reading together

Isaiah Chapter 29

2008-05-29T17:09:00.001+10:00

The part from v11 about the scroll reminded me of an episode in Revelation. Here the scoll cannot be opened, but in Revelation 5:5 it is revealed that Jesus is the one who can open the scroll. It also uses the term Root of David which we saw earlier in Isaiah. Interesting.

Isaiah Chapter 20

2008-05-20T21:46:00.002+10:00

Poor Isaiah! You'd need to be pretty sure you heard right from God with this one. Is this the biblical justification for naked church?
It raises the question of how we know when God has spoken to us, or if it is just our own crazy ideas.

Isaiah Chapter 19

2008-05-20T21:40:00.002+10:00

This chapter is worth the work when you get to the last few verses. I think this is quite an unusual declaration in the Bible talking about Egypt and Assyria worshipping the God of Israel together: The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.'
We can perhaps picture the day when the same will be said of all the nations of the world?

Isaiah Chapter 18

2008-05-19T16:40:00.003+10:00

The people of Cush, foreigners, are described bringing gifts to God, implying worship.
Is this a foretaste of what God wanted all along - Israel blessed by him to be a blessing to all the nations of the world?

Isaiah Chapter 17

2008-05-19T16:29:00.002+10:00

In this chapter Israel are reminded again that they will not completely disappear as a nation. Isaiah uses the metaphor of an olive tree that will still have a few olives left on the branch after harvest.
Isaiah also seems to talk about a day when the people would turn back to God for help, leaving behind the pagan practices they had been following. But that wouldn't stop the judgement of God for what they'd done.

Isaiah Chapter 16

2008-05-19T16:20:00.002+10:00

Isaiah is a hard book to read - not a lot to relate to sometimes, but in the middle of the continuation of this prophecy against Moab we find another beautiful messianic gem.
"In love a throne will be established: in faithfulness a man shall sit on it - one from the house of David - one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness."

Isaiah Chapter 15

2008-05-15T15:28:00.003+10:00

A prophecy against Moab, the sworn enemy of Israel.
Ruth was from Moab, interesting tie in. Any thoughts on this chapter?

Away for the weekend so the blog will be quiet till Monday I expect.

Isaiah Chapter 14

2008-05-15T15:23:00.003+10:00

Some people think that v12-15 of this chapter is talking about the fall of Satan from the heavenly court. They tie it in with Jesus talking about Satan in Luke 10:18.
Although this passage may make some kind of sense being read this way, it is clearly talking about the literal king of Babylon at the time. He was the one who thought he was higher than God.
What do you think?

Isaiah Chapter 13

2008-05-13T21:53:00.002+10:00

Woah, this is a very distressing chapter - a prophecy against Babylon. It is very troubling when you read of God sanctioning babies being beaten against rocks and wives being raped. What are we to make of this?
One commentator sheds some helpful light on this dark "day of the Lord". He explains that God is not controlling the attacking armies like puppets, rather God is withdrawing his hand and allowing humans to sink to the ultimate depravity possible. So God is not making this happen but allowing it to happen.
Convinced?

Isaiah Chapter 12

2008-05-12T11:14:00.003+10:00

Could we sing this song or is it valid only for Judah?

Isaiah Chapter 11

2008-05-12T11:12:00.003+10:00

Imagine you are reading this as one of the people of Judah at the time Isaiah is writing - what hope this would bring!
What about the stuff describing wolves becoming tame and and children playing with cobras - do you think this will ever literally happen?

Isaiah Chapter 10

2008-05-12T11:05:00.002+10:00

God's heart for the poor comes out at the beginning of this chapter: "Woe to those who... deprive the poor of their rights and withold justice from the oppressed of my people."
God was going to use Assyria as the means by which to discipline Judah for straying - but then he would punish Assyriah for going too far (being proud of their conquest) and not recognising that God was using them for his purposes. Thankfully God doesn't use nations today to punish other nations for him - this seems to have been a particular strategy for his special people Israel (& one that was contextual for their violent times?). What do you think?
At the end God leaves hope that they won't be completely destroyed - there will be a remnant left.

Isaiah Chapter 9

2008-05-09T10:22:00.000+10:00

Another beautiful passage giving them hope of a messiah to come and rescue them. The light of this section shines even brighter when surrounded by the darkness of the passages on each side. If anything, it shows the grace of God despite his people’s rejection of his guidelines for life.
We, of course, know the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus.

