Some News And A Thank You

I would like to thank everyone who has followed this Bible study blog. Some have been here since it began in 2013, some are newer, but I appreciate everyone who has ever read a single post. 

At this time there are things going on in my family and in my life that are taking up the time I need to study for and to write the daily posts. I have been writing this Bible study for twelve years, almost every day, and have always had only one window of time each day in which I could actually work on it. Lately I have very often not had that. I feel like I can't properly study and do a good job with it. 

After a lot of thought and prayer I have decided to discontinue new posts for the time being. I am sorry about this and hope I am not letting people down. The word of God deserves my full attention when I'm working with it and it deserves to be studied during a time of day when I am most mentally sharp. Unfortunately, with some things that are going on right now, I'm not able to take a couple of hours a day to do the full historical studies and to read and consider various commentaries on the Scriptures.

The blog will remain published. During these twelve years I have done a study of almost every book of the Bible---some books twice---and you can search the archives at the bottom of the page in order to go back through them or to read some that you may never have had a chance to read. I believe there are somewhere between 3,000-4,000 daily posts here. 

I regret to have to stop posting new studies at this time but am just not able to consistently keep up with the blog. You deserve a blog that is well-researched and posted on a regular, dependable schedule. 

Again, thank you so much for the time you've spent in the Bible with me. I love you and urge you to continue your own studies and to find a good, Scripturally sound online daily devotion. 

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 190, All Mankind Will Bow Before The Lord

We are finishing the book of Isaiah today. The Lord talks about how His glory will be proclaimed to all nations, about how the nation of Israel will never disappear, and about how those who have hated Him will be judged.

The Lord says: "I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations---to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. They will proclaim My glory among the nations." (Isaiah 66:19) The reference to "them" at the beginning of this verse is likely a reference to the Israelites. Christian scholars interpret the "sign" the Lord will send as a reference to Jesus Christ, whom He sent first to the nation of Israel. In that case we could paraphrase it like this: "I will set a sign (the Messiah, performing signs and wonders) among them, and I will send His disciples to the nations (to the Gentiles) who have not heard My name. Many people will believe in Christ and proclaim My glory to the nations (fulfilling the Great Commission in which Christ told believers to share the gospel with the whole world). 

The reference to "they" in this next segment appears to be a reference to the Gentiles since a reference to "all your people" means the Jews. The Lord says: "'And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to My holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord---on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,' says the Lord. 'They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,' says the Lord." (Isaiah 66:20-21) The Israelites, by and large, rejected Jesus as the Messiah and persecuted believers in Him. This is why the gospel message spread out so quickly and so far in the New Testament. The message went to the Gentile world where millions have believed in Christ since. But it will be Gentile believers who befriend and help Israel and who lead Israel to Christ.

When the Lord says, "I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites", this is understood by many Christians to mean Gentile believers. It would not have been lawful in the Bible era for Gentiles to be priests and Levites but through Christ the Lord will make one family of Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 3:28) and He has promised to make of all believers in Christ "a kingdom of priests" (Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6) Everyone who has placed their faith in Christ is a child of God---everyone is equal in that family, whether Jew or Gentile.

Since the Lord intends to set up a new kingdom---an eternal kingdom---and since so many Gentiles will be a part of that kingdom, some of those to whom Isaiah's message was sent might have wondered if there would be any place left for them. The Lord assures the people of Israel that their nation and their descendants will always endure, up to the advent of the eternal kingdom and forever. "'As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,' declares the Lord, 'so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,' says the Lord." (Isaiah 66:22-23) We have already discussed, earlier in Isaiah, the fact that the Lord will recreate the creation. All things will be made new, as the Lord says in the final book of the New Testament. The new creation, in which there will be no sin, will endure forever in complete perfection. There will be no one in that new creation who does not worship the Lord: "all mankind will come and bow down" before Him.

Even those who have hated and rejected Him must bow and declare He is God, before they are judged for their sins. The New Testament bears this out (Philippians 2:10-11) and Isaiah previously declared this fact in Chapter 45. They will confess that He is God because they cannot help it; the proof will be right there in front of them at His judgment seat. The book of Isaiah ends with a warning about judgment for those who rebel against God. He tells us that the righteous will see the bitter and terrible end that comes upon those who have hated God and who have hated God's children. "And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind." (Isaiah 66:24)

I presume that these dead bodies are those who are slain in the final rebellion as described in the book of Revelation. The Lord Jesus Christ talked in Mark 9 about the fate of those who hated and rejected God, to their eternal peril and shame, stating that the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched. 

