Isaiah 22:12-14

God's statement at the end of verse 14 seems harsh, "Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for until you die" (ESV). But seeing reading what God called for and what the people did, makes it somewhat justifiable, I guess.

I can choose to look at this passage two ways:
1) I can question God and his judgment saying this is not quite fair. I mean, the punishment for the sin is a little extreme don't you think? Or...

2) I can come to this passage trusting that God's punishment is justifiably perfect and therefore try to understand how serious this sin is to God.

The later is the safer of the two options. So, first of all, what is the sin? In plain terms it is disobedience, and even mockery. Whatever the case, however, God doesn't take sin lightly. Perhaps I should be more careful when I have the opportunity to deliberately disobey him. And yet, I live with the confidence and knowledge that my "iniquity [was] atoned for" when Christ died on the cross!

"...For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith..." -Romans 3:22-25 (ESV).

Isaiah 22:1-11

Two things in this section of scripture stood out to me as I read it this morning. The first is verse 4: "Therefore I said: 'Look away from me; let me weep bitter tears; do not labor to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people'" (ESV). How his heart had broke towards his people and pained him so to see them not look to God for help. If only I could have a heart for all people, the way Isaiah had for the Jews.

The second thing that stood out to me was verse 11b: "But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago" (ESV). Every victory and triumph, every success and accomplishment, is achieved ONLY because of God. Long before we were even thought of, he set things in motion that would bring about our successes and victories. We should, therefore, never think we did it on our own. Rather we should fall to knees and thank God for the success and victory he gave to us.

Let us never forget to praise God, especially in times victory and success.

Worldwide Day of Prayer

Today is the Worldwide Day of Prayer. Here are just three of many passages about prayer. It might be a good idea to read and think on these today.

Psalm 88:13
Daniel 6:10
I Thessalonians 5:12-22 (esp. 17)

Isaiah 21:13-17

Laziness has prevented me from writing here for the last few days. During that time, however, I have been thinking about this passage. Every time I have read these few verses, trying to understand what they mean, I have been struck by the very last comment made in verse 17, "for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken" (ESV).

For the LORD has spoken. How powerful those simple words are. Christ is the truth (John 14:6). Christ is God (John 1:1,14). All knowledge and wisdom and truth is found in God (Proverbs 1:7). So when we here the words "the LORD has spoken," we should heed them. For who can change what God has said?

But to take this even further, we should heed ALL of scripture, for scripture is God's word, and God's word is Truth. God has spoken, and the Bible that we have today is that spoken word. How amazing it is to think that when we read the scriptures, we are reading, hearing, the very words of the Great, Almighty God of the Universe.

"Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD God Almighty, who was and is and is to come" (Revelation 4:8)


(I am adding this link this morning because I feel it is appropriate to what I learned. John Piper also does a better job at explaining it than I could http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2007/2021_The_Morning_I_Heard_the_Voice_of_God/)

Isaiah 21:11-12

"If you will inquire, inquire; come back again" (Isaiah 21:12b, ESV).

Immediately following the oracle in which Babylon falls, comes this oracle (vv11-12). There are people who want to know when the "end" will come so they can start being "good" and living the right way. This way they can have their fun and not get punished. But the watchman knows their intentions and will not waste him time with them.

"The morning comes, and also the Night" (v.12).

The end will come when it comes. It's more important to live as though the end will come now. Serving and loving and following God at all times is what is important. Obeying him is what he wants. It is important to be aware of the end, of final destruction, but it should not be our main focus. our main focus should be the Almighty God, the Savior of the World.

Isaiah 21:1-10 (Take 2)

I have not written here for the last few days mainly because I have been troubled enough by the first ten verses of this chapter. I have had to read them over and over again. But today I am, perhaps, gaining a little insight... or at least I am able to finally hear the truth God might have for me.

