Leviathan mentioned again Isaiah 27

Isaiah 27:1 "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea."

There is a vivid description of the serpent or dragon in Job. This chapter does not make a big deal of it. It is presented as a simple act. If this is a reference to Satan, and it seems to be, then as in the New Testament, it is not a difficult task for the LORD. Satan is of great strength compared to us but of insignificant strength compared to the LORD.

Revelation 20:2 "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." This was done by a strong angel.

In the New Testament, Jesus had sent his disciples out to preach and they found that the spirits were subject to them and even "...power to tread on serpents and scorpions..." but this was not what they were to be happy about. The most important thing is in this verse:

Luke 10:20 "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Before that Jesus had (seemed almost a casual mention to me) said that: v18 "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven." also Isaiah 14

So while Satan is difficult to ignore because of the wrong he does, he will be dealt with by the LORD when the time is full.

Further on the chapter talks about the purging of Jacob's sin and the bringing back to the promised land.

v13 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem."

All this must have seemed impossible for those in captivity, but it did take place for they were there when Christ as born.

I look for another day when the trumpet will sound and we will be out of here.

Great Song

I highly recomment listening to and watching this young choir sing.

Peace - Isaiah 26

Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee."

After the judgment, after the chastening, after the return to the one true God, there is a song to be sung.

v1 "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah, We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks."

We are getting hints of a new and better way for God's people. When Jesus comes, and redemption plan is complete, the law of God will be in the heart of those who trust in Him. Instead of walls of stone, we have the peace of God in our hearts. We have our faith which is better than walls of stone. The poor and needy can now come in.

v4 "Trust ye in the LORD forever, for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength."

There will be a longing to do righteousness because the love of God is in our hearts and not just on the paper of the law. There will be a desire to please because of love for His grace toward us.

v9 "With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early; for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."

I do not think the children of Israel understood what Isaiah was saying. It was still a mystery then. Even in Jesus' day on earth, he spoke in parables to the people for he was not yet crucified and had not arose from the dead to complete salvation's plan. Such is not the case in our day, we are without excuse for not believing.

v19 "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."

I Corinthians 6:14 "And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by this own power."

Trouble is coming but it will pass. Such is the assurance and cause for peace.

v20 "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."

It is a reminder of the Exodus and the blood on the doorposts.

Result of Chastening Isaiah 25

Isaiah 25:9 "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

Discipline is never welcome and easy for a child. It is tough on the parent as well. I do not find that God found any joy in what had to be done to bring Israel back to him. It was simply necessary.

v1 "O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth."

Well, of course, parents do not fall into the praise and exalted worthiness but you can see how the principle still applies. Once a child is brought to maturity and they realize where they went wrong, they will often remember and appreciate the actions it took to divert them from trouble. I've often heard the phrase "Mom and Dad were right."

v4 "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength tot he needy in h is distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."

One thing Israel had neglected to do was remember the poor. The LORD, however, never does neglect those who are the most needy. It is for the proud and haughty that severe action must be taken to direct their respect properly.

v11 "And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim; and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands."

The final victory sounds so sweet in this verse:

v8 "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the LORD hath spoken it."

Apocalyptic Isaiah 24

Isaiah 24:1 "Behold, The LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof."

This chapter refers to the known world of the day but also has far reaching implications. Again, there are teachers of prophecy who can do a better job with this than I. The known world to Israel was, of course, the immediate area of Jerusalem, the priesthood, the kings and the promised land that they were loosing.

v2 "And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him."

No escape, is the term that comes to my mind. The Jews were not suppose to charge their brethren usury but they could charge other nations. Both were under this judgment. All this seems very severe so we have to remember that Israel had turned their back on God and worshipped idols. Israel was a nation founded by God and increased by God to be a separate people and a worshipper of one God. They had left their purpose.

v5 "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant."

That verse tells us the justification behind this judgment. All this after the LORD begged for his people to "come let us reason together". All this after warning after warning.

But this passage also refers to a future time just prior to the LORD's reign in Zion and Jerusalem.

I Thessalonians 1:10 "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

There is no escape of these events except through Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel and our salvation.

In the next chapter, we are told of the return to God that will take place as a result of these events.

It is truly a dreadful passage followed by this great and wonderful promise.

v23 "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously."

Grace

I heard this in a song this morning and thought it was a thought worth remembering. I think the name of the song was Grace but can't remember the author or singer.

"Grace keeps giving me the things I don't deserve
And mercy keeps withholding the things I do..."

Tyre - Sidon Isaiah 23

Isaiah 23:1 "The burden of Tyre, Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them."

Tyre, also Tyrus, was a rich seaport city on the Mediterranean coast. It was where Hiram of King David and Solomon's time reigned. It was later destroyed by Alexander the Great. It flourished in New Testament times but is now a small town under Turkish rule.

Although friendly to David and Solomon, Tyre became hostile toward Israel and was guilty of idolatry.

v2 "Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Sidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished."

Tyre was colonized from Sidon. Here we see the connection broken in commerce. The isle are told to be still. There is no need to send loads of cargo to Tyre for it is gone.

v7 "Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn."

And so it was that when the city was destroyed, the people were marched off to a foreign land.

v11 "He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms; the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strongholds thereof."

For seventy years Tyre is forgotten but then comes back for a time. Trade resumed but it appears that there was no profit retained.

v18 "And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing."

One of the great sins of the time was that the poor had been forgotten. That which should have gone to the poor was hoarded up by the rich. So, that has changed in the above verse.

