Archive for month: April, 2023

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 60.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 60:1-22 (NIV)
1  “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3  Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

On verses 1-22:  Who is God talking about in Isaiah 60?  He’s talking about the city of Jerusalem.  He is saying that, in a world full of darkness (v2), one day the city of Jerusalem will forever shine the brightest light and be the pride and joy of the nations (v1-4, 15).  There the people of God will reunite and unspeakable joy will fill the city (v5a).  The riches of the world will flow into Jerusalem (v5b-11).  The best trees will adorn the temple (v13). Jerusalem’s enemies will bow before her (v12, 14).  In addition to having much material wealth and the favour of the nations, peace and righteousness will reign in her (v17). 

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 59:15b-21.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 59:15-19 (NIV)
15  Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice.
16  He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.
17  He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
18  According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.
19  From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along.

On verses 15b-19:  In verses 1-15 Isaiah gave vividly showed the effects that sin has on our lives, how all of us have sinned and how our sins separate us from God.  After presenting this problem, Isaiah is now going to offer the solution.   He says that God saw our helpless predicament.  Since no one else could help, “his own arm worked salvation for him” (v16).  “His arm” isn’t just a poetic way of saying that God did something. 

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 59:1-15.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)
1  Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
 
On verse 1:  Here in Isaiah 59 Isaiah is going to present a problem and then offer a solution.  The problem is described in verses 2-15 and the solution is described in verses 16-21.  But before explaining the problem, Isaiah needs to make an important clarification:  the problem is not with God; the problem is with us.  That is why verse 1 says, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” In other words, it’s not God’s fault that this problem exists.  The fault is ours.  Now let’s look at what the problem is.

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 58.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 58:1 (NIV)
1  “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.
 
On verse 1:  In Isaiah 57:14-21, Isaiah declared the forgiveness, the mercy and the freedom from captivity to sin that God has made possible for His people.  Yet here in Isaiah 58, God tells Isaiah to raise his voice like a trumpet and declare to the people their rebellion and their sins.  What does this teach us?   Even after we have received the forgiveness, the mercy and the freedom that God freely makes available to us, there is still work for us to do.  It’s the sanctification after the salvation.  It’s the growing up after being born again.  It’s about becoming mature after you become a member of God’s family.