"I AM" strikes again...

Here is a picture of what's left of a temple where the Babylonians went to worship Nebo. Their god of wisdom and writing. This isn't what it looked like when Isaiah was writing chapter 46 but it's the picture he saw in the future and described to his listeners. We split up chapter 45 and 46 so you need to go back in your mind and note that they really go together. In chapters 45-48 Isaiah explains that God is greater than our enemies. Specifically the Babylonians. They already know that the Babylonians are going to come and destroy Judah but now they are getting to see the happier part of that story. In the end God is going to rise up someone to overthrow Babylon and restore the Temple.

In chapter 46 there are two verse of prophecy followed by eight verses where God once again establishes his authority, reminding his people who he is and why they should listen.

46:3 I have upheld you since you were conceived, carried you since your birth
46:4 I will sustain you to the end of your days and I will rescue you
46:5You can not compair me to anyone, there is no one that is my equal
46:6-7 No one has ever been saved by something they created
46:8 You have rebelled
46:9 I am God there is no other
46:10 I can tell you how it ends before it begins because I am the author of life, therefore my plans never fail.

In the last part of the Chapter the Lord once again explains his plan that ends with the ultimate goal: "I will bring Salvation to Zion, My splendor to Israel"

Question: In verse 12 who are the "stubborn hearted, those far from righteousness"?

Chapter 47 is more of the explanation of what God is going to do to Babylon.
Chapter 48 describes the stubbornness of Israel.

Read both chapters. Note God's tone in both chapters. After reading these what would you say is the basis for the different fates of these two peoples. On the one hand you have people who will be destroyed and on the other people who will be saved. What is the difference in between them? Knowing God is the same yesterday, today and forever, how do your conclusions make you feel about your own salvation?

P.S. I wrote out a long thing about how Cyrus leads to Jesus but somehow it got deleated after working on it for the past two hours...so just come ready for a good dose of history Thursday night. :)

All By Myself

Read Isaiah 44.

Throughout the Old Testament we hear God telling Israel, His chosen people, to be holy. Israel had its own laws and restrictions that were given by God for the purpose of keeping them from being like the outsiders living around them. As Isaiah is prophesying about the coming exile—a time when the Israelites will be forced to live among foreigners, when they will be the outsiders—he gets specific about some of the ungodly behavior they will encounter.

In verses 6-23, Isaiah describes those who make and worship idols. I’m always pleased when scripture is a little sarcastic and this passage gets a little snarky. A man takes a tree and with half of it he makes a fire, then makes some bread, then thinks to himself, “What should I do with the rest of the wood? I know! I’ll make an idol and worship it.” God wants His people to see the futility of worshiping something they create, how absurd it is to bow down to something they could use for kindling.

It’s as if God is saying, “That’s not a god. I’ll show you God.” God wants Israel to be different from the idol-worshiping culture around them because He is different from the idols men worship.

1. As you’re reading verses 24-28, write down some of the qualities of God that are described; attributes that distinguish Him from the other loser gods.

One quality I don’t want you to miss comes in verse 24,
“ I am the LORD,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself”



Did you catch it? Everything God has done, He’s done by Himself. He is not dependent on the arm of the blacksmith. He doesn’t need us to get things moving here on Earth. God is independent. We weren’t created because He was lonely. Like Israel, we were created by Him to be separate, to reflect His glory.

Just like the Israelites, we Christians are supposed to be distinct. We are called to be different because our God is different. It is no small thing to live a life that glorifies God and to resist the temptations offered by our culture. But we have an advantage the people of Israel didn’t have. In verse 3 God promises to “pour out” His Holy Spirit. Our ability to worship God doesn’t come from our strength or creativity; it comes from His Spirit that He chose to give us. By Himself.

2. Verse 28 is pretty epic. Why is it significant that Isaiah was talking about Cyrus?

3. These chapters of Isaiah have already showed us many attributes of God. One thing God is not is passive. Read chapter 45 and list all the things God is actively doing.

Peace for today, and bright hope for tomorrow.

(For some reason the spell check isn't working...I'm afraid you are just going to have to enjoy my creative spelling)

It's a new year, but seeing as we have not finished the great work of Isaiah are not moving on to a new book. We are however, skipping ahead just a tad.