We have seen the pronouncement of judgment on many areas of what is often called the Bible land. For a good summary of what has been happening, Jeremiah chapter 25 would be a good read.

Jeremiah 25:11 "And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years."

Valley

Isaiah 22:5 "For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains."

During the time Hezekiah, a great army came up against Jerusalem to take it. Hezekiah had shown the great treasure they held, to them already. Shebna was the treasurer and secretary to Hezekiah. In part, this chapter is about Shebna loosing his post.

v8 "And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest." See I Kings 7:2

There is a lot of emotion in this chapter. It seems the prophet is broken hearted by the message he must deliver.

v13 "And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die."

This was apparently the attitude of the people for it was called iniquity in verse 14: "And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts."

Also Ezek 24:13 I Samuel 3:14

In Isaiah, the scripture often tells of the things that are to happen in the near future, i.e. the captivity, but also refers to distant events (for those of that day) i.e. the coming of Christ and the redemption of Israel.

v17 "Behold the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee." Referring to Shebna.

Shebna was replaced by the Lord with Eliakim, telling Shebna that the place he had established for himself would be taken away and that he would not even get to use the grave he had dug for himself.

v16 "What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulcher here, as he that heweth him out a sepulcher on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?"

You could say that Shebna was a bureaucrat who like so many in our day are in government. Elected officials may come and go but they are there and are part of the establishment. In Shebna's case he had built himself a little kingdom of his own in the big kingdom of Judah.

Eliakim replaced Shebna and his projected attitude toward his job is revealed in this verse. Also there are hints of the mystery of Christ in the balance of the chapter. We can see those hints now but they were a great mystery when Isaiah was written.

v21 "And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the hosue of Judah."

Those who held office were not placed there to profit themselves but were suppose to be servants for the people.

Babylon - Isaiah 21

Isaiah 21:9 "And behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground."

Babylon was a city as well as an empire. Babylon has a part in prophecy as well. Some think it is a world system or some other nation that is predominant and predominantly sinful in the last days.

I do not personally know which it is but I have taken an interest in Dubai lately. But that is just me. It is a member of the United Arab Emirates and although it is very old, it has begun to grow tremendously in the last decade.

Here we are talking about the original city of Babylon though, I believe.

v1 "The burden of the desert of the sea, As whirlwinds, in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. v2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth trecherously, and the spoiler spolieth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease."

As for the future Babylon we can read in Revelation 14:8 "And there followed another angel saying Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Referring to unfaithfulness toward God and going after worldly things.

Daniel is also a good source to read for Daniel was in the midst of the happenings.

v10 "O my threshing, and the corn of my floor; that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel have I declared unto you."

See also Babel.

Ashdod - Egypt - Isaiah 20

Isaiah 20:1 "In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; v2 At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot, And he did so walking naked and barefoot."

This was to be a sign to Egypt and Ethiopia of the shame of their captivity. Isaiah did this for three years and so in three years it was to happen to Egypt and Ethiopia. They would be carried away captive, walking naked in shame.

Ashdod( II Kings 18:17 )(I Samuel 5)was a stronghold of the Philistines and is given here as a point in time. The passage is about Egypt and Ethiopia.

v4 "So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with teir buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt."

So, several things are happening now in these prophecies of Isaiah as the LORD told him. Great nations are being brought to their knees and people of all races are being taken to foreign lands. The isolation is over.

I thought this would be a good time to include a map of these nations. I found one online and their website is included:

Egypt - Isaiah 19

Isaiah 19:1 "The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it."

We are still trying to put together an accurate history of Egypt. They dwelt in a most rich and fertile land to which the surrounding peoples came in times of drought and famine. The black soil produced by the Nile gave forth plenty to use and share. The magnificence of the rulers is still announced by the many monuments there.

v4 "And the Egyptians wilt I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall ride over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts."

So, what of the well watered soil:

v5 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up."

It would take a lot to bring down such a kingdom as Egypt. They were protected on all sides by either deserts or sea. The one thing that made them great, the water, was the one thing that defeated them.

v8 "The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish."

The order of Egypt is disrupted and there is confusion so that even the advisers are of no use.

"v12 "Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt."

We can read in Daniel more of Egypt in this time but the very wise Daniel is far away from Egypt.

v17 "And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it."

We can remember how Israel left Egypt. Egypt called it an expulsion but Israel called it redemption. I agree with redemption. During the time of the kings of Israel, there were times when Egypt was still involved in the affairs of Israel. Such as, have wives in Israel. But in the verse above things are reversed.

It seems to me that about the time Israel was dispersed into captivity, that the whole world was turned on its ear. Nations that were great were no longer great and from out of 'no where' came mighty people to overthrow them.

In the midst of this, I find one encouraging verse: v21 "And the LORD shall be known to Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. v22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt; he shall smite and heal it; and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them."

Finally we are given three peoples: Assyria, Egypt and Israel.

v25 "Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance."

These are difficult passages for me especially since I am not schooled in a broad understanding of the history of all these nations. Perhaps it will become more clear as we go through. A note though is that Ethiopia was part of Egypt, at least ancient Ethiopia.

Ethiopia Isaiah 18

Isaiah 18:1 "Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:"

Ethiopia, also the land of Cush (son of Ham) is not just desert as the many television images show. It is also mountains and higher land than Egypt. It was once a great kingdom and even held sway over Egypt. It was conquered by Rome.

v3 "All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye."

This chapter speaks of a time of little harvest. When there was little to eat and instead of the people eating the harvest, the animals feasted on it.

v5 "For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the springs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches."

v6 "They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth; and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them."

