Isaiah 66 brings the book of Isaiah to an end - and what an end!
I've been reading Isaiah in the ESV, primarily. My daughter talked me into purchasing an ESV edition of the Bible, which came with the ability to view it and all commentaries to it online. I like reviewing different versions of the Bible. I like comparing them. My 'go to' favorite is the NIV - but the verses I learned in my childhood and youth were from the King James, and they still come back to my mind most easily. I find it harder to memorize accurately from other versions, because the King James is so rooted in my mind. My solution for that is a site called Bible Gateway. I can type in a word or a phrase and immediately access what I am trying to locate. And - on Bible Gateway I can compare multiple versions of the Bible, without having open books strewn all over my desk.... It makes comparisons very convenient!
I mention that to say, when I find small issues in God's Word that don't quite jell for me, I know that it could be because I don't see through God's eyes - or because a word or concept might have been mistranslated. I absolutely believe that the Bible is God's Word - and that in its given form it is inerrant - and it is primarily my understanding that is flawed...but I also know that in the process of translation, there are times that trying to say in English what was said in the original Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek (as the case may be), is problematic.
I have an old translation of the New Testament that was translated directly from the Aramaic. I have found things in it that make more sense to me than the way I have seen the same passage translated in the other translations I use - and it was that awareness that brought me to realize there is still a human factor that must be accounted for when something seems ambiguous.
The good news is that none of those minor issues have clouded the general theological concepts we adhere to. Those are rock solid. One of the greatest proofs of that was the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran in 1947. The scrolls found there predated all other scrolls that had ever been located - and they attested to the accuracy of the transmission of God's Word.
God is eternal. God is the Creator of the universe. God gave us His Word so we could know Him and His character. He cannot violate who He is. He does not lie. I may grapple with specific things that don't make sense yet to me - but I can trust Him. His Word is true. I can also trust Him to grant me wisdom and insight as He sees fit. All of that is an aside. I mention it because there are things in Isaiah I do not understand - but there is far more that I 'get' and I've loved walking through it - one day at a time; one chapter at a time. When I realized that today Isaiah ends, I was disappointed.
Isaiah 66:1: Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool...." That certainly puts things in perspective! He goes on to declare that he made everything - referencing the heaven and the earth, and yet, in that moment of declaring His majesty, His next thought is this: "But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word."
I read the rest of the chapter before beginning to write - but I am stuck here for the moment. I'll be back to conclude the chapter later. I don't want to go further right now and miss the weight of this one crucial message....
In real time, it is 5 hours later. My blog entry time won't reflect that I took a break - but I did.
This is a very self-explanatory chapter. It is a draw-us-up-short reminder of what is important to God. Not edifices, not sacrifices, but the humility of recognizing who He is, and that we're not. There is nothing we can 'do' to earn His favor. However, he extends it to the tenderhearted openly.
Isaiah 66 concludes with another affirmation for God's plan for Israel. Again, there are threads of layered prophecy: pointing first to the birth of Jesus - she delivered a son - and then to end of time when He will gather all nations and tongues.
Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path. Thank you, Lord, for the faithful witness of Isaiah.
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 21
When I re-read my highlighted portions of Isaiah 64 this morning before moving on to the next chapter, something leaped out at me that I didn't pay attention to yesterday. The one simple word is 'all'. In verse 8, where it says, "we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand' I didn't take note of the 'all', in fact, when I went back to yesterday's blog entry, I had left out the all. So I fixed it!
If I were not committed to doing a chapter a day I think I could easily get stuck for several days on one chapter - but, I remind myself, this is not a Bible Study, this is for my devotions, so I will hit highlights that leap out to me and move on.
At the end of Isaiah 64, Isaiah asks God, "Will you keep silent?"
God was exasperated beyond measure with His chosen people. Isaiah 65, therefore, is prophetic of the period of the Acts of the Apostles. God's response to Isaiah's question , it appears, is to announce to Isaiah that God will extend His favor to us - the Gentiles. "I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' to a nation that was not called by my name." That extends to everyone else who is not His chosen people, Israel. But - that time of the Gentiles has a limit - and with the Bible prophecy unfolding before our eyes at warp speed, that time is near its end.
God disciplines His unbelieving child (Israel) but He does not forsake her. Isaiah 65 portrays both the beauty and the peace that will return to Israel. God will have a remnant who do not forsake Him, and His anger will not last forever. It can't. He promised otherwise, and He keeps His promises.
The last section of the chapter defines that time of perfection. Some of it still confuses me. But most of it sounds like the Thousand Year Reign when Jesus first comes back to earth. God declares through Isaiah, "For, behold I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." He tells in present tense, "I create Jerusalem to be a joy...." And in future tense, "I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people...."
The part that doesn't track for me is when He talks about death still occurring. And sinners who are accursed.... I'm going to have to do some further digging to see if I can sort this out. Otherwise, it is going to just have to be one of those things I trust to God.
I love the hope portrayed as this chapter ends: "...Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the LORD.
Our world is topsy-turvy. It calls evil good, and good evil. But God's Word is our plumb line. Even when there are things I don't understand for the moment - I know God's Word is true.
Postscript about April 1:
Today is April Fool's Day. Several years ago I heard it called the Athiest's Holiday because of 2 verses in Psalms, 14:1 and 53:1.
Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1 are nearly identical in the NIV:
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
This morning I told Al April 1 is the Athiest's Holiday. He asked why, and I said, "Well, everyone needs a day and this is theirs." He persisted with 'why' so I quoted that verse. I probably shouldn't have. But - we have been having an ongoing discussion about 'religion' this week ever since he called me down the other night to watch a movie he found on T V called Religulous.
This morning I explained to him that I understand doubt - but that the Bible was written over a period of 1500 years, and completed almost 2000 years ago - yet what it says is true. He says it is manipulated, and that even 1500 years is short in the time of man's existence. I said, "Not if man has only been on earth for 6,000 years." He laughed at me, as usual, and the conversation ended shortly after that....
It was only in looking up the verse just now that I am seeing it in context. The rest of that verse reads, " They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."
The NIV footnote says, "The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denotes one who is morally deficient."
In reality the rest of the chapter speaks more clearly to my concern of not seeking Truth from the One who is Truth.
The chapter, in its entirety is:
1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on God.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.
6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
If I were not committed to doing a chapter a day I think I could easily get stuck for several days on one chapter - but, I remind myself, this is not a Bible Study, this is for my devotions, so I will hit highlights that leap out to me and move on.
At the end of Isaiah 64, Isaiah asks God, "Will you keep silent?"
God was exasperated beyond measure with His chosen people. Isaiah 65, therefore, is prophetic of the period of the Acts of the Apostles. God's response to Isaiah's question , it appears, is to announce to Isaiah that God will extend His favor to us - the Gentiles. "I said, 'Here am I, here am I,' to a nation that was not called by my name." That extends to everyone else who is not His chosen people, Israel. But - that time of the Gentiles has a limit - and with the Bible prophecy unfolding before our eyes at warp speed, that time is near its end.
God disciplines His unbelieving child (Israel) but He does not forsake her. Isaiah 65 portrays both the beauty and the peace that will return to Israel. God will have a remnant who do not forsake Him, and His anger will not last forever. It can't. He promised otherwise, and He keeps His promises.
The last section of the chapter defines that time of perfection. Some of it still confuses me. But most of it sounds like the Thousand Year Reign when Jesus first comes back to earth. God declares through Isaiah, "For, behold I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." He tells in present tense, "I create Jerusalem to be a joy...." And in future tense, "I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people...."
The part that doesn't track for me is when He talks about death still occurring. And sinners who are accursed.... I'm going to have to do some further digging to see if I can sort this out. Otherwise, it is going to just have to be one of those things I trust to God.
I love the hope portrayed as this chapter ends: "...Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the LORD.
Our world is topsy-turvy. It calls evil good, and good evil. But God's Word is our plumb line. Even when there are things I don't understand for the moment - I know God's Word is true.
