Monday, February 28, 2022

Wicked People: Tools Of The Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 47:5-7,

"Sit in silence, go into darkness,
    queen city of the Babylonians;
no more will you be called
    queen of kingdoms.
I was angry with my people
    and desecrated my inheritance;
I gave them into your hand,
    and you showed them no mercy.
Even on the aged
    you laid a very heavy yoke.
You said, 'I am forever—
    the eternal queen!'
But you did not consider these things
    or reflect on what might happen."

As Isaiah's prophecies continue to look ahead toward the Babylonian captivity of Judah, we learn of the fate Babylon herself will receive from the hand of the Lord.

Although a wicked people who engaged in sorcery and arrogance, she was the Lord's tool to bring his judgment upon Judah. All this would take place a little more than a century after the prophecy.

We read of the wickedness of the Babylonian people,
"You have trusted in your wickedness
    and have said, 'No one sees me.'
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you
    when you say to yourself,
    'I am, and there is none besides me.'" Verse 10.

We also read of their sorcery in verse 12a,
"Keep on, then, with your magic spells
    and with your many sorceries,
    which you have labored at since childhood."

As I say, although the Babylonians were a wicked people, the Lord used her as his hand-selected tool to bring his judgment to his own people Israel. Sometimes you hear that God has no use for wicked people and has nothing to do with them. How about this example?

There are other examples of the Lord using wicked people to bring his judgments against his own people, only later to destroy them for their enthusiasm in fulfilling that role, "Disaster will come upon you", verse 11a. Note in the passage above,
"I was angry with my people
    and desecrated my inheritance;
I gave them into your hand,
    and you showed them no mercy.
Even on the aged
    you laid a very heavy yoke."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Friday, February 25, 2022

God Provides His Righteousness - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 46:13,

"I am bringing my righteousness near,
    it is not far away;
    and my salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion,
    my splendor to Israel."

Through Isaiah, God tells Israel he will be bringing something new to them, something unthinkable. He tells them he will be bringing his righteousness to Israel, his salvation and splendor. This will be fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ. As we read in Isaiah 9:6-7:
"For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this."

This righteousness he brings to Israel will be for the whole world, not just Israel. "The words 'it [Abraham's faith] was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:23-24.

Paul says in another place, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" Romans 1:16-17.

Just how wonderful is that?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Bending The Knee To God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 45:23,

"By myself I [God] have sworn,
    my mouth has uttered in all integrity
    a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
    by me every tongue will swear."

In the prophetic utterance of this section of Isaiah, where the Lord emphasizes his supreme sovereignty over all, he declares that all people for all time will bow to him and recognize him for who he is. Everyone. There will not be a single soul in all of creation that will not do so.

Paul quotes this passage in Romans 14:11 where he warns against being judgmental of others. There he points out that each human being will have to give an account of himself to God (and there Paul is talking to believers.)

The obvious question is when does a person want to do just that? Since all are going to bow to God at some point, why not do it in this life, where it has unbelievable benefit? "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Idolaters And Other Half-Wits - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 44:15-17,

"It [wood from a tree] is used as fuel for burning;
    some of it he [any idolator] takes and warms himself,
    he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
    he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
    over it he prepares his meal,
    he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
    'Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.'
From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
    'Save me! You are my god!'"

The inspired satire Isaiah provides here is something to behold. One who rejects God and displaces him with something of his own making reveals himself to be a half-wit. Even the materials, the effort, the time required for making useless replacements for God are only available to the unbeliever from God himself. What is attempted here is to pass off things that are common for everyday life and gilded a bit, as a replacement for our magnificent God of manifold perfections: our Creator, Sustainer and Savior. He is also the great Judge who will call anyone to account before his throne of judgment for such things.

The very fabric of societal upheaval today as represented in the demand for the changing of norms, of ethics, the rewriting of history, of what passes for "justice" today are all efforts to displace God within society today, because he himself has been rejected. Rejected by those who displace him with their own concoctions, "for the better good." It is nothing more than the simple idolatry of Isaiah's day.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The Lord's Sovereign Supremacy - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 43:13c,

"When I [the Lord God] act, who can reverse it?"

