week 5 | for my own sake. a light for the gentiles.
Isaiah 48:1-50:23
This week we will look at the contrast between the people of God, Israel, and the Servant of God, Christ. Despite the rebelliousness of the people from birth, God continues to keep his promises and plan alive for them. This persistence of God’s love despite the way the people would receive it is remarkable, especially when you consider that He knew all this before he even began.
There are many things to consider as you read this passage. I would point out the statements on dis/obedience. There are many comforts and promises that are linked to our response to God. Lets take the time this week to consider how we live out our faith in obedience {or the lack there of}.
week4 | I am the Lord, and there is no other.
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Isaiah 44:24-47:15
This week we will look at the promised salvation of Israel as well as the resulting judgment upon Babylon. Last week we saw a need and furthermore the promises of salvation for Israel. Now we begin to see in greater detail the plan of the Lord. In the same way that God used a nation to enact his judgment, He will use a different nation to return His people to their land of promise.
Cyrus will take center stage for a large section of our reading this week. Look at how he is described by God. Then see how Israel responds to the unlikely savior.
Much of the story of Israel that we find in the Old Testament is strange and unlikely, especially coming from our sanitized understanding of how God works. It is hard to think about God using the most unlikely characters, sinful nations to judge God’s people. Then using another sinful nation to return the people back home.
{This should probably be met with relief. Because even after maturing in faith, we will all falter; what these passages should show us though, is that God can even use our sinful acts in transformative ways.}
I would boldly say, that much if not the majority of our understanding of God is wrong. We look for a messiah in all the wrong places, just like Israel. We like God to reflect what we think is important. God loves what we love; rather than us loving what God loves.
Use these passages which so often describe God, as an opportunity for YHWH to transform your idea of who He is and what His mission is.
week3 | God against gods
Isaiah 43:1-44:23
This week we will be continuing the courtroom examination of YHWH v. idols, with the Israelites as jury. Isaiah is calling they people to examine the choice in front of them. They, just as we today, had to make the choice each day to continue following in the ways of YHWH instead of idols vying for worship all around.
The call to follow God is always there. We can see in this passage the persistent call of God even in the face of Israel’s faithlessness.
God’s call, his promise of salvation. redemption. renewal. transformation. is always available beyond anything we could do to deserve it. But as with any gift, it is not benefit to you unless you take it out of the box and use it. Just because the gift is free doesn’t mean it doesn’t require a response.
This week we will look at the great love of God contrasted to the foolishness of idols.
Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
Isaiah 43:18,19
week2 | comforter. helper. servant.
Isaiah 40:1-42:25
This week we will get introduced to Isaiah’s words of hope for the people Israel living in exile. We find Israel feeling abandoned, forgotten, & unheard. God comforts his people that they have not been forgotten, that he is still working with & through them. He gives them great some promises of a hope to come.
There are three characters that are addressed in this passage: Israel, Babylonian idols, & YHWH. Isaiah contrasts the glory of creator God of Israel to the man-made idols of the nations.
While we may not initially connect with Israel’s situation of living in a foreign land among pagan religions vying for their worship; there is a parallel story happening for Christians today. We see a culture surrounding us which is in the least presenting a counter world-view to the one of Christ. The world says to be successful is to be rich, powerful, affluent, beautiful, big houses, fast cars. We may not build ‘idols’ out of wood which we worship (Isaiah 41), we do build houses & corner offices, we worship athletes & hollywood actors from our shrines of plasma & lcds. 2500 years hasn’t changed too much.
Take time this week to reflect on how we as Christians are living in a foreign land. Look at 1 Peter 2:11-12 for a further reflection on this from the NT. How would it look for us to model the servant of Isaiah 42, instead of the idol worshipers of ch.41?
week9 | the good king
image by gordonplumb
Isaiah ch. 34-39
We will be concluding our reading this week, by looking at the faithful king Hezekiah. He, as you will see, is the contrasting figure to king Ahaz which we saw earlier in our studies. Much of our studies have been focused on abstract principles of wickedness & rebellion being judged and righteousness and justice being promised. This concluding text will set all of that teaching into a concrete situation with real people making real decisions.
While you are reading this account of Sennacherib and Hezekiah, place yourself into the setting. Replace the foreign parts of the scenario with the familiar troubles of your own life. I doubt anyone has a nation impending upon them, but you can probably find an analog—maybe there is distress in your workplace; someone trying to push you out of your job, maybe there is the fear of a hostile buyout. I know questions of health are always looming, we see Hezekiah’s faith come alive, on what he thought would be his death bed.
Consider and reflect upon the principles of faithful living that we have been learning, seeing how Hezekiah lives them out; all the while, consider how all that reflects back on your life of faith.
