Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 26-28.

As I read this passage I was struck by this set of verses:
“When your judgments come upon the earth,
    the people of the world learn righteousness.
 But when grace is shown to the wicked,
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil
    and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.
 Lord, your hand is lifted high,
    but they do not see it.
Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame;
    let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them.”
Yet I could not see what to write about it.  Until I started trying to think about what the prophet means in chapter 28 were he says (paraphrased): “Is his message for children? It’s ‘Do this, do that, a rule for this and a rule for that.”  Then he says (again paraphrased), “They would not listen, so the word of the Lord will become, do this, do that, a rule for this and a rule for that.”  All of which is followed by the prophet saying that the leaders have  made a deal with death, using lies and falsehoods to protect themselves.  God replies to that deal by saying He has laid a cornerstone against which we are to measure our actions.  The loopholes we think we have found in His commands are not there.  We should measure our actions against that cornerstone, not by a slavish following of rules.  So, let us learn righteousness as God sheds His grace upon us.

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 22-25.

The passage starts off with Isaiah condemning those who take all the right steps to prepare for disaster: they put together a go-bag.  They pile up sand bags to hold back the flood waters.   They plywood up their windows against high winds, or mobs.  They arm themselves in order to defend against aggressors.  They have stored up preserved foods and other necessities against shortages.   They have taken all of the steps one should take to deal with natural or man-caused disasters, except for the most important one.  They have not turned to God in prayer.  They have prepared in all of the ways they can imagine, and then they feast in the face of the disaster they foresee.  However, God had called them to prayer and fasting.  We have been called to prayer.  Are we praying?  If you look at the world and see disaster coming, God has called you to prayer and fasting.  Are we listening to God’s call?  Are we doing what He asks of us?

Every year I try to avoid writing about the above again, but in the end I feel called to repeat that message, at least as much because I feel called to pray more as for any other reason.  However, this year I see a bit more in today’s passage.  God is calling us to warn the world around us of His coming judgement.  He is calling us to turn to Him and to call others to do likewise, but before we attempt to call others, He is calling us to pray.  If we turn to Him in prayer now, we will lift our voices in joy and praise the Lord when others see only disaster.

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 17-21.

There are three things which the prophet says at various points which spoke to me today.  They are not really connected the way I am going to put them together, but I think what I am going to write is part of what God has to say to us.  Isaiah told us that a day of the Lord is coming when those who rage against God will face destruction, a day when all of us will face terror.  That day will come because we have forgotten God, we have put our trust in things and people other than God.  Those who survive that day will be those who look to God, those who remember their Maker.  However, since all of us have sinned, there is terror waiting for us on that day.  The prophet tells us that such terror will be short-lived for those who put their faith in God.  In the evening, there will be sudden terror, but by morning its sources will be gone as if they never existed.  So, a terrible day is coming, if we put our trust in the Lord we need not fear that day (or any other day).

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 13-16.

The other day I wrote about how Isaiah prophesied that we should not be anxious for the coming of the day of the Lord.  Today he reiterates that point by reminding us that the day of the Lord will be a day of destruction, a day filled with God’s wrath and anger.  On that day God will punish the wicked for their sins…and all of us are wicked.  We may be forgiven, but we were wicked when God redeemed us.  When I read this, I always think about the fact that when Isaiah prophesied Babylon was a vassal state of the Assyrian Empire; Babylon was not yet a power in its own right.  At the end of Isaiah’s life, while Hezekiah was king, the Babylonian envoys who visited Hezekiah were the envoys of the Assyrian governor (not the right word) of Babylon.  Yet, Isaiah prophesies the fall of Babylon from great heights.  So, Isaiah is prophesying that Babylon would soon be a great empire, but would not remain one for long.  Interestingly, Isaiah here refers to parts of Babylon becoming swampland.  The “swampland” reference suggests to me a connection with the area south of the city of Babylon, which is in modern Iraq, and is swampland.  Yet, a little later, while speaking of the fall of Babylon Isaiah writes that the Assyrian in the Lord’s land will be crushed.  What makes that noteworthy is the fact that the Babylonian Empire which sacked Jerusalem and took its people into exile was ruled by Assyrians who overthrew the Assyrian Empire.  So, we have Isaiah, prophesying before the rise of the Babylonian Empire (or, as it is known to historians, the neo-Babylonian Empire) that it would be viewed as the Super Power of its day, yet it would fall at God’s command.

