The third week in Isaiah. We had a dazed and confused man come to church, I pray he will be shown help, assesed medically and walk with the Lord. I pray that attitudes are as they should be. Who knows, maybe an angel in disguise.
God those that earnestly seek You will find You. You are our creator and we submit our lives, the ones You gave us back to You Lord. Help us to discern Your voice in our studies, apply what you teach by speaking the words You would have us to, and complete the tasks You desire.
(4) 5:20 -calling good evil and evil good- the reference said that is confusing morals. In this day "morals" is a nebulous topic, I prefer to think that calling evil good or good evil contradicts God. God that everyone can have a relationship with. If when we hear it we ask - have you asked God about that? God who wants a relationship with you, etc. People also make themselves out to be god by deciding for themselves what is moral, the problem here is that they will often pick things convenient for themselves and leave the price of their choices for humanity to pay.
(5) 5:21 goes with 4 conceited or thinking we have all the answers. Its dangerous to trust anyones "knowledge" as absolute. We absolutely need to search the scriptures and let God talk to us individually. Sharing our experiences is a good thing because God does speak to us, and He may confirm what another has said. We need that confirmation.
(6) 5:22-24 Pervert justice and take bribes. This brings about distress, and unkindness, oppression.
24 blossom blow away as dust because they rejected God- there is the dust again. This happened because people despised the Lord, so they were struck down.
Job - His friends thought his calamity was a result of Job's sin. To them it was proof. Rejecting God brings about calamity, but calamity is not a sure sign that a person has rejected God.
The end of Chapter 5 talks about other nations that God used as instruments of carrying out punishment of those that rejected Him. They are at His beck and call. Assyria in this case, but later Babylon, in our day probably the UN.
Chapter 6
This chapter starts out with a definite time stamp, the year of King Uzziah's death (approx 740 BC). This is about 5 years into what is considered his active ministry (745-695 BC). There is a difference of opinion here on several issues: 1st were the visions in earlier chapters before Isaiah's calling, or did he re-arrange his notes? 2nd- was this a record of Isaiah's calling or maybe just a special call for a certain task God had in mind?
King Uzziah was generally considered a good king, he became leporous when he tried to take over the priest duties (2 Chron 26- records his reign).
This vision came from God, was Isaiah made ready to receive this vision out of his anxiety, the clear decline he saw in the nation? Was he depressed, did that make him receptive? One of the 19th century evangelists wrote of his depression episodes, and that he came to realize that depression was a precursor to an act of God. In our day we regard depression as bad, but if it is a precursor to God moving or acting in our lives.....
The vision was a respite for Isaiah from the true conditions he saw, a reassurance.
verse 5 - Isaiah realizes his condition before God, and confesses it. That is the essence of salvation- knowing our condition before God and then accepting His cleansing us from our condition. Another of the witnessing scriptures- Isa 6:5. Isaiah in verse 8 submits to do what God asks, before God tells him the specifics of what he is to do. Submission.
What was Isaiah called to do? Halley's interprets his call to be the bringing about of the final hardening of the nation of Israel. My life application footnotes say he was to preach to a people who believed they were blessed (and they were) that God was going to destroy them due to their disobedience. God warned them one more time through Isaiah, and yet they had so hardened their hearts that destruction became inevitable.
He was sent to preach to a people that did not care to listen, I think the Lord told him they would not listen so he wouldn't get his hopes up. People who hve the gift of exhortation get terribly depressed when they don't see progress or response. He was going to exhort these people to turn back to the Lord (for a long time also- while the land God had given them was slowly overun with invaders) and they were going to ignore him (for that long).
Were these people hardened beyond repentance? God's grace gave them one more chance. Maybe for the group this was the case, but the righteous remnant that we keep hearing about may have gotten larger through Isaiah's ministry. I think the lessons here are don't give up because it looks hopeless (God doesn't give up on us- ever), and don't get your hopes up either (God did give us the freedom to choose).
Chapter 7
Ahaz is king in Judah. (2 Chron 28) a king who did not do right in the sight of the Lord. From 2nd Chronicles- He was 20 when he came to power (ruled by children?) certainly didn't have experience. He made molten images, burned incense, burned sons in fire, sacrificed everywhere.
