The Book Of Isaiah. Day 187, A Song Of Praise, Part Two

The section we are currently studying in Chapter 42 is titled "A Song Of Praise". The Lord talks about how He will bring forth help and healing.

"For a long time I have kept silent. I have kept quiet and have held Myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant." (Isaiah 42:14) A new thing will be done and the Lord likens it to a new life being born. He is going to bring forth deliverance for His people.

Nothing can get in His way. "I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools." (Isaiah 42:15) The Lord is certainly able to literally flatten mountains and dry up rivers, although I think He is speaking figuratively here. He will remove all obstacles. Nothing is able to thwart His plans.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth." (Isaiah 42:16a) The Lord opens our eyes to His truth. His word is truth and He uses it to light the way for us. As Psalm 119:105 expresses it: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." As children of God, we never have to stumble around blindly in the dark. 

The Lord intends to do these wonderful things. He is not making empty promises. Every word He speaks is absolutely true. "These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." (Isaiah 42:16b) In our frail mortal bodies and in our human way of thinking we sometimes doubt God is going to do anything good for us. We know we are not perfect and this makes us feel as if God should not or cannot do something good for us. But His goodness doesn't depend on us! God does good things because He is good! 

The Lord knows His children and the Lord loves His children. Those who reject Him are rejecting love and mercy and forgiveness. That is why He says this about those who reject Him in favor of idolatry: "But those who trust in idols, those who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame." (Isaiah 42:17) In contrast to what happens to idolaters, the Lord says this about those who trust in Him: "Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." (Psalm 34:5)

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 186, A Song Of Praise, Part One

Chapter 42 began with some words regarding the Messiah, whose advent was yet to come during the era of the prophet Isaiah. Now the narrative moves on into a song of praise. 

The Lord reminds predicted the things regarding the Messiah long before they took place. He predicted many things in the Bible that have already been fulfilled. The things that remain to be fulfilled with take place exactly as He said they would. No one but God could do this and these things are some of the credentials that prove He is who He says He is.

"I am the Lord; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you." (Isaiah 42:8-9) No idol ever did what the Lord has done. No idol never did anything because they are images of deities that don't exist. 

With this in mind, a song of praise breaks out, I presume from the lips of the prophet Isaiah. "Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim His praise to the islands. The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior He will stir up His zeal; with a shout He will raise the battle cry and will triumph over His enemies." (Isaiah 42:10-13)

The Lord has never lost a battle. It is impossible for Him to lose a battle. All power and authority belong to Him and He has dominion over all things. There is nothing too hard for Him. What an awesome thing it is to be a child of the living God! So many resources are at our disposal because we belong to the Father. I confess I don't always avail myself of these blessings because I allow myself to get caught up in fear and I allow myself to think the Lord won't do marvelous things for somebody like me. I can believe He will do them for someone else but at times it's very difficult for me to believe He will extend the same mercy to me. I am so aware of my failures and faults and I feel so unworthy. But the truth is that the Lord knew everything about us before He ever created us and He loved us anyway. He is not put off by our imperfections. Let us remind ourselves that, in spite of knowing all our weaknesses, the Lord Jesus Christ thought we were worth dying for.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 185, A Messianic Prophecy, Part Two

As we continue on through Chapter 42 we are looking at words that reference the coming Messiah. In Isaiah's era the people did not fully understand how the advent of the Messiah would come about but in our era---the church age---we are blessed to know how this unfolded. As we read these words we are to read them in the knowledge that they are speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"This is what God the Lord says---the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 'I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." (Isaiah 42:5-7) 

I believe we are to take these verses most specifically as a promise God the Father is making to God the Son. He is calling Him in righteousness and will make Him a covenant and a light for the people. But in a sense He is making this promise to mankind as well, for it is through God the Son that the Lord shines light on us. It is through God the Son that the Lord makes a new covenant with mankind. 