Isaiah Chapter 8

2008-05-09T10:17:00.000+10:00

The footnotes in my Bible are helpful here, pointing out that the name Isaiah gave his son meant quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil (interesting choice!). This describes what Assyria was going to do.
Despite all the terrible things that God will allow to happen to Judah because their failure to keep the covenant, he will still protect them from total destruction. He is still Immanuel (God with us) after all – v10.

Isaiah Chapter 7

2008-05-07T21:56:00.002+10:00

It was strange for me reading the well know nativity passage of v14 in its original context. I find it amazing that something written hundreds of years before Jesus was born can be injected with new, even fuller meaning. I guess it was these messianic texts that kept the Jews going through all the nightmare times: he will be called Immanuel, God is with us.

Helpful Information?

2008-05-07T21:54:00.000+10:00

I think some background/structure is called for to hang this epic book on. Isaiah seems to be split into 2 parts: chapters 1-39 and then 40-66. The first part contains prophecies given before Judah was taken into exile, the second part describes in detail events at the end of the exile, 150 years later. So in the part we’re reading now Isaiah is pronouncing God’s judgement on Jerusalem as it had become a wealthy city, and the rich were oppressing the poor and helpless. Also, because of the threat of foreign invasion, Judah had made a number of treaties with nations that followed false gods. Isaiah said that God was angry and would punish people for breaking faith with him.

Courtesy of “The Bible from Scratch” by Simon Jenkins

Isaiah Chapter 6

2008-05-06T16:16:00.004+10:00

This chapter may be very familiar to some people. It often gets read in churches to give a picture of unworthy people meeting a glorious God - or an example of worship. In fact I think it may have been put to music.
Isaiah has a dramatic encounter with God - this seems to be his commisioning as a prophet - he probably needed this to give him the conviction and courage to do tough job of challenging God's people.
I've also heard v8 used as a kind of missionary call - "Whom shall I send? .....here I am, send me!" But what God asks Isaiah to tell his people isn't exactly your normal evangelistic message (v9).
Isn't this picked up somewhere in the New Testament?

If you want to join in the fun just hit the comments box and say something - doesn't have to be anything deep, it could be just "hey I read the chapter today" or " wasn't that weird/cool/challenging" or "what the heck was that all about!"

Isaiah Chapter 5

2008-05-06T11:11:00.001+10:00

The song of the vineyard had a really familiar style to me – what is a parable of Jesus doing in Isaiah? It does sound like the kind of thing Jesus would have said – beautiful yet scathing, easy to picture, yet difficult to stomach.
Then comes the woes and judgments on God’s people – it’s interesting to see the kinds of things that people were involved in that disappointed God.

Isaiah Chapter 4

2008-05-04T15:45:00.002+10:00

The Branch of Lord reminds me of the branch of Jesse that appears later on in Isaiah. This is the first mention of the messiah but in a more subtle way. Here Isaiah also brings to mind the time when the Israelites were led by the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. Is it the branch that will form the canopy that will be a shelter from heat and storm?

Isaiah Chapter 3

2008-05-04T10:30:00.004+10:00

God pronounces judgement on Judah in ch3. Interesting that a major judment on the men is that they will be leaderless, or be lead by children or women. The judgement doled out to the women is that all their finery of clothing and jewelery will be snatched away and their hair will fall out. It seems God is judging them for robbing the poor and making their lives miserable (v14-15)

Isaiah Chapter 2

2008-05-02T18:43:00.002+10:00

This is actually a really good discipline to help me read each day. By the way, don't expect some insightful commentary, just things that come to me as I read.
Here we have some stuff about the mountain of the Lord and the Day of the Lord. Isaiah talks about "the last days" when all nations will stream to the temple and people will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. It sounds a bit like the kingdom of God Jesus talked about. I'm also reminded that Jesus described himself as the new temple.
The day of the Lord sounds like it will be good for some people but bad for others.
What do you think?

Isaiah Chapter 1

2008-05-01T20:46:00.004+10:00

Well here we go for May and June. Who's in on the journey? Chapter 1 gets right into it no holds barred. God giving it to Judah the rebellious nation. I did wonder though, in v10 is God talking to Sodom and Gomorrah when he talks about being fed up of their sacrifices or have they just to listen in to the warning to Judah?
Some beautiful images here about sin being washed away.
Any other thoughts or things that jumped out at anyone?