Maybe it's my 27 years of wisdom or the fact that I am turning into my mother but New years is hardly ever a happy time anymore. I can't stop myself from thinking, what crap is going to hit the fan this time around.

I know this is not a good attitude, and the past week while I have been battling these thoughts the Lord has pushed me past, "In this world you will have trouble" to "take heart, for I have overcome the world". So I believe that it is perfectly fitting to skip forward to Isaiah chapter 40. Where the setement is the same, "Take heart for our God is always greater than our ciurcomstances and our fears."

Isaiah chapter 40

Step one: Think about the horrible things you fear...take an honest look at the nightmares you drum up in your mind on a daily baisis. I won't throw out any here because I don't want to make generic shalow examples that we can all relate to an therefore give us all an excuse to ignore to real deep personal ones.

Once you have noted some of these demons in your closet open up the word of God and turn to Isaiah chapter 40. Read through the chapter slowly considering all the claims that Isaiah makes about God. He is the one encthrowned above the circle of the earth, and it's people are like grasshoppers.(40:22) He does not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.(40:28)

What Judah needed was a good old reminder of how Awesome their God was. They also needed to be reminded that although he was awesome, he is also personal. He is ready to give strength to those who put their hope in Him. They did not know what tomorrow would bring but they did know that they would not be alone.

Now that you have some time for the warm fuzzies it's time to get down to buisness.

The next two chapters continue to talk about God's character and the peoples sin/chooseness/createdness. Despite the clear representation of God's people as complet failuress as far as the law is concerned Isaiah paints a picture of who they are as the redemmed. God's faithfulness is a clear theme but so is his might and ultimate power over creation. (One thing to note is all of the refences to creation and the fact that his people are a part of it.)

I don't strugle with the mightness of God as much as I used to. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom..He is not a tame Lion...I get it. :) But reading through these chapters this week and studying the pictures of God's people as a part of creation I was suprised at how I don't think about myself that way. Not that I don't understand that I was created by God...but I don't really factor that into my identity. I feel because we people all have souls and we were made in his image that we are seperate from that ultimate plan for everything that he had before he spoke the world into existance. By seperating myself and making myself more importaint than a noraml part of creation I take me out of the comfort of his soverignty.

I am not really explaining this all so well, so I am going to lead you in the direction of the scrpture give you some questions to answer and I will see you, my fellow created beings on Thursday. :)

Try to take the time to read through 40-43. I know a lot of these chapters we have read a millon times but try to read them with fresh eyes.

1.Find five verses that create pictures of who God is.


2. Is there anything that you have read that scares you more than comforts you?


3. Throughout the passage there are several references to reasons for God's mercy on his people. There is a clear understanding that the people the people were created by Him for HIS glory and because of his mercy they would be his "witnesses".

a. What refrences do you find that talk about why God created his people?
b. After so many amazing pictures of the mightness of God, what does it mean to you that you are part of His creation?
c. Does the fact that you are God's creation created for his glory make you feel differently about the worries you have about the future?

I'll close with a good one for the new year. See you Thursday.


"Forget the former things, do not dwell in the past.
See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not precieve it?>
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." 43:19

Isaiah 11--My Heart Will Go On

I’m not going to lie. I loved Titanic. I still get a little shmoopy when I hear My Heart Will Go On. One of my favorite scenes is when Jack is dining in first-class with Rose’s entourage and the unsinkable Molly Brown. He gives this little speech:
I mean, I got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen or, who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people. I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you... to make each day count. Then they all raise a toast "to making it count." *sigh*

Movies, books, music—they inundate us with the idea that we need to make every moment count because this is all we get. You will never be younger, freer, more alive than you are right now, so go ride a bull! And, I admit, I’m easily seduced by this way of thinking. I get caught up in this world and I forget that God promised a new Earth, a better Earth, and that I have citizenship in that kingdom.

Isaiah 11 describes the new order that the Messiah will put in place. First, politics will change. The strong trees of leadership will be sawed down, a tender sprig will sprout up, and this little Branch will rule us all. The weak will rule over the strong. The humble will dethrone the proud.

Nature will change. We have many good mothers in our group who cringe at the thought of their sons sticking their hands in a snake’s nest, but on the new Earth, nature will be back in balance. We won’t fear shark attacks or spider bites or, gulp, birds touching our hair. We’ll live in harmony with nature the way God originally intended.