Here is the Lord's self disclosure of his sovereign supremacy. We learn from the scriptures that it is a sovereignty that transcends our world, the heavens, the universe: beyond the dimensions of time and space. As he says in verses 10-13,
"'You [Israel] are my witnesses,' declares the Lord,
    'and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the Lord,
    and apart from me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,' declares the Lord, 'that I am God.
    Yes, and from ancient days I am he.'"

Verse 13c reminds me of Proverbs 21:30, "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." The Lord's purposes can never be thwarted!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Progressive Prophecies And Their Fulfillment - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 42:9,

"See, the former things have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce them to you."

The fulfillment of prophecy is an amazing thing. The very nature of the prophecies the Lord gives sets him entirely apart from fake religions, deceivers, charlatans and the like. As the fulfillment of his prophecies find their completion in perfection, the Lord establishes his bonafides such that his hearers are without excuse for not embracing him as well as what he has to say.

Here the Lord points to his track record of perfection in all he has had to say as he announces he is going to speak of new things that will likewise find their perfect fulfillment.

Something that is interesting to note is the Lord's choosing to involve people in his doings. He announces what he chooses to in his effort of engaging his people according to his purposes. And, he does it on a progressive basis. He didn't lay all of his cards on the table up front (so to speak) but reveals what he is going to do in installments. Prophecy of Scripture has been both delivered and understood in a progressive manner.

Paul speaks of this in Romans 16:25-27. In his doxology he says, "Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Friday, February 18, 2022

Becoming A Friend Of The Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 41:8,

"But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    you descendants of Abraham my friend..."

Here the Lord calls Abraham his friend. What was it about Abraham that brought this friendship with the Lord?

We read in Genesis 15:6, "Abram [Abraham] believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." Abraham was a man of faith in God. Paul quotes this verse in Romans 4:3. There, the Apostle Paul explains, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'"

This friendship with the Lord carries with it a right standing (righteousness) with or before the Lord. Abraham's faith in the Lord brought him all that friendship with the Lord has to offer, including eternal life!

What is exciting about this is pointed to by Paul in Romans 4:23-24, "The words 'it was credited to him [Abraham]' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." Just as Abraham was credited with righteousness before the Lord, so can we! All he requires from us is the faith in him that Abraham manifested.

Consequently, Jesus calls all those who obey him as his friends, "You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:14. What is it he commands us? In that context he tells us his command is to love each other, John 15:12 (also John 13:34 and 15:17.) However in another place John says, "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." 1 John 3:23.

There are a lot of perks that come with being a friend of the Lord! All can be had by placing our faith and trust in him.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Israel's Purpose - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 40:1-3,

"Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
    double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
'In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.'"

Verse 2 above is understood to be a prophecy of the completion of the seventy year Babylonian captivity the Lord will subject Judah to, "her hard service has been completed, that her sin is paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double of all her sins". She is now to be spoken to "tenderly".

Verse 3 from the above, "In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God..." is quoted in Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3 and Luke 3:4-6 (which quotes Isaiah 40:3-5). This is, of course, a prophecy of John the Baptist coming, the last of the Old Testament prophets (at the cusp of the onset of the New) , whose ministry was to prepare the nation for the advent of the Son of God and his earthly ministry.

It seems many really don't have much of an idea why God chose Israel as his own people, why he involved himself so much more in the life of this nation, and the part Israel played in God's purposes. For me, this passage helps to tie those ends together. It is a prophecy that declares the completion of God's treatment of his people and now announces a future step in God's plan for the redemption of mankind.

God, before the creation of the world, knew that when he created mankind and endowed them with freewill, that they would fall into sin. He determined then he would provide for them a path of redemption, to provide at least a portion of all mankind to fulfill his purposes he had in mind when he created them. In order to satisfy his sense of justice, he would send his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to pay for all mankind's sins. He determined that all who would embrace him in faith would have that payment credited to their account with him. Salvation for all eternity would be based on a person's faith in him (indicating their desire for him), all others would face eternal death.

The kind of faith God would look for was modeled by a man named Abraham (the patriarch of the Jewish nation). God decided to make a nation of Abraham and use this nation as his vehicle to bring Jesus Christ into the world. In that all Israelites are sinful as anyone else, he needed to work with the nation to make her into what he needed/wanted when he presented his Son to the world.