Postscript about April 1:
Today is April Fool's Day. Several years ago I heard it called the Athiest's Holiday because of 2 verses in Psalms, 14:1 and 53:1.
Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1 are nearly identical in the NIV:
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
This morning I told Al April 1 is the Athiest's Holiday. He asked why, and I said, "Well, everyone needs a day and this is theirs." He persisted with 'why' so I quoted that verse. I probably shouldn't have. But - we have been having an ongoing discussion about 'religion' this week ever since he called me down the other night to watch a movie he found on T V called Religulous.
This morning I explained to him that I understand doubt - but that the Bible was written over a period of 1500 years, and completed almost 2000 years ago - yet what it says is true. He says it is manipulated, and that even 1500 years is short in the time of man's existence. I said, "Not if man has only been on earth for 6,000 years." He laughed at me, as usual, and the conversation ended shortly after that....
It was only in looking up the verse just now that I am seeing it in context. The rest of that verse reads, " They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."
The NIV footnote says, "The Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denotes one who is morally deficient."
In reality the rest of the chapter speaks more clearly to my concern of not seeking Truth from the One who is Truth.
The chapter, in its entirety is:
1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on God.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.
6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 20
Today marks the halfway mark through the Lenten journey! It feels good to make it this far. Committing to writing every day - without ever skipping - is a discipline. I take the commitment very seriously.
But - interestingly, as is so often true, Isaiah's mood and tone in chapter 64 (the chapter for today) echoes my own oft-felt feelings. Chapter 63 ended with Isaiah basically saying to God, "I don't feel like one of your favorites any more." And he continues that theme in Isaiah 64 - pleading personally and for his nation.
Still - even in his lament for Israel's abysmal behavior and God's subsequent anger, there are nuggets of hope:
Verse 4 proclaims, "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him." That declaration is followed by one of my two favorite verses in this chapter, "You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways."
Verse 5 is a clear portrayal of God's interaction with his beloved. He cannot ignore or neglect his own. He is faithful. He will act and interact. In this acknowledgment we are assured of his loving care. Feelings cannot be the barometer we use to judge God's presence with us. If we are faithful, He is. In fact, He is faithful even when we are faithless. He cannot do otherwise. It would violate His character.
As I lay in bed this morning - awake when I should have been still sleeping - God brought past lessons to my mind. Lessons on love, faithfulness, gentleness. I need all of those reminders. I was tempted to recite a litany of my shortcomings to God - but He stopped me after about 4 and reminded me that He sees me through the filter of the blood of His Son. I don't deserve His love, but He loves me anyway.
That brings me to my second favorite verse in chapter 64, verse 8: "But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."
Two choruses come quickly to mind:
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
Thou are the potter. I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
and
Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me
Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
The inaudible prayer I am accustomed to adding to that is "gently Lord." I want to be conformed to His likeness - but I am perfectly aware the journey that direction holds a lot of challenges. I cannot anticipate in advance that I'll be up to the challenge - but I know with absolute confidence that He is. "I will never leave you nor forsake you" means exactly that. My confidence has to be in Him and Him alone!
But - interestingly, as is so often true, Isaiah's mood and tone in chapter 64 (the chapter for today) echoes my own oft-felt feelings. Chapter 63 ended with Isaiah basically saying to God, "I don't feel like one of your favorites any more." And he continues that theme in Isaiah 64 - pleading personally and for his nation.
Still - even in his lament for Israel's abysmal behavior and God's subsequent anger, there are nuggets of hope:
Verse 4 proclaims, "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him." That declaration is followed by one of my two favorite verses in this chapter, "You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways."
Verse 5 is a clear portrayal of God's interaction with his beloved. He cannot ignore or neglect his own. He is faithful. He will act and interact. In this acknowledgment we are assured of his loving care. Feelings cannot be the barometer we use to judge God's presence with us. If we are faithful, He is. In fact, He is faithful even when we are faithless. He cannot do otherwise. It would violate His character.
As I lay in bed this morning - awake when I should have been still sleeping - God brought past lessons to my mind. Lessons on love, faithfulness, gentleness. I need all of those reminders. I was tempted to recite a litany of my shortcomings to God - but He stopped me after about 4 and reminded me that He sees me through the filter of the blood of His Son. I don't deserve His love, but He loves me anyway.
That brings me to my second favorite verse in chapter 64, verse 8: "But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."
Two choruses come quickly to mind:
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
Thou are the potter. I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
and
Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me
Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
The inaudible prayer I am accustomed to adding to that is "gently Lord." I want to be conformed to His likeness - but I am perfectly aware the journey that direction holds a lot of challenges. I cannot anticipate in advance that I'll be up to the challenge - but I know with absolute confidence that He is. "I will never leave you nor forsake you" means exactly that. My confidence has to be in Him and Him alone!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 19
I'm sure glad Isaiah has some truly 'up' chapters. This isn't one of them.
It begins with a vibrant display of the vengeance of the LORD poured out on Israel's enemies. The specific country that is mentioned is representative of all the others - but my thoughts go back immediately to Petra, Jordan - to the amazing Rock City that was once a mighty, impenetrable fortress. When we were there, we were told that is in the area of the ancient Edom....and that area is one of the many countries surrounding Israel who are very much against Israel.
I love many individual people whose countries and beliefs are in conflict with God's Truth. I want them to come to truth - not be destroyed. I yearn for them to have the scales on their spiritual eyes peeled away so they can see Jesus for who he is - not merely some prophet in a long line of prophets - but the One sent by God - God Himself who took on the form of man by coming to be born of a virgin - Yeshua ha Meshiach, Jesus the Messiah. Truth personified. Jesus own words recorded in John 14:6 are: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
So - this presents a painful reality. While on one hand I am grateful for God's faithfulness in redeeming Israel, it is painful to think of the enormous grief that is in and will continue to be in the world until the time of perfection in His kingdom comes.
I don't have to look far these days to see the result of that pain - nations crumpling, economies teetering, calamities unnerving...prophecy unfolding. The earth groans for its Savior, and in times like these, so do I.
The good news in Isaiah 63 is that the LORD'S mercy is remembered, reviewed and revealed. Verse 14 holds the key: "So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name."
It isn't about us (humans) - it is about HIM! He will make a name for Himself. He will be faithful even when we are faithless. He will redeem. He will do what He has promised. He is the fulfillment.
The end of verse 16 states, "you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name."
Even in a chapter that has so much that is depressing and discouraging, there is HOPE! Blessed by the Name of the LORD!
It begins with a vibrant display of the vengeance of the LORD poured out on Israel's enemies. The specific country that is mentioned is representative of all the others - but my thoughts go back immediately to Petra, Jordan - to the amazing Rock City that was once a mighty, impenetrable fortress. When we were there, we were told that is in the area of the ancient Edom....and that area is one of the many countries surrounding Israel who are very much against Israel.
I love many individual people whose countries and beliefs are in conflict with God's Truth. I want them to come to truth - not be destroyed. I yearn for them to have the scales on their spiritual eyes peeled away so they can see Jesus for who he is - not merely some prophet in a long line of prophets - but the One sent by God - God Himself who took on the form of man by coming to be born of a virgin - Yeshua ha Meshiach, Jesus the Messiah. Truth personified. Jesus own words recorded in John 14:6 are: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
So - this presents a painful reality. While on one hand I am grateful for God's faithfulness in redeeming Israel, it is painful to think of the enormous grief that is in and will continue to be in the world until the time of perfection in His kingdom comes.
I don't have to look far these days to see the result of that pain - nations crumpling, economies teetering, calamities unnerving...prophecy unfolding. The earth groans for its Savior, and in times like these, so do I.
The good news in Isaiah 63 is that the LORD'S mercy is remembered, reviewed and revealed. Verse 14 holds the key: "So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name."
It isn't about us (humans) - it is about HIM! He will make a name for Himself. He will be faithful even when we are faithless. He will redeem. He will do what He has promised. He is the fulfillment.
