Week 133, Day 4: Destruction Part 3
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 18:1-7
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
I do not understand all of what Isaiah is speaking of here in chapter 18. He does mention this powerful and oppressive nation, whose land the rivers divide and how the Lord would remove and cut away the spreading branches (vs. 5). This chapter seems to continue with the picture of impending destruction and doom that is coming. Nations would be cut off and removed. As I read this passage I thought about what it would be like to be around when a nation that has been standing for hundreds or thousands of years falls. Not just falling in that the leadership was replaced but that the people were wiped out or led off to some distant, foreign land to be slaves. I can imagine the shock that would have. The Philistines, Moab, Ammon, Israel, and Edom were nations that were gonig to be punished and not rise again. Also these were nations that had been there for hundreds of years. Isaiah is describing a major upheaval in this area brought because of the judgment of God upon wicked people.
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Week 133, Day 3: Regard for his Maker
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 17:1-14
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
The destruction of Damascus is mentioned in this chapter. So Isaiah has begun to describe the downfall of the neighbors around Israel. But the main focus is still on Israel’s actions and response. In the day that Israel is destroyed the people will again have regard for their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel (vs. 7). Many people in life will not have any regard for what God says until bad times come. Then they wake up and see their need for God. That is a sad trend that has occurred repeatedly. But this purging in Israel would not be a temporary shift. After the destruction of Israel and Judah the Jews did not have problems again with being drawn after idols. That temptation had been purged from them.
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Week 133, Day 2: Moab degraded
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 16:1-13
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Continuing the message of Moab’s destruction, Isaiah speaks about another part of Moab that will be wiped out, the vineyards. Most of us have never been around much agriculture. The description here makes me think of the vast fields of corn in the midwest or the orange groves in Florida or California. If you have ever been in one of these areas you are in the midst of miles and miles of fertile, productive land. The crops from these areas supply great quantities of produce. When God speaks of wiping out the vineyards or Moab and it causing bitter weeping, I think it is good for us to picture the “before” and “after” in our mind. These places of thriving produce and areas that produced needed commodities were going to be completely gone. Even more, God tells the people that this will happen within 3 years time (vs. 14). This is a very specific timing that they could look for.
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Week 133, Day 1: Total Destruction
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 15:1-9
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
We have described for us here the utter destruction of Moab. I think these passages are easy to gloss over because the places mentioned are not familiar to us. But imagine that every place that you ever knew growing up: your home town, the school, the town courthouse, the neighboring towns were all wiped out. They were left in utter ruin. If you can just picture getting a message where you are told that each major city that you are familiar with and that you take some stock in is going to be wiped out. Nothing will be left of them and that the waters of the river are going to be full of blood because so many people will have been killed. That is an impressive message to think about and that is what we are reading about in chapter 15. Moab will be destroyed and they are being told now how severe the judgment will be against them.
Another thing to consider is that a far worse fate awaits those who are outside of Christ. But we are blessed to be able to be rescued from torment and agony by the salvation given through Jesus.
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Week 132, Day 5: A bed of worms
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 14:1-32
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Babylon’s fall was celebrated by many nations because she had afflicted so many. This chapter contains the taunting that some would sling at Babylon’s fall. She had been a city of pride and had exalted herself. And yet when God brought her down she was utterly destroyed. Part of the taunt given was that she had been brought down to Sheol. Verse 11 contains a darker side of speech than what we are normally accustomed to in scripture. They speak of maggots being Babylon’s bed and worms being spread over for her covering. Utter slaughter would take place. For all her boasting Babylon could not stop her own downfall, nor can any nation. To me this is one of those lesson especially applicable to America. We have been very successful and prosperous. Our prosperity has grown to the point that many are boastful and proud. And yet like any other nation, we can and will decay at some point in time. God is the only lasting source of strength and a firm unchanging foundation for life.
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Week 132, Day 4: Punish their pride
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 13:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Isaiah speaks about the downfall of Babylon long before Babylon is anything more than a vassel city under the thumb of Assyria. And yet here we have God speaking of them as “the beauty of kingdoms”, vs 19. Babylon would become one of the most grand places, containing one of the seven wonders of the world. The ruins of the city show how splendid the city was in architecture. But because of their pride and wickedness God would reduce them like He when He overthrew Sodom & Gomorrah (vs. 11). It is impressive to think how a city that was the great center of dominance would be brought so low that no one lives there and only wild animals would inhabit it. I like to compare this to thinking about Washington D.C. Anyone who has visited that city knows how grand and wonderful it is to behold. And yet the thought that a city so majestic could be overthrown is hard to imagine, never to be rebuilt again. Again, it is so impressive to add to this that Isaiah is speaking these things before Babylong is even a dominant player in the scheme of things. God truely can see the end before the beginning.