This is the purpose of the Jewish nation. A part of the preparation of the nation for his purposes was not to have perfected people (who would only become perfected through the ministry of Jesus Christ) but a nation suitable for his use. One aspect of that was he needed a nation that didn't reject him, didn't reject his word, and didn't chase after other "gods" - idols. Hence, the harsh treatment of the 70 year Babylonian captivity. Now that the captivity had done its job, Isaiah's prophecy looks ahead to a further step in God's program of redemption - John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus Christ.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Over Exposure - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 39:1-2,

"At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them."

This action on Hezekiah's part was his undoing and the undoing of the southern tribes of Israel. We read Isaiah's resulting prophecy to Hezekiah in verses 5-7, "Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."

This is exactly what happened about 117 years or so later. It appears there is a connection with Hezekiah's thorough display of all he had to these envoys from Babylon and the Lord's judgment. Following the incident, Isaiah asked Hezehiah, "What did they see in your palace?" Hezekiah admitted he showed the delegation all he had. What might that connection be? Some think it is the Lord's disgust of Hezekiah showing off all he had in a grand display of pride.

Here is another thought: as Hezekiah received this delegation from Babylon, he was in fear of the threatening Assyrians. His display may have been an effort on his part to demonstrate to the king of Babylon he had something to offer as a potential ally. Again, instead of trusting in the Lord, he sought safety and security from others (as he did Egypt.)

Notice how his actions caused the loss of all that his predecessors had accumulated and the cost to his progeny as they would be carried away to become enslaved eunuchs in service to Babylon. It affected both previous generations and those that followed.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

God's Purposes, Decisions And Our Prayers - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 38:1b,

"This is what the Lord says: Put your [King Hezekiah's] house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."

I have to think this passage sends those to the aspirin bottle who have a bone-headed concept of the sovereignty of God. In popular theology in many evangelical churches today, it is taught that nothing can change the Lord's decisions (elections!). And, yet, over and over in Scripture, we see the Lord responding to prayers and requests that can and does bring a change with his decisions.

We know from this passage the Lord said "... you are going to die; you will not recover." This was to happen at that time, so he was told to "put your house in order". Then we read in verse 5, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life." A change!

Recall Lot's plea with the angels about fleeing to a town instead of the mountains in Genesis 19:18-21. Remember Moses standing in the breach to plead for the Israelites when God was going to lay them all waste, Exodus 32:9-14. There the Lord said to Moses,"Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." Exodus 32:10. Moses pleaded with the Lord. Then we read in verse 14, "Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened."

Jesus taught us the importance of prayer. He encouraged us to pray, not because it would do no good, but because we just may have an opportunity to bring an otherwise different outcome. In Luke 18:1 we read, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." There he gave a parable about persistence in prayer to bring an outcome that would otherwise not take place.

Those with the aspirin bottle in hand say that the Lord never really decided to put King Hezekiah to death, or that he wasn't really going to lay waste to the Israelites. He was just putting pressure on Hezekiah and Moses to pray and plead. That is all he ever intended. I'm sorry, but that simply cheapens these accounts to show the Lord manipulating people in a way where he really doesn't mean what he says. Nothing but a charade. I don't buy that for an instant, and you shouldn't either.

The importance is that, although through persistent prayer we may have God's ear, and that he may respond, we never see anyone changing God's mind about his purposes. We can have, although, a voice when it comes to how God brings about those purposes. Prayer is important and the Lord wants us participating!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Monday, February 14, 2022

The Lord's Eternal Purposes And Our Prayers - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 37:21-22,

"Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, this is the word the Lord has spoken against him: "Virgin Daughter Zion despises and mocks you. Daughter Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee."'"

As the Assyrian army threatened Judah, King Hezekiah prayed to the Lord for deliverance. Here Isaiah tells Hezekiah that because he has prayed, the Lord will act and deliver Judah from the Assyrians.

