Notes discussed 09311

Blessings also from God- better than we expect. Peace and righteousness, no violence (with His help) I think we will get it. No devestation or destruction. The Lord will be our light. God will be our glory- He will give us some of His, peace and possesion of the land us, the work of His hands. Everybody will be important.

Can we have these blessings now? I believe we can, He will set up His kingdom and it will be worldwide, but as we follow Him and submit to Him I believe we will be blessed. Doesn't mean we won't have issues and trials, but the very presence of God in our lives will make them feel insignificant.

God will hasten the happening of this when it is His time. Praise God it will happen though. Smallest becoming a clan and the least a mighty nation. There are no prerequisites in God's world, all He wants is a freely submitted heart and mind to His will.

Ch 61

The versus Jesus read to start His ministry.
Bring good news- Gospel message to the afflicted, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to prisoners. To proclaim a favorable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19.

Next line not read by Jesus "and the day of vengeance of our God- This is picked up in Isaiah 63:4- clearly shown in Isaiah before Jesus. If He had said that would the trib period have happened back then? To comfort those that mourn, and grant those in Zion mourning Garland (beauty) for ashes. I played that song one Sunday AM - Isaiah is oft quoted in song lyrics. Gladness instead of mourning, praise instead of fainting. In a sense when we feel faint - our strength has run out, and God can work. When we mourn we acknowledge our helplessness and He can then help.

The person who feels faint and is ready to give up and that God then works to strengthen for all appearances seem strong and called oaks of righteousness. Our seeming endurance is from the Lord and He should be glorified as the giver of it. Any goodness we do is from Him and us submitting to the direction of His Spirit.

Once God strengthens us then we can rebuild. This chapter specifically refers to Israel, but believers are grafted in. God will act openly and vividly through His chosen once they turn to Him. Turn fully to Him. People that have submitted fully to the Lord that He then works through, will be recognized by others as blessed, and taken care of.

We should not submit to God and let Him work through us for worldly gain, but rather for His gain- we have to be careful of our motives.

The Lord loves justice, and He will give them their due. His people will be recognized. The nation of Israel (and grafted in believers) will be the priests to the rest of the world.

Rejoice in the Lord - He has clothed us with salvation (subtle but a gift, not earned), He wraps us in righteousness, again received from Him. Hints of the armor of God were written God through Isaiah.

Just like dressing up for a wedding, we have to put on the garments God has given us, we have to want them.

The Lord causes rigteousness and praise to spring up. Again by blessing those who honor Him.

Armor of God Eph 6:10-18
14- girded your loins with truth Isa 11:5
breastplate of righteousness Isa 59:17
15- your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace Isa 52:7
shield of faith- not mentioned
17 helmet of salvation Isa 59:17
sword of spirit not mentioned - but Isa 11:4


Ch 62

Isaiah is speaking, He gets it, that it isn't about Him and his gain but about God and that His way is far better than our way.

Isaiah (people submitted to God) will not stay silent for Zion's sake and for that of Jerusalem. He speaks, He guides, we don't listen, and maybe try to hide from. Holding onto our selfishness. Israel His nation will be righteous, and the world will see it.

They will get a new name- generally - which the Lord will call us.

We will be a beauty in the hand of the Lord (not us in our own power but Him shining through our submitted state). He will hold us, but we have to let Him, He calls us we have to answer and submit, and when we do and are firmly held in His hand - and do His bidding it is a glorious thing.

The people not forsaken, land not desolate, but like a marriage we will be joined to God .

Verse 6 and 7 - the scripture to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) Peace in that city for the Jews, peace in the Lord for the church, you who remind the lord take no rest, and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Pray for the millenium and the new heavens and earth expect it look for it. Parable of persistent widow Luke 18:1-8. Ten virgins (Matt 25)- five weren't prepared when the Lord came back, they didn't live in an expectant state, and were not prepared when the announcement came.

Verse 8 and 9 - a promised answer

The spoken word setting it in motion, making it happen.


Ch 63 The exiles' prayer

Here is a reference to Christ coming from the land of the enemies of the jew. Edom was against Israel. Red garments- Christ fighting for Israel- alone- He needs no help. In His wrath and anger He punishes- hasn't happened yet but spoken so assured- He needs no help. The call to "kill the infidels" has nothing to do with our God, because He can. He wants us to pray and witness that they may turn and know His peace.

Blood is life (Lev 17:11-14)- His garments will be stained with their life. In Isaiah 61:2 there is a day of vengeance. When Jesus started His ministry He stopped just short of quoting that line. The line after day of vengeance talks about a year of redemption a millenial reign- new heavens and earth. Jesus will pour out their lifeblood, He needs no help.

vs 7 The lovingkindness of the Lord, goodness granted out of His compassion and not of their merit. He states they are His people who will not deal falsely- God said it, one day it will be. He was afflicted with them, He redeemed them, He carried them, but still they rebelled.

He led them but they would not listen, He guided but they ignored, therefore they grieved the Holy Spirit. Therefore He turned and fought against them. Giving a dose of justice when His desire is to give mercy.

This caused the people to remember all the things He had done for them. Parting the Red sea, caring for them daily in the wilderness, They missed God. When He doesn't act in our lives we can miss it. Especially if we have ever experienced His moving in our lives. Most of us can look in our past and see God at work, but now in our present we go off on our own.

They call for the Lord to be apart their lives, then in true human fashion blame Him for hardening their hearts against Him. He gives us a choice there. Vs 17 He does not cause us to stray from His ways, it is our nature to do so. He has allowed it, because He wants us to come to Him fully submitted. This chapter ends by comparing the state of Israel to a people who have never known God. It takes diligence to walk with Him and a concious effort not to revert to how we naturally feel we should do things. That being said His yoke is easy, and He wants to help us. Just like flesh nailed Jesus to a tree, we have to nail our own flesh to a tree- rejecting our way for His. The better way.

Ch 64

Its stated in the Bible that there will be a worldwide earthquake when the Lord returns. In studying Revelation there is a reference, and many in other places. Isaiah is calling for the Lord's return- He gets it, we need Him, He is our only hope. This will be a worldwide event and it will be clear that it is the Lord, even to the unbeliever. He created this world after all, its His, regardless of how much and how many men may deny it.

He will move in ways that aren't predictable, but He does give warnings of His action before hand to those watching for Him. He is God who acts on behalf of those waiting for Him, who acts in the righteousness of God and rejoices that it is the way things should be done. People who study God's ways.

God was angry because of our sin, sin we continued in for a long time. Sin hurts us, its not what is best for us. It grieves God because He wants what is best for us. We all failed Him and our helpless before Him, in other words our deeds are of no count. It is only in a submitted state doing His deeds of God's righteousness that we are of any use, and that is God acting through us. What we think is "our" righteousness is nothing. Our iniquities can gain power over us, He must deliver us. We must recognize that as well. A submitted heart and being helpless, realizing our need for God.

Yet God created us, and we seek His mercy. Our sin causes us great problems, and then we run to God for a quick fix without submitting. God is seemingly silent when we want our way and not His, allowing us to go deeper into tradgedy. Then we want to blame Him for it.