This chapter should, in my opinion, be read with the surrounding chapters to get a picture of the judgment that is coming (and did come) upon the area. Next chapter is about Egypt.

I think whether we can understand what or why exactly, all this is happening, we can see clearly that the LORD is over all the earth and his mighty power can touch even the greatest and the smallest things.

Damascus Isaiah 17

Isaiah 17:1 "The burden of Damascus, Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap."

Referring to the invasion of Sennacherib, son of Sargon, king of Assyria. The chapter also has reference to the final battle of Revelation in verses 12-14.

Damascus is located 133 miles from Jerusalem and was known as the 'Pearl of the East'. It is also located not many miles from the sea. It has been conquered a number of times and has been under many different rulers including Rome.

Jeremiah talks about it in chapter 49 verse 24" "Concerning Damascus, Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.

Amos sheds some light on the judgment: Chapter 1 verse 3 "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron:"

Syria had been conquered by Joshua and was under the rule of David and Solomon but later became a state and at one time Israel was under their rule.

The Mideast has a very complicated history.

For this study, we will accept that Damascus was being punished for the deed which angered God. I think they were under the same judgment as Israel of the time. I have difficulty keeping the descendants of Abraham separated.

v4 "And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean."

The nation will not be utterly destroyed but they can hardly be recognized as who they once were.

v9 "In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which the left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation."

So WHY is all this taking place:

v10 "Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shall set it with strange slips:"

We could take heed to this verse in our own country. We have been blessed but as we turn away from God as a nation, we put our country at risk.

Then we come to the balance of the chapter which is most likely referring to future events of the last days: v12 "Woe to the multitude of Many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!"

Moab 2 - Isaiah 16:1

Isaiah 16:1 "Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion."

Going back to II Kings 3:4 we can see the significance of this verse: "And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool."

The reference to only one lamb could be a reference to Christ who is the lamb of God but it does not say. We do know, however, that Jesus descended, after the flesh, from Ruth and Boaz. Ruth was from Moab.

v2 "For it shall be, that as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon." Arnon is on the border of Moab. See Numbers 21:13.

Moab is to be brought low, down from their high position in the region. v6 "We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud; even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so."

haughty, haughtiness : disdainfully proud, insolent, lordly, overbearing, arrogant.

We know that that is one thing the Lord hates: a proud look. Proverbs 6:16-17 : "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, v18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, v19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

We find also a reference to the coming Christ in this chapter. v5 And in mercy shall the throne be established; and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness."

It would be good to study Daniel, for there many of Daniel's visions are explained.

One thing is clear, if nothing else is, and that is that judgment will be executed on the nations. Although some times are hidden from us or at least shrouded, verse 15 is very specific: But now the LORD hath spoken, saying Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble."

Moab Isaiah 15

Isaiah 15:1 "The burden of Moab, Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;"

When I think of Moab, I think of where Ruth came from. She was the woman who married Boaz who was in the line of David and therefore in the in line of Christ after the flesh.

Moab has several areas with distinct names: Land of Moab-east of Jordan, The Field of Moab-district east of the Dead Sea, Plains of Moab-district in the Jordan valley. It is said that in one of the areas the final battle will be fought. Revelation 19:17.

v4 "And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz; therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him."

Again, these prophecies are for the immediate future but also carry hints of the final days. One writer advised that it was three years later when this prophecy concerning Moab was fulfilled.

v9 "For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim."

This area must be suited for the type of warfare they had in those days for there other kings have met their death.

The why of this destruction can be further explained by this passage. Also as a footnote, the people of Moab were the children of Lot and his eldest daughter.

The Golden City Isaiah 14

Isaiah 14:11-12 "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"

Well, you can't sleep through reading this chapter. I, in fact, have had difficulty deciding how to approach it. On the one hand, we have more encouragement for Israel that the captivity would end and the promise fulfilled.

v1 "For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob."

On the other hand we see Babylon compared to Babel from Genesis 11 and compared to the fall of Satan in our text verses. It would be impossible for me to separate the powers of the world, that would usurp God's authority, from the power of Satan to deceive.

Here we are reminded of the pain caused when a great power strips the nations they conquer to make their golden cities and fill the treasuries of their government.

v17 "That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?"

Although the king of Babylon was used to discipline Israel, they became puffed up and arrogant in their own conceit and for that they were brought low.

v32 "What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it."

II Thessalonians 2:3-4 "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

It is best, when studying prophecy, to try to establish whether the passage covers the immediate future or some distant future or whether it does both. That is sometimes hard to determine.

But here Isaiah is telling of the fall of the nation that took Israel away and their return. I think it safe to say that a nation that is against Israel is against God for He will determine Israel's path.

I would like to make a note of the passage concerning Lucifer that the space he occupies in hell is not the center of attention but he is found clinging to the sides of the pit. He is not king there and is helpless as anyone else.

v15 "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. v16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;"

The Judgment

Isaiah 13:1 "The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see."

Once those who took away Israel into captivity are judged, Israel will have a different attitude toward the Lord.

Babylon is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Babel. You might remember the city started by Nimrod where the language was confounded.

Babylon is a very large subject and we will no doubt discuss it often. Here Babylon is the instrument of punishment for Israel but they too will be judged perhaps because they carried the punishment beyond what the Lord intended.

v5 "They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land."

This chapter comes after the 'chapter of hope' and tells of the coming destruction of Babylon.

Babylon was an actual city of about 200 square miles. It grew into a far reaching kingdom. At this time it was built on both sides of the Euphrates River. Babylon also has a spiritual application in that it represents Satan's kingdom on earth. It sometimes refers to Rome and is mentioned in the book of Revelation.

