June 7 – Isaiah 11-12 I love how Isaiah, though God’s inspiration, interlaces terrible prophecies with beautiful promises of a future far better than anything we could ask or imagine. I absolutely love the thought that some day “the wolf and the lamb will lie down together.” I’ve never been a fan of those nature shows where we watch as one animal tears another apart. I’m super glad that will not be a part of the world to come. I’m fascinated with the thought that “the lion will eat hay like a cow.” Wow. How will God change and rearrange the lion’s insides and instincts so that is possible? I have no idea, but it surely makes me happy. One of the difficulties with prophecies […] Read more »

June 6 – Isaiah 10 This was a long chapter! However, I felt it was necessary to read all of it in order to catch the “big idea” here. Yes, God was rightfully angry with his people and would allow the king of Assyria to attack their land and destroy many, many people. But, the king of Assyria would also be punished. He was only allowed to gain victory because God enabled him to be the tool to stop Israel’s terrible idolatry. When we see the evil people in this world thrive, we need to remember that God sees them and God is just. Punishment will come if they do not turn and repent just as surely as it will come to ordinary people if […] Read more »

June 5 – Isaiah 9 This amazing chapter starts out with a forward look toward Messiah. Perhaps Isaiah says this first, so that the people will know that even though their generation is basically doomed, God still loves His people and the day will come when He will rescue them. The story of Jesus is all over Isaiah 9:1-7. These first few verses outline so clearly that God intends to send a Savior to Israel. I love that Matthew studies our passage today and applied it to Jesus in his gospel. Read this from Matthew 4:12-17. Right after Jesus returned from His forty days in the wilderness, Matthew reports this: “When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He […] Read more »

Week Two Introduction to Week Two Our first partial week is over, and now we dive in to an assortment of history, judgments, and – of all things – praises! It’s going to be a rich and varied week of study, friend. Let’s commit to faithfully meeting the Lord through His words to Isaiah each and every day, gleaning knowledge of God and man, and personal application for our own selves and our week ahead.     June 4 – Isaiah 7 Back in Isaiah Chapter 1, Isaiah shares that he heard messages from God during the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. It’s believed by many scholars that Isaiah was killed by Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh, so he most likely lived through […] Read more »

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June 3 – Isaiah 6 We are zipping ahead to Chapter 6, today. It’s one of the most well-known chapters in Isaiah. What did you think of that vision and the throne room of God? I can’t imagine the fear I would feel to be in that room with seraphim – created angelic beings that are like nothing I’ve ever seen before – and God Himself. It was a moment Isaiah would never forget and it was the day of his commissioning. Note the order of events. First, Isaiah was transported to the throne room of God. His response after witnessing it was a horror at his own sin. Then, he’s cleansed and his guilt is removed. Next, God asks for a messenger to His […] Read more »

June 2 – Isaiah 2 We are moving on to chapter 2 this morning. In order to keep this study to thirty days, I’ve had to skip portions of Isaiah. If you have the time and the interest, feel free to read what I skipped in Chapter 1. It’s all good. It was torturesome choosing what to include, let me tell you. I wanted to include it everything! In this chapter, we get a future look at a world where God is reigning and we also see the stark terror of a world where God is raging. We cannot ever completely understand God of all, King of kings, can we? He is not like us. He is bigger, mightier, wiser and also different from us. […] Read more »

June 1 – Isaiah 1:1-20 Here we are, at the beginning of one of the greatest books of prophecy and teaching in the Bible. Isaiah was privileged to see incredible sights, to hear directly from the LORD our God, and to relay what he heard and saw to all of us. When Jesus “opened the scriptures” to the disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection, I suspect He went to Isaiah. The coming of Messiah – Jesus – is all over this book and I am excited to dig in and find Him there. In addition, we are going to see God’s deep, deep love for His people and His grief at their disobedience.   No parent wants to watch their children make […] Read more »