Notes discussed 09225

Ch 56 Sins of Isaiah's day (56-59)

God's desires- preserve Justice and do righteousness. Both thought and action. His salvation is on the way, His righteousness will be revealed (will we know His thought?). How blessed we will be to understand His thoughts.

Don't profane the Sabbath, and keep from doing evil (actions).

The salvation is for all -available to all - not only Israel but all. In addition to race differences, but also those who cannot have children (eunuchs). The message translation applies this to all with defects of any kind. What a wonderful promise - as individuals - who keep the sabbath, and CHOOSE what pleases Him, and hold fast to His covenant. They will be given a name that will not be cut off, one better than sons and daughters, and the name will be everlasting.

Same with the non-jew, those that are the Lord's servants. He will bring them to His Holy mountain, and make them joyful in His house of prayer. A house of prayer for all people- available to all people. Both the jew and non-jew

Beasts of the field come, the watchmen are blind- this Is talking about Israel, they won't initially see the Lord coming back. The people watching will be blind, they will have no understanding because they have all turned to their own way. You have to be looking for the Lord to see Him coming. It will take them by surprise, it will take many by surprise- those worried about what they want.

Ch 57

The righteous man perishes. Righteous has Godly thoughts (55:7 unrighteous is to forsake their thoughts)- no one takes this to heart. Devout men are taken away and no one understands. Righteous men (having Godly thoughts - are taken away from evil. They enter peace, and rest in their beds each one who walked (action) in a Godly way. Put together- to perish is to be taken away from evil.

Verse three -lots of talk about second generation, "sons" "offspring" "children"- children not taught, have no respect for God or His gift of life - slaughter children in ravines. Ravines and clefts and crags implies a hiding nature. Even not taught we have the sense of the sins we commit and we try to conceal them - God sees all - how utterly foolish to try.

We sacrifice to our idols, idol worship is sacrifice but not to God. Again a reference to hiding- secret sin- unconfessed, what grabs us, or what we can't seem to let go of. Far from God trying to hide committing adultery- idol worship is putting something before God or in God's rightful place. Adultery is putting someone else in your spouse' place so the comparison is clear. Adultery is cheating on God. Wide bed- much room for others, looked on manhood or nakedness- which is prohibited within families, and also a part of lust. Journeyed to the king with oil (journies usually involve sacrifice -even today), perfume to please king- prince of this world. Doing this instead of serving God.

Envoys- sent others- shared our gossip and disobedience. Tired by the length of our road, but won't admit it. We often our exhausted or "busy" when others ask us to do something, but if its something we want to do- we don't go to bed. Our strength for our desires abounds.

Fearful but not of God, we often don't respect Him because he doesn't act or say anything in response to our sin. So we foolishly lose our fear and respect. God will declare our righteousness and deeds- unrighteous thoughts and deeds are not profitable. When we cry out about our righteousness God will tell us to let our idols deliver us- which they cannot. Interesting that we cry out to God even though we often don't respect Him as we should- its a sign that we acknowledge the existence of God, even when we are not submitted to Him.

Look what happens to those that take refuge in Him - they inherit the land and will posess the mountain. To take refuge we have to give up on our ways and accept His humbly.

God will take up His people Israel- He will remove obstacles from them. He dwells on High but also with the lowly and repentant (contrite). He will not be angry forever or His creation would grow faint- God wants to forgive us. Israel rejected God - turned away from Him, but God, intends to heal Israel and has stated it- what God says happens.

The wicked (v20) are like the tossing sea and cannot be quiet (quiet before God is a sign we have submitted to Him and are listening to Him). The wicked toss up refuse and mud, and have no rest.

Ch 58 These chapters show the true condition of men

Speak out boldly - declaring the transgressions of My people (God's people) - looks like a clear command. Sin is actions, to point out sins is to tell them the ways they don't follow God. Tell this to a people who delight to know His ways, and seek Him daily. We recognize Him, we want Him around, and we follow Him, want Him to be near.

v3- Questions for God- why doesn't He see our fasts, and our humbleness. If we have that question, are we being humble? Do we try and manipulate God to do what we want, expecting Him to honor our fasts and humbleness.

This chapter checks our motives before God. Our motives are usually personal gain, we fast to create contention and strife, to and to hurt people by making ourselves out to be more than we are. The fast is not about drawing close to God but making a statement before men. Fasting should bring about humbleness and a submitted spirit before God.

v6 things to fast for - God's desires- loosen bonds of wickedness -promote His kingdom, seek the freedom of others from bondage, to let the oppressed go free. The point is it isn't for our gain, it is for other's gain we should fast - which is Gain for Him - glory to God.

Do we fast to end hunger?

Do we fast to end homelessness, and provide necessities for those in need?

Hide from our own flesh- turn our backs on needs.

Think about it, meditate on it, pray about it. Search your motives in all things. Seek God's motives, His heart, His desire and then act accordingly.

This nation is in economic crisis- ask yourself- are people worried about their fellow man, or themselves? Do they focus on their loss or what they can do to help. People are more worried about money than they are other people- unemployment becomes a number and not a face.

We need to search motives (personal and corporate). In God's kingdom the motives will be right- catch a vision of a world where people take care of each other. There is fellowship with God, it is not about us, but its about others- in a nutshell.

Check your motives, get them in line with God's then read Isaiah 58:8. Righteousness before us the Lord protecting us from behind. We will call on Him and He will answer- again with right motives. "here I am" - maybe it is an audible response, if our motives our right we may see Him (He is coming again after all).

Remove the yoke- our bondage, our struggle with self. Jesus bought our freedom, don't reject it. It is available now for everyone.

Once the yoke is off - don't point fingers- who is to blame for all the "problems" we see? To a greater extent than we want to acknowledge it is us, and pointing fingers at others doesn't solve problems. They are solved by seeking after God's will then acting accordingly doing our part to do His will.

Speaking wickedness? Its easier than performing an act that helps others (giving ourselves to the hungry), or satisfying the desire of afflicted.

Do this and watch what happens to depression - light will rise in the darkness, and "your" gloom will become like midday. We will be continually guided by Him. To beguided we must be following, to follow we must be looking at, to look at we must seek. In serving others through submission to God- our desires will get satisfied, we'll rebuild ancient ruins - is this talking about cities, or the fall of man- restoring what God originally established, and we lost by wanting our way first. Repairer of the breach.

Sabbath- His pleasure on the sabbath- not yours. focus on His plan and not yours, His wants and not yours, seek His pleasures and not your own. Speak His words and not yours. Then we will take delight in the Lord- have that fellowship we all want with Him. Just because we don't seek our pleasure does not mean we have to be miserable, and there is a temptation there. In doing the Lord's pleasure we will find the joy we seek, the rest we desire.

Finally it is the mouth of the Lord that speaks, if you go all the way back to verse 1 it says cry out. So its not man's message, it is God's.