Whether this indicates there is an actual burning hell is debatable among denominations but the Lord Jesus referred to this eternal state (separated from the goodness of God) by the ancient word "Gehenna", which was a reference to the Valley of Ben Hinnom outside of Jerusalem where the pagan Canaanites (and later some Israelites) sacrificed their children to idols. This rendered that area unclean for anything except refuse piles and a place to pile up carcasses of defeated enemies and of dead animals. What happens in refuse piles (landfills in today's world)? Maggots eat rotting things and fires are set to burn the trash. It is stated by a number of scholars that the Valley of Ben Hinnom was a landfill in Jesus' day and that He used this landfill as an example of a place of uncleanness and uselessness. It was a place of destruction. It was a place where no hope was left for the things deposited in it. In that sense, whether or not there is a literal burning hell, we know that eternal separation from God is a place where those who have lived useless, unclean lives will be consigned. It is a place where there is no hope for escape. Although it seems as if the book of Isaiah is ending on a dark note, it is a very necessary note to warn everyone that we do not want to go to a place without hope and light and love.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 189, All Nations And Languages

In the book of Isaiah the Lord has predicted the fall of the northern and southern kingdoms along with captivity in foreign lands. But He has also promised a return to the land. In addition to that, He has promised a King to sit on the throne at Jerusalem forever---a forever in which no Jewish or Christian believers will ever fear being invaded again or taken captive again. That is the time period which we are talking about today. 

When Jerusalem is built up and protected on every side, and when no enemy will ever come against that city, all the Lord's people will rejoice. "When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to His servants, but His fury will be shown to His foes." (Isaiah 66:14) The Lord will reward His servants and punish His enemies. This theme is repeated time and time again throughout the Scriptures.

In the era popularly known as "the end times", the Lord will judge all wickedness and banish it from the earth forever. "See, the Lord is coming with fire, and His chariots are like a whirlwind; He will bring down His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with His sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord." (Isaiah 66:15-16)

"All people" doesn't mean that every person will be rebuked by Him and judged. It means that He will judge people from every nation and language. This is made clear by our next verse. "'Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things---they will meet their end together with the one they follow,' declares the Lord." (Isaiah 66:17) 

This is a description of the type of idolatry that went on prior to and during the Bible era and for quite sometime after that. Gentile nations did these things and so did the Jewish people who fell into idolatry. Pagan idols would be set up in gardens and groves. People would conduct all sorts of immoral and disgusting rituals there, including the drinking of blood, the eating of unclean things, engaging in all manner of sexual immorality, and even (in some cultures) performing human sacrifices. In verse 17 the Lord is announcing His intention to judge all idolatry.

The type of idolatry that existed in Isaiah's day doesn't occur as much in our day but it has simply been replaced by other forms of idolatry. An idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God. It involves rejecting Him in favor of serving the things the flesh desires instead of serving what the Holy Spirit desires. As the Scriptures say: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8)

As we conclude today's passage we get another glimpse of the final judgment to come, in which the Lord will call wicked idolaters from every nation and language to appear before His throne to have their deeds examined, judged, and sentenced. "'And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see My glory.'" (Isiah 66:18)

The Lord's glory includes judgment. If He did not judge evil, He would not be righteous. If He were not righteous, how would He deserve any glory? Everyone who has rejected Him and denied His name will behold the glory of the Lord and will have to admit that He exists and that He extended His offer of salvation to every nation and tongue. They will have to admit they turned away His offer time and time again, preferring darkness to light. They will have to account for how they have hated Him and for how they have hated and persecuted those who love Him. 

In the end times the Lord will put down the largest and most heinous rebellion against Himself and against His people that has ever been undertaken. He will come with awesome fire and blazing glory, at which time every knee will bow. (Philippians 2:10-11) Those who have placed their trust in Him will bow in reverence and thanksgiving. Those who have rejected Him will bow because they cannot help it. This does not mean the wicked are saved by His appearing but that they will be unable to keep from falling to their knees when faced with the truth. They will fall to their knees in fear and trembling, but thanks be to God that those of us who have made Him our Lord will be overwhelmed not by fear and trembling but by joy that the kingdom of our Lord has come.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 188, Peace Like A River

As we concluded our last study session we found the Lord promising Isaiah's people that they would return to the land and that it would happen quickly and without war. This is exactly how the captives were allowed to leave Babylon after it was conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire. Not only were they allowed to return, but they were even given supplies by the king who set them free.