Another thing I find interesting is that Isaiah says:
“See, I will stir up against them the Medes,
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.”
So, Isaiah prophesied that it would be the Medes who brought down the Babylonian Empire before the Babylonian Empire was a thing.  What struck me more is the way in which he refers to the Medes as not caring for silver, nor having a delight in gold.  What makes that interesting to me is that growing up I learned that the Medes had an Empire which allied with the Persians to overthrow the Babylonians.  The idea of an empire of the Medes was based on the writings of Herodotus, who described an empire of the Medes.  However, modern archaeologists have been unable to find evidence of a empire of the Medes.  Based on the evidence they have found they have concluded that the Medes never built an empire.  Rather they had a confederation of semi-nomadic tribes which dominated a portion of what is now Iran and Iraq, but never truly ruled over it.  The recent conclusions which they have reached reflect a society which would have been viewed by someone like Isaiah as having no care for silver or gold.  All of which makes me marvel at God revealing the rise of Babylon, and its fall to the Medes to Isaiah, who lived before Babylon began its rise. 

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

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

Isaiah prophesies the coming Messiah in a prophecy which can be seen as applying to Jesus, who started His ministry in Galilee.  Now there is nothing noteworthy in me taking note of that, Matthew makes that connection for us.  What I find interesting is that Isaiah continues from that Messianic prophecy to warning those who do not turn to God when things go wrong.  Isaiah warns those who suffer setbacks because of their sin who think they will just recover and go on to bigger and better things without turning to God.  As I read this today, I am struck that Isaiah’s prophecy here seems directed at those who see the changes going on right now as evidence that they have been vindicated and do not need to change their ways.  Isaiah warns that those who do not call people to return to God, or, perhaps turn to him in the first place, are misleading them, while those who follow such leaders are willfully being led astray.  If you are not following a leader who is calling you to change, to follow God more faithfully, you have chosen to be misled.  Each of us needs to examine ourselves and decide if we are turning to God to listen to what He wants of us.

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 5-8.

I was debating about what to write out of today’s passage.  I really like writing about Isaiah’s commission where God says, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  It really calls me to respond as Isaiah did, and to call others to do likewise, to say, “Here I am. Send me!” Then later there is Isaiah’s prophecy to Ahaz which also became a prophecy about Jesus.  However, today I kept feeling myself drawn to earlier in the passage where Isaiah writes:
“Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,
    and wickedness as with cart ropes,
 to those who say, ‘Let God hurry;
    let him hasten his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.’
 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.
 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.”
I always wonder about the correct interpretation of the inclusion of “to those who say, ‘Let God hurry…”  Is Isaiah talking about those who say this to mock those who trust in God?  Or, is he comparing those who long for the return of Christ to those who call evil good and call good evil?  I have read and heard people make the case for the former, but I can’t shake the feeling that perhaps Isaiah meant the latter.  So, what could be wrong about hoping for the Day of the Lord to come sooner rather than later?  I think that perhaps that last piece of my above quote gives us a hint, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.”  Along with that is those who are righteous in their own eyes.  Those who think that they are righteous and so have nothing to fear when the Day of Judgement comes.  But what about those of us who know that we are not righteous, who know that it is only through God’s grace that our sins are forgiven, why shouldn’t we seek for the Lord to return sooner rather than later?  The answer is because of the suffering which will accompany His return.  We should pray that those who have not yet turned to God and accepted Christ’s forgiveness for their sin turn to Him before His return.  Instead of praying that we might sooner experience living with Christ in eternity, we should pray for more time to serve Him here on earth.

