Category: Book of Isaiah

Behold Our God In 2015

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah, God & His Glory

Perhaps our greatest need as we begin a new year is to behold our God – to be reminded of who he is. Isaiah 41 gives us just the glimpse we need:

Our God Rules Over All (v1-7) – God raised up Cyrus to end the Babylonian empire and usher in the Persian empire so the people of Israel could return to their land. Indeed he rules over each generation that comes along – he is the first and the last. And our God will rule over this year. God has a plan for 2015, and he will fulfill his plan. He has a purpose for your life this year.

Our God Cares About Us and Helps Us (v8-20) – God has chosen his people to be his servants, and he will be with us in 2015. He will strengthen us in our weakness. He will help us in our trials. He will uphold us in our need.

Our God Knows The Future (v21-29) – The gods of the nations cannot tell the future – they are nothing, a delusion, empty wind. But our God predicted the coming of Cyrus about 200 years before he came onto the scene. Our God knows the future. He knows what will happen in 2015. Nothing this year will take him by surprise.

Our God rules over the coming year. He knows what the coming year will bring. He cares about us and will help us this year. So let us set our gaze upon him, and trust him with the 2015.

The God of the Weak

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
– Isaiah 40:27

Have you ever felt like that? Thought that? Said that?
My way is hidden from God. He doesn’t know what is going on? He doesn’t see?
Or worse – my right is disregarded. He doesn’t care.
Ever felt abandoned by God?

Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted.
– Isaiah 40:30

Ever been faint? Weary? Exhausted?
Physically exhausted by sickness or disease or injury or just old age?
Mentally exhausted with all the things you are trying to keep track of?
Emotionally exhausted by grief or fear or anxiety – distressed, discouraged, depressed?
Or spiritually exhausted by temptations?

God has a word for us who are weak, weary, in need of strength, in need of God.
He calls us to behold our God (v28).
He is the everlasting God. He is the Creator God.
He is the never-tiring God. He is the all-wise God.
He is a great God, and this great God is the God of the weak.

He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
– Isaiah 40:29

He gives power to the weak so that we might renew our strength,
and mount up with wings as eagles, and run and not be weary.
God gives us strength to do what is otherwise humanly impossible,
to overcome giants in our lives by his power,
to press on and endure great hardships in a supernatural way.
Our great God is the God of the weak who stoops down to help us,
to give us a power beyond ourselves.

And this power comes as we wait upon the Lord (v31).
We wait for the Lord with patience, trust, and expectation
that he will give his power to help us in our weakness.
We wait upon the Lord for strength in our sickness, disease, injury, or old age.
We wait upon the Lord for strength when we are overwhelmed.
We wait upon the Lord for strength in our grief, fears, anxieties, and discouragement.
We wait upon the Lord for strength in our temptations.

They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
Our great God is the God of the weak who gives power to those who wait upon him.
Will you wait upon the Lord today?

Our Shepherd

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
– Isaiah 40:11

God cares for us like a shepherd.

He tends his sheep. He takes care of us. He feeds us – both physically and spiritually. He provides for us – like a parent provides for their child. He prepares a table before us.

He gathers his sheep in his arms and carries us close to him. When we can’t walk on our own, he carries us – close to his heart. He loves us.

And he leads his sheep. Not harshly, but gently. He leads us at the right pace, and to the right place. He leads us beside still waters that we might be refreshed. He leads us in the paths of righteousness – a good path to tread! At times he leads us through valleys, but he is always with us to help us. His rod and staff comfort us.

No matter what you may be facing this Christmas, remember that the Lord is your shepherd, and he will take care of you.

Comfort My People

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

We all need comfort – comfort in tragedy, crisis, loss, and sickness. Comfort in weariness, sorrow, and depression. Comfort in guilt and punishment. In Isaiah 40:1 we read, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” He is speaking to the Judah exiles in Babylon, but there is application for us. And in these first eight verses we see where we can find the comfort we need.

We find comfort in God’s love (v1-2). He calls us his people. He is our God. We have a relationship together. He wants to minister comfort to us. In verse 2, he speaks tenderly to us. He cares about us. He loves us. Despite our past sins and failures, we are his people. In the struggles of life, we need to know that God loves us.

We find comfort in God’s salvation (v2). One day our trials – our warfare or hard service – will be over. Our sins are pardoned in Jesus Christ. In our trials and in sins, we need to know that God saves us.