It was the Lord's purpose to save Judah from the Assyrians, and yet the Lord places importance on the prayer of Hezekiah. The two worked hand in hand, the Lord's purpose and the prayer he was looking for from Hezekiah. As noted by Geoffrey Grogan in his commentary on Isaiah, "Verses 21-22 clearly imply that, even though it was God's purpose to deliver his people, it was important that Hezekiah prayed. God acts according to an eternal purpose but in answer to those prayers he has led his people to offer.

Here is just one example of the importance of prayer in our lives today. God may have his eternal purposes, but he acts in response to our prayers that are aligned with those purposes.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Friday, February 11, 2022

Taking The Wrong Course - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 36:4-7,

"This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. But if you say to me, 'We are depending on the Lord our God'—isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, 'You must worship before this altar'?"

As Jerusalem fell into the sights of the invading Assyrians, Sennacherib (king of Assyria) sent his field commander to persuade Hezekiah, king of Judah to surrender before he attacked. The field commander raised eight reasons why Hezekiah should capitulate:

Words were not going to save Hezekiah, verse 5.
Egypt was unreliable to count on for help, verse 6.
Hezekiah had closed the shrines outside of Jerusalem (the commander thinking it would have been an insult to the God of the Jews -  it wasn't), verse 7.
Judah was unskilled in using horses in battle, verses 8-9.
The Lord himself had sent the Assyrians against Jerusalem, verse 10.
Hezekiah's leadership was not to be trusted verses 14, 15, 18.
The Jews would be treated well if they surrendered, verses 16-17.
None of the other peoples the Assyrians threatened were able to withstand them, verses 18-20.

As Geoffrey W. Grogan says in his commentary on Isaiah (Expositor's Bible Commentary), "Satan himself could hardly produce a better masterpiece of verbal cajolery."

All because the Jews strayed from the Lord! Not a wise course to take! There certainly is a lesson here for me...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Figurative Or Literal? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 35:3-5,

"Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
    'Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you.'
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped."

As is often in Isaiah's prophecies, not only is coming judgment proclaimed, but also coming blessings of the Lord. Here we see this clearly.

While this language can certainly be seen as spiritual salvation following the Lord's retribution against evil, spiritual eyes being opened and spiritual ears now hearing, it is interesting to read a passage from Jesus himself who appears to allude (possibly) to this passage in Isaiah:

"When the men came to Jesus, they said, 'John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"' At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.'" Luke 7:20-22.

It isn't a quote from Isaiah 35, but the allusion is there. When Jesus spoke he was quite literal about the healing and the proclamation of the good news.

In light of that, how would you understand Isaiah 35:3-5? Figurative or literal? Or, do you think the two passages have nothing to do with each other?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

The Big Change That Is Coming - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 34:1-4,

"Come near, you nations, and listen;
    pay attention, you peoples!
Let the earth hear, and all that is in it,
    the world, and all that comes out of it!
The Lord is angry with all nations;
    his wrath is on all their armies.
He will totally destroy them,
    he will give them over to slaughter.
Their slain will be thrown out,
    their dead bodies will stink;
    the mountains will be soaked with their blood.
All the stars in the sky will be dissolved
    and the heavens rolled up like a scroll;
all the starry host will fall
    like withered leaves from the vine,
    like shriveled figs from the fig tree."

Isaiah's prophetic message turns to a cosmic perspective of judgment.

Fads come and go, music changes (always devolving it seems to me), people's perspectives on which political issues are important come and go as well. The global crisis de jour changes (global cooling, global warming, exponential population growth, disappearance of the Amazon jungles, etc.). Clothing styles change and there always appears to be those things that become passe.

But, as I get up in the morning, it has always been about the same. A 24 hour day, with the four seasons of the year, similar weather patterns (I'm not given to the global warming hype) - it all seems so stable. At age 72, the creation has felt to me to be in a stasis.

However, that is not what the future holds. As we consider the prophetic outlook, God's coming judgment is headed our way and it is going to encompass all creation. In addition to Isaiah, consider Jesus' words in Matthew 24:29-31, "Immediately after the distress of those days 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

Look at what Peter prophesied, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?" 2 Peter 3:10-11. John's prophetic message in Revelation 6:12-14 says, "There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place."