There are a number of places in the Old Testament and in the New Testament regarding the One in whom the Gentiles will put their hope. This One is the Lord Jesus Christ, the One the Lord promised would come from the descendants of Abraham who would be a blessing to all nations. As a person of Gentile heritage, I am thankful that the Lord did not leave the Gentiles out of His plan of salvation! The Lord Jesus Christ, who was of Jewish heritage, came not only to save His own people but to save people of all nations. My ancestors were pagan idolaters but the Lord invited them to come to Him and be saved. Although I don't know all of my heritage and I don't know how or when the gospel message came to them or how many of them accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, I know that the Lord invited them to do so. I know He never rejected them as not being "good enough" to become His children. I know that as many of them that came to Him in faith were accepted by Him and made part of the family of God.

It doesn't matter what is in our own past or what is in our ancestry. The New Testament provides the family tree of the Lord Jesus Christ and He had at least two Gentiles of heathen nations on that tree: Rahab who was formerly a prostitute of the heathen city of Jericho and Ruth of the pagan nation of Moab. But both of these women became believers of the one true God and became ancestors of the Messiah! What, then, can the Lord do with you and with me?

I've made a lot of mistakes. There are sins in my past that I'd be ashamed to talk about here. I've made mistakes since I've become a believer and I'm ashamed of those too. As long as we live in frail human bodies in a fallen world we are not going to be perfect. But the Lord helps us with our infirmities (Romans 8:26) and the Lord knows what it's like to live in a human body in a world where it feels like everything is falling down around us. I'm so thankful He inhabited a human body because, as the Apostle Paul stated, He is able to "empathize with our weaknesses". (Hebrews 4:15) Paul reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ, in His human form, was faced with everything we are faced with in our daily lives. Although He did not sin when faced with those things, this doesn't mean His human form didn't feel the pressure of those things. If He had not been God the Son, He could not have withstood those pressures, and this means He has so much sympathy for what it feels like to be us. He knows we are not going to be able to withstand all the pressures that come against us because we are mere mortals. Because He knows what it feels like to be us, He can strengthen and comfort us like no one else can. He understands us like no one else does. 

Since Jesus feels our feelings right along with us and is able to do something about our situation, the Apostle Paul encourages us with these words: "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Isaiah 4:16) Our confidence is that we are children of God through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are co-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17) As children of God, we are the brothers and sisters of Christ, and the Lord will not turn us away anymore than He would turn God the Son away. For the sake of Christ, who saved us, God cannot and will not refuse us forgiveness and mercy and help. This is why we are to approach Him in the confidence that He hears us and will strengthen us. 

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 184, A Messianic Prophecy, Part One

This next segment we are going to study is titled "The Servant Of The Lord" in the NIV Bible that we use. This prophecy is not about a servant in the usual manner, such as when a believer is referred to as a "servant" of God. Although this person does serve God, this service is not in the mere capacity of a frail and mortal human being but it is in the power of the One who is both wholly God and wholly man: the Messiah.

In the original Hebrew the word rendered here as "servant" can also mean a vassal king. In that context we also see the Messiah, for He is both a servant in His human nature and also the King of kings in His position as God the Son. 

Our current chapter is not the only one that describes the Messiah as the "Servant", for later on we will find Isaiah describing the crucifixion of the Servant centuries before it happened, centuries before the Roman Empire ruled over Judea, centuries before crucifixion as a method of execution was invented.

As we read this text we must read it in the knowledge that it is about the Lord Jesus Christ. With this in mind, I will be capitalizing the references to Him.

God the Father says of this Servant: "Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom I delight; I will put My spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1) Who but the King of kings and Lord of lords could bring justice to the nations? There has never been a world leader yet who could do such a thing. There never will be a world leader who can unite all the nations together in peace---no one other than the Messiah. Verse 1 describes the supernatural power of this King.

The next portion of our text describes this King's total obedience to the Lord. It describes His gentle spirit, His desire to magnify God the Father above all, and the way He relates so lovingly to frail human beings. "He will not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice; He will not falter or be discouraged till He establishes justice on the earth. In His teaching the islands will put their hope." (Isaiah 42:2-4)

In His human form the Son of God humbled Himself before Almighty God. The Apostle Paul, when encouraging believers to humble themselves before God, told them to follow Christ's example: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-9)

The references to the bruised reed and the smoldering wick are references to how gently and lovingly the Lord deals with mankind. Although He is so superior to us in every way, He identifies Himself with us. Because He lived on the earth in a human body, He understands our struggles and He comes up alongside us in our troubles. He strengthens us in our weaknesses. He doesn't upbraid us for our failures but enables us to do better, which is why the Lord says, "A bruised reed He will not break." We are bruised by this life on earth, aren't we? We are bruised by our carnal nature and by the troubles of this world and by the temptations that continually beset us. The Lord doesn't come along and see how bruised we are and chop us down to the ground. Instead He wants to gently tend our bruises until they are healed enough for us to stand to our feet again.