Was defeated four times, King of Aram (Syria) defeated him, carried off captives.
King of Israel defeated him inflicting many casualties and carried off captives. He lost a son. Israel was going to make slaves of their Jewish brothers but were warned not to. So they let them go.
Syria and Israel decided to join forces to invade Judah again and set up the king of their choosing over Judah. Ahaz was in the royal line of David. Isaiah was told to go to him that this would fail. Which it did, God directly intervened. God told Ahaz if he would not believe he would not last (9)
Instead of believing God (which when considered "logically" looked improbable- Ahaz asked Assyria for help, instead the Assyrians invaded him. Ahaz gave the king of Assyria a portion of the treasures from the Lords house, which was of no help, the Assyrians still attacked him. The shaving of hair is considered total humiliation. Judah's rich farmland would be trampled to the point nothing would grow. God will redeem it.
Ahaz never turned to God, in fact he sacrificed to the gods of the countries that defeated him. Furthermore he closed the temple.
Ahaz was asked by the Lord, for the Lord to give Ahaz a sign. It was the Lord calling Ahaz to Himself. Ahaz refused - his excuse was he didn't want to test the Lord or bother Him. Do we do that? This prevented Ahaz from hearing from the Lord, and of course Ahaz probably knew that in acknowledging God he would have to acknowledge his sin- which had wreaked havoc on Judah.
The sign? Immanuel in the family of David, the future Messiah born of a virgin.
He was however Hezekiah's dad. God protected the line. Promised Messiah- future looking, but also real time the kings Ahaz dreaded would be forsaken (3 years- approximate time from conception of a baby until the baby talks). They were dead chickens- God promised it.
God whistles for fly and bee, these are signs of God's judgement. I also take it as a sign that the greatest armies in the world are powerless without the Lord. The actual judgement is delayed for several more kings after Hezekiah.
Chapter 8
Maher-shalal-hash-baz - The Lord told Isaiah to name his son that, before the boy can speak (conception- to talking - 3 yrs) Syria and Israel will conquered by the king of Assyria. The name means the spoils speeds, the prey hastens (swift is the booty, speedy is the prey), the immediate threat will fail. How often do we name our children based on what God has told us would happen. He was completely sold out. The Lord further told Isaiah that since Israel rejected Him (Shiloah- God's gentle and sustaining care), He would allow the waters of the Euphrates (abundant)- this is the way the Assyrians would sweep into the land. Reaching into Judah all the way to the neck- Jerusalem alone would remain.
Be broken, be shattered (shattered means lose courage). Gird yourselves yet be shattered- repeated. Prepare yourselves, but lose courage. God will have His way- it is best for us. We think we know what is best, and we certainly have our wants and desires, but God truly does know what is best for us.
To close I had a wonderful prayer but didn't use it. I prayed we would submit to God and do what He requests without wanting a preview, even if it is hard as in the case of Isaiah's task. The Lord was with him, and will clearly walk with us every step of the way.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Second week of Isaiah study. Chapter 2-5:19.
May God bless those who read and study His word, in fact I think its a promise.
Chapter 2:
Lord You are our creator, and You have created everything we have. Lord there is none Like you- not even close, and Father we acknowledge You as God. Please speak to us through the discussion of Your word and lead us into the way You would have each of us go. Help us both to listen and to hear You, that we may all be pleasing in Your sight.
In Jesus name
(1-5)Lords will- Jerusalem chief city, ALL nations will stream there, Christ will be teaching the ways of God in the house of Jacob (Israel). People will want to walk in His path and forsake their own way. Disputes will be settled by Christ, of nations and peoples- it will be like Moses or the judges deciding in Israel. No war. No war means that the disputes will be settled- what causes war- selfish ambition -Hitler, misunderstandings, sin. Causes murder- we want what we can't have so we take it- we aren't happy with God has blessed us with so we covet what others have, and it leads to sin.
(6-11) Now from a glimpse of the future to Isaiah trying to appeal to the people of Israel to walk in God's way. God has abandoned them- influenced from the east (other cultures- not God's way- a mixture). They had gods they worshipped at the same time as God. Idols get worshipped too (american Idol- very popular) - the creation of our hands.
