Isaiah's words, particularly in chapter 58, aren't altogether different from Jesus' words to the Pharisees in the New Testament. The Israelites were hyprocrites - they went to the temple and followed all of the rituals, but their daily living was not marked by the same zeal with which they boasted of their religious fervor. They were stuck in ... [Continue Reading]
Being Sheepish (Isaiah 49-53)
One of the things I love about the Bible is how accurately it represents the issues in life that we deal with on a regular basis. For instance, Isaiah said a long time ago that we are all like sheep and that we have a propensity to go our own ways and to avoid what God desires from us. Have you ever seen a child who does something he or she knows is wrong? ... [Continue Reading]
Not Everything Fades Away (2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalm 46, 80, 135)
I like buying things that will last. My parents taught my brothers and me that you "get what you pay for." So when I buy stuff (like a washing machine, a television, or even clothes), I want to choose things that will hold up versus those that won't survive over the long haul (consequently I'm sending clothes to Good Will that are in great ... [Continue Reading]
Redeemed (Isaiah 40-48)
There are certain promises in the Bible that were meant for a specific people at a specific time. That is true of Isaiah 43:1b, "'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" The great news, though, is that it applies to us, too, if we've accepted Christ's work on the cross! We have nothing to ... [Continue Reading]
Pride Brings Destruction (Isaiah 37-39; Psalm 76)
I don't know if Hezekiah was a prideful king or not, but I can't help but think that his pride was the culprit of the downfall of Judah. After God restored him back to health, Hezekiah made the foolish mistake of showing all of his nation's treasure to the men from Babylon. He was boasting about his nation's wealth, and in doing so, inviting ... [Continue Reading]
Not the Whole Truth (Isaiah 35-36)
The field commander of the Assyrian army was very skilled in the art of psychological warfare. In fact, he spread a number of half-truths to the Israelites as a way of destroying their faith in God. It was true that God was using Assyria to rebuild Israel's character and to grow them into the people He wanted them to be. What wasn't true was ... [Continue Reading]
The Coming King (Isaiah 31-34)
Isaiah's depiction of Christ as the coming king is that He will reign righteously. A look at my Hebrew-Greek Keyword Study Bible defines the word "righteousness" in 32:1 as meaning "not deviating from the standard of fairness." In other words, Christ will judge according to the truth and without any sort of partiality. When He ... [Continue Reading]
Life’s Easier Button (Isaiah 28-30)
As much at Staples has tried to get us to believe that there's is, in fact, an easy button, the truth is that there isn't. However, there is an easier way to do things than sometimes we choose to do them. That was the case with the Israelites. If only they had submitted to the Lord and done as He asked, life would have been much easier for ... [Continue Reading]
The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Hosea 9-14)
Ever wonder what you get when you plant apple seeds? Apple trees. Know what you get when you plant pumpkin seeds? Pumpkins. Let's move on to a harder question: what do you get when you embrace sin and spurn God? Whatever the fruit of your sinful sowing is. It's all part of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. The Bible ... [Continue Reading]
On the Edge (Hosea 5-8)
The problem with Israel is that it was on the edge. As a nation, it had moved so far away from what God desired that it couldn't hold on anymore. It had forward momentum in the wrong direction, and because of its choices, it was hard to turn around. The same can be true for us, too. We choose to live life on our own for so long that we get ... [Continue Reading]
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