The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea
As windstorms in the Negev sweep on,
It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land.
A harsh vision has been shown to me;
The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys
Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media;
I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.
For this reason my loins are full of anguish;
Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor.
I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.
My mind reels, horror overwhelms me;
The twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling.
(Isaiah 21:1-4, NASB)

"I have made an end to all the groaning she has caused. For this reason..." In making an end to the groaning, Isaiah, speaking from God, has taken all the pain and sorrow upon himself. He describes in vividly in verses 3 and 4. I wonder if this is, in some way, an analogy to what Christ did on the cross. No doubt he saw the pain and suffering and death in the world, but he also saw the evil, the sin, and when he died on the cross, he bore our sins. And I would not be surprised if the pain he felt was similar to what Isaiah is feeling here. Perhaps this is something we should pause for a moment and think about...

Isaiah 21:1-10

Oracle-(n) 7. any utterance made or received as authoritative, extremely wise, or infallible (Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.).

Isaiah 21:1--"The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea"(ESV).
Isaiah 21:10--"O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you"(ESV).

There is much in this passage which I am struggling to understand. What is the meaning? Is this speaking figuratively to someone, or are we being given a chance to listen in on a conversation God is having with nature?

Let me go back to verse one. The "wilderness of the sea"? Huh? Wilderness is something I have always associate with land, terra firma. But here it is being associated with the sea.

There is so much in these 10 verses, and sadly, my feeble mind cannot grasp any of it. There is certainly frustration that comes with days like these, but I can also learn to relish these times. It is the lack of immediate understanding and application that troubles me, and thus forces me to spend prolonged thought rather than reading, saying thank you, God, and going on with my life. It is passages like these that force and challenge me to think.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105, ESV). God's word gives me the knowledge I need walk the path He's laid out for me in this life. But he has his own reasons for not revealing his Word right away. I still have to trust him. And thankfully, it doesn't make him any less of a God.

Isaiah 20

This chapter is one of the R rated chapters of the Bible. But for those who think that God is speaking to them, through this passage, to walk around naked for three years. . . he's not.

The message, or lesson to be learned from this passage, is at the end. Verse 6 says, "And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, 'Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape'"(ESV).

The point here is simple. They were looking in the wrong place for safety and deliverance. There is only one place to safety, only one place to go to be delivered from persecution, and that is God. And why not? If he controls everything, why look to what can be controlled for security instead of looking to the controller? This chapter comes as an important reminder to me. And it comes at the right time.

PSALM 121 (ESV)

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Isaiah 19:16-25

What joy to know that God cannot be angry forever. My heart is filled with overwhelming joy and happiness when I read verse 21, "And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them." It continues as I read on, climaxing with verse 25, "...the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.'"

God created ALL people, not just Jews. It is true that Jews are his chosen people, and because of that they have a special place in God’s heart and kingdom. But God also created everyone else too (John 1:3).

I guess because there is so much evil talked about Egypt and Assyria throughout the Old Testament, to see that even them, God has not completely abandoned, fills me with hope. If he calls Egyptians his people and Assyrians the work of his hands, then what does that mean for me except that NOTHING I do will be able to separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

Isaiah 19:1-15

The imagery in this passage is rich and intense. It presents a God that is sometimes hard to love and to serve. It presents a God that I should fear. If God will do this to a people who are “not his,” how much more should I fear his discipline as one of his adopted children who he loves dearly?

To gain and appropriate perspective on the character of God, we need to learn to fear him. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” But should we learn first to fear God or to love and serve him?

Isaiah 18

Such beautiful poetry.

I must confess, though, that this chapter has, for the last few days, left me a little bewildered. I feel like there is something really big here, but I don't know what it is. And this bothers me some.

There are two sections here I have not been able to fully understand. The first and lesser of the two is use for four lines used twice, once at the beginning of the chapter and once at the end. The lines are:

From a people tall and smooth,
From a people feared near and far,
A nation mighty and conquering,
Whose land the rivers divide.
(vv 2 & 7)

(The very end of verse 7 is another good verse to think and meditate on)

But the passage here that really grabbed my attention and has left me a little frustrated and kind of bothers me a little, is verse 4, "For thus the LORD said to me: 'I will quietly look from my dwelling like clear heat in sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.'" This is the only thing God says in this chapter. I still am not quite sure what means nor do I fully understand it. But without any questions, how could we grow in our relationship with God?