And that’s what hits me—we aren’t living as God intended. We take for granted that deer will dart in front of our cars and that politicians are not trustworthy. We only know the ways of this world and we don’t have enough of an appetite for the next one.

But God promises us a better world, one with a ruler who is infinitely loving and reliable. One who cared enough about this broken world to come down and do something about it.

I told you all last week that I love finding places in the Old Testament where God shows His plan for the Gentiles (aka, you and me). In Romans 15:12, Paul quotes Isaiah 10,
12 And again, Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
in him the Gentiles will hope.”

Are we hoping in Him? Are we hoping in the One who, 700 years before Christ came to Earth, prophesied about saving us? Are we hoping in the One who, 2000 years before we came to Earth, was raised on a cross to save us? Are we living for the moment, or are we living for eternity?

Questions:
How does our American ideal of “making it count” contrast with living from an eternal perspective?

How does Jesus exemplify a person who was living for eternity? What do we see Him doing that we can apply to our lives?

What are you most excited to experience in the new Earth?

A writer's heart

In Frederick Buechner’s sermon The Good Book as a Good Book, (from the compilation of his sermons entitled A Life in Sermons), he writes:

God is not to be seen in space because in space he is not seeable any more than in La Comédie Humaine Balzac is seeable. But he can be heard. God’s words can be heard because words move forward not through space through time, and although time cannot be inhabited by eternity, it can be impinged upon by eternity the way the horizontal can be impinged upon by the vertical. God is known in the Bible as he speaks—speaks to an thorough the prophets and patriarchs, the priests and poets, speaks through the mighty acts he works both in the history of Israel and in the small histories of men and women when their ears and lives are in some measure attuned to him, or sometimes even when they are not. The Bible is the Word of God—the word about God and God’s word about himself—and it is also the endless words of God, the unanticipatable and elusive self-disclosures of God to countless numbers of people through the medium of what in Hebrew is called dabhar, which means both word and deed—the word that is also a deed because it makes things happen, and the deed that is also a word because, through it, is revealed meaning.

This is one of many ways in this sermon Buechner brings to light the impressive, (though that is barely expressive enough), artistry of the Bible. It is good literature for it is both intriguing and ambiguous while at the same time accessible and clear. In Isaiah 18 it is possible to get lost in the vagueness—“I will remain quiet… like shimmering heat in the sunshine. (18.4)” Nonetheless, the message is clear enough: The LORD is coming and he will have all peoples at his feet.

Isaiah 18 follows a laundry list of “prophecies against” in which Isaiah makes clear the war path God is preparing to march on. Mighty nations are prophesied to blow away “like chaff” and “tumbleweed”. Cush I found, after substantial digging, is an Ehtiopian nation. They are known by their relationship to this nation of “people tall and smooth-skinned” which is universally feared and apparently unfamiliar, as their speech is “strange”. Cush, it seems, relies on these fearsome warriors and, I would imagine, takes comfort in the fact that these alien allies strike fear in their opponents. The LORD will have none of this arrogant reliance upon fearsome humans. He is, after all, more fearsome than them all. Nonetheless, He waits.

Wesley comments on verse 18.4, in which God’s presence is compared to “shimmering heat” and a “cloud of dew”. Wesley notes that both of these atmospheric qualities incite growth, so God is not inhibiting the growth of these nations, but watching as quietly as dew and as stealthily as sunshine as his creation grows… and then he cuts them down.

What fascinates me is the beauty in this passage. The poetic qualities, the metaphor and rhythm and the glorious denouement of gifts being brought to the glorified LORD, it is all so perfectly scripted to bring you to the edge of your seat with anticipation at what this lion-like God will do.

I, for one, do not appreciate the craftsmanship of the Bible often enough. I read it as a duty and as an obedient saint, but often not to get lost in its story. This passage reminds me of the artist’s heart of our LORD and helps me understand what it is about Him that is irresistible.

Follow up questions:

1. When you read the part, which in the NIV reads, “All you people of the world… (18.3),” are you roped in? Have you fully accepted that this passage is not just for Cush, but for you as well? Do you recognize your part in the unfolding plot? What is it?

2. Why does God wait until “the flower becomes a ripening grape” (18.5) to cut off the shoots, to prune them? What is the significance of His waiting? Do we dare guess what He was waiting for?