The end of verse 16 states, "you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name."
Even in a chapter that has so much that is depressing and discouraging, there is HOPE! Blessed by the Name of the LORD!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 18
I lay awake last night anticipating what might be next in Isaiah, eager to awake and read the next chapter. The chapter today is Isaiah 62. I have no idea why - but it brought immediate tears to my eyes. It is a jubilant chapter of what God will do (is beginning to do, already, I believe) for Jerusalem, for Zion, so tears were a surprise response.
The song that leaps to my mind is REDEEMED. "I sing for I cannot keep silent. His love is the theme of my song. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the lamb...." Indeed, Isaiah 62 begins with the assertions "I will not keep silent" and "I will not be quiet."
What a beautiful chapter showcasing God's intentions for his beloved Zion. And - in verse 8 the declaration of absolute assurance: "The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm" and then it continues to spell out what he is swearing to do for his people. What leaps out to me is his absolute promise. There is no 'if my people' stated, as there was so often in the Old Testament. This is non-negotiable and inviolable.
I also thought of Jesus when I read those words 'The LORD has sworn by his right hand'. It is the designated place of honor for the One who is fully God, fully human...he sits at the right hand of God.
Matthew 26:63-65 (NIV, ©2011)
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
The same story is related in Mark 14:61-63. Later Mark 16:19 confirms, "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God."
There are other references - including the witness of Stephen when he was about to be stoned. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55)
This One, who is fully God, who gave His life for our redemption - the perfect lamb -
sits at the right hand of God - and intercedes for us.... My Lord and my God, I am overwhelmed by your incredible mercy!
The song that leaps to my mind is REDEEMED. "I sing for I cannot keep silent. His love is the theme of my song. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the lamb...." Indeed, Isaiah 62 begins with the assertions "I will not keep silent" and "I will not be quiet."
What a beautiful chapter showcasing God's intentions for his beloved Zion. And - in verse 8 the declaration of absolute assurance: "The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm" and then it continues to spell out what he is swearing to do for his people. What leaps out to me is his absolute promise. There is no 'if my people' stated, as there was so often in the Old Testament. This is non-negotiable and inviolable.
I also thought of Jesus when I read those words 'The LORD has sworn by his right hand'. It is the designated place of honor for the One who is fully God, fully human...he sits at the right hand of God.
Matthew 26:63-65 (NIV, ©2011)
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
The same story is related in Mark 14:61-63. Later Mark 16:19 confirms, "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God."
There are other references - including the witness of Stephen when he was about to be stoned. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55)
This One, who is fully God, who gave His life for our redemption - the perfect lamb -
sits at the right hand of God - and intercedes for us.... My Lord and my God, I am overwhelmed by your incredible mercy!
Monday, March 28, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 17
It amused me to write the day of my journey. Lent excludes Sundays - but, to me, 40 days is 40 days, so it seems odd to have time outs in the journey....and my commitment to write daily isn't compromised - it's just not actually '40' days....
My chapter for today is Isaiah 61, which is an absolutely thrilling chapter of promise for the future of the nation of Israel. Even Isaiah found pure joy in proclaiming the prophetic news God gave him, for he begins this chapter with what can easily be viewed as a personal expostulation that was also prophetic of Jesus' ministry, and of a future time on the horizon, a layered promise:
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor"
...and the litany of promises continues....
It is amazing to read this in the light of history. For those who first heard this promise, the promise was still a long way off. After all this was written more than 680 years before Jesus' birth.
What is thrilling in reading this is knowing that these were the very words Jesus read about 30 A D - over 700 years after Isaiah penned the words. The record of that event is recorded for us in Luke 4. Jesus had spent his 40 days in the desert in preparation for his ministry on earth - and had preached in the synagogues throughout Galilee, including Capernaum, which was his home base for his 3 years of ministry. Everyone everywhere he went praised him. Then he dropped by his hometown. Nazareth. He went to the synagogue - as was his custom - and he stood up to read. The scroll of Isaiah was handed to him, and he unrolled it until he came to this passage, which he read aloud:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Luke reports that all spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips - but then somehow the tide turned. He had just proclaimed himself to them as the Messiah - and they couldn't get past their reality that he was Joseph's son.
His response to them seems a bit cutting - but I have to remember that he knew their hearts. In any event, their interaction culminated with their taking him to the brow of the hill to throw him off the cliff...but he walked through the crowd and went on his way.
Jesus would experience the pendulum-sway of the crowd's emotions more than once in his journey to the cross - and it started here.... I have to remember that. Adulation and contempt are bedfellows, and never far apart. I have to remember not to take either seriously. But - that is just an aside....
What is absolutely thrilling is seeing the layered promise. Isaiah was thrilled to get to be the one to report this. Jesus was the fulfillment of the primary promise, and the full meal deal fulfillment is yet to come, with the restoration of Israel and this tiny little nation taking her rightful place in God's design. Stay tuned!
As a little postscript - it is also absolutely wonderful to read this with the cities and the geography of the area so clearly in mind. I was just there! And believe me when I say, there is a palpable reality in being on that holy ground that Israel is the center of God's heart and in God's time all that he has promised will come to pass. Isaiah prophesied it +-2680 years ago. We are on the cusp of seeing it. As I said, stay tuned!
My chapter for today is Isaiah 61, which is an absolutely thrilling chapter of promise for the future of the nation of Israel. Even Isaiah found pure joy in proclaiming the prophetic news God gave him, for he begins this chapter with what can easily be viewed as a personal expostulation that was also prophetic of Jesus' ministry, and of a future time on the horizon, a layered promise:
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor"
...and the litany of promises continues....
It is amazing to read this in the light of history. For those who first heard this promise, the promise was still a long way off. After all this was written more than 680 years before Jesus' birth.
What is thrilling in reading this is knowing that these were the very words Jesus read about 30 A D - over 700 years after Isaiah penned the words. The record of that event is recorded for us in Luke 4. Jesus had spent his 40 days in the desert in preparation for his ministry on earth - and had preached in the synagogues throughout Galilee, including Capernaum, which was his home base for his 3 years of ministry. Everyone everywhere he went praised him. Then he dropped by his hometown. Nazareth. He went to the synagogue - as was his custom - and he stood up to read. The scroll of Isaiah was handed to him, and he unrolled it until he came to this passage, which he read aloud:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Luke reports that all spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips - but then somehow the tide turned. He had just proclaimed himself to them as the Messiah - and they couldn't get past their reality that he was Joseph's son.
His response to them seems a bit cutting - but I have to remember that he knew their hearts. In any event, their interaction culminated with their taking him to the brow of the hill to throw him off the cliff...but he walked through the crowd and went on his way.
Jesus would experience the pendulum-sway of the crowd's emotions more than once in his journey to the cross - and it started here.... I have to remember that. Adulation and contempt are bedfellows, and never far apart. I have to remember not to take either seriously. But - that is just an aside....
What is absolutely thrilling is seeing the layered promise. Isaiah was thrilled to get to be the one to report this. Jesus was the fulfillment of the primary promise, and the full meal deal fulfillment is yet to come, with the restoration of Israel and this tiny little nation taking her rightful place in God's design. Stay tuned!
As a little postscript - it is also absolutely wonderful to read this with the cities and the geography of the area so clearly in mind. I was just there! And believe me when I say, there is a palpable reality in being on that holy ground that Israel is the center of God's heart and in God's time all that he has promised will come to pass. Isaiah prophesied it +-2680 years ago. We are on the cusp of seeing it. As I said, stay tuned!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
LENT 2011, Sunday, March 27
Isaiah 60 prophesies the future glory of Israel - something that will come in all its glorious fulfillment with the coming of the Lord in his thousand year reign in the New Jerusalem.