Isaiah 17:9-14

9 happened because of 10a. The result of 10a was 10b-14.

Isaiah 17:10a "For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge" (ESV).

Not meditating on his Word and thinking about his works will result in forgetting. Maybe we should spend this day meditating on this verse, recalling God's provisions for us and for all his children from the beginning until now, and remembering his promises to us.

God is the God of my salvation.

God is the Rock of my refuge.

Isaiah 17:1-8

Perhaps it is time I share something I learned (or re-learned) recently. About a week ago, I had been asking myself the question, how do I maximize my talents and passions and desires so as to be most effective for God? This led to a question about sacrifice. Does God want me to sacrifice my desire to serve him overseas so that I can stay here and be a voice for overseas missions and missionaries? Then all off a sudden it clicked. I saw that my focus was all wrong. It was on me. I realized at that moment that when I put my focus on God, completely removing myself from the picture, what I do next in my life, in my future, doesn't matter.

In fact, in the presence of the Almighty, nothing matters except him alone.

"In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the alters, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the alters of incense" (Isaiah 17:7-8, ESV).

In the presence of the God of the Universe, the Creator, there is simply no room for self, no room for pride. Humility and fear are all that remains.

Isaiah 15-16

"An oracle concerning Moab. Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone" (Isaiah 15:1, ESV). Moab has nothing left. But what I find somewhat bewildering is that part of Christ's lineage can be traced back to the Moabites (see Ruth). And yet here God has turned his back on Moab and laid him bare, undone him? Chapter 16:6 explains why: Pride. . . (Is God perhaps trying to tell me something?)

"Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion" (Isaiah 16:1, ESV). Is this not a picture of Christ? Commencing Christ's ministry was his 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, remember?

Verses 3-5 of Isaiah chapter 16 are worth pondering.

Verse 9 gives some insight into Isaiah character, but also, perhaps, into God's character as well. "Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer...I drench you with my tears" (ESV). Despite all the punishment and and justice he is pouring out on the Moabites, God still has deep compassion for them. In the same way, he has compassion for us. When God sees pride in world, no matter how much he loves the people, even if they are his, he has to punish them in some way. And oh what pain that must cause him. For there can only be one who is truly exalted.

And this morning, as I think on these things, I watch as the sun rises from beyond the horizon, glorious and bright and beautiful.

Isaiah 14:28-32

As a little boy finds comfort in the arms of a loving father, especially when his whole little world seems to be crashing down upon him, so we can can find comfort in arms of the loving Savior. And when the world starts to taunt and threaten us and begins to beat us up, we can find refuge in the presence of our God. "The LORD has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge" (Isaiah 14:32, ESV).

Isaiah 14:24-27

"For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?" (Isaiah 14:27, ESV).

Yet again Go reveals his sovereignty and control over the world and everything in it. These questions almost lend itself to being rhetorical because the answer is obvious: no one.

It is comforting to know that I serve a God who is so in control of everything, that know matter how bad I might mess things up, it doesn't even begin to mess up his plans. And if there's anyone in the world with whom I can trust, it is God. And why not trust him? After all, who has more control over things, both little and big, than the Creator?

Isaiah 14:3-23

(Verse 4 makes clear who this passage is addressed to: "the king of Babylon." But if, like me, you're wondering who this king is specifically, maybe verse 12 can help. I hesitate to say that the king and the Day Star are the same because I simply do not know unless I do further study.) What caught my attention, though, was verse 12 and a few verses following.

Pride is a scary and dangerous thing. It is what led to Satan's downfall, and thus changed the course of history.

Verse 14 says, "I [Satan] will make myself like the Most High" (ESV). Notice what he said. It was the exact same thing he told Adam and Eve they could achieve and become (Genesis 3:5), and their sin changed the course of history for mankind. It was the exact same sin: Pride.

Pride is a dangerous thing. Be careful.