The Lord urges the people to trust Him and not harbor any doubts. Just as He promised in our last study session that the nation would be "born" again, He continues using that analogy. "'Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?' says the Lord. 'Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?' says your God." (Isaiah 66:9) The Lord finishes what He starts. He brings promises to completion. He won't begin fulfilling a promise and then stop. 

The people will rejoice over Jerusalem just as parents rejoice over the birth of a dearly wanted child. "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance." (Isaiah 66:10-11) 

They won't return to the land and starve to death; the Lord will provide everything they need. You recall how the Lord provided for the Israelites when He led them out of Egypt and across the wilderness, how He provided for them both with natural resources and with supernatural resources. He didn't lead them out into the wilderness in order to kill them, though some wickedly accused Him of having those intentions. He took them out of Egypt in order to bless them and make them into a great nation. If He could provide water where there was no natural water and if He could provide food where there was no natural food, He can certainly provide for them when they return to the Promised Land.

These promises for the nation of Israel were not only for the time period after they were released from captivity but also for the millennial reign of Christ and for the eternal reign of Christ, when Jerusalem will be the capitol city of the whole world. In those days the nation of Israel will have no enemies. The descendants of Jacob will have peace on every side. The Gentile believers of the eternal kingdom will rejoice over Jerusalem as the seat of the King of kings and Lord of lords and they will bring the wealth of the nations into it, as we see below.

"For this is what the Lord says: 'I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will burse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." (Isaiah 66:12-13) Jerusalem has been attacked and largely destroyed a number of times in history but a day is coming when no one will ever fear that happening again. In the eternal kingdom, when the population of the entire world is comprised only of believers, everyone will live at peace with one another. No one will attack. No one will destroy. 

The Lord is faithful to His promises. We go through tribulations and trials under the current world system. But the current world system won't last forever---the Lord's eternal kingdom will!

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 187, The One Who Brings Back To Life

As we mentioned in yesterday's study, the Lord's message through Isaiah was primarily to Isaiah's people: the Israelites. Today's text has to do with the deliverance of Jerusalem from her enemies. However, Gentile believers can be comforted by Isaiah's words in our text, for Jerusalem will someday be the capitol city of the whole world. Her restoration, success, and endurance is going to be important to all Gentile believers as well as to all Jewish believers.

When we concluded yesterday's text the Lord made a reference to "the city", meaning Jerusalem. That is where we pick up today. The reference to "she" is to be understood as a reference to Jerusalem and also to Israel as a whole.

"Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children." (Isaiah 66:7-8) Nations are not normally born without "labor". War, revolution, clearing of land, building dwellings, building infrastructure, and setting up laws/constitutions are usually involved. But the "giving birth" of Zion and the restoration of Jerusalem will be the Lord's work; the release of the captives from Babylon was done quickly and peacefully so they could return to their land and rebuild. The captivity and release were approximately 130 years in the future in Isaiah's day, but just as he has predicted the coming captivity, so also he predicts freedom and rebuilding. 

I am sure that the other world powers of that era thought that Israel was finished. The northern kingdom was conquered by Assyria and the southern kingdom was conquered by Babylon. All but the poorest and least skilled were removed from the land and the land was resettled with conquered people from other nations. But the Lord accomplished exactly what He said He was going to accomplish. No one thought it was possible except those Israelites who kept the faith, and this is why the Lord says, "Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this?" Most nations that have been conquered and destroyed (or nearly destroyed) do not rise from the ashes at all. The ones that do don't accomplish it without a fight. But the Lord fights for Israel and He accomplished the return to the land without them having to lift a sword. Indeed, He accomplished the return by having them sent home with building materials given to them by the king who set them free. They did not return empty handed.

The Lord never breaks a promise. The One who is able to resurrect from the dead can certainly resurrect nations. He can also resurrect broken relationships and bring them back to life. He can rebuild He can heal hearts and bring hope back to life There is nothing too difficult for Him. Whatever needs you may have today, take them to Him. He is the source of all our help. 

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 186, The Lord Repays His Enemies (And Ours)

In yesterday's study we found the Lord warning of judgment against those who rejected His pleas to repent of their wickedness. Today He speaks words of comfort to those who have been persecuted by the wicked. As we read these verses we need to keep in mind that the message the Lord gave to Isaiah was primarily intended for Isaiah's people: the Israelites. This is why the Lord speaks so many times of Jerusalem (often referenced as "the city") in our previous chapter and in this chapter. But Gentile believers can claim the Lord's promises as well; He will avenge us too. The Lord sees every wrong done to His children and He will not ignore harm done to His children.