While things just seem to go along without much change, a day is coming when everything is going to change. Drastically and unalterably change. Nothing will be the same. Are you ready for that day?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Lawgiver, Judge, King, Savior! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 33:22,

"For the Lord is our judge,
    the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king;
    it is he who will save us."

This wonderfully revealing verse comes in a chapter that looks both at the immediate threat to Jerusalem by the advancing Assyrian army and that army's vanquishment by the hand of the Lord, to Jerusalem's immediate relief. It also looks ahead to the time when the Messiah will vanquish evil at the end of the age and bring his salvation to those who await him, (see Hebrews 9:28.)

It has been noted that the historical ages of Israel from it's exodus from Egypt are represented in Isaiah 33:32. Moses as lawgiver, the period of judges and the period of kings is in view and now clarified to be that Israel's history is the Lord's history among mankind. Where Moses was considered the lawgiver, it is the Lord who really is the lawgiver. Likewise it is the Lord who is the judge, it is the Lord who is the king.

Most importantly, it is the Lord who is the Savior. All of Israel's history, during its various eras, was the Lord's history at work in Israel to bring into the human family the Son of God, the Savior of the world. All of Israel's history in the Old Testament is about the coming of Jesus Christ!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Monday, February 7, 2022

Something Old, Something New - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 32:7-8,

"Scoundrels use wicked methods,
they make up evil schemes
to destroy the poor with lies,
even when the plea of the needy is just.
But the noble make noble plans,
and by noble deeds they stand."

A kingdom of righteousness comes into view in Isaiah, chapter 32. It
will be a time when, "No longer will the fool be called noble nor the
scoundrel be highly respected." Verse 5. It makes you think of our day
when we see people in power or in leadership positions, whether in
government, business (especially in social media, journalism,
entertainment, sports, etc.).

In verses 7-8 the observation is made that scoundrels use wicked
methods and evil schemes to destroy. On the other hand the noble stand
on their noble deeds through their noble plans. How true that is in
politics today!

It reminds one of Solomon's words,"What has been will be again, what
has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 1:9. However, that time when a kingdom of righteousness
comes, it will come with the return of Jesus Christ for something
entirely new under the sun! There has never been anything like it!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send
me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are
receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply
and let me know.

Friday, February 4, 2022

Revolting Against The Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 31:6,

"Return, you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted against."

How had Israel revolted against the Lord? We read in the first verse of this chapter, "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord." While it is certain there were ample expressions from Israel that demonstrated her rebellion against God (e.g. idols of silver and gold they had made, verse 6) it was their utter contempt for relying on the Lord for their safety and looking to others for what only God can provide that is in view here.

Likewise today, as we live in difficult times where people are in such conflict with one another,  so many people look elsewhere for what only God can provide. Just look at today's culture that looks to corrupt people for the understanding of what is equitable and just. Only God can provide a true definition for that and how it should be acted upon in society.

The Lord himself should be sought by each one of us for our well-being, for our ability to provide for ourselves, to develop healthy relationships, to grow in wisdom and understanding. Unfortunately so many go elsewhere.

In the previous chapter, 30:7, the Lord called Egypt "utterly useless" and "Rahab the Do-Nothing" as the people of Jerusalem sought her out for what only God can provide. People today look to late-night comedians for how to understand the world around them for answers, as we look to the news media, social media, politicians and the like for the wisdom that only God can provide, we will find ourselves only consulting the "utterly useless Do-Nothings" among us.

We need to turn to the Lord and seek him. Anything else is rebellion against him.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Our God of Wrath, Our God of Compassion - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 30:15-8,

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
'In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.
You said, "No, we will flee on horses."
    Therefore you will flee!
You said, "We will ride off on swift horses."
    Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
A thousand will flee
    at the threat of one;
at the threat of five
    you will all flee away,
till you are left
    like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
    like a banner on a hill.'
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
    Blessed are all who wait for him!"

In this prophecy about the people of Jerusalem, the Lord indicts them for looking for help from Egypt as the Assyrian threat grew. Rather than looking to the Lord for help and trusting in him, they looked to others. Israel had completely abandoned their Lord. They exhibited no trust or assurance in him to provide them deliverance. If the Assyrians advanced they would ride off to Egypt and seek their safety there.