Natural to be happy with what we can make, it can - take the place of God in our lives. We worship a creation rather than the creator.
We tend to concentrate on it rather than Him -so we don't serve Him
makes us aware of our own efforts and makes us feel self sufficient
But God's presence remove's those feelings - we will be terrified by His presence. The Lord will be exalted ALONE.
(12-22)A day of reckoning - The Father setting His kids straight- He will only cover so long, then He will affirm His position. Everyone proud and lofty will be abased.
The Lord alone will be exalted (same as vs 11) repeated passages
Idols will completely vanish
men will hide in caves trying to escape the presence of the Lord. We turn away when people say what we don't want to hear, avoid them. God will come and hiding will be impossible we must make our choice. Our priorities will be shuffled putting God first (money will be of no concern- we won't care).
A dust reminder- stop esteeming man our life is in our God given breath. What value is any of us to anyone or anything apart from what God has given us?
Chapter 3
God will remove remove bread and water from Jerusalem and Judah. This describing seige by invading army. Ultimately the capture of Jerusalem and the forced relocation of the leaders and other affluent people.
Children rulers - inexperienced, oppressed- under control of the invading kingdom. Those countries were conquered- people relocated, and those left had to pay tribute.
Jerusalem and Judah's speech and actions are against the Lord (denying God in word and deed). Did not want His presence, their faces expressed a disdain for God
Displaying sin like Sodom - open sin- not trying to conceal it. They bring evil on themselves God didn't send it, but rather their actions brought about those consequences.
Nugget- say to the righteous that it will go well with them, they will reap the fruit of their action. Note "well" may mean they get relocated- in exile (Daniel is a prime example of an exile that things went well for due to his actions of trying to serve the Lord). He was in a foriegn land, but gained respect.
Wicked- it will go badly, they will get what they deserve. Grace is getting something we don't deserve, I think God has been very gracious to us.
oppressors are children, women rule over them. Their leaders lead them astray and confuse them. It is so very important to have a relationship with God. Leaders with an un-Godly heart will tend to lead you astray. God put leaders in place, but He wants us to have a relationship with Him, and get our direction from Him, not blindly follow the leader.
God will arise to contend- arise - used in 2:19,2:21 and 3:13, 2:2 the Lords mountain will be raised in Jerusalem (earthquake- arises to make the earth trembles in that day 2:19).
Lord Judging the leaders of His people. Plunder of the poor is in your houses- riches gained by position. His people crushed, grinding the face of the poor- connotes to me a refusing to see them, and holding them down against the ground, not seeing them as people.
Women- long description 16-24 focus is on the beauty of women, all the adornments, looks have become their god- definitely similar to this time. The idol or perfect image is on magazine covers, and many women become totally consumed by trying to look that way. Their looks become the god they are serving, the teenagers and young women wrecking their lives by comparing themselves to those images and trying to live up to it. Blood donors- low iron
Men fall by the sword- defending Jerusalem to no avail.
Chapter 4
verse 1 seems to be a continuation of Ch 3. After war and most of the men killed and all the beautiful adorning ornaments taken few men left.
However no accidents in God's word. It could be that was the situation (and I'm sure it was when Jerusalem was over run then) , and will be the situation at the beginning of the millenial reign. It didn't have to be written twice.
Chapter four is looking ahead, in the midst of impending doom and destruction, the ultimate fate of Jerusalem is shown. Those in Jerusalem will be called Holy, only those in the book of life will be able to enter. After redemption Jerusalem will have a cloud over it by day (with smoke) and a fire by night, and a canopy over all that for shelter. Just like how God led the Israelites in the desert.
Chapter 5
Parable of the vineyard- Jesus Parables. Matthew 21:33-45 is the parable of the vineyard. The text is the same in terms of setting. Jesus gave Isaiah the parable, and then later used it in His ministry. Another related parable sticks out to me Luke 13:6-9 the parable of the Fig tree in the vineyard. The owner (God) was ready to cut it down, but the vineyard-keeper (Jesus) wanted another year to try and make it produce fruit.
God gave Israel everything they needed and indeed everything they had, and still they rejected Him.