We find comfort in God’s coming (v3-5). God’s salvation doesn’t come from a distance, but as God comes to us. And so God came to rescue the remnant out of exile. And as the gospel writers make clear by quoting these verses, God came to earth as a man to save us by dying on a cross for our sins. And God comes to us as we repent and believe, and he causes us to be born again and applies the work of Jesus on the cross to our lives. And God will come one day to usher in a new heaven and earth. In our sin and our guilt, we need to know that God comes to save us.

Finally, we find comfort in God’s promises (v6-8). The words of men will fail, for men are like grass that fades away. But God’s Word will stand forever, and so we can trust in his promises to us – promises to be a refuge and strength in our suffering, promises to forgive us of our sins, promises that one day he will wipe away our tears and put an end to all suffering, sickness, sin, and death. In our suffering and sin, we need to know that we can trust God promises to help us.

We all need comfort. And that comfort is found in God – in his love, his salvation, his coming, and his promises. May God comfort you today!

Thanking God for Himself

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah, Habit Miscellaneous, Virtue Miscellaneous

Today I want to thank God that he is:

A Saving God – Isaiah 1:18

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.

A Soon and Coming King – Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

A Sovereign Lord – Isaiah 14:24

The LORD of hosts has sworn:
“As I have planned, so shall it be,
and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.

A Solid Rock – Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

We Need A Savior

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

In II Kings 18, we are told that Hezekiah did what was right in the sight of the Lord. According to his own words in Isaiah 38, he walked before God in faithfulness and with a whole heart…

…Except when he was trusting Egypt instead of God to save them from Assyia (Isaiah 31).

…Except when he proudly showed off all his treasure to the Babylonians (Isaiah 39).

…Except when he cared only for his safety, treating his kingdom and his own family with disdain (Isaiah 39).

He did what was right…except when he didn’t. And Hezekiah needed a Savior.

As Christians, we seek to do what is right in God’s sight. We strive to walk before God in faithfulness and with a whole heart…

…Except for days when we fail to trust God in the midst of the trial.

…Except for situations when we seek our own glory instead of God’s glory.

…Except for times when we are self-centered instead of loving others.

We do what is right…except when we don’t. And we need a Savior.

Walking Before God

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

In Isaiah 38:3, Hezekiah mentions three characteristics about his walk before God:

First, he walked before God in faithfulness. He was faithful to God. He was faithful to God’s commands. He was loyal; he was obedient. What about us? In a world that ignores God and his commands, are we faithful to God? Are we faithfully seeking to obey God’s commands no matter how we feel or what the culture thinks? Are we walking before God in faithfulness?

Second, he walked before God with his whole heart. His heart was not divided between the one true God and other gods of the nations. What about us? Are we serving God with our whole heart? Or are there other gods that compete for our hearts? Jesus said that our hearts will be where our treasure is. So what do we treasure? God most of all? Or the things of this world? Are we walking before God with a whole heart?

Third, he walked before God doing what was good in God’s sight. His actions were righteous. His works were good. What about us? Are we doing what is good in God’s sight? Are we doing the good works God has prepared for us to do? What good things would God have us do today? Are we walking before God doing what is good?

How is our walk before God today? How do we need to grow?

Who Will You Trust?

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

In Isaiah 36-37, we are confronted with the question: who will we trust?

Will we trust in other people? Judah trusted in Egypt to help them, but Egypt was “a broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it” (36:6). And so other people will fail us too – whether they mean to or not. They are not strong enough, big enough to take care of all the trials that come against us. Like us, they are broken.

Will we trust in ourselves? Assyria mocked Judah, saying that even if Assyria provided them with 2000 horses, Judah could not put riders on them (36:8-9). So how could Judah overcome even the smallest part of Assyria’s army? We too are tempted to trust in our own strength, our own plans. But like Judah, our strength is often too weak, and our plans too often fail.

Will we trust in our trials? That seems odd, but it is entirely possible to believe that our trials are so powerful, that the only thing we can do is give up to them. That is what Assyria encouraged Judah to do – give up to the Assyrians (36:16-17). And we are often tempted to just give up in the face of our trials.

Or will we trust in the Lord? Will we trust in the Lord who alone is God over all the kingdoms of this world? Will we trust in the Lord our God who loves us and is with us? Will we trust in the Lord of Hosts who has all of the hosts of heaven at his command (37:16)? He is greater than other people, greater than ourselves, greater than our trials. He can help us no matter we face. And he invites us to trust in Him.