This chapter is about the city's total destruction to the point of being inhabited by animals.

v21 "But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there."

I saw one picture of the city that showed it appear to be a raised up place in the desert. I'm not sure what the former dictator of Iraq did there but we know his fate.

In the next chapter, three is an eerie mention of Lucifer in connection to this city.

The Promise

Isaiah 12:1 "And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me."

In the midst of judgment, here is a message of comfort that someday the Lord's anger would be turned away and Israel would rest in the promise land.

It reminded me of an oft quoted passage in the New Testament. John 14 came to us between the birth of Jesus and his death on the cross. It was a time when it must have seemed to Jesus' disciples that all was lost.

And for us, as Christians, we are between the birth of our redemption and the promise of our rest in heaven.

John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me." The chapter of comfort begins. Then he promises: v2 "...I go to prepare a place for you. v3 "...I will come again, and receive you unto myself..."

Here we see those comforting words to a people that were going into captivity: v3 "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."

They knew about wells. Their forefathers had gone about digging wells to give people water and to water their flocks. One of those wells was an important part of Jesus' ministry. Remember, the woman at the well. John 4:6 "Now Jacob's well was there, Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well; and it was about the sixth hour."

We know the story of how Jesus used the well to illustrate the plan of salvation to the woman of Samaria.

So, we could call this chapter the chapter of hope. We can endure many troubles if there is hope of relief at the end. It is when there is no hope that people despair.

v4 "And it that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted."

v6 "Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."

What was the hope? For one, the LORD would be in their midst. Israel would honor him as in the beginning. They would have joy again and sing as before. That's a lot to look forward to.

Psalm 119:75 "I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me."

The Branch Isaiah 11

Isaiah 11:1-2 "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;" See also Isaiah 9:6

Lately, I've also been reading some in the gospels. To read about the life of Jesus, as well as, going over the prophecies here, it is truly amazing how accurate they are. In the gospels, we can see this wonderful person who reached out to the hurting and was unafraid to speak the truth even when it caused him problems.

We know that Jesus was rejected by his own people but accepted by many others. The prophecy of his rule and reign from David's throne and those of the tranquility between the animals themselves and mankind, are yet to be fulfilled. Isaiah's words apply to several time periods.

v6 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

For an understanding of the joys of the thousand year reign, one should study Daniel and Revelation. Hosea, Habakkuk and Zechariah as well should be looked at.

We have to remember that the words of Isaiah were unclear to the people of his time. As Jesus said, many had sought to know the things He taught his disciples. Matthew 13:11 "He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." Enter the mystery of the church and salvation to the Gentiles.

Then the chapter talks of gathering the remnant 'again'. We know they went off into captivity and a remnant came back to build the wall and that at the time of Jesus there was a working government in Jerusalem under the supervision of the Romans. Again they were disbursed as history tells us but in 1948 the nation was reborn and the children of Israel continue to return.

v11 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt and from pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea."

I would have to refer you to those who have studied prophecy much more than myself to see if this was a prophecy of the returning to build the wall or a later time and event. There is a reference to some geography in this chapter that the water separating Israel from Egypt would be dried up.

v15 "And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. See also Revelation 16:12

Revelation 16:12 "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."

So we see how the Bible has been knitted together over the centuries. It speaks of one writer using the pen of many to tell the story that has happened and that will happen. It is so solidly bonded that it should greatly increase our faith as we study.

Psalm 119:163 "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

A Church Away from Home

If you are unable to attend church, you might enjoy going to the Country Church link on the right side of this page. There you can watch last weeks services and listen to various groups singing. It is from Eleventh Avenue Baptist Church in Dalton Georgia. Maybe you are in a foreign country and just need a pick-me-up spiritually. It is easy, just go to webcast and click on the service you want to watch and listen to.

The Remnant Isaiah 10

Isaiah 10:12 "Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks."

Assyria is the instrument used to punish the children of Israel but Assyria thought themselves to be more than that. So, in this chapter we are told that once the purpose of Assyria is fulfilled, their attitude will be dealt with.

v20 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth."

There were the very poor who were left by the conquerors to tend the vineyards and then there were those who returned from captivity to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. These are the remnant. Others did not return when given the opportunity because they were doing well financially in the land of captivity.

v21 "The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God."

I'd recommend Nehemiah and Daniel as study books here. We should keep in mind, as Christians, that all the prophecy concerning Israel has not been fulfilled. The gospel is still a mystery to those who do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. We live now in a time when redemption is come to the Gentiles, a time of grace, before the events of Daniel and Revelation fully come to pass.

We are looking from Isaiah toward the short term future events and the long term future events. I think there are some key words and phrases which should be considered: v12 "whole work" "remnant" "v25 "very little while" "indignation" .

v33 "Behold the LORD, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled."

We could say that the LORD is chastening Israel but he will not allow the punisher to exceed his bounds without cost.

Psalm 119:81 "My soul fainteth for thy salvation; but I hope in thy word."

The Child Isaiah 9

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The prince of Peace."

All along Israel was punished for rebellion during the reign of the kings. Finally, the nation split and Israel turned totally to idols and took league with other nations against Judah (their brethren). These great prophets are sounding the warning though out the land but we don't know how many heeded the warnings. As a nation though, the sin even entered the streets of Jerusalem and into the house of the Lord. So, a great punishment came upon the nation and they were scattered.

v1 "Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations."