From this vantage point, we can at least conceive that it is plausible, since Israel is at least a nation again - but can you imagine those who have read this throughout the ages between the time of the destruction of the temple and diaspora in the first century A D until 1947, when it was finally declared there was going to be a homeland for the Jews once more? For centuries, those who read the Hebrew scriptures yearned not just for the day when Israel would be restored - but for the truth of this prophecy to be fulfilled.
Israel is a nation, but not yet surrounded with the peace and promise of Isaiah 60.
"Arise, shine, for your light has come," God prophetically says to Israel. "The Lord will rise upon you...nations shall come to your light.... The wealth of the nations shall come to you.... ...he has made you beautiful. Your gates shall be open...that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations.... For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid to waste.... ...they shall call you the City of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. ...I will make you majestic forever.... The LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. ....your days of mourning shall be ended. Your people shall all be righteous.... I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it."
Wow! With nations collapsing all around this tiny little country that God holds at the center of His heart, it looks like the hastening time is here!
From this vantage point, we can at least conceive that it is plausible, since Israel is at least a nation again - but can you imagine those who have read this throughout the ages between the time of the destruction of the temple and diaspora in the first century A D until 1947, when it was finally declared there was going to be a homeland for the Jews once more? For centuries, those who read the Hebrew scriptures yearned not just for the day when Israel would be restored - but for the truth of this prophecy to be fulfilled.
Israel is a nation, but not yet surrounded with the peace and promise of Isaiah 60.
"Arise, shine, for your light has come," God prophetically says to Israel. "The Lord will rise upon you...nations shall come to your light.... The wealth of the nations shall come to you.... ...he has made you beautiful. Your gates shall be open...that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations.... For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid to waste.... ...they shall call you the City of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. ...I will make you majestic forever.... The LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. ....your days of mourning shall be ended. Your people shall all be righteous.... I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it."
Wow! With nations collapsing all around this tiny little country that God holds at the center of His heart, it looks like the hastening time is here!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 16
My chapter for today is Isaiah 59. I read it shortly after I got up this morning - but didn't have time to write right then. And I'm glad I didn't - because I have had more time to mull it over - and one of the observations I can make now that I wouldn't have thought of earlier is that according to this chapter, God has what is equivalent to a junk mail file.
The chapter begins by telling us that it isn't that God cannot save, or cannot hear - but that our sins have created the separation that keeps him from listening. Just like my junk mail. I have my e-mail filtered so nothing goes into my primary mailbox that is not from an approved source. I get lots of mail in my junk mail file - and most of it doesn't ever get opened. Every now and then someone I do want to hear from will get my email address and write to me - and I have to transfer those mails to my primary account or after a prescribed period of time, they are just automatically deleted.
The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man is the one God absolutely hears. And - righteousness is by His standard, not ours. He has some very specific instructions for how we should live. The Bible is the handbook for living the Christian life. It isn't presented as optional for consideration.
If we want to be in good standing so our prayers are heard, we have to be intentional about our walk. We are told to hide His Word in our hearts so we won't sin against Him.
Like Pastor Peter says, "He loves you just the way you are - but He loves you too much to leave you that way."
I don't always like His discipline - but I'm grateful for it. It means He hasn't given up on me! I love the t-shirt that says, "Work in Progress. God isn't finished with me yet."
Lord, I want my life to be lived in response to Your love - and in a way that pleases You. Amen.
The chapter begins by telling us that it isn't that God cannot save, or cannot hear - but that our sins have created the separation that keeps him from listening. Just like my junk mail. I have my e-mail filtered so nothing goes into my primary mailbox that is not from an approved source. I get lots of mail in my junk mail file - and most of it doesn't ever get opened. Every now and then someone I do want to hear from will get my email address and write to me - and I have to transfer those mails to my primary account or after a prescribed period of time, they are just automatically deleted.
The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man is the one God absolutely hears. And - righteousness is by His standard, not ours. He has some very specific instructions for how we should live. The Bible is the handbook for living the Christian life. It isn't presented as optional for consideration.
If we want to be in good standing so our prayers are heard, we have to be intentional about our walk. We are told to hide His Word in our hearts so we won't sin against Him.
Like Pastor Peter says, "He loves you just the way you are - but He loves you too much to leave you that way."
I don't always like His discipline - but I'm grateful for it. It means He hasn't given up on me! I love the t-shirt that says, "Work in Progress. God isn't finished with me yet."
Lord, I want my life to be lived in response to Your love - and in a way that pleases You. Amen.
Friday, March 25, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 15
Isaiah 58 speaks volumes!
Through Isaiah God tells His people - Israel, and by extension, us - the kind of life He wants us to live. He rails against false fasting - its inadequacy to reach Him - and defines the following as the kind of fast He wants of us: (Isaiah 58:6-7 ESV)
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
The following verses tell how God will respond when we live in that kind of righteousness. The promises in His response to right living are phenomenal, but conditioned on the ifs. "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted...."
"And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail." And more....
In this chapter God also commands how we should treat the Sabbath. That is an area we have become lax in following. I don't believe it is about the specific day - Saturday or Sunday - but about the way God is honored (or not honored). And - as the beginning of the chapter so pointedly reminds us: it isn't about appearances, but about the condition of the heart. God looks at the heart. Worship is from the heart, not what is visible to others externally. Every day should be an act of pouring ourselves out in worship - in tangible response to His grace, and Isaiah 58 gives me lots to chew on for today....
Through Isaiah God tells His people - Israel, and by extension, us - the kind of life He wants us to live. He rails against false fasting - its inadequacy to reach Him - and defines the following as the kind of fast He wants of us: (Isaiah 58:6-7 ESV)
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
The following verses tell how God will respond when we live in that kind of righteousness. The promises in His response to right living are phenomenal, but conditioned on the ifs. "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted...."
"And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail." And more....
In this chapter God also commands how we should treat the Sabbath. That is an area we have become lax in following. I don't believe it is about the specific day - Saturday or Sunday - but about the way God is honored (or not honored). And - as the beginning of the chapter so pointedly reminds us: it isn't about appearances, but about the condition of the heart. God looks at the heart. Worship is from the heart, not what is visible to others externally. Every day should be an act of pouring ourselves out in worship - in tangible response to His grace, and Isaiah 58 gives me lots to chew on for today....
Thursday, March 24, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 14
My chapter for today is Isaiah 57.
On occasion the thought has run through my mind that when good people die perhaps God is sparing them from something far worse…and today I found that truth in Isaiah 57:1-2.
"The righteous man perishes and no one takes it to heart; devout men are taken away while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness."
What these two verses say to me, literally, is that some people are taken from this world prematurely because of their righteousness. They are protected from calamity. They get to enter peace. It is only a slight silver lining in the clouds for those who are left behind – but their joy in being with the Lord is to be celebrated.
Meanwhile, we mourn.
God sees impeccably with an eternal view. We have a hard time grasping his view, and see as though through an opaque, dirty window.
This chapter has very clear indictments for those who worship idols, with a concluding promise of their destruction: The wind will carry them off, a breath will take them away.
And then the following promise for those who place their faith in God: (13) But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain.
Then, further promise, in verse 15: For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit….”
I love that. I want to just stop there and enjoy the promise. Right here, in the Old Testament, long before Jesus even came to earth, God declares through the prophet Isaiah, that He dwells with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. Throughout the Old Testament we see glimpses of that. Samuel and David come quickly to mind. God has always wanted to have a relationship with His created.
There is more to be gleaned – but my grandkids just got here, and I have to go….
On occasion the thought has run through my mind that when good people die perhaps God is sparing them from something far worse…and today I found that truth in Isaiah 57:1-2.
"The righteous man perishes and no one takes it to heart; devout men are taken away while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness."
What these two verses say to me, literally, is that some people are taken from this world prematurely because of their righteousness. They are protected from calamity. They get to enter peace. It is only a slight silver lining in the clouds for those who are left behind – but their joy in being with the Lord is to be celebrated.
Meanwhile, we mourn.