So in the midst of your trials, who will you trust this week?

Six Joyful Blessings for the Future

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah

In Isaiah 35, God gives us six joyful blessings for the future:

  • New Life (v1-2, 5-7) – He paints a picture of new life spring up all over the new earth. The wilderness and desert are blossoming. Abundant water is flowing. And even better there is new life for his people. Here today we grow old: our eyes dim, our hearing goes. We need help walking. At the end we may not be able to speak. But one day we will experience new life: v5-6 We will throw away our glasses and hearing aids and walkers. We will experience new life on a new earth springing up with new life.
  • New Sight (v2) – We will see the glory and majesty of our God. Think of the most glorious majestic sight in creation you have ever seen. Maybe a sunset over a lake, stars ablaze in the sky, a forest of trees in all their Fall splendor, or some particular place of beauty. That is just a glimpse of the majesty and glory of our Creator. One day we will see him. We will see our Savior who suffered and died for us, who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where he reigns at the right hand of the Father. We will have a new sight.
  • New Salvation (v4) – God will save us from all that comes against us: the trials that we face today, the struggles that seem to never end, the persecution many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world face. God will save us from our final enemy death, and all the sickness and disease that goes with it. We will have a new salvation.
  • New Way (v8) – There will be a new way – a way of holiness. We will walk rightly before God, never to sin again. Those who are unclean – lost in their sins – will not be there, but only those clothed in the righteousness of Christ. There will be a new way.
  • New Safety (v9) – There will be no wild animals on this way to harm us. Indeed, there will be nothing to harm us ever again. Nothing. There will be no more valleys of the shadow of death to walk through. Today the road is often difficult. Dangers lurk all around. But one day we will enjoy a new safety.
  • New Joy (v1, 2, 6, 10) – Joy is a repeated theme throughout the chapter that reaches its crescendo in verse 10: v10 Today we may know sorrows and sighing, but one day sorrow and sighing will flee away. Everlasting joy will chase sorrow away forever. And we will sing, celebrating our glorious God and gracious Savior. There will be a new joy forever.

And how should we respond to these joyful future blessing?

We should be strong (v3-4). Looking at these joyful blessings should give us strength for today. These blessings should strengthen our weak hands, make firm our feeble knees, and give courage to our anxious hearts. In the midst of all of our struggles, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Our path may take us through dark valleys, but it leads to a joyful end. So be strong.

We should be saved (v8-10). The unclean will not experience these blessings (v8). Only the redeemed, the ransomed of the Lord will know this glorious future (v9-10). So let us embrace the redemption that is found in Jesus. On the cross he paid the debt of our sins; he bore the judgment we deserve for our sins. Instead of judgment, we can know these joyful blessings if we simply look to Jesus. So be saved.

We should share with others. How could we keep these blessings to ourselves? Let’s encourage one another with this glorious hope that we have. And let’s tell others about Jesus and his promises that they too might receive Jesus and one day experience these blessings too.

God Is Greater

On By BrianIn Book of Isaiah, Virtue Miscellaneous1 Comment

In Isaiah 33, God reminds us that he is greater than all the things that come against us.

He Is Our Strength (v2) – He is our arm of strength for daily life. He gives us strength in the midst of those things that come against us. Indeed he gives us strength every morning. Each day there is a fresh supply of God’s mighty powerful strength to help us through our trials and struggles. He is our strength.

He Is Our Stability (v5-6) – He is the stability for our times – times of trouble, times of distress, times of difficulty. He is a sure foundation on which we can stand. He is a solid rock when the tempest blows all around us. He is exalted and dwells on high; he is not shaken by all that comes against us, and so we anchor ourselves to him. He is our stability.

He Is Our Salvation (v2-4, 6-12) – God not only gives us strength and stability in the midst of our trials, but in his perfect times he will save us from those trials. When God arises in our lives, all that comes against us scatters. He gobbles up the enemy. His judgment is like a great fire against all that comes against us. He is greater than those things that oppose us, and he will save us in his perfect time. He is our salvation.

And so we wait for him (v2). We don’t need to freak out about trials, threats, dangers, and struggles. We wait for Him with patience – resting in his strength and leaning on his stability. We wait for him with longing for the salvation that he will bring. This week, may we wait for Him who is greater than all that can come against us.