The Lord tells them they will face his judgment for abandoning him. "A thousand will flee at the threat of one." Yet, as the Lord tells them this he also tells them of his longing to be gracious to them and to show them compassion. The Lord tells them there will be a time when they will weep no more, verse 19. He says, "And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people playing pipes go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel." Verse 29.

In many places of Scripture we find the juxtaposition of the Lord's anger and his compassionate love. He is found this way in the book of Genesis and the book of Revelation. The Lord has a many faceted presence that we see, and those who say "well, the Lord is a God of anger in the old testament and a God of love in the New" are simply mistaken. Such people really need to read their Bibles and find out what he really is like.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Another Day Coming! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 29:17-21,

"In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field
    and the fertile field seem like a forest?
In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll,
    and out of gloom and darkness
    the eyes of the blind will see.
Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord;
    the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
The ruthless will vanish,
    the mockers will disappear,
    and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down—
those who with a word make someone out to be guilty,
    who ensnare the defender in court
    and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice."

In this oracle of woe against Jerusalem, she is told the Lord would bring enemies against her in verses 3-4. We then read in verses 5-7 there will be a time following that when the Lord will destroy her enemies. The last portion of the chapter speaks of another day, a day when evil people willl be vanquished and the humble will rejoice in the Lord.

The chapter ends with the following, verses 22-24, "Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob:
'No longer will Jacob be ashamed;
    no longer will their faces grow pale.
When they see among them their children,
    the work of my hands,
they will keep my name holy;
    they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob,
    and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding;
    those who complain will accept instruction.'"

Were we to have an Isaiah amongst us today, I wonder might he not point us to those passages of Scripture that speak of a better day, a day of the Lord's blessing when evil people will be vanquished and the humble rejoice in the Lord. We do live in times that can vex us as we see evil people flourishing and, often at the expense of others.

Here is a famous passage he might point us to: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Revelation 21: 6-8.

If you were a modern day Isaiah in these seemingly dark days, what passage of hope to look forward to would you point us to?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

"A Rule For This, A Rule For That" - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 28:9-13,

"Who is it he is trying to teach?
    To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk,
    to those just taken from the breast?
For it is:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that;
    a little here, a little there.
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
    God will speak to this people,
to whom he said,
    'This is the resting place, let the weary rest';
and, 'This is the place of repose'—
    but they would not listen.
So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that;
    a little here, a little there—
so that as they go they will fall backward;
    they will be injured and snared and captured."

Here is a most amazing passage to me. The prophecy speaks of the priests and prophets of Israel as if they were staggering and befuddled with alcohol. He says when they teach, it is as if it were to children only. The message they provided was childish. All rules and do-gooder stuff, "Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here and a little there." The true and purposeful message from the Lord was displaced for religious do-gooderism.

We see it today! Week after week some pastor is up behind the pulpit carrying the same message over and over. "Stop smoking, don't drink, stop looking at the other guy's wife, give more, attend more regularly! "Let's all get with the Social Justice agenda and start to fret over our privilege!" Just fill in the blank. I'm not suggesting anything particularly wrong with some of those messages as far as they go (I do find with some though), but what about God's eternal purposes in redemption? What about the manifold perfections of God? What he is like, who he is? Where are the deeper dimensions of what God wants to communicate to us? How does his history with Israel involve us, since he has chosen to provide it to us?

Hebrews 5:11-14, "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Apparently, if we teach the deeper things God wants us to know, a lot of the do-gooder stuff will automatically follow.

The misguided and shallow teaching in churches today has resulted in less than appropriately matured saints. An outcome of that is those who have not embraced Jesus Christ in faith find little interest and point to the gospel as something to ridicule and scorn, "Well, that might be nice for someone who needs a crutch to get by in life...", "I can't believe you believe in that namby-pamby stuff...", ect They find what is taught (if they ever get close enough) in church as lacking in substance, insipid, weak, indecisive, banal. For these, God's word becomes just like it did for those in Israel who could only accept God's word as a lot of do-gooder stuff and miss the opportunity, "so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured."

What an amazing passage!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.