God sees impeccably with an eternal view. We have a hard time grasping his view, and see as though through an opaque, dirty window.
This chapter has very clear indictments for those who worship idols, with a concluding promise of their destruction: The wind will carry them off, a breath will take them away.
And then the following promise for those who place their faith in God: (13) But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain.
Then, further promise, in verse 15: For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit….”
I love that. I want to just stop there and enjoy the promise. Right here, in the Old Testament, long before Jesus even came to earth, God declares through the prophet Isaiah, that He dwells with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. Throughout the Old Testament we see glimpses of that. Samuel and David come quickly to mind. God has always wanted to have a relationship with His created.
There is more to be gleaned – but my grandkids just got here, and I have to go….
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 13
Before I leap into today's chapter, I have to take one step back briefly to the topic of Jesus as the living water. John 7:37-38 records what Jesus declared on the last day of the fall Festival of Tabernacles AKA Feast of Booths celebration - about 6 months before his death. It is significant in our journey through Lent - so I don't want to miss this opportunity to share just a bit more about Jesus' profession of being the living water.
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
He is the source of life. He is the living water. His Holy Spirit, which He poured out at Pentecost, allows us to jump into that stream of life and water - to be filled with God's presence and living water, and have it flow into us and through us. It is the Good News of the gospel: Jesus came that we might have life, and have it to the full - abundant life! His life!
My chapter for today is Isaiah 56. It begins with defining the plumb line to live by: The ESV translates it as: "Keep justice and do righteousness" The NIV says, "Maintain justice and do what is right."
This chapter prophesies the coming of the One who will come. It states, "My salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed." Jesus is that Salvation.
It is exciting to see the prophecies throughout the Old Testament that point to the Messiah - God's Salvation - but it is also good to pay attention to the reality so clearly conspicuous that 'soon' is in God's timing - not what men might have thought. Isaiah recorded this portion of what God revealed to him approximately 690 years before the birth of Christ - yet God's call to His Old Testament followers was a call to faithfulness in doing what is right to others, and living right by God's standard in personal practice. Even then, God's design for life was grounded in faithfulness in relationships to others and to God. That is significant. And 'soon' was still 690 years off....
This chapter has some other wonderful nuggets. One is the affirmation for the 'stranger.' Even though God sent Jesus to His own - the Jews - God makes it clear that the foreigner who is committed to Him is not excluded. He even promises the eunuchs, who could never be fathers to birth children, that they have an inheritance in the LORD.
The chapter ends with a rebuke of Israel's teachers - blind guides who are without knowledge, according to verse 10. Verse 11 says they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
That brings 2 Timothy 4:3-4 to mind, which is a warning we need to pay attention to today:
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
I learned a hard lesson a few years ago. People can be honest, good people, and still not tell the truth - because they don't have the truth to tell. There are lots of areas within God's Kingdom where a diversity of opinions are O K - - but the basic Good News of the Gospel is not up for grabs. There is only one way to God. It is through Jesus Christ - through the blood that He shed on the cross. Jesus was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God had His salvation story in place before creation. He is all-knowing. He knew what would happen - and he planned for it. Jesus' death was no accident. He wasn't killed because He upset people. He was killed to be the one final required blood sacrifice. He was the perfect lamb.
God limited the option for Salvation to being through Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life; the door to the sheepfold; the one and only way to God. Salvation does not come on a potluck platter with a number of options to choose from. God is very clear about that. Yet, it is a popular teaching these days - that we wouldn't want to limit God - that if God chooses He could save through any number of other ways. He can't. He gave His Word - His living, loving Word. There is only one way to get our names on the guest list - and God's Word spells it out clearly.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain....
Just a little bonus for today: Jesus is the Lamb of Revelation - the only one worthy to open the seals. Just as Isaiah was prophetic - and has come true - so The Revelation of John is prophetic - and will come true. It is distressing when I hear teaching that tries to reason away God's truth - people who don't tell the truth, not because it is their intent to lie, but because they don't know. And those teachers always manage to find itching ears to teach to.
Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."
We live in that time - when people call good evil, and evil good. When people exchange light for darkness.
Matthew 6:23 laments, "But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
The good news is: I don't have to shout against the darkness. Shouting against darkness doesn't dispel it - it just makes a lot of noise. All I have to do is shine light into it. Light dispels darkness. That light is Jesus Christ. Shine, Jesus, shine!
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
He is the source of life. He is the living water. His Holy Spirit, which He poured out at Pentecost, allows us to jump into that stream of life and water - to be filled with God's presence and living water, and have it flow into us and through us. It is the Good News of the gospel: Jesus came that we might have life, and have it to the full - abundant life! His life!
My chapter for today is Isaiah 56. It begins with defining the plumb line to live by: The ESV translates it as: "Keep justice and do righteousness" The NIV says, "Maintain justice and do what is right."
This chapter prophesies the coming of the One who will come. It states, "My salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed." Jesus is that Salvation.
It is exciting to see the prophecies throughout the Old Testament that point to the Messiah - God's Salvation - but it is also good to pay attention to the reality so clearly conspicuous that 'soon' is in God's timing - not what men might have thought. Isaiah recorded this portion of what God revealed to him approximately 690 years before the birth of Christ - yet God's call to His Old Testament followers was a call to faithfulness in doing what is right to others, and living right by God's standard in personal practice. Even then, God's design for life was grounded in faithfulness in relationships to others and to God. That is significant. And 'soon' was still 690 years off....
This chapter has some other wonderful nuggets. One is the affirmation for the 'stranger.' Even though God sent Jesus to His own - the Jews - God makes it clear that the foreigner who is committed to Him is not excluded. He even promises the eunuchs, who could never be fathers to birth children, that they have an inheritance in the LORD.
The chapter ends with a rebuke of Israel's teachers - blind guides who are without knowledge, according to verse 10. Verse 11 says they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
That brings 2 Timothy 4:3-4 to mind, which is a warning we need to pay attention to today:
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
I learned a hard lesson a few years ago. People can be honest, good people, and still not tell the truth - because they don't have the truth to tell. There are lots of areas within God's Kingdom where a diversity of opinions are O K - - but the basic Good News of the Gospel is not up for grabs. There is only one way to God. It is through Jesus Christ - through the blood that He shed on the cross. Jesus was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God had His salvation story in place before creation. He is all-knowing. He knew what would happen - and he planned for it. Jesus' death was no accident. He wasn't killed because He upset people. He was killed to be the one final required blood sacrifice. He was the perfect lamb.
God limited the option for Salvation to being through Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life; the door to the sheepfold; the one and only way to God. Salvation does not come on a potluck platter with a number of options to choose from. God is very clear about that. Yet, it is a popular teaching these days - that we wouldn't want to limit God - that if God chooses He could save through any number of other ways. He can't. He gave His Word - His living, loving Word. There is only one way to get our names on the guest list - and God's Word spells it out clearly.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain....
Just a little bonus for today: Jesus is the Lamb of Revelation - the only one worthy to open the seals. Just as Isaiah was prophetic - and has come true - so The Revelation of John is prophetic - and will come true. It is distressing when I hear teaching that tries to reason away God's truth - people who don't tell the truth, not because it is their intent to lie, but because they don't know. And those teachers always manage to find itching ears to teach to.
Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."
We live in that time - when people call good evil, and evil good. When people exchange light for darkness.
Matthew 6:23 laments, "But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
The good news is: I don't have to shout against the darkness. Shouting against darkness doesn't dispel it - it just makes a lot of noise. All I have to do is shine light into it. Light dispels darkness. That light is Jesus Christ. Shine, Jesus, shine!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 12
One thing I can say for certain: it has been far too long since I read Isaiah - and this is the first time I have used Isaiah as my daily devotional reading.
I began the journey through Isaiah before I went to Israel February 2- 11, as preparation. It was the perfect book to read with Israel in mind. It was the basis for my devotional reading while in Israel, and has continued, obviously, since returning. It has been equally compelling reading for the journey toward the cross - and resurrection. Isaiah is packed with the clarity of God's passion for His people. And for us who are His adopted children - and to God, once adopted, you are His child, no longer identified by your adoptee status.
