“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.” ~Isaiah 56:21
This is the crux, the converging of two roads. In Isaiah we witness the cosmic, raw, and savage dance between our sin and God’s redemptive hand. To read it is to open up deep wounds in our hearts, and to accept it is to cry out much like Eustace did when the scales were ripped from his dragon body. It is simpler to reconcile these two contending themes when we understand God’s ultimate goal: His restored relationship with us via our understanding of His majesty.
What is it that makes us unable to look at our own sin? Do we not joke with each other about our imperfections constantly, even gloat about the ways in which we are imperfect? Read Isaiah 56:11. “…They have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.” I think perhaps looking at our sin is much deeper than looking at our flaws, looking at our sin is acknowledging that there is more wrong with us than simple failures. We can gloat about not getting the laundry done right because ultimately it says nothing of our heart, and we can mock ourselves for being lazy because at the end of the day we know weren’t really that lazy.
If, however, we read Isaiah 57:11, “Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me,” we are called to account. This is the true nature of our sin, not our everyday failings but the fact that we fear something, anything, more than Him.
God knows how we are, He knows us and He takes us in anyway. It is more than acceptance that which He offers, it is welcome. We must understand our evil nature to understand how truly welcoming He is. When I cry out, “Lord, take me as I am,” it is not a humble request but rather a desperate and foolish begging.
Enter Isaiah 58. Once we understand how profoundly messed up we are, the notion of being righteous is a bit laughable. Read verses 1 & 2 and notice the “as if”. The prophet continues, describing what the Israelites call fasting and honoring the Sabbath, and makes Israel see that even in these rites they are failing. The truth stings like a hornet—you aren’t all you are cracked up to be.
Can there be an “and yet”? I have to accept that after stripping me of all my self-esteem there could be something left to be hopeful about. Most days I can’t accept that, and I continue to strive for His approval of my own accord. Isaiah 59 contains the most beautiful reality, but it is also painful like hydrogen peroxide in its sizzling purge of our iniquity.
“He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.” ~Isaiah 59:16.
God takes care of it. He sees our ugliness, he sees our failings and our futile striving for righteousness, and He sends a Savior. The hardest and most precious truth is this: You don’t have to save yourself, in fact you can’t. But God, as Isaiah says at the beginning of Isaiah 59, hears and understands. He comprehends our struggle and takes care of it. Do I accept that?
In summation/application:
1. Separate your emotions from the truth you read in Isaiah. First figure out how this makes you feel… what is your gut response to Isaiah 56-59? Second, what is the reality? For instance, do you feel deflated and sad yet recognize the grand gift? Sometimes our emotions are deceptive and hide from us the reality that is written in the Bible.
2. Read Isaiah 57: 1-13. What title does your Bible give this section? What are the idols being described?
3. Read Isaiah 59:12-15. What truth is lacking? How has it stumbled?
4. Read Isaiah 59: 21. What is the promise? Why is it good?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Isaiah 55
It has been a really hard day. Alden's had that tummy bug that going around and has spent most of today making that horrible wining noise that makes me want to jump off the balcony. He has had two naps both about thirty minutes long. When I finally got him down this evening I went into the bathroom turned on the shower sat on the floor and cried. In the midst of crying I realized that I have to post this week. So I pulled it together and here I am.
I know these eight verses very well because I always made my 7th graders memorize them. We had hand motions for the whole thing. They especially liked the part where we pretended to sipped wine daintily and then chugged milk and wiped our face with our sleeve.(Verse 1) But I as much fun as we had with this passage I tried to really point out it's importance as well.
These verses are OUR story. Those of us who are not Jewish(I think that's everyone in our study) are the ones Isaiah is addressing. We are those "endowed with SPLENDOR" I have to say that's not how I felt twenty minutes ago sitting on the floor in the bathroom. Go ahead and read through the 13 verses of this amazing song.
In these verse the Gentiles are urged to come and seek and worship. That is so fitting to where I am right now. There is no better place to come when the day has made you weary. We can sit at the feet of Jesus not because of our Labor but because of his Love. He freely pardons us despite our race.
In verses 8-9 he talks about how God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. How have you seen evidence of this in your life? How has God's plan surprised you lately? (That doesn't have to have a positive answer, be honest, he can take it.)
There is a beautiful picture in the rest of the chapter of what God's word does in our life. Read 10-13 again. I feel kind of like this is Isaiah's version of Louis Armstrongs, what a wonderful world. You know, "I see tree's of green, red roses too, I see um bloom for me and you, and I think to myself...what a wonderful world!"
I have had times in my life where I felt like that song was playing in the background but the beauty in what Isaiah is saying is that no matter where we start that if bring our hearts to the Word it will transform of thinking to see things the way God does. To understand that he is working out all things for the good of those who love him.
I love all the grace that we learn in studies these days and how important it is not to turn our relationship with the Lord into a todo list. But although the guilt of not spending time in the word daily shouldn't shame you into doing it, the transforming power for life should. This is the stuff ladies. This is where the changing happens. It's how we get from the bathroom floor to the song of worship.
Me personally, I'm going to go out in joy, led forth and peace and listen to the music of the trees because I have been endowed with splendor. It's nice to know that's not something I am just saying but the miracle of the word.
Read through 56:1-8. I'll have some questions when we meet.
I apologize for how late this post is. Look forward to seeing you Thursday!
I know these eight verses very well because I always made my 7th graders memorize them. We had hand motions for the whole thing. They especially liked the part where we pretended to sipped wine daintily and then chugged milk and wiped our face with our sleeve.(Verse 1) But I as much fun as we had with this passage I tried to really point out it's importance as well.