I'm reminded of the way all the corn stalks in my neighbor's garden were lying down on the ground after a recent storm that contained a lot of wind. The wind bruised and knocked over the corn stalks so that they were lying flat. But what you have to do when that happens is be gentle with the corn. You don't go grabbing the stalks and forcing them to stand up. You don't pound stakes into the ground and tie the corn up to them. That could cause the stalks to break which would bring about the death of the stalk. What's needed is gentleness and time, for stalks that are not broken will gradually stand up again, which is exactly what happened with all the corn stalks in my neighbor's garden. When the Lord finds us bruised by life, He doesn't grab us roughly and force us back to our feet, chastising us harshly and breaking our spirits. No, He begins ministering to us right where we are, even if where we are is flat on the ground. His intention is not to break us but to heal us so He can gradually raise us back to our feet stronger than we were before.

Likewise, the reference to the smoldering wick means He fans the flame in us that has almost gone out. This life on earth is hard and there are times when the troubles of the world will cause what was once a flaming fire in us to reduce down to a smoldering wick. The Lord doesn't come along and put out what's left. He doesn't conclude that we are of no use to Him or to anyone else. He doesn't want defeat for us; He wants victory for us! Therefore, He gently blows on the smoldering wick to bring the fire back to life. 

I don't know where you are right now in your spiritual journey. Perhaps you currently feel on fire for the Lord and that's a wonderful place to be. But perhaps you feel like a smoldering wick that's about to go out completely because you have been so battered and bruised by the troubles of this world. The Lord invites us to come to Him to be reinvigorated. He can renew us all the way down to the depths of our souls. I confess I desperately need some renewing right now. I need that smoldering wick fanned back into a flame. I need strengthening in my spirit and I need peace in my heart. Maybe you feel the same way. No one can do that for us except the One who says this: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Computer Issues Again And A Prayer Request

I'm sorry I've been having so many computer issues lately with my old laptop. I think I'm just going to have to get another one because this one is too low on memory and is having various problems that take so long for me to deal with in the mornings that I run out of time to do the Bible study before work. That's what's happened this morning. 

Please also remember me in your prayers. I've had three separate health issues over the past two months. They are not life-threatening issues but are beginning to take a toll on me physically and mentally. It seems like I just get one problem cleared up and another one appears. It's like my immune system is low although my checkup and bloodwork were fine. I've seen doctors a number of times since May. Thanks so much for your prayers!

I hope to be able to work on the Bible study after work today when I'll have more time to deal with the computer problem and will probably check some reviews about which one I might want to purchase. 

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 183, The Helper Of Israel, Part Six

The Lord has been telling Isaiah's people that He is their helper. They are not to look to idols or to their own strength to help them against their enemies. He promises to be their strength.

In addition, He promises to send them help from a human source. "I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes---one from the rising sun who calls on My name. He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay. (Isaiah 41:25) The Medo-Persian Empire will arise and conquer the lands north of Babylon before conquering Babylon itself and setting the captive people free. This is why the Lord says "from the north". But He also says "from the rising sun" because Cyrus the Great of Persia was born east of Babylon. Cyrus will be the one who conquers Babylon and tells the people taken from Jerusalem and Judah that they can go home.

The Lord says that Cyrus "calls on My name" and although Cyrus' religion was likely Zoroastrianism, he did believe that the God of Israel was real. As we move on through the Bible we will find him giving honor to the name of God and displaying a belief that God told him to liberate the captive people stolen from Jerusalem and Judah.