3. The people “tall and smooth skinned” are not well defined in commentaries other than having some kind of allied relationship with the Ethiopian Cushites. Why are they the ones who are used as an example of being humbled before the LORD? Why does Isaiah include them in his prophecy as those who will bring gifts to the LORD?

The only sign that maters.

When Isaiah asks is Ahaz wants a sign he acts as if he is too spiritual for that. In reality he felt he didn't need a sign because of his contract with Assyria. Perhaps he was feeling that God helps those who help themselves, but in this attitude he missed out on the hope, and grace, and freedom that comes from the only sign we need from the Lord. His Son.

Because it was obvious that the king was not going to listen, Isaiah address the rest of the next five chapters to the house of Judah. Like most of the prophecies in the Bible there was an immediate fulfillment and an impending one. Isaiah, whose first wife dies after the death of their first child was born married again. His wife had a son they names Immanuel and before he was old enough to become a man the Lord had delivered his people from the hands of Israel, Samaria and Assyria.

We see in chapter 8 that this boys other name means "quick to plunder" this is a sign for Israel that they will be destroyed but also for Judah that in the end Babylon will come and judge them as well.

Isaiah's other sons name was, "Shear-jashub" which means a remnant shall return. (see 10:20-22,11:11-12,16) It was imperative that the remnant return because God's promises still had to be fulfilled. He promised David that he would have a son that would reign on the throne forever. If God's people are completly destroyed this would be impossible. Therefore God's plan was of course to bring back a few, and through that few send one that would save the world.

This is of course the point of Chapter nine. (Note Zebulon and Naphtali= Galilee. Where Jesus focused most of his ministry and also the area most devastated in the downfall of Israel) One of the most beautiful things about 9:1-7 is that we too are waiting for it's completion. It brings us great hope not only because Jesus has come but mostly because HE IS COMING AGAIN! This is the light at the end of every dark place in your life.

Read through 9:1-7. Take it one verse at a time. First consider what the verse meant to the original audience and then think about the church today as a whole and finally yourself personally. If you need to brush up on things like "Midian's defeat" do a little digging.

Make sure when you get to verse 6 that you think about each of the child's names individually. This was not just a poetic list for the sake of literary excellence, each name is significant.

See you Thursday night. :)

Isaiah 7:1-9 Who you going to call?

Chapter seven opens during very difficult days for the kingdom of Judah. Assyria's threat was growing very strong and on top of that Judah had refused to be allies with Israel (The northern Kingdom)and Syria. Judah's king Ahaz was not looking to God for hope in this time of trial, instead he felt that if he befriended Assyria he would be safe. So he made a treaty with Assyria. (2 King 16:5-9) Ahaz was making all his decisions out of fear. He actually took a Gold offering that belonged to god and sent it to pay for security from Assyria.

Chapter seven of Isaiah is a message God gave to Isaiah to reassure Ahaz that even if what he considered was the worst (the fall of his kingdom) happened, the Lord was still in control and was working out His ultimate plan to save a remnant of His people.

In verse two God tells Ahaz to "take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted." He reminds him that the kings of Israel are but,"two smouldering stubs of fire wood" Ahaz has a choice, to trust in the Lord and find peace and rest, or follow his own path to destruction.

Isiah spoke this message to Ahaz in 734 bc. In 732 Assyria destroyed Syria, and in 722 the destroyed Israel but they NEVER destroyed Judah. In fact by 700 bc Asyria was it'self a thing of the past. They were nothing but smoldering stubs of fire wood.

David understood what it meant to trust in the Lord. How the Lord was always a stronger fortress than anything else on this earth. In psalm 33 he wrote,

"16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His loving kindness,

19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.

21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.

22 Let Your loving kindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

What is it that you are counting on to get you through your day? Is it your bank account, or your family, or your new haircut, or that chick-fil-a milkshake? Do you think that plans that you have so carefully laid out will save you from the fray? Unless your hope is in the Lord, all your work will be in vain. Isaiah 7: 9b"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all."

I am not going to go on into verse 10 this week because I feel like this is a really good place to rest. What are we resting in. We are all walking, or crawling through something right now. And I guess I just want us to look carefully at each day and ask ourselves where does our hope come from?