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

Today’s passage starts with the account of envoys from Babylon visiting King Hezekiah and the prophecy Isaiah made concerning them.  I have never quite understood Isaiah’s response to Hezekiah showing all of his treasures to the Babylonian envoys.  It reads a little bit like a reprimand, but does not make clear what Isaiah was saying Hezekiah had done wrong.  Perhaps it is merely here as a reminder that God had revealed the rise of Babylon long before Babylon was more than just a vassal state of Assyria.  It may serve as an introduction to Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the uselessness of idols, which are made by human hands.  God has foretold what will happen and no other god has done so.  God is unique among gods, among the things which mankind worships.  So, this passage starts with Isaiah prophesying the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon when Babylon was just a vassal state of Assyria, then he prophesies about how only God can tell us about what has not yet happened.  But that is not the only way in which God tells us about what has not yet happened.  God goes on and gives Isaiah a prophesy concerning the coming of His Chosen One, Jesus.  Isaiah talks about how God will give sight to those who are blind who turn to Him, and cause those who turn instead to idols to be unable to see the way even though they are not blind.  It seems to me that through Isaiah, God is telling us that those who think they do not God will fail to recognize how they should behave, while those who recognize their inability to know what is right without God will be shown how to act.

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

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

I had planned to skip this entirely after I missed it and failed to discover I had done so until mid-day, but I decided to add this in for future reference.

So, Isaiah tells us that God is the Creator of the Universe and nothing can be compared to Him.  Isaiah points out that everything that is not God has been made, and worshiping it seems silly when you think about it.  If we put our faith in anything, or anyone, other than God, we will become exhausted trying to deal with life, but if we trust in God, He will strengthen us.  God has chosen us, so we should not fear.  He is with us, we need not be dismayed.  Do not be afraid, God will help you.

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

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

In chapter 40 Isaiah writes of a voice calling out a message.  John the Baptist understood the voice to be in the wilderness calling out.  The translators of the NIV understood the voice to be telling us to prepare the way in the wilderness.  I like John the Baptist’s take a little better.  In any case, I think the passage is referring to our hearts, because that was what John the Baptist was doing when he said he was the voice: he was calling for people to make a way in their hearts for God.  I suspect that Isaiah actually meant to skirt the line between speaking about a voice calling out for a path to be made in the world for the coming of God’s Messiah and calling out for us to clear out the obstacles in ourselves to doing God’s will.  I don’t believe that God expects us to clear the path, to lower mountains and fill in valleys (either in the real world, or in ourselves).  No, He wants us to begin the task and He will finish it.  We need to be willing to destroy the obstacles in our lives to doing God’s will and we need to try doing so, but when it happens, let us give credit to God.

When I started this entry I intended to write something about lifting up our voices, without fear, to declare to people, “Here is your God.” I was about to skip over that, but I want to expand on it a bit.  First, that is good news, which will cause people to rejoice when they understand it.  Second, who is this God whose presence we declare, to whom or what can He be compared?  Well, He created all that we can see.  Think about the recent pictures released from the James Webb Telescope.  All that those pictures display was brought into being by God.  As carefully arranged as the Universe is, God consulted no one in its design and no one taught Him the engineering to make it work.  And, He does not grow tired.  Instead He gives strength to the weary.  Even the greatest athlete runs down, no matter how much work they put into enhancing their endurance.  But, if we put our trust in God, He will renew our strength.  Which brings me back to making a path in our hearts for God.  Clearing out the sins and distractions which obstruct God entering into our lives is exhausting, but if we keep calling out to God, He will give us the strength to continue.  When you grow tired of doing God’s will, cry out to Him and He will cause you to soar once more.

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

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

Since I am going to be on vacation from July 31-August 9 I have already written my blog posts for these days and scheduled them to be posted.  However, I may not be able to post a link to them on FaceBook, Gab.com, or MeWe.com during every day (or any day) during this time period.  So, please continue to visit my site to read my daily devotional.

There are multiple things in today’s passage which are worth giving thought, but I want to write about God’s call on the idols of this world to tell us what is going to happen, and then His claim to be the first to reveal things to man.  For whatever reason, reading this made me think of all of the things which Christianity supposedly borrowed from other religions.  For example, Zoroastrianism contains many similarities to Christianity and is older than Christianity.  However, none of the pre-Christian documents concerning Zoroastrianism contain the elements which Christianity supposedly borrowed from Zoroastrianism.  All of the documents which contain those elements first appear long after the New Testament was written.  If one examines the similar claims from other religions, one discovers the same sort of thing, all of the documentation which is older than Christianity does not really look like the ideas in the New Testament.  Only after the New Testament was widely known do writings connected with these other religions contain elements which look like the elements of Christianity which were supposedly borrowed from those religions.

I know the above is a bit of a stretch from what is said in the passage (although I do believe it to be consistent with the point Isaiah is making here).  However, it is something which stirs me, because I used to believe those who claimed Christianity was derivative.  Perhaps someday soon I will do a separate blog on the topic of things which people claim Christianity borrowed.

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

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 39-42.

The verse where Isaiah refers to a voice crying to make a straight path through the wilderness for the Lord is a prophecy which John the Baptist applied to himself.  However, it is part of a command for us.  We too should be shouting for all the world to hear that God is coming, both as Savior and as Judge.  He will provide water to the needy in a parched land.  He will also confuse and humiliate those who oppose and oppress His people.  Let us not be afraid to tell people that God is coming, both as an invitation and as a warning: a warning to the wicked, an invitation to the weak and lonely.  And remember that for most people our announcement should be both a warning and an invitation.

Further, our announcement should server to show people that God is different from the gods made by humans.  God is not just an idea which people created to ease their fear of the dark and unknown.  God revealed long ago many things which have since happened, and has revealed things which are still to come.  He shows His power so that we can know that He is real.

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.