June 22 – Isaiah 50 Isaiah 50 is a short little chapter. Surprise! Only 11 verses to read, today. God does not weary of telling His children He loves them and wants them back, does He? He reminds the Israelites once again in the first part of this chapter that they are only in trouble because of their own sinful choices. He’d love to help them. But they are not willing. Jesus says something so similar in Matthew 23:37 NIV: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Our God wants our love and our willing hearts. He’s […] Read more »

June 21 – Isaiah 49 This beautiful chapter mixes some prophecy concerning Jesus, coming Messiah, and prophecy about the return from exile of the Jewish people to their homeland. I am not smart enough to completely figure out which is which, but I love reading all these words of reassurance that God is indeed working on behalf of His people. They have not been forgotten. He does see. Do you ever need that message? I surely do. Sometimes when I am in a hard season of life, it feels like the gloom will never end. This chapter and these words tell me otherwise. God is the One who leads me beside “cool waters” Isaiah tells me in verse 10. He comforts. He shows compassion to […] Read more »

June 20 – Isaiah 43 What a unique mix of God’s love and frustration in this chapter. Both are captured so beautifully by Isaiah. Yes, God still loves His people. He loves them so much that after they are scattered, He will bring them back again. He just never gives up on Israel, does He? They are His. Nothing can change that. Not even their disobedience. In the same way, we are loved by God. In Isaiah, God declares in verse 13, “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.” We see Jesus, God-in-flesh, say practically the same thing in John 10:27-29: “My sheep listen to my voice; I […] Read more »

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June 19 – Isaiah 42 The header in my Bible for Chapter 42 is “The LORD’s Chosen Servant.” Isaiah is turning a corner here, and focusing on Jesus, the coming Servant-King. He continues to bring comfort to a people about to be attacked and either killed or relocated. He speaks not to just his generation but to generations to come about the big, ultimately wonderful, plan of God. I see in these verses references to Jesus’ first and second coming. I am comforted and energized as I read. The comfort comes from Isaiah’s reassurance that God cares for the weakest reed and the tiniest flickering candle. He notices the weak. He doesn’t stomp on them but brings ultimate justice for those who have been sorely […] Read more »

Week Four Introduction to Week Four We are more than halfway through our study, friends. I enjoyed our little history lesson in the middle of the book. It was fascinating to read about real day to day life in King Hezekiah’s court and to see faithful Isaiah continuing to be God’s mouthpiece in hard and easy situations. His faithfulness and longevity are so admirable. Once he agreed to be sent, he did not look back. I love that about him! We now move into some of the most moving and glorious and poignant and amazing chapters in the Bible. Isaiah has made a pronouncement that will come to pass soon. Babylon will capture Judah and take the people into captivity. So now he turns to […] Read more »

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June 17 – Isaiah 39 So. I really have liked Hezekiah up until this chapter. His response to Isaiah’s prophecy about his descendants showed a remarkable lack of concern in this chapter, though. What did you think? King Hezekiah, in the euphoria of being allowed to live, kinda went overboard when the Babylonians came to visit. You’d think that after recently escaping a siege from another foreign country, Assyria, he’d be a bit cautious about visitors from far-away places. But no. He happily and proudly showed them all his treasure. This, of course, made the envoys from Babylon quite interested in the potential of taking all those treasures for their own Babylonian coffers. Isaiah was not pleased. He had to go back to prophesying hard […] Read more »

June 16 – Isaiah 38 We are still studying the history of Hezekiah in this chapter. This is a fascinating story of a time where it surely looks like God changed His mind. And poor Isaiah was running back and forth with lots of messages to the king from God as the verdict on whether or not the king would die was changed. Again, prayer is a mystery. But Hezekiah asked for more time to live and it was granted him. He responded to this miracle with a poem of praise. I love that Hezekiah thanked God and honored Him, recording what happened for all to read after him. Too often we ask God for help and then don’t bother to thank Him for His […] Read more »