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 1-4.

The first thing I want to note is that Isaiah began prophesying during the reign of Uzziah, about whom the writer of Chronicles said “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”  In fact, similar things could be said about 3 of the four kings who reigned during Isaiah’s time of prophesy.  Yet from the very beginning f Isaiah’s prophecies he calls out the people of Israel for their rebellion against God.  Isaiah tells them that the sacrifices which they offer are meaningless and their assemblies are worthless.  Isaiah told the people of Israel that they must stop doing wrong and learn to do right.  God was condemning their worship because it was empty.  Their worship rituals were not intended as an end in themselves.  They were intended as an expression of God’s command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  But the first of the expressions of following that command was that they were to ,”love your neighbor as yourself.”  We make the mistake of not paying attention to Isaiah’s prophecy today.  Have our worship services become meaningless and worthless?  If we do not want God to refuse to listen to our prayers, the same as He did to the people of Israel in Isaiah’s day, then we need to wash away our sins and learn to be willing and obedient.

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

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Isaiah 64-66.

Isaiah wraps up his prophecies by revisiting a few of the themes which were throughout his book.  Today’s passage begins with a reminder that no one has ever seen any God aside from the true God.  While other things, and beings, and creatures have been worshiped by people, none of them acts on behalf of those who trust them in the way and with the power which God acts on behalf of those who trust Him and remember His ways.  Yet, despite that truth we still sin against Him and provoke His anger, and what can save us from His anger?  Only God’s love can, and fortunately will, save us from His justified anger at us.  For we are the work of His hand, and He will mold us and make us into vessels that bring glory to His name.  God will reveal Himself to those who do not look for Him and He will be found by those not searching for Him.   Which brings us to the second theme Isaiah prophesied about repeatedly: those who proclaim themselves servants of God while committing wicked acts in secret.  God will bring judgement upon them and show all their dirty secrets.  Those who truly serve God will experience joy, but those who only do so with their mouths while their acts bring harm to others will experience suffering beyond measure.

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

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

Isaiah prophesied that the year of the Lord’s favor would come, but that would also be the day of God’s vengeance on the wicked.  When God acts it will be good news for the poor and the brokenhearted.  But God loves justice and hates wrongdoing, so on that day those who wallow in wickedness will experience His vengeance.  In that day, God will make righteousness sprout up among the nations.  That day is every day since Jesus died on the cross.  God will guide those called by His name.

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

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

Isaiah prophesies God’s salvation for His people.  It is time for God’s people to awake and give glory to God.  He foretold what is to come and all people will see His power.  God gave Isaiah a prophecy about the fall of Babylon before Babylon had even risen to be a world power.  What Isaiah did would be comparable to someone today predicting that China would be overthrown as the world power by India.  But more important than Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Babylon is his prophecy concerning God’s Chosen One, concerning the Gospel of Christ.  Isaiah prophesied that He would be cut off from life, yet after He had suffered He would see the light of life.  Further, Isaiah writes that by knowledge of Him (the translation note for Isaiah 53:11 offers this as an alternate translation…I think they chose to translate it the way they did because it is better poetry) many will be justified.  Jesus poured out His life unto death, but after He suffered He was raised from the dead to see the light of life once more.  Isaiah promises us that no weapon forged against God’s people will prevail, and those who listen to the words of God will refute every one that accuses them.  Isaiah tells us that God is calling to those who hunger and thirst to come to Him and listen to His words.  If they listen and act upon what they hear, their hunger and thirst will be satisfied.  Certainly, we are to understand that to refer to spiritual food and drink for those who hunger and thirst for what is right, but I believe that God is also offering food and drink for those with physical hunger and thirst.  If they will but listen to God, they will be filled.  God will provide for our needs.

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