Now we look beyond the scattering to a time when redemption would come to the nation and even beyond the time of Christ on earth the first time to another time when he would reign from David's throne.

v2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

Verse 1 mentions Galilee and then verse 2 refers to the work of Jesus in the area.

Matthew 4:14-16 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."

I found a verse and a phrase that sounded very said to me. I don't know where it applies but to me it sounds like Israel as Christ came there: v3 "Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy;.."

Then we come to verses that repeat a phrase several times: v12, v17, v21 and into the next chapter. The phrase reads: "...For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

Do you remember, or did it happen with your parents that they said "I love you but I have to punish you." or "This will hurt me more than it hurts you." I spanked my children. Not because I hated them but because I loved them. I would hit my own leg to judge the degree of punishment so I would not harm them in a permanent way. I think I always hit myself harder. So here we find that the Lord is still angry but also he has his hand stretched out in love.

I cannot help but think of Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

So we see the punishment of Israel and Judah being described by Isaiah but several times he tells us that the Lord's hand was stretched out during the process and was prepared to help Israel if they would only repent, which means to turn away.

v21 "...but his hand is stretched out still."

I'll relate a personal story here: I was very young as were my siblings. We had to, for some reason, separate some pigs from their mother. The mother pig did not like the idea and started chasing me. I ran as hard and as fast as I could but came to the fence which was too high for me to jump and there was no time to climb. I looked back to see the big hogs mouth wide open and ready to bite off my leg or worse. I raised my hands for help, not knowing if anyone was near. With my eyes glued on the wide open mouth, strong hands grabbed my up stretched arms and pulled me to safety. It was my dad. I did not know where he was but he knew where I was and helped me. I think the Lord helps us when we have gone as far as we can go in our own strength and wisdom and we are reaching up for help, knowing we cannot save ourselves.

v21 :,,,but his hand is stretched out still."

The Invasion Isaiah 8

UIsaiah 8:7 "Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks; v8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel." See also Matthew 1:23

This is a continuation of chapter 7 which was headed up as during the reign of Ahaz.

II Kings 16:10 "And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the patter of it, according to all the workmanship thereof."

Uzziah is now dead. He was a good king. Now we have a bad king and those prophecies about the destruction because of idol worship and other sins is coming to pass.

Isaiah had a child and it was said that before the child could ask for his father or mother, these things would come to pass.

v3 "And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son, Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhasbaz." which means 'hasting in the spoil.

v4 "For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria."

See Kings for the details of the invasion.

The Sign Isaiah 7

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." See also Matthew 1:23 Luke 1:35

These words were spoken in the days of Ahaz the king of Judah. He was ganged up on, on all sides. Even Israel was against Judah. It is in this conversation that the great prophecy shown above was given. Of course, it was not subscribed to the future by these men for they did not know the mystery that was to come to pass.

Judah was defended with these words by the Lord.

v4 "And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah."

v7 "Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass."

The rest of the chapter is notable for this phrase "And it shall come to pass..." or similar phrases. Chapter 8 gives us the birth of a child to Isaiah which clouds the prophecy of verse 14 in this chapter but the prophecy stands.

This would be a good place to go back to the records of the kings and check me out. Doctor Vernon McGee was an excellent Bible teacher and you can see his Isaiah study here.

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

"Here Am I. Send Me" Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:8-9 "Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not."

We get a glimpse into heaven itself in this chapter and I must say, it can be a frightening thing when we consider our unworthiness as Isaiah did. I for one, would not want to face Him without the blood of Jesus on my soul.

v1 "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple v2 Above it stood the seraphims; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly."

The peoples understanding is to be clouded by Isaiah. Here is where I have a little trouble. It is the same feeling I used to get when working algebra. The problem seems impossible then it would come to me somehow.

I believe the understanding of the people was to be darkened so that the previous prophecies and judgments could be fulfilled.

Deuteronomy 28:64 "And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shall serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone." Also Neh 1:8

I cannot explain this, although I know the LORD knows the future. I think of the price Jesus paid. He preached to his people and did many miracles, yet it seems only a few believed. He was crucified so that everyone could seek salvation and not just the nation Israel. So, if he had not been rejected by his own people, we would not have had salvation. One thing we must always consider while studying the Bible: when God says a thing will happen, it will happen.

v11 "Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, v12 And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land."

Then the promise: v13 "But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return..."

So we must remember that this was Isaiah during the time of the carrying away to captivity. We have already studied how they came back and started to rebuild Jerusalem.

I should note that I am not a Bible prophecy expert. I recommend seeing the links I have on the right for much more learned men than myself to get a deeper understand here.

Vineyard Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:4 "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?"

I don't know anything about grapes except that they need a place to grow and some pruning. I have done some gardening and it is very disappointing when the hard work does not produce a good crop. I remember one year on the farm where we raised cotton and corn. It rained a lot that year at just the wrong time and the cotton rotted in the boles. It was a very costly year and one that hurt us financially for years.

It is no wonder, after the way God has cared for Israel and Judah that He is disappointed when they turned out to be wild grapes instead of tame ones. Here we find Israel compared to a vineyard and Judah the plant.

v7 "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry."

So He asked the question "What could have been done more..."

There is nothing else to do when the plants have gone bad than to rip them out of the ground and start over with good plants. So, Israel went into captivity.

v13 "Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst."

That was how they ended up, here is how they started:

v2 "And he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it and also made a winepress therein, and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes."

We can see the great disappointment here and even the sadness that judgment must come upon Israel and Judah. Part of the story is in this verse in II Chronicles 28:5 "Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter."

These are the words that Isaiah preached to warn the people to turn from their wicked ways, but they heeded not.