Within Judah he looked for justice and found bloodshed
looked for righteousness and found distress
Do Justice, love kindness, walk humbly
The wicked in israel faced desolation- famine. Ten acres produced one bath (9 gallons of wine), a Homer of seed planted (11 bushels) produced an Ephah ( 1 bushel) of harvest. The wicked would be better off eating the seed rather than planting, God will suspend His sowing and reaping principle in this case. God provides increase of what we sow, do we sow goodness? kindness?
6 things pointed out- (1)5:8-10- exploiting others- putting house to house and field to field together. Acquiring property isn't sin, but getting more than you need while others suffer and are forced to move away is. Its a building up of worldy treasures, and they come between us and God.
(2) drunkeness- 5:11-12-starting early or staying up late to drink. Drinking is about escape- selfish pleasure. Can you serve others when in a drunken state? Your children? family? Bible says give strong drink to those suffering, drinking just for the buzz can make us ignore the Lord, and the work of His hands.
People will go into exile for lack of knowledge, Isaiah warned them, and yet they did not listen they were marched away hungry and thirsty. So all the extra fields and the drinking of wine was wasted, others got the benefit because of their relationship with God. Men will be abased but the Lord exalted
(3) 5:18-19 Woe to those that drag iniquity with cords of falsehood. The I can't help it crowd- I must sin. Now Christ delivers us from sin, He paid the price, to claim we can't help it makes the sin more powerful than Christ's sacrifice. Untrue. Another interesting statement is the calling for works of God that they may see it. In Jesus time they asked Him for a sign time after time that they might "believe" in other words they did not want to exercise faith. Or did not want to show faith.
May God bless those who read and study His word, in fact I think its a promise.
Chapter 2:
Lord You are our creator, and You have created everything we have. Lord there is none Like you- not even close, and Father we acknowledge You as God. Please speak to us through the discussion of Your word and lead us into the way You would have each of us go. Help us both to listen and to hear You, that we may all be pleasing in Your sight.
In Jesus name
(1-5)Lords will- Jerusalem chief city, ALL nations will stream there, Christ will be teaching the ways of God in the house of Jacob (Israel). People will want to walk in His path and forsake their own way. Disputes will be settled by Christ, of nations and peoples- it will be like Moses or the judges deciding in Israel. No war. No war means that the disputes will be settled- what causes war- selfish ambition -Hitler, misunderstandings, sin. Causes murder- we want what we can't have so we take it- we aren't happy with God has blessed us with so we covet what others have, and it leads to sin.
(6-11) Now from a glimpse of the future to Isaiah trying to appeal to the people of Israel to walk in God's way. God has abandoned them- influenced from the east (other cultures- not God's way- a mixture). They had gods they worshipped at the same time as God. Idols get worshipped too (american Idol- very popular) - the creation of our hands.
Natural to be happy with what we can make, it can - take the place of God in our lives. We worship a creation rather than the creator.
We tend to concentrate on it rather than Him -so we don't serve Him
makes us aware of our own efforts and makes us feel self sufficient
But God's presence remove's those feelings - we will be terrified by His presence. The Lord will be exalted ALONE.
(12-22)A day of reckoning - The Father setting His kids straight- He will only cover so long, then He will affirm His position. Everyone proud and lofty will be abased.
The Lord alone will be exalted (same as vs 11) repeated passages
Idols will completely vanish
men will hide in caves trying to escape the presence of the Lord. We turn away when people say what we don't want to hear, avoid them. God will come and hiding will be impossible we must make our choice. Our priorities will be shuffled putting God first (money will be of no concern- we won't care).
A dust reminder- stop esteeming man our life is in our God given breath. What value is any of us to anyone or anything apart from what God has given us?
Chapter 3
God will remove remove bread and water from Jerusalem and Judah. This describing seige by invading army. Ultimately the capture of Jerusalem and the forced relocation of the leaders and other affluent people.
Children rulers - inexperienced, oppressed- under control of the invading kingdom. Those countries were conquered- people relocated, and those left had to pay tribute.
Jerusalem and Judah's speech and actions are against the Lord (denying God in word and deed). Did not want His presence, their faces expressed a disdain for God
Displaying sin like Sodom - open sin- not trying to conceal it. They bring evil on themselves God didn't send it, but rather their actions brought about those consequences.