These verses are OUR story. Those of us who are not Jewish(I think that's everyone in our study) are the ones Isaiah is addressing. We are those "endowed with SPLENDOR" I have to say that's not how I felt twenty minutes ago sitting on the floor in the bathroom. Go ahead and read through the 13 verses of this amazing song.
In these verse the Gentiles are urged to come and seek and worship. That is so fitting to where I am right now. There is no better place to come when the day has made you weary. We can sit at the feet of Jesus not because of our Labor but because of his Love. He freely pardons us despite our race.
In verses 8-9 he talks about how God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. How have you seen evidence of this in your life? How has God's plan surprised you lately? (That doesn't have to have a positive answer, be honest, he can take it.)
There is a beautiful picture in the rest of the chapter of what God's word does in our life. Read 10-13 again. I feel kind of like this is Isaiah's version of Louis Armstrongs, what a wonderful world. You know, "I see tree's of green, red roses too, I see um bloom for me and you, and I think to myself...what a wonderful world!"
I have had times in my life where I felt like that song was playing in the background but the beauty in what Isaiah is saying is that no matter where we start that if bring our hearts to the Word it will transform of thinking to see things the way God does. To understand that he is working out all things for the good of those who love him.
I love all the grace that we learn in studies these days and how important it is not to turn our relationship with the Lord into a todo list. But although the guilt of not spending time in the word daily shouldn't shame you into doing it, the transforming power for life should. This is the stuff ladies. This is where the changing happens. It's how we get from the bathroom floor to the song of worship.
Me personally, I'm going to go out in joy, led forth and peace and listen to the music of the trees because I have been endowed with splendor. It's nice to know that's not something I am just saying but the miracle of the word.
Read through 56:1-8. I'll have some questions when we meet.
I apologize for how late this post is. Look forward to seeing you Thursday!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Taking back His bride
Please read Isaiah 53 on your own.
Everyone loves a good song. Music, rhythm, dance are all things that are written into our being. Isaiah was all about the music. He referenced singing or song over thirty times in his book. Chapter 54 is a song, a love song to be more specific. It's about the restoration of Israel.
God had set up for his people a theocracy. He was their king. He handed down the law and asked his people to obey it. Of course they couldn't obey it and they couldn't stand following something they couldn't see so first they tried to make an image of God and then they asked for a king.
In Samuel chapter 8 the people come to Samuel and ask him to appoint a king to rule over them because they feared his sons and they wanted a king "such as other nations have." The Lord told Samuel, "Listen to all the people are saying to you, it is not you they have rejected but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." Samuel lays out for the people all the terrible things that a king will do to them. Read 1 Sam 8:10-18.
Even after they have heard these things they still asked for a king so they could, "be like other nations with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." God gives them what they ask for and the kings do all that He said they would.
God talks about how they are going to cry out to him but he isn't going to listen to them (1 Sam. 8:18). This is what He is talking about in Isaiah 54. God talks about how yes he was angry and he hid his face but that is in the past. Just as he will never again flood the earth, he will never again hide his face from his people.
Now the LORD is taking back his bride. She whored herself out to kings, idols; in general, she sold out to the ways of men. Nonetheless, God will have her back. “For your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected…” (54:5-6).
God is treating her not as a divorced woman who is shamed and despised, but as a woman who was rejected as a young bride and now mourning as a widow. Instead of giving Israel what she deserves, God is giving her a fresh start and a new hope.
Application:
1. Read the first verse. How can it be that a barren woman should rejoice? What is God communicating by saying that a “desolate” woman has more children than one with a husband?
2. Read verses 7 and 8. Does this image of a wrathful God compete with the image of God you have in your head? How do we respond to the fact that He is at once wrathful, vengeful even, and loving and compassionate?
3. Do you tend to think of yourself as one deserving judgment or one deserving sympathy?
Everyone loves a good song. Music, rhythm, dance are all things that are written into our being. Isaiah was all about the music. He referenced singing or song over thirty times in his book. Chapter 54 is a song, a love song to be more specific. It's about the restoration of Israel.
God had set up for his people a theocracy. He was their king. He handed down the law and asked his people to obey it. Of course they couldn't obey it and they couldn't stand following something they couldn't see so first they tried to make an image of God and then they asked for a king.
In Samuel chapter 8 the people come to Samuel and ask him to appoint a king to rule over them because they feared his sons and they wanted a king "such as other nations have." The Lord told Samuel, "Listen to all the people are saying to you, it is not you they have rejected but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." Samuel lays out for the people all the terrible things that a king will do to them. Read 1 Sam 8:10-18.
Even after they have heard these things they still asked for a king so they could, "be like other nations with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." God gives them what they ask for and the kings do all that He said they would.
God talks about how they are going to cry out to him but he isn't going to listen to them (1 Sam. 8:18). This is what He is talking about in Isaiah 54. God talks about how yes he was angry and he hid his face but that is in the past. Just as he will never again flood the earth, he will never again hide his face from his people.
Now the LORD is taking back his bride. She whored herself out to kings, idols; in general, she sold out to the ways of men. Nonetheless, God will have her back. “For your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected…” (54:5-6).
God is treating her not as a divorced woman who is shamed and despised, but as a woman who was rejected as a young bride and now mourning as a widow. Instead of giving Israel what she deserves, God is giving her a fresh start and a new hope.
Application:
1. Read the first verse. How can it be that a barren woman should rejoice? What is God communicating by saying that a “desolate” woman has more children than one with a husband?
2. Read verses 7 and 8. Does this image of a wrathful God compete with the image of God you have in your head? How do we respond to the fact that He is at once wrathful, vengeful even, and loving and compassionate?
3. Do you tend to think of yourself as one deserving judgment or one deserving sympathy?
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