Isaiah 55 is my chapter for today. It brings tears to my eyes, songs to my lips, and a passionate desire to faithfully follow.
(Verse 1)"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;...." Just as Jesus taught the Samaritan woman at the well, He is the living water. Come, you who are thirsty - and drink.
(Verse 6) "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near...."
The verse goes on to proclaim God's heart of compassion, His desire to forgive - if only we turn to Him. His thoughts are higher than man's thoughts. Man gets hung up on what's fair - God is hung up on compassion and forgiveness. We would relegate people to the punishment they deserve. He extends infinite mercy - but not forever. He makes an outlandish offer for forgiveness - but inherent in the message is the warning that He won't always be found - that the time for seeking Him will come to an end. Yet, He declares His Word will not return to Him empty. It will accomplish what He purposes, and succeed in the thing for which He sent it.
That is such a great verse. It is another reminder that God is God and He will accomplish His plan. He lets me partner with Him, and in that I find fulfillment, but as I've said on other occasions - I can either go with Him, or get out of the way. His Word will produce fruit.
And near the end of the chapter is the inspiration for another favorite chorus:
"You shall go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth in singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
Israel will be restored at the end of time. Her fields will produce - the barren ground will bloom. I was just there. The prophecy is being fulfilled - and this portion of its fulfillment is just a taste of what will be. The growth of plants and trees witness God's faithfulness. When the cypress and myrtle replace the thorns and briers, "it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." That declaration is how the chapter ends.
I began the journey through Isaiah before I went to Israel February 2- 11, as preparation. It was the perfect book to read with Israel in mind. It was the basis for my devotional reading while in Israel, and has continued, obviously, since returning. It has been equally compelling reading for the journey toward the cross - and resurrection. Isaiah is packed with the clarity of God's passion for His people. And for us who are His adopted children - and to God, once adopted, you are His child, no longer identified by your adoptee status.
Isaiah 55 is my chapter for today. It brings tears to my eyes, songs to my lips, and a passionate desire to faithfully follow.
(Verse 1)"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;...." Just as Jesus taught the Samaritan woman at the well, He is the living water. Come, you who are thirsty - and drink.
(Verse 6) "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near...."
The verse goes on to proclaim God's heart of compassion, His desire to forgive - if only we turn to Him. His thoughts are higher than man's thoughts. Man gets hung up on what's fair - God is hung up on compassion and forgiveness. We would relegate people to the punishment they deserve. He extends infinite mercy - but not forever. He makes an outlandish offer for forgiveness - but inherent in the message is the warning that He won't always be found - that the time for seeking Him will come to an end. Yet, He declares His Word will not return to Him empty. It will accomplish what He purposes, and succeed in the thing for which He sent it.
That is such a great verse. It is another reminder that God is God and He will accomplish His plan. He lets me partner with Him, and in that I find fulfillment, but as I've said on other occasions - I can either go with Him, or get out of the way. His Word will produce fruit.
And near the end of the chapter is the inspiration for another favorite chorus:
"You shall go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth in singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
Israel will be restored at the end of time. Her fields will produce - the barren ground will bloom. I was just there. The prophecy is being fulfilled - and this portion of its fulfillment is just a taste of what will be. The growth of plants and trees witness God's faithfulness. When the cypress and myrtle replace the thorns and briers, "it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." That declaration is how the chapter ends.
Monday, March 21, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 11
Isaiah 53 was such a wonderful chapter to go to sleep with last night. As I approach my morning devotions today I am filled with praise. My chapter for today - Isaiah 54 - just extends that praise.
Isaiah 54 is another love letter to Israel, with the promise of God's unfailing love. It shows us what the restored, dearly loved Zion will look like.
This is also a chapter that rings true for me as a promise for believers, and one verse, specifically, is a promise that God gave me a few years ago.
I was in the middle of an extremely difficult situation. I had done precisely what I believed God asked of me, and the results were not what I would have scripted. In the throes of the challenges, one day when I was driving home from church, God spoke to me and said, "No weapon fashioned against you will stand."
In reading Isaiah 54 this morning I read almost the same words, and it brought back the memory forcefully of that moment and that difficulty. What did surprise me is that none of the 3 versions I looked at just now state it precisely the way God did when He spoke to me.
Isaiah 54:17 in the ESV says, "no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed...."
In the NIV it states, "no weapon that is forged against you will prevail...."
In the King James it reads, "No weapon that is forged against thee shall prosper;"
I am surprised to read the variety of versions, and find that none of them matches the exact words God spoke to me - though the meaning certainly is the same. I just find it interesting - but that is an aside. The important thing is that God uses His Word to speak to us, and nothing He tells us will ever be in violation of the promises already recorded in His Word. That is one test for whether what people hear is truly from God.
And - though this chapter is a promise to Israel, I can observe from my personal experience, that God used a brief message out of this very chapter as a promise to me. The promises are for Israel - and by extension, for us.
My only regret this morning is that I didn't absorb the rest of this verse in that time of trouble. I must not have looked it up then - but it still speaks to me now!
The whole of verse 17 in the NIV states:
"...no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the LORD.
Even more important than the promise God made to me, this promise to Israel in these days of turmoil, with nations all around them crumbling and warring, gives me comfort. G-D is Israel's defender. As this chapter states earlier in verses 7-10:
7"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says the LORD your Redeemer.
9 “To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
The LORD has not forsaken Israel. This tiny little country is the center of God's heart - and He is her defender. I absolutely believe God will bless those who bless Israel.
Deuteronomy 33:29 says:
"Blessed are you, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will tread on their heights.”
Isaiah 54 is another love letter to Israel, with the promise of God's unfailing love. It shows us what the restored, dearly loved Zion will look like.
This is also a chapter that rings true for me as a promise for believers, and one verse, specifically, is a promise that God gave me a few years ago.
I was in the middle of an extremely difficult situation. I had done precisely what I believed God asked of me, and the results were not what I would have scripted. In the throes of the challenges, one day when I was driving home from church, God spoke to me and said, "No weapon fashioned against you will stand."
In reading Isaiah 54 this morning I read almost the same words, and it brought back the memory forcefully of that moment and that difficulty. What did surprise me is that none of the 3 versions I looked at just now state it precisely the way God did when He spoke to me.
Isaiah 54:17 in the ESV says, "no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed...."
In the NIV it states, "no weapon that is forged against you will prevail...."
In the King James it reads, "No weapon that is forged against thee shall prosper;"
I am surprised to read the variety of versions, and find that none of them matches the exact words God spoke to me - though the meaning certainly is the same. I just find it interesting - but that is an aside. The important thing is that God uses His Word to speak to us, and nothing He tells us will ever be in violation of the promises already recorded in His Word. That is one test for whether what people hear is truly from God.
And - though this chapter is a promise to Israel, I can observe from my personal experience, that God used a brief message out of this very chapter as a promise to me. The promises are for Israel - and by extension, for us.
My only regret this morning is that I didn't absorb the rest of this verse in that time of trouble. I must not have looked it up then - but it still speaks to me now!
The whole of verse 17 in the NIV states:
"...no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the LORD.
Even more important than the promise God made to me, this promise to Israel in these days of turmoil, with nations all around them crumbling and warring, gives me comfort. G-D is Israel's defender. As this chapter states earlier in verses 7-10:
7"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
8 In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says the LORD your Redeemer.
9 “To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
The LORD has not forsaken Israel. This tiny little country is the center of God's heart - and He is her defender. I absolutely believe God will bless those who bless Israel.
Deuteronomy 33:29 says:
"Blessed are you, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will tread on their heights.”
Sunday, March 20, 2011
LENT 2011, Sunday, March 20
Isaiah 53 is a chapter of prophecy of the suffering Jesus would endure.
In Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah prophesied Jesus' birth:
"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Isaiah 53, in contrast, provides a very clear picture of the suffering Savior and what He would endure for us at the end of His time on earth. This chapter also provided a songwriter the words for the following chorus:
He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities
Surely He bore our sorrows
And by His stripes we are healed.
What a chapter for the Lenten journey - a must read!
Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Thank You, LORD. The price it cost You to bear my sins and free me from all guilt overwhelms me. Thank You for Your inconceivable gift. You are amazing - and it is amazing that You yearn for a relationship with each of Your created.... Lord, teach me Your way and help me be obedient to Your will. Amen.
In Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah prophesied Jesus' birth:
"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Isaiah 53, in contrast, provides a very clear picture of the suffering Savior and what He would endure for us at the end of His time on earth. This chapter also provided a songwriter the words for the following chorus:
He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities
Surely He bore our sorrows
And by His stripes we are healed.
What a chapter for the Lenten journey - a must read!
Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Thank You, LORD. The price it cost You to bear my sins and free me from all guilt overwhelms me. Thank You for Your inconceivable gift. You are amazing - and it is amazing that You yearn for a relationship with each of Your created.... Lord, teach me Your way and help me be obedient to Your will. Amen.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
LENT 2011, DAY 10
My chapter for today is Isaiah 52. It is exciting, and it elicits exhilarating emotions. The problem is I don't have enough time to write all I would like - but I need to maintain the discipline of the blog!
It is such a beautiful chapter! Promise of the Lord's Salvation. Praise for the One who was to come bringing good news - and who will come again and bring peace to Jerusalem, the Holy City. Portrayal of Jesus' enormous unjustified suffering as the sacrifice - marred beyond recognition.
Out of the multiple images and messages, my favorite is Verse 7, and it comes forth in song:
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, good news.
Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness - Our God reigns, our God reigns.
And in the song the last phrase is repeated 4 more times: Our God reigns. In times like these, that is the firm foundation of my life. Thank You, LORD.
It is such a beautiful chapter! Promise of the Lord's Salvation. Praise for the One who was to come bringing good news - and who will come again and bring peace to Jerusalem, the Holy City. Portrayal of Jesus' enormous unjustified suffering as the sacrifice - marred beyond recognition.
Out of the multiple images and messages, my favorite is Verse 7, and it comes forth in song:
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, good news.
Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness - Our God reigns, our God reigns.
And in the song the last phrase is repeated 4 more times: Our God reigns. In times like these, that is the firm foundation of my life. Thank You, LORD.
Friday, March 18, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 9
My chapter for today is Isaiah 51. I love reading this one in the ESV because of the word parallels and comparisons it illuminates.
V. 1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord....
V. 5 "...My righteousness draws near...
V. 6 "...my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed....
V. 7 "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;
V. 8 "...my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."
Tucked into Verse 7 is a reminder that the righteous are not to fear the reproach of man. That, too, is a good reminder for me...and often a hard lesson to follow.
This chapter also includes a favorite chorus, with the following words in it:
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return
and come with singing unto Zion;
and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.
They shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and mourning (sighing) shall flee away.
I love that promise. I know God was speaking directly to Israel - but by extension, there are promises here we can take to heart as well. All believers are grafted in. Still, I love His commitment and promises to His chosen people - and there definitely is a reminder in verse 16 of Israel as God's chosen.
"And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, 'You are my people.'"
God's love for His chosen oozes through the declarations of this chapter - and I have selected my favorite morsels - but it also speaks clearly to the suffering of discipline His people will be submitted to. And that is a reality in my life as well. God disciplines those He loves.
Thank you, Lord, for Your amazing love - love that sent You to the cross as the sacrificial lamb, paying the debt for my sins; and thank you for Your discipline that draws me into the absolute awareness of being a favored child of Your love. Help me learn the lessons You are seeking to teach me.
P S: I went back and re-read my first 5 days of last year's Lenten blog after I wrote this morning.... I was on a very specific journey immersed in Jesus' life for last year's blog - - and it makes for far better reading.... And - I needed to be reminded of the lessons I was learning, so re-reading it was good for me.
I'm a bit discouraged right now - admittedly too influenced by the opinion of friends I care deeply about - certain of a truth that is painful - but walking on eggshells about confronting the issue.... Just saying - what I am reading is dovetailing with the discipline and conviction I am living.... God's Word never returns to Him void.
V. 1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord....
V. 5 "...My righteousness draws near...
V. 6 "...my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed....
V. 7 "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;
V. 8 "...my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."
Tucked into Verse 7 is a reminder that the righteous are not to fear the reproach of man. That, too, is a good reminder for me...and often a hard lesson to follow.
This chapter also includes a favorite chorus, with the following words in it:
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return
and come with singing unto Zion;
and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.
They shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and mourning (sighing) shall flee away.
I love that promise. I know God was speaking directly to Israel - but by extension, there are promises here we can take to heart as well. All believers are grafted in. Still, I love His commitment and promises to His chosen people - and there definitely is a reminder in verse 16 of Israel as God's chosen.
"And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, 'You are my people.'"
God's love for His chosen oozes through the declarations of this chapter - and I have selected my favorite morsels - but it also speaks clearly to the suffering of discipline His people will be submitted to. And that is a reality in my life as well. God disciplines those He loves.
Thank you, Lord, for Your amazing love - love that sent You to the cross as the sacrificial lamb, paying the debt for my sins; and thank you for Your discipline that draws me into the absolute awareness of being a favored child of Your love. Help me learn the lessons You are seeking to teach me.
P S: I went back and re-read my first 5 days of last year's Lenten blog after I wrote this morning.... I was on a very specific journey immersed in Jesus' life for last year's blog - - and it makes for far better reading.... And - I needed to be reminded of the lessons I was learning, so re-reading it was good for me.
I'm a bit discouraged right now - admittedly too influenced by the opinion of friends I care deeply about - certain of a truth that is painful - but walking on eggshells about confronting the issue.... Just saying - what I am reading is dovetailing with the discipline and conviction I am living.... God's Word never returns to Him void.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 8
My chapter for today is Isaiah chapter 50. It speaks clearly of the obedient servant - and verses 6 - 8 leap out at me as prophetic (when written) of what Jesus would suffer - - and his determination to see God's will through to completion. Perseverance is an appropriate reminder in this trek toward 'remembering Christ's death'. We forget too easily all He suffered for us prior to His victorious resurrection. We want to hasten past that part and get to Easter Sunday.
But - - Yeshua, the Messiah, was a suffering servant. He calls us to servanthood as well. Being a servant means obedience. It means sacrifice. I like the idea of total commitment to the Lord, but the reality of it when lived out is quite another story. It is far more than submission. I find the heart is willing but the flesh is weak. I grapple. Thank God He understands us, knows us completely, draws us, nudges us, teaches us...forgives us.
I am inspired by others who are faithful followers. The story of St Patrick is a good one for this St Patty's Day.
My daughter, Erin, posted the following on her blog a few days ago. Today is St. Patrick's Day - - so I am sharing this with you today:
Patrick died on March 17th around the year 460 A.D. He was British, and was captured by Irish raiders and sold into slavery at the age of 16. As a slave, he worked as a shepherd and he turned to God to help him through it. I think God used that time to show Patrick that God was his great shepherd, and as Patrick cared for those sheep, he grew in understanding of God's care for him. After 6 years and prompting by God, Patrick escaped Ireland and returned home. He studied to become a priest, then God called him to be a missionary. He returned to Ireland to share the light and love of Jesus Christ. He served as a missionary there for 30 years, brought literacy to Ireland and initiated the Celtic missionary movement, which was a source of missionary zeal and learning. His spiritual descendants moved from Ireland to Scotland, then to England, across the channel into the low countries and finally into central Germany. His example is one of: a deep love of learning, spiritual discipline and missionary zeal.
In the words of St. Patrick,
"I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me."