Nugget- say to the righteous that it will go well with them, they will reap the fruit of their action. Note "well" may mean they get relocated- in exile (Daniel is a prime example of an exile that things went well for due to his actions of trying to serve the Lord). He was in a foriegn land, but gained respect.
Wicked- it will go badly, they will get what they deserve. Grace is getting something we don't deserve, I think God has been very gracious to us.
oppressors are children, women rule over them. Their leaders lead them astray and confuse them. It is so very important to have a relationship with God. Leaders with an un-Godly heart will tend to lead you astray. God put leaders in place, but He wants us to have a relationship with Him, and get our direction from Him, not blindly follow the leader.
God will arise to contend- arise - used in 2:19,2:21 and 3:13, 2:2 the Lords mountain will be raised in Jerusalem (earthquake- arises to make the earth trembles in that day 2:19).
Lord Judging the leaders of His people. Plunder of the poor is in your houses- riches gained by position. His people crushed, grinding the face of the poor- connotes to me a refusing to see them, and holding them down against the ground, not seeing them as people.
Women- long description 16-24 focus is on the beauty of women, all the adornments, looks have become their god- definitely similar to this time. The idol or perfect image is on magazine covers, and many women become totally consumed by trying to look that way. Their looks become the god they are serving, the teenagers and young women wrecking their lives by comparing themselves to those images and trying to live up to it. Blood donors- low iron
Men fall by the sword- defending Jerusalem to no avail.
Chapter 4
verse 1 seems to be a continuation of Ch 3. After war and most of the men killed and all the beautiful adorning ornaments taken few men left.
However no accidents in God's word. It could be that was the situation (and I'm sure it was when Jerusalem was over run then) , and will be the situation at the beginning of the millenial reign. It didn't have to be written twice.
Chapter four is looking ahead, in the midst of impending doom and destruction, the ultimate fate of Jerusalem is shown. Those in Jerusalem will be called Holy, only those in the book of life will be able to enter. After redemption Jerusalem will have a cloud over it by day (with smoke) and a fire by night, and a canopy over all that for shelter. Just like how God led the Israelites in the desert.
Chapter 5
Parable of the vineyard- Jesus Parables. Matthew 21:33-45 is the parable of the vineyard. The text is the same in terms of setting. Jesus gave Isaiah the parable, and then later used it in His ministry. Another related parable sticks out to me Luke 13:6-9 the parable of the Fig tree in the vineyard. The owner (God) was ready to cut it down, but the vineyard-keeper (Jesus) wanted another year to try and make it produce fruit.
God gave Israel everything they needed and indeed everything they had, and still they rejected Him.
Within Judah he looked for justice and found bloodshed
looked for righteousness and found distress
Do Justice, love kindness, walk humbly
The wicked in israel faced desolation- famine. Ten acres produced one bath (9 gallons of wine), a Homer of seed planted (11 bushels) produced an Ephah ( 1 bushel) of harvest. The wicked would be better off eating the seed rather than planting, God will suspend His sowing and reaping principle in this case. God provides increase of what we sow, do we sow goodness? kindness?
6 things pointed out- (1)5:8-10- exploiting others- putting house to house and field to field together. Acquiring property isn't sin, but getting more than you need while others suffer and are forced to move away is. Its a building up of worldy treasures, and they come between us and God.
(2) drunkeness- 5:11-12-starting early or staying up late to drink. Drinking is about escape- selfish pleasure. Can you serve others when in a drunken state? Your children? family? Bible says give strong drink to those suffering, drinking just for the buzz can make us ignore the Lord, and the work of His hands.
People will go into exile for lack of knowledge, Isaiah warned them, and yet they did not listen they were marched away hungry and thirsty. So all the extra fields and the drinking of wine was wasted, others got the benefit because of their relationship with God. Men will be abased but the Lord exalted
(3) 5:18-19 Woe to those that drag iniquity with cords of falsehood. The I can't help it crowd- I must sin. Now Christ delivers us from sin, He paid the price, to claim we can't help it makes the sin more powerful than Christ's sacrifice. Untrue. Another interesting statement is the calling for works of God that they may see it. In Jesus time they asked Him for a sign time after time that they might "believe" in other words they did not want to exercise faith. Or did not want to show faith.
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