Week 136, Day 3: A mixed bag
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 32:1-20
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The message from God turns to having a mixed message. The beginning speaks of good things to come with a righteous king reigning. Such righteous leaders will be like refuge from the wind or a storm or shade in a parched land. They would give the land sweet rest and comfort. But “within a year and a few days”, vs. 10, they would be troubled and the gathering from the land would cease and the palace would be abandoned. This is such a dramatic turn. The captivity for Judah will not be far off. The people needed to prepare themselves by seeking God. There would be a few good leaders before the fall but a complete turn around in Judah would not happen.
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Week 136, Day 2: Not of Man
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 31:1-9
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
God’s message grows starkly more upbeat in the next few chapters. In verse 5 He says that He will protect and deliver Jerusalem. There was coming a day soon when they would cast away their idols and return to God. Assyria would come upon Jerusalem and siege the city. The people in their desperation would stop looking to Egypt or their idols for help and would turn to God. In that day God would cause Assyria to “fall by a sword not of man.” I believe this is what we find happening when the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, came with a mighty army but God destroyed 185,000 of them with His angel. They were not destroyed by any weapon of man but by God’s power. Yet another time when God displayed His power and called for Judah to be faithful to Him only, but they would not remain faithful.
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Week 136, Day 1: Alliance of Shame
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 30:1-33
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
We are told in this chapter how Judah had sought to have aid from Egypt. From a physical standpoint this makes good sense. Assyria & then Babylon had been increasing threats to the land of Judah. What was Judah to do? The sensible thing from a earthly standpoint is to seek to make allies. So Judah sought to ally itself to the other superpower of the day in hopes that Egypt could keep them safe from the threat of the armies of Assyria & Babylon. But there is only one problem. Judah was not just any nation. They were God’s people. As such they should have sought help from God FIRST. I think that this kind of action is unfortunately common among Christians today. When we are faced by hardship or some threat, we try to fix things ourselves. We figure out what we think will work best and plung right ahead. But that is not the first step that we ought to take. Our strength and salvation comes from above. We ought to seek out guidance from God’s written word and we ought to pray for help. Seeking God first in all things will help us stay on the right path and work to do what God would want us to do during those times of hardship.
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Week 135, Day 5: Honors Me with lip Service
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 29:1-24
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
In talking about the condition of Jerusalem and Judah, God says that they drew near to Him with their words and honored Him with their lips but yet something was missing. Reverence and substance to their worship. They didn’t have their hearts in it. They showed reverence for God only so far as to complete their traditions. I believe that these verses hold a stark warning for all of God’s children today. If we honor God and show reverence to Him only by saying something we’ve learned from a tradition or that comes without even thinking much about what we are saying then there could be serious problems. Many Christians serve God today because that is what they were raised doing or just because that is what they have always done. Religion is just something they do or are expected to do. But their heart is not in it. God is not egotistical and needs our verbal praise. He is not looking for us to just cheer about His works and goodness an hour or two a week and then live without regard for Him the rest of our time. Our life will reflect the level of reverence we have for Him and our desire to serve Him will reflect our love for Him. Be careful that you are not doing things simply because it is what is expected of you. God will see through such service and judge us based on the condition of our heart.
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Week 135, Day 4: Order on order
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 28:1-29
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The condition in Judah had become very dire. The corruption had gotten to the point that even the priests and prophets were drunkards (vs. 7). They were consumed by their drunkenness. And yet they still wouldn’t admit their condition. Instead they viewed the commands of God with contempt. The statement “order on order, line on line” reflects how they viewed God’s instructions as constant and unrelenting. I picture this as someone saying they don’t want to hear instruction any longer because all they here is someone trying to tell them what to do. God had been trying to instruct them about how to have rest and repose but they refused to listen. This seems to be the case with many who are so far into sin. They are steeped in their actions and drowning in the misery that results, and yet they still don’t want to hear from anyone how they can escape. Instead they stiffen their neck and become indignant towards the message. Sometimes it takes a complete breaking of someone’s will before they will heed instruction. And so Jerusalem will be punished, stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive (vs. 13).
But there is a glimmer of hope for God will lay a costly cornerstone in Zion, vs 16. Again Isaiah gives a message projecting out to the time when God will bring back a chosen people to Himself through the Messiah.