The Woes:

v20 "Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil..."

v21 "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes..."

v22 "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine..."

In the last part of verse 24 we see the conclusion of the matter "...because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel."

The preaching of Isaiah was to warn Israel to turn but they did not turn. It reminds me of those dedicated preachers of our day who sound the warning to America but does America hear?

Psalm 85:4 "Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease."

That Day Isaiah 4

Isaiah 4:2 "In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel."

I think the 'escaped' is talking about the judgment of Israel that we have been talking about. For those left, the land will be a good place.

Whether this is after their return from captivity or well into the future (I think the future), it is the result of a cleansing of evildoers.

v4 "And the LORD shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning."

Some horribly things took place at the height of idol worship in Jerusalem. We get some information in the Kings and Chronicles. There was a time when even the children were sacrificed in the manner of those not of Israel.

Chronicles 33:6 "And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; also he observed times and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards; he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger, v7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God,..."

So, it is difficult to see how anyone could argue against the judgment. It is one thing for blinded eyes to commit such evil but for those who had been taught otherwise for generations, it was cause for judgment.

But in this short chapter, we find hope from Isaiah's writings. "And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain."

It has never been my intention to dive deep into the prophecy of these books but since they are mostly prophetic by nature, it is impossible to bypass. I think if we keep in mind that Israel is the centerpiece of the Old Testament and that it points to redemption in the person of Jesus Christ, we will be able to deal with the more difficult passages simply by accepting them. What we don't understand will, no doubt, be explained in later passages.

Sad State for Israel Isaiah 3

Isaiah 3:15 "What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the LORD God of hosts."

I am not Jewish but as a Christian and student of the Bible I have very strong feelings for Israel. I can see the majesty they once had and the sin that brought them low. Also, I relate it to our own country. Many of the things that happened in Israel to anger God are happening in our own country. I once said to a congregation: 'In the old days, people were ashamed to get caught doing bad things, evil things. Nowadays, if they get caught, they stand up proudly and say "so what". They are no longer ashamed.

v9 "The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves."

This chapter seems to be aimed at the leaders who should have led the people in the right way but did not. They have not honored God and cared for the poor.

v1 "For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water."

v2 "The mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet and the prudent and the ancient,"

The leadership is to be taken away out of Judah and Jerusalem. It will be utter disorder and it was. After the people were carried into captivity, the enemy left only a few to care for the vineyards and they were the poorest of the land.

v8 "For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory."

The propaganda that came out in force a couple of decades ago, in the country, was that our country was not founded on Christian principles by Christian leaders. Many of our leaders were discredited for some deed they did. The promoters of these lies failed to mention that the Bible is so intertwined with the law that every law would have to be rewritten to remove it.

From there, the truth (the Bible) was taken away from children by removing it from schools. Now that generation has raised children, many of whom do not honor God or know nothing of His ways. So it was in Israel, they had even lost the book of laws at one time until it was found by a good king when he cleaned out the house of God.

The rest of the chapter is devoted to a description of a beautiful woman as was Jerusalem but because of sin that beauty left the city. v26 "And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground."

Once a people loose heart, defeat is not far behind.

Revelation 21:2 "And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Israel's Future Isaiah 2

Isaiah 2:2 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."

According to Scofield's reference Bible notes, mountain can mean kingdom which would clarify this passage.

It will be a great disappointment to the ego's of present day nation giants when they are not the center of attention and commerce but rather all nations look to Jerusalem as the center of things. Similar to the days of David and Solomon except the King of Kings will reign there.

v3 "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

Remember when Jesus was twelve and he was found in the temple talking to the doctors: Luke 2:47 "And all that heard him were astonished, at his understanding and answers."

The promises of the kingdom and the gospel often get me a little confused or at least makes me pay more attention to how a passage applies when I read it. All the promises made to Israel by the LORD will be fulfilled just as all the promises of the gospel will be fulfilled for Christians.

Romans 11:26-28 "And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes."

There are many scriptures which describe the Father's tender care of Israel and his love for Israel. See Ezekiel 16:10 "I clothed thee also with embroidered work, and shod thee with badger's skin and I girded thee about with fine linen and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. v11 and 12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ear, and a beautiful crown upon thine head."

It goes on to say that Israel was carried away by its own beauty and was unfaithful to the one who rescued and cared for her. They turned to another.

v8 "Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made."

Isaiah is a plea for Israel to turn or more specifically Judah and Jerusalem. They did not turn and judgment came.

Although Israel was very stiff necked then, there will be a different day:

v20 "In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats,"

Until that day, judgment is pronounced as we will see in the next chapter as well.

Isaiah 3:13 "The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people."

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Unfaithful City Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1:21 "How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers."

Here we see how it was in Isaiah's time and some prophecy on how it will be.

v27 "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness."

If you remember, Zion was the city of David. When he first came to Jerusalem, he did not at first secure the whole city but did take Zion and set up residents. He was not going anywhere. Here the kings are buried and a few honored men.

We can jump back to see what was going on that caused the LORD to send Isaiah.

II Chronicles 34:25 "Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched."

II Kings 21:3 "For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served them. v4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. v6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, ..."

They have even lost the book of laws until it was found in Josiah's reign.

Judah, Jerusalem, Israel had all fallen a long way from the days when they promised to serve the one true God. To this day, the glory has not been restored but it will happen when the LORD himself reigns from Jerusalem.

Micah 4:1 "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow unto it."

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Compared to Sodom - Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1:10 "Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah."