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Week 132, Day 3: Joyously draw from
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
These six verses contain a wonderful picture of what a Christian’s life should be. Chapter 11 we saw what things would be like in the day that the Messiah had come and how he would change things under His kingdom. Chapter 12 continues with “then you will say on that day”. Verse 2 states that God is my salvation, I put my trust in Him and will not be afraid. The phrase “for the Lord God is my strength and song and He has become my salvation” is similar wording to what Moses said in Exo 15:2 in his song sang after God had delivered them from the Egyptians in the Red Sea. Moses rejoiced in God’s salvation. Israel had just seen a powerful demonstration of God’s strength. Moses taught the children of Israel that song so that they would remember and continue to rejoice in the Lord. In a similar way this chapter speaks of people rejoicing in the salvation that God brings to man. “Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation”, verse 3. Christians should have joy and draw from the springs of salvation. We have an abundant source of blessings from God and a deep well from which to rejoice from. God’s goodness overflows and our cup overflows. Consider how good God has been to you and have joy. We sometimes get so distracted by this world that we forget to joyously live our lives because God is our strength in whom we trust.
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Week 132, Day 2: The lamb & the wolf
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 11:1-16
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
This chapter is one of those often abused passages. The chapter starts with speaking of the shoot that would spring up from the stem of Jesse. And the branch from the roots of Jesse that would bear fruit. This is clearly a reference to the coming of the Messiah. When Jesus came He brought about the things that are spoken of in this chapter. In verse 10 Isaiah said “in that day” nations will resort to the root of Jesse. The Gentiles were welcomed into the kingdom of God and came to the Messiah. What is often abused is the language about how different things would be after the shoot from Jesse came. There is a lengthy list of animals dwelling with each other. The animals that would normally be enemies would dwell in peace together. This peaceful state of condition would be for “all in My holy mountain”, verse 9. Some will take this to apply to some restored paradise on earth in a millenium kingdom. What Isaiah speaks of here is the change in people’s relationships brought about when the Christ established His kingdom. Men would no longer be enemies and at odds with each other but would dwell together as brothers and sisters in peace. Paul spoke of the root of Jesse having come in Rom 15:12 and in the context of Isaiah 11 we are told that this relationship change would happen in the days when this root came forth. It is good to also remember the words of Jesus in John 18:36 when Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world. Jesus did not and does not intend to establish an earthly, physical kingdom. His reign is over the hearts of men and His kingdom is the current church where Jews and Gentiles dwell in a peaceful, harmonious relationship together.
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Week 132, Day 1: Assyria – God’s rod
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 10:1-34
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
I appologize for missing the post on Friday. In chapter 10 there is some fascinating remarks made by God about Assyria. Assyria was used by God to execute punishment on several nations, including Israel. In verse 10 Assyria is described as the rod of God’s anger. Assyria was the tool used, unknowingly, by God to inflict punishment on many nations for their wickedness. Assyria believed they had done these things by their own power. God will also punish them for their pride and arrogance. Assyria was a wicked nation that God used to accomplish His will. There are times like these where we are given a glimpse of how God works in the world to accomplish His will. Today we are not revealed how God accomplishes His will but we can be assured that God is still in control and will punish the wicked and unjust in due time. We must continue to persevere through adversities and strive to remain true.
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Week 131, Day 4: Fear the Lord
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 8:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
I am not sure what all the Israelites were saying when they claimed that there was a “conspiracey” but I like how God warns Isaiah not to join in with their ways but rather to fear Him. Whatever is happening in life, no matter how dire the situation is (here we are hearing about Assyria coming to wipe out the people), our primary concern is God. We need to fear Him and worry about being right before Him. These other things in life, even if they include the threat of loss of life, are not to be our first concern. I think that this is so had for us often to do because it is easy to get distracted and begin to focus on the “other” things. But God knows what is best for us and if we pursue Him and what pleases Him first, the other things will all fall into place.
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