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Week 135, Day 3: No Compassion
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 27:1-13
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The tricky part of this passage is trying to figure out exactly when “in that day” is referring to. God speaks of pulverizing the altar stones into chalk. He would also make the idols to be torn down. Such a purging was accomplished through the destruction brought by Assyria on Israel and the subsequent banishment to captivity. The remnant that returned did not seek out the idols as they had done before. In verse 12 God speaks of threshing throughout Egypt and the Euphrates in which He would gather up all of the sons of Israel. After this gathering they would come to the holy mountain at Jerusalem and worship the Lord. Such language leads me to think more of an ultimate fulfillment of God gathering His people from all nations through Jesus. This gathering would not be from only physical descendants of Jews but would include all those who became part of His people. This passage represents well the difficulties that come with fully understanding all of the intricacies involved in some prophecies.
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Week 135, Day 2: Smooth Paths
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 26:1-21
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The judgment of God on the wicked will inspire those who are righteous. When God brings low the mighty who oppress and act wickedly it will give hope to those who are faithful and true to His commands. Verse 7 speaks of the way of the righteous as smooth and how God makes the path of the righteous level. I do not take this in any way to be indicating that the life of a righteous person is easy going or without problems. This statement is followed by Isaiah speaking of waiting eagerly for God’s judgment upon the wicked. Seeing the wicked at times prosper and thrive in their evil is sometimes disheartening. But a righteous person is set and determined to keep their course and follow God. I couple their path being smooth and level with God’s care and providence as well as with the concept that by following God’s commands we will be able to avoid and overcome the dangers this life brings. Jesus said in Matt 11:29-30 that His yoke is easy and light. With our view set on eternity the weight of this life becomes lightened and God’s promises sustain us through any trials. The writter of Proverbs also said in 16:3 that if we commit our ways to the Lord our plans will be established. Most people are tossed around in this life by uncertainty and anxiety. A Christian can trust in God to guide them and provide instruction through His written word. There is a sense in the text of Isaiah that God will remove the wicked from the path of the righteous, but such will happen in His time. We should pray that God help establish our ways and also to “keep us from evil”. He is our everlasting Rock, vs 4.
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Week 135, Day 1: Faithful words
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 25:1-12
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Isaiah speaks of plans formed by God long ago with “perfect faithfulness”. God knew what needed to happen to accomplish good to His people. This is one of those critical points for us to get as God’s children. No matter how dark the times may seem, God is in control and He has the wellfare of His people in mind. We do not need to fear. God works plans so that the srong poeple glorify Him and the cities of ruthless nations will revere Him. I find these references so impressive to think about. Although we do not have revelation today that tells us when and how God is causing something to happen we can be reassured that God still looks down on the affairs of man and has a hand in the workings going on in nations. All of these thoughts should cause us to rejoice in the salvation that God has provided for us and to have constant joy at the thought of the faithfulness and care of Jehovah God.
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Week 134, Day 5: All are punished
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 24:1-23
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The earth is polluted by its inhabitants (vs. 5). Whenever you look at how corrupt man is and what all he has gotten into it is impressive to think of the level of corruption. Isaiah foretold of a time when men would be punished for this corruption. I believe this was fulfilled sometime near when Tyre and the other nations spoken against were punished because he also mentions in verse 6 that few men would be left after this destruction. Thus I do not believe it to be speaking of the final judgment nor the final destruction of this earth. But it does bring you to start thinking about such a day. A day when all rejoicing and celebrating will end because man will be judged for his sin. May we ever strive to be ready for that day so that we are not caught unprepared and ready to meet the Father.
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Week 134, Day 4: Tyre’s downfall
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 23:1-18
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Tyre is another example of a place where God punished them because there was a standard, even for the Gentiles. Tyre was a port city that was famous for its trading. Its people had colonized much of the mediteranean region, especially in northern Africa. The bounty of goods that came from these colonies made Tyre rich and very important to the area as a hub for trading. But these riches also made them proud. God punished them for their pride and made them a desolation. It is so easy for man to be overcome by his money. Once you have some then you begin to trust in it and rely on it. it takes an exceptional people to remain true and faithful to God even during the times of wealthiness.
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