Last Call...

If you have read the last two chapters in Isaiah you know that it concludes with a discussion of two groups:
1) Those who are humble will be saved
2) those who will not be saved because they rebelled the Lord.

Isaiah was talking to a remnant of God's people who had been faithful. Who understood that without him they were nothing. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word."

He was also talking to a large group of people who thought they were covered. They "offered sacrifices in the gardens and burned incense on alters of brick" He says these people are, "a smoke in my nostrils" Basically they are annoying. They are not good for anything. " They have chosen their own way and their souls delight in their abominations; so I will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread."

The important thing to note about these closing words are that Isaiah made it clear that the saving was going to be for everyone. This is what He is saying in 65:1. Paul used this argument in Romans chapter 10:19-20. God opened up the doors of salvation to all mankind. In a big way Romans ten is the best commentary on Isaiah 65. I will not try to write a better one.

Chapter 66 is about the birth of a new nation. The definition for those who God calls, "His People" is changed in the light of what Christ is going to do. It's not about sacrifices and following the law. It's about a contrite heart. This isn't new. David understood this a hundred years before Isaiah spoke to the people. He said, " You do not delight in sacrifices or I would bring it..the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, you do not despise."

There is more that I am chewing on about picture painted in 66 but I haven't finished chewing on it and I don't know yet how to put it into words. So before I make a bigger mess of things I will just leave it at that.

Check out the homework in Joy's post and we will see you Thursday night!

Season Finale--Homework

It’s our last week with Isaiah! Katie will be bringing you some commentary to go along with your reading of chapters 65 and 66. My job is to give you some homework.

As we’ve been working through Isaiah, we’ve run into certain themes over and over—for instance, God’s judgment. We’ve seen these themes apply to Israel as Isaiah is writing and to us in the present and to the future establishment of Christ’s kingdom.

So, for each of the themes below (and others if you think of any), try to find a verse from any part of Isaiah that represents the theme. To the best of your ability, determine how it applied to Israel, or applies to us or to both.

Creation
Redemption
Judgment
Justice
Messiah
God’s glory
Restoration
Comfort
Outsiders (other nations, non-Israelites)

If I were to continue with my example judgment, I would reference Isaiah 65:6-7 which says, “’See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps—both your sins and the sins of your fathers,’ says the Lord.” He was talking to Israel, specifically to the people who had broken His law and promising them that their sins wouldn’t go unpunished. This verse can also apply to us because it shows us that God takes sin seriously and demands that sin be punished. It also speaks to a coming judgment. I could keep going, but hopefully you’ve got the idea.

Our vision for Thursday is a discussion of these themes, where and how we see them playing out and what they teach us about God’s character and His plan. We are also envisioning chart paper, maybe a chalkboard. So please come ready to discuss!

Also, one last piece of homework. Respond to this question in one sentence: What have you learned from Isaiah?

Isaiah 63 & 64--Finding Balance

Scripture has this amazing power to bring our lives back into balance. We swing from extreme to extreme, but God’s word is true, steadfast, unchanging. This is why we can trust it to ground us when we find ourselves drifting too far to either end of the emotional spectrum.

On one end is the dark place. In this place we pity ourselves, we can’t imagine anyone loving us or any reason why they ever might. Sometimes we stop by this place for a few hours in the middle of the week, sometimes we bring our tents and camp in this place of despair for a season. Unloved. Forgotten. Abandoned. Persecuted.

Isaiah’s audience was camped out in this place of despair as their nation crumbled around them. They believed God had turned His back on them and left them to be swept up by their enemies. The opening verses of Isaiah 63 paint a very different—and gruesome—picture. God has not abandoned His people and left their fate in Edom’s hand. Instead, He reveals a Messiah who will fight Israel’s enemies with His own hands, who will trample them and destroy them, soaking His own garments with the blood of His enemies.

When we are feeling downcast and defeated, that same Messiah will fight for us. He declares us worthy, precious, loved.

The other place we go is to the mountaintop of arrogant pride. From this vantage point we can see how badly others are screwing up. We can appreciate all the great things we do. We are successful. Competent. Independent. Of course God loves us, what’s not to love?

Israel was guilty of this too. They were unrepentant, proud. They went through the motions of worship and sacrifice, but their hearts were hardened. And so Isaiah 64:6 brings us the oft-quoted reality check:
“All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

As impressive as Israel thought its worship was, as great as we think our actions are, God sees filthy rags. And that’s our good acts.

God’s word is the fulcrum that keeps us balanced between these sinful extremes. It tells us we are loved and worth fighting for. It reminds us that we haven’t arrived, that our ultimate redemption has yet to come and that it is completely out of our control.

1. The Holy Spirit is mentioned a couple times in these chapters. What do we learn about Him from them? How can His work keep us balanced?

2. Of these two extremes, which one are you more likely to camp in? Think about why and about what truths can pull you back.