When Isaiah, stepped up and told Judah and Jerusalem that they were like these two cities, it must have made them turn and listen if but for a moment. The story was surely passed down directly from Abraham after his nephew Lot was rescued by the angels.

Ezekiel 16:49 "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. v50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."

I believe the daughters referred to those surrounding communities.

Sacrifice without obedience was not acceptable. They were going through the motions of obeying the law but after the ceremonies, it was the same out in their regular life. They were going through the motions at the temple but their heart was not in it and they left off service to the poor and needy and built up themselves.

v11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?..."

v13 "Bring no more vain oblations; ..."

v15 "...I will not hear, your hands are full of blood."

So, if it is not the sacrifices and the motions of worship, then what is the correct thing for Judah and Jerusalem to do.

v16-17 "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."

The Lord has told them what was going to happen to them if they persisted in evil, yet he still reaches out and pleads with them to return to him with their heart.

v18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

From here the Lord talks of the cleansing process that will go on in Judah.

v25 "And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin; v26 I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, the faithful city."

This preaching was going on during the reign of the kings. Apparently, the inhabitants did not want to hear it for judgment was carried out.

I Samuel 12:6-7 "And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers."

Sick Nation - Isaiah 1:5

Isaiah 1:5 "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more; the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint."

Just about everything has been tried to get the children of Israel to repent and come back to God. They still rebel. The parallel to the discipline of a child is apparent. You know, a spank on the hand, a pop on the back side. Some children are very strong willed and it may take unusual discipline methods for them. Love is unquestioned. It is difficult to watch as a child destroys their own life when doing right would be so much better for them. Such is the case with Israel. Israel is in the wrong thinking mode.

v6 "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores; they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither molified with ointment."

It is like the LORD is saying, 'Come let me bind up your hurts.' but they would not.

Jeremiah 8:22 "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?"

Romans 10:21 referring to Isaiah "But to Israel he saith, All day long, I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people."

It is true that when the king of Babylon offered to let Israel go back to their nation, that many stayed where they were because of financial gain.

v7 "Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers."

It seems that the nation is lost. That blessed and promised nation from which would come the Redeemer has gone to waste. Yet a glimmer of hope is there:

v9 "Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been like unto Gomorrah."

It was a dark time for Israel. I have often referred to the promise of Abraham that in him all nations would be blessed. Also, I compared Israel to being a pregnant lady carrying the promise down through the ages until Christ was born. She has eaten the fruits of idols and failed to accept healing but through the remnant, hope still exist.

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" See also Matt 1:23 and Luke 1:35.

Still, He pleads.

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Starting Isaiah - Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1:1 "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah."

Here in verse one, we find out the time Isaiah lived in. We can see something of his longevity. He served during the reign of four kings.

Numbers 12:6 "And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream."

The time is after Israel was split into two nations: Judah and Israel. It was after the high point in the kingdom. David has risen to be king and then Solomon followed him and built the great temple. Then there was civil war and the greatness slipped away and they were carried away by idols and other sins.

II Kings 15:1 "In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign."

The purpose is found in the second verse. The LORD's people have sinned. They are reaping the rewards of sin.

v2 "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me."

It was no surprise for the children of Israel when they were conquered and most of them carried away. God gave them advance warning of what would happen and gave them prophets to continual warn them of the dangers of rebellion.

v3 "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider."

I Kings 9:4-7 "And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father saying There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. But if ye shall at all turn from following me ye or your children and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you but go and serve other gods, and worship them. Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people;"

Israel did rebel. The nation was ripped into two parts and ultimately destroyed. As we love our own children and still love them even when they make us angry, so the LORD became angry with Israel.

v4 "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters; they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward."

So we begin the book of Isaiah. I expect there will be some difficult passages ahead. The book is historical to us now but it was present day for Isaiah. Also, the book is prophetic in that Isaiah looks forward to redemption and talks of the coming Christ.

So we again quote: II Chronicles 7:14 for it has been said that Israel is God's time clock: v14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We could use some of that in our nation as well.

Poetry of the Bible

Psalms

Psalms is usually credited to King David although some were written by his chief musician. They are filled with praise and honor toward God. We also find David's appeals to God during his times of trouble.

I Chronicles 25:1 "Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals; and the number of the workmen according to their service was:" It goes on to name them.

So I think we can conclude that the book of Psalm was a direct result of the instructions of David to sing Praise to the Lord.

They are also historical. You can relate many of the Psalms to events in David's life.

It is said (I have not counted to confirm it) that Psalm 119 is the middle book of the Bible. It is all about the word of God and that in itself is amazing.

Psalm 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."

For me, Psalm 22,23,24 stand out. We all know of Psalm 23 "The LORD is my shepherd..."
I have long look at the three books as belonging together. Psalm 22 describes the sufferings of Christ. Psalm 24 talks about the king of glory. Psalm 23 deals with the good shepherd and is beautiful. I have thought for some time that if 22 is the suffering and 24 is the glory then 23 must fall in between in someway in regard to Christ's suffering. I like to think that as he prayed in the garden and confirmed his acceptance of the cross that Psalm 23 was the peace he felt inside as it so boldly walked to the mob and declared that He was the one they sought. While they beat him and drove the spikes, he was beside still waters. Anyway, I can see the picture in my mind, although I don't know if any agree. Psalm 23 can be the state of mind for a Christian during suffering and affliction. We must learn to rise above the troubles of this life through our faith and the grace of God.

Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Proverbs

King Solomon asked God for wisdom to lead his people. In his writings he imparts some of that wisdom to us. It is filled with practical things often telling young men how to avoid the pitfalls of life.

