.  At the time He was crucified, it would seem as if His life amounted to nothing.  Yet, His ministry brought God’s salvation to the ends of the Earth.  Our work may seem useless. but God sees it differently.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation through August 10th.  I have prepared my daily Bible Studies for each day throughout that time in advance since I will have limited access to the Internet during this time.  The timing on when I publish these blogs may be erratic during this time.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 43-47.

The God of Abraham created the world and there is no other god.  That is the main theme of this passage.  Isaiah makes a few other points in this passage but he keeps coming back to that one.  Isaiah starts today’s passage with God’s promise to be with the descendants of Jacob no matter what difficulty they may experience.  When they go through deep waters, they will not drown because God will save them.  When they walk through fire, they will not be burned up.  He makes clear that these are metaphors for whatever troubles they may face.  The prophet tells us that God traded others lives for those of the people of Israel.  But what of us who are not descendants of Jacob?  Isaiah gives us God’s answer to that as well.  God has called to bring the people of Israel together and includes with them everyone who claims Him as their God.  God has chosen as His own all who claim Him as their God.

And for what purpose has God chosen us?  He has chosen us to know Him, to believe in Him, and to know that He alone is God.  We are witnesses to the fact that there is no other god.  God has shown us His power and calls on us to proclaim that fact.  The prophet spends a few paragraphs illustrating why worshiping an idol made with human hands is silly.  Then he goes on to predict the restoration of Israel from an Exile that has yet to happen (I will note that there are those who believe this section was written after the return from Exile, but the starting point for making that case is the disbelief that the prophet could have predicted the return).  God predicted through His prophets that the people of Israel would go into exile and, through those same prophets, He predicted that they would return.

Those who seek God will find Him.  He does not have secrets which He hides from those who wish to know.  Those who claim to have secrets from God which only they know are liars.  God does not whisper obscurities in dark corners.  He boldly proclaims His promises and His wishes.  There is no secret hidden code which you need to discover to understand what God has to say.  The prophet spells this out clearly for us in Isaiah 45:19, but really that theme is throughout today’s passage along with God’s declaration that He alone is God.  The time will come when every knee will bow before God and declare allegiance to Him.  No one will be able to claim that they did not know. 

I want to wrap up by coming back to the twofold theme which is central to this passage.  God created all that exists and is sovereign over all of it.  There is no other which can challenge His sovereignty.  The first addresses those who believe there is no God.  The second addresses those who believe there are other gods, other Truths.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation today through August 10th.  I have prepared my daily Bible Studies for each day throughout that time in advance since I will have limited access to the Internet during this time.  The timing on when I publish these blogs may be erratic during this time.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 39-42.

John the Baptist applied Isaiah 40 to himself, which helps me see the prophet’s meaning.  When I read this passage I have a tendency to imagine God clearing a path in front of Himself, leveling hills and filling in valleys with the rubble, creating a smooth, straight path,  kind of like you might see in a Science Fiction movie.  But comparing what this passage actually says with John the Baptist’s ministry gives me another picture.  I picture each one of us clearing out the obstacles and distractions which separate us from God.  John the Baptist called for people to clean up their lives and open themselves to God.  I believe that is the image the prophet was going for here as well.  The prophet even tells us why we should clear the way for God to come to us.  God coming to us will bring us great joy.  We may not know it, but we want what God is bringing us.  

Isaiah goes on to describe God’s great and wonderful power.   No one and nothing can compare to God.  The sun, moon, and stars cannot compare because God made each and everyone of them.  What idol made by man could possibly compare?  God has spoken of what happened in the past and what will happen in the future.  God has performed wonders time and again.  Good luck finding an idol which can compare.  

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.  I am going to be on vacation starting tomorrow through August 10th.  I have read the passages and prepared my blog entries for each day.  While I am on vacation I will have limited access to the Internet, but I expect to be able to get these published each day.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 36-38.

Isaiah gives his account of the Assyrian invasion of Judah.    I want to look more closely at the initial statement of the Assyrians versus what they really thought.  When the Assyrian envoy first spoke to King Hezekiah’s delegation he gave lip service to God’s power.  He told them that the Assyrians had invaded Judah at God’s direction.  However, when Hezekiah’s envoys pushed back, the envoy revealed what the Assyrians really thought of God.  The Assyrians thought that God was just a made up idea like the gods of other nations.  They believed that because they had defeated many nations with various gods that God was powerless to stop them.  We see similar behavior often when we speak up for God’s will.  Those who oppose us will, at first, pretend to take God seriously and pay lip service to honoring Him.  They will make a case that God supports their cause.  Do not be fooled.  An examination of what they say in other contexts will soon reveal that they hold God, and those who serve Him, in contempt.  

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 32-35.

Isaiah speaks of the day when the Messiah will rule.  As he tells us of that day we learn some things about today which we should seek to change.  In Christ’s Kingdom, ungodly fools are not heroes and scoundrels are not respected.    So, as I look at the world around me I see many ungodly fools who are held up as heroes and see scoundrels being spoken of with respect.  It would be one thing if those doing this were unaware that those they speak words of respect were scoundrels, but the fact of the matter is that they often admire these scoundrels because they are scoundrels.  They speak highly of people they know have lied to convict the poor, even though the cause of those thus convicted was just.  As a servant of Christ I will seek to never hold up a scoundrel as worthy of respect, except perhaps when he abandons being a scoundrel.

Isaiah goes on to speak about the fall of Assyria and its causes.  As is so often the case, Isaiah’s message is for and about more than just the Assyrians.  He transitions into a message for all nations.  Assyria fell and was completely destroyed because the Assyrians did not keep the treaties they made and broke their promises as soon as it was convenient.  Their wealth and power did not come from the productivity of their people.  They took from those more productive than themselves and left rubble in their wake.  Eventually, their destructive behavior meant that they could no longer obtain sufficient wealth to continue to maintain their empire.  Those who profited from helping the Assyrians extract wealth from those around them were terrified by the upending of the economic system they had come to rely on.  They saw the disruption to their lifestyle and were convinced that none could withstand the destruction.  Isaiah reminds us that those who deal fairly with others can easily survive when the economy collapses.  Do not rely on taking advantage of political connections and defrauding those without them for your living and you will be prepared to weather the economic storms which come.