Although many of Isaiah's people had rejected the Lord entirely or had blended idolatry with their worship of the Lord, there were still people who trusted in His name, just as though there are still people on earth today who trust in His name. To those people the Lord says: "Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: 'Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of My name, have said, 'Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!' Yet they will be put to shame. Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying His enemies all they deserve." (Isaiah 66:5-6)

The people of Isaiah's day who were living wrong hated the people who were living right. They hated the Lord's prophets and they hated the citizens who remained faithful to Him. They didn't give them equal opportunities, they shunned them publicly, and even plotted to kill some of them (and in some cases were successful). The Lord's faithful ones were mocked and treated like outcasts. While mistreating the Lord's people, they'd say, "Let's see you glorify Him now! Prove to us He is with you! If He is with you, wouldn't He strike us down?" The enemies of Christ said the same type of things to Him. When they struck Him, they shouted, "Prophesy to us!" And when He hung on the cross, they mocked Him, saying, "Let the Lord rescue Him if He is pleased with Him." 

Ah, but the Lord will avenge those who are His! He will judge those who have hated His Son and He will judge those who have hated those who are His children through faith. Our enemies are His enemies. That is why He says in verse 6 above that He will repay "His enemies all they deserve". 

A day is coming in which the Lord will right every wrong. A day is coming in which His enemies must stand before Him to answer the charges against them. Jews and Christians have been persecuted time and time again and, according to the book of Revelation, the worst of this persecution is yet to come. People will socially exclude us for our faith. We will be passed over in our professional lives because of our faith. We may be mocked and ridiculed. We may be forbidden to openly practice our faith. We may be jailed for our faith, or worse. But a day is coming when we will hear the sound of uproar and alarm when the Lord comes to avenge us. Nothing wicked has ever been done to us that the Lord has not seen and that the Lord will not judge.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 185, False Worship Judged

As Isaiah has been concluding the prophecies the Lord has given him, we have been looking ahead to the 1,000 year era known as the millennial reign of Christ, also to the final judgment, and also to the eternal kingdom. The portion we are about to look at today appears to involve the time period prior to the millennium or during the millennium.

We know from the Scriptures that there will be a third temple in the end times. This may be the temple that is referenced in today's passage, for we also know that there will not be a temple during the eternal kingdom. (We spoke about that yesterday.) The time period in view here seems to be after the third temple is built, when the Jewish people resume bringing offerings and sacrifices. But anyone who brings them in a wrong spirit of false worship will be judged. The Lord is not deceived.

"But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol." (Isaiah 66:3a) How do we know the Lord is speaking of those who have no reverence in their hearts for Him? He will explain this in the next verse, but for now we will discuss the comparisons He makes in the first part of verse 3.

Bulls and lambs were acceptable sacrifices in the Old Testament's sacrificial system. Grain and incense were acceptable offerings. But sacrifices and offerings become unacceptable when they are made by hearts that are far from God. There are many reasons why a person who doesn't accept God as their Lord would bring sacrifices and offerings. They might do it to appease their families. They might do it in order to have a good reputation in their community. They might do it in order to enjoy fellowship with others at the temple. They might do it thinking God won't know they aren't truly repenting in their hearts and that He will answer a special petition. 

But the one who brings things to the temple in the wrong spirit is like one who brings an unclean offering. Sacrificing a person is an abomination to the Lord, so He compares the bringing of a bull to that, saying that a bull brought in the wrong spirit is an abomination. Bringing a lamb is like bringing a dog (which would be an "unclean" animal, since only the animals that were "clean" for eating could be brought) and also it was unacceptable to bring an animal that had already been killed or injured (the mention of the broken neck). Bringing a grain offering without a spirit of thankfulness to God is as abhorrent to Him as pouring out the blood of a pig (another unclean animal) on the altar. Burning incense to the Lord without any reverence in the heart is as sickening to Him as burning incense to an idol.

We know the people He speaks of above are bringing things in the wrong spirit because of what He says next. "They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in My sight and chose what displeases Me." (Isaiah 66:3b-4) 

Fake worship will be judged by Him. He knows what's in our hearts; He made our hearts and has no trouble reading them. A person may be able to fool his fellow man into thinking he loves the Lord, but he can't fool God.