Ecclesiastes or

The Preacher is a view from man's point-of-view or perhaps the hopelessness of self efforts in the face of eternity and judgment. It is from the natural man and provides us contrast. I must admit that I do not totally understand it and the words 'all is vanity' seems depressing. So, in these pages we can see the helplessness of man apart from redemption and God's salvation plan.

Song of Solomon

Using the purity of marriage and love, a description and even prophecy of the love of Christ and the church in a language that might seem quite blunt in an unspiritual thought and mysterious in some ways. To a spiritual mind it depicts a pure relationship that almost causes one to pull away from the impact it has on the heart.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. "

I am debating on whether to go through these books now or go on to Isaiah.

Job Repents and is Restored Job 42

Job 42:5-6 "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee, Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." See also Romans 10:17

I do not want to breeze over this last chapter for it is the conclusion of the matter.

The devil came to God and the LORD mentioned Job. Satan laid down a challenge that if the hedge were taken away, Job would curse God. Well, the afflictions were upon Job while his friends told him it was because of his wickedness. Job held to his integrity but still there was a lesson for him to learn from all of it. Job was a wise man, a prince, a teacher and a man of standing in the world. He was not equal to or above God. He could not demand of God. He must rely on God's grace just as we do.

Job said it like this: v3 "Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefor have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not."

I Peter 2:10 "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strength, settle you."

That's four things that can come out of affliction: perfection (not sinless perfection but maturity), stablish, strength, settle you. These are all indications of a mature Christian who knows that what ever happens around us or to us, God is still in control and knows all the circumstances and needs that we are not aware of and the ones we are aware of.

The conclusion that I got from all this was that even when Satan buffets us, we may still have something to learn from what happens. Our praise may be weak and we may get beaten down but our faith can stay intact. These are enduring times and joy will come in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5 "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

After this Job's friends were rebuked and instructed to make appropriate offerings. Then:

v10 "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before."

v15 "And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren."

v16 "After this lived Job and hundred and forty years, and saw his sons and his sons' sons, even four generations." (140 years)

We have now finished the book of Job. I have often read the book but in this study I discovered the character Elihu who prepared Job to talk with the LORD like John was before Jesus. I learned of the patience of the LORD in dealing with his children even when they get a little full of themselves. I learned that affliction can have some rewards although I do not seek the affliction part. I learned that all must repent and depend on the grace of God and not on our own righteousness.

Psalm 1:6 "For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

Job repents.

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Leviathan Job 41

Job 41:1 "Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?" v2

Here the Bible describes a creature beyond anything I have ever seen alive or in pictures.

I've tried to thing of some creature that would match the description. The dragon in mythical stories is the only one that comes to mind. I know that many legends come from truths.

For me, if the Bible says it is so, then it is so and there was at this time such an amazing creature although his kingdom seems contrary to Bible teachings: v34 "He beholdeth all high things; he is a king over all the children of pride." Of course, we know that pride comes before a fall.

Let's look at some of the description: v10 "None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?" God is saying, if you cannot tame this creature which I made, God is greater that it.

v14 "Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about."

v18 "By his sneezings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning."

v19 "Out of his mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out, v20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. v21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth."

v22 "In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him."

I thought this indicated that the creature could influence the emotions of anyone coming near it.

v23 "The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. v24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone."

It goes on to describe the uselessness of trying to subdue it.

v30 "Sharp stones are under him; he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire."

v31 "He maketh the deep to boil like a pot; he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. v32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. v33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear."

That is quite a description. The point is that the LORD has covered many of his creation. Job said he would contend with God. Now, he can see that the LORD is way above him and that humility is appropriate before him.

I think Job may have been aware of this creature since he did not question its existence.

caldron, cauldron: a large kettle

Genesis 1:24 "And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so."

Leviathan used in God's discussion with Job.

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Job's Confession Job 40

Job 40:4 "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth."

Job's confession is in two parts, here in chapter 40 and then in chapter 42:6.

Job is shaking off his robe of self-righteousness before the majesty of Almighty God. Many will be lost because they feel that they do not have to humble themselves before God or trust in HIS plan of salvation.

Luke 18:9-13 "And he (Jesus) spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

So, we have it in the words of the Son of God. We must see that we have a need before we will reach out to the one who can save us.

v9 "Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?"

Almost the whole chapter 29 of Psalms is about the voice of God: v4 "The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

When Jesus was in the ship with his disciples and a storm came up. The disciples thought they would sink but they called the Master and he had but to speak and the waves calmed.

In the book of Genesis, God had to but speak and what we see was created out of nothing but his words. That word was made flesh and dwelt among us in the person of Jesus Christ. John 1:14.

Here in Job 40 the LORD ask Job some questions and then tells him this:

v14 "Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee."

Now we know that we cannot save ourselves. Had that been possible, Jesus would not have had to die. It is logical when you think about it. There would be no reason for God to give up his only begotten son to die for our sins if there was another way for us to save ourselves.

v15 "Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee, he eateth grass as an ox."

He goes on to describe this giant beast. In the next chapter a creature called leviathan is described and it is something else!

Job's confession.

Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one;"

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He Died and Lived to Tell about It

A young man named Josh had what he thought was a good life, going the party circuit, then one rainy evening God got his attention. Last Sunday Morning he told about his experience and how it brought him back to God. Every one should listen to this unrehearsed testimony. It will touch you. Click on the Eleventh Avenue A country church) link and go to Webcast then look for Josh on a Sunday Morning service. Here is the link as well http://www.eleventhavenuebaptistchurch.com