These things are going to unfold just as the Lord said they would. Therefore, as the people begin to see these predictions coming to pass, they should be encouraged to place all of their faith in God. No idol has ever told them the future. No soothsayer or false prophet has ever predicted any event with complete accuracy, especially not events that don't occur until decades or centuries later. In this next segment the Lord reminds the people to put their trust in the only One who can tell them things to come.

"Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say, 'He was right?' No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you. I was the first to tell Zion, 'Look, here they are!' I gave to Jerusalem the good news." (Isaiah 41:26-27)

False prophets are going to arise and tell the people what they want to hear. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other prophets of their era are going to tell the people the truth: that the Lord will allow the nation to fall if they do not utterly reject idolatry. But false prophets will speak soothing words, promising that the Lord would never allow the city of His temple to fall. Thankfully, there were men like the prophets of the Bible who faithfully relayed the message of God (often to their own peril) but as the nation progresses toward its downfall there will be far more people scoffing at the words of truth and far more false prophets promising peace and prosperity. There will be people depending on idols and on soothsayers to tell them what to do. Thinking ahead to this, the Lord says: "I look but there is no one---no one among the gods to give counsel, no one to give answer when I ask them. See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion." (Isaiah 41:28-29)

The one thing we can absolutely count on in this crazy world is the word of God. We are told a lot of misleading things in this world. Sometimes people deliberately tell us falsehoods; other times they mean well but are just mistaken and are being led by human reasoning and human feelings instead of by the word of God. Sometimes we unintentionally tell ourselves lies when we go by how we feel or by how things look rather than by what the Lord promised. This is why it's so important to study the word of God. It is the foundation---the unmovable foundation---we must stand on.

The Book Of Isaiah. Day 182, The Helper Of Israel, Part Five

Today's text begins with the Lord putting the idols on trial. He invites them to bring their evidence that they are gods. They cannot.

"'Present your case,' says the Lord. 'Set forth your arguments,' say's Jacob's king. 'Tell us, you idols, what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods.'" (Isaiah 41:21-23a) No idol (or the deity it represents) can tell us the things that happened in ages past; only God can because He was there. No idol can predict the things to come; only God can because He knows the future. 

In the Bible we find many prophecies and a number of them have already been fulfilled. They came about just as the Lord said they would. It doesn't matter how far ahead He gave the prophecies, whether the event was predicted to come within days or within hundreds of years or within thousands of years, for there is no point so far in the future that God cannot see it. These things have unfolded exactly as He said they would. This is proof that He is God. This is proof that He is God alone; no idol ever predicted anything. Indeed, no idol has ever done anything.

The Lord continues His speech to the mute and useless idols of this world. "Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable." (Isaiah 41:23b-24) If we were to paraphrase the Lord's taunting words to useless idols, it might go something like this: "Don't just stand there! Do something! Amaze us with signs and wonders. Shake the ground underneath our feet. Display amazing sights in the heavens above. If you really are anything, prove it!"

Of course all the idols remain standing exactly where they are, doing and saying nothing. In contrast, let us consider the mighty works of our God! He spoke the word and created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. He holds all of creation together. He works on behalf of those who love Him. He knows the future and can guide our decisions accordingly so we don't get off track. He knows our weaknesses but loves us anyway, choosing to provide a way of redemption for us. He did not withhold anything good from us. But idols---what have they ever done for anyone?

Idols in modern times are usually not graven images. If someone brought an idol into my house and set it up on a pedestal and ordered me to bow down and worship it, I would be horrified. I would resist. Everything in me would recoil from such an act. That's why the enemy of our souls has chosen to dress idolatry in different clothing than it wore in ancient times. Today's idols are things like money, status, popularity, ambition, possessions, relationships, substances, habits, and so on. I daresay we have all knelt at some type of altar at some point in our lives, perhaps not even realizing it. But can any of these things save our souls? Can any of these things provide us with a lasting source of peace? Can any of these things work miracles in our circumstances? Can any of these things change the hearts and lives of those around us? I'm not saying it's a sin to make a good living or to enjoy relationships with our loved ones or to have a nice house. But we have to keep in mind that those things are only the icing on the cake. And if we were to lose those things today, were they all we had? Or do we have the Lord and is He the bedrock of our lives?