As we celebrate Patrick this year by wearing green and eating green foods and dancing some Irish jigs, let's remember that GREEN symbolizes the eternal LIFE we have in Jesus Christ... Thank you Lord! THAT is a reason to celebrate!!!
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back - and may the grace and peace of Jesus Christ fill you....
But - - Yeshua, the Messiah, was a suffering servant. He calls us to servanthood as well. Being a servant means obedience. It means sacrifice. I like the idea of total commitment to the Lord, but the reality of it when lived out is quite another story. It is far more than submission. I find the heart is willing but the flesh is weak. I grapple. Thank God He understands us, knows us completely, draws us, nudges us, teaches us...forgives us.
I am inspired by others who are faithful followers. The story of St Patrick is a good one for this St Patty's Day.
My daughter, Erin, posted the following on her blog a few days ago. Today is St. Patrick's Day - - so I am sharing this with you today:
Patrick died on March 17th around the year 460 A.D. He was British, and was captured by Irish raiders and sold into slavery at the age of 16. As a slave, he worked as a shepherd and he turned to God to help him through it. I think God used that time to show Patrick that God was his great shepherd, and as Patrick cared for those sheep, he grew in understanding of God's care for him. After 6 years and prompting by God, Patrick escaped Ireland and returned home. He studied to become a priest, then God called him to be a missionary. He returned to Ireland to share the light and love of Jesus Christ. He served as a missionary there for 30 years, brought literacy to Ireland and initiated the Celtic missionary movement, which was a source of missionary zeal and learning. His spiritual descendants moved from Ireland to Scotland, then to England, across the channel into the low countries and finally into central Germany. His example is one of: a deep love of learning, spiritual discipline and missionary zeal.
In the words of St. Patrick,
"I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me."
As we celebrate Patrick this year by wearing green and eating green foods and dancing some Irish jigs, let's remember that GREEN symbolizes the eternal LIFE we have in Jesus Christ... Thank you Lord! THAT is a reason to celebrate!!!
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back - and may the grace and peace of Jesus Christ fill you....
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 7
Isaiah 49 is another love letter from God to Israel. He reminds His chosen people that He can no more forget them than a mother can forget a nursing baby. What an image. Nothing elicits more compassion than one's baby crying.
In Isaiah 49 God promises Israel "I will contend with those who contend with you."
Those words strike a personal chord for me. In August 2009 I visited a church in Centralia to be present for the baptisms of two very special people - and in that service, God spoke to me and said, "I want you to contend for the things I contend for."
As of that date I wrote the following prayer in my prayer list: "Lord, what You clearly spoke to me was that You want me to contend for what You contend for. Help me ascertain exactly what that means and follow that design for my life."
Lord, today, may that be so....
In Isaiah 49 God promises Israel "I will contend with those who contend with you."
Those words strike a personal chord for me. In August 2009 I visited a church in Centralia to be present for the baptisms of two very special people - and in that service, God spoke to me and said, "I want you to contend for the things I contend for."
As of that date I wrote the following prayer in my prayer list: "Lord, what You clearly spoke to me was that You want me to contend for what You contend for. Help me ascertain exactly what that means and follow that design for my life."
Lord, today, may that be so....
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 6
Isaiah 48 is my scheduled reading for today. Isaiah is the scribe - but God is the speaker. One of the first things that strikes me is His identification of His people - 'those who are called by the name Israel,' and His assessment of them: 'who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.'
That is precisely what we witnessed conspicuously on our recent trip to Israel, particularly in our visit to the Western Wall where Jewish faithful come to pray. They are faithful to the God of their Fathers - but they do not worship in TRUTH OR RIGHT,because they rejected God's Son - their long-awaited Messiah - when He came to live among them.
In Isaiah 48 God takes His chosen people to task for their bullheadedness. He tells them what their lives could have been like had they only listened - lives of true peace. He reminds them of His provision in the wilderness. And He lets them know they will not be completely cut off - for His Name's sake.
The prophecies of old are meshing and being fulfilled with incredible speed. My heart aches for the pain of the groaning of the earth and all the people who are so tragically affected. Even though this is what has been foretold, living through it - seeing the tragic events of prophecy unfold before our eyes - is painful. And it should be. It reflects Jesus' sorrow for Jerusalem when He looked out over the city with an aching heart and proclaimed, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." Jesus' statement is recorded in Matthew 23:37 and in Luke 13:34.
An old, old song comes to mind:
In times like these we need an anchor. In times like these we need a Savior
Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid Rock.
This Rock is Jesus, yes, He's the One. This Rock is Jesus, the only One
Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid Rock.
We can learn a lesson from the boats that were saved when the tsunami hit Hawaii. Those that were offshore were safe. They rose with the tide, and experienced no harm. Those that were supposedly 'safe' in the harbor were destroyed as the waves and the surf pounded against them. God knows the 'safe place' for us spiritually is in the center of His will - and He is with us in the boat, no matter how stormy it gets.
Lord, help me hear Your voice clearly, and follow where You lead - even in the storm.
That is precisely what we witnessed conspicuously on our recent trip to Israel, particularly in our visit to the Western Wall where Jewish faithful come to pray. They are faithful to the God of their Fathers - but they do not worship in TRUTH OR RIGHT,because they rejected God's Son - their long-awaited Messiah - when He came to live among them.
In Isaiah 48 God takes His chosen people to task for their bullheadedness. He tells them what their lives could have been like had they only listened - lives of true peace. He reminds them of His provision in the wilderness. And He lets them know they will not be completely cut off - for His Name's sake.
The prophecies of old are meshing and being fulfilled with incredible speed. My heart aches for the pain of the groaning of the earth and all the people who are so tragically affected. Even though this is what has been foretold, living through it - seeing the tragic events of prophecy unfold before our eyes - is painful. And it should be. It reflects Jesus' sorrow for Jerusalem when He looked out over the city with an aching heart and proclaimed, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." Jesus' statement is recorded in Matthew 23:37 and in Luke 13:34.
An old, old song comes to mind:
In times like these we need an anchor. In times like these we need a Savior
Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid Rock.
This Rock is Jesus, yes, He's the One. This Rock is Jesus, the only One
Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid Rock.
We can learn a lesson from the boats that were saved when the tsunami hit Hawaii. Those that were offshore were safe. They rose with the tide, and experienced no harm. Those that were supposedly 'safe' in the harbor were destroyed as the waves and the surf pounded against them. God knows the 'safe place' for us spiritually is in the center of His will - and He is with us in the boat, no matter how stormy it gets.
Lord, help me hear Your voice clearly, and follow where You lead - even in the storm.
Monday, March 14, 2011
LENT 2011, Day 5
Isaiah 47 is my chapter for today. In it God declares his judgment on Babylon. My search to find out all that Babylon's territory included in ancient times revealed that Babylon included (parts or all of) Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
Babylon was guilty of an attempt at identity theft - - of God's identity! In Isaiah 47:8 and 47:10, Isaiah declares the following of Babylon, '...you said in your heart. "I am, and there is no one besides me."
Those words elicit an immediate reaction. Only God, the Maker of Heaven and earth is the One and Only, the Great I AM. I Am is how He identifies Himself - - and anyone who tries to usurp that Name is guilty of identity theft. My response in reading this is the same as my reaction 5 years ago when our tour bus drove into The Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. There was a huge billboard that stated, "THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH. MOHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER." That, too, is an attempt at identity theft. (The attached is the picture I took from the bus.)
The Bible was written over a period of many centuries, with the first writings being from Moses - with God as the source of the reports written; and the final writings being by John (Revelation) within +-60 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. The TRUTH of God's Word has been proven over and over because everything that He promises comes to pass.
Jesus warned that in the last days many would come saying they were the Messiah. In Matthew 24:4, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives (where I just recently walked), the disciples came to Jesus and asked him about the end of the age.
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many. We've seen it happen over and over - but God will have the last word. His Word declares it, and God cannot lie.
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