Isaiah 48 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence            Like the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, Isaiah is dealing with a people who are very dull of hearing and who do not seek the Lord in truth, even though they continually claim that they are.  They boast in their heritage and in their lineage but do not really trust the Lord.  In the second half of the book of Isaiah, the prophet is showing them some events far into…

Isaiah 47 by Pastor David Groendyk The Lord continues his condemnation in this chapter of the wicked enemy nation of Babylon who had taken Judah into exile. At the heart of Babylon’s wickedness is their own pride (vv. 8–11). In these verses, we see some of the ways Babylon’s pride plays out. One way is that their pride has given them a false sense of security (v. 10). Notice that multiple times Babylon is quoted…

Isaiah 46 by Pastor Mark Hudson             In Isaiah 46, Isaiah contrasts the idols of the nations with the One true and living God.  How counter-cultural that was in Isaiah’s day, in the first century, and in our day.  God, through the prophet, is saying that the gods of the nations are not an alternate way to truth.  Unbelievers have always thought people who think this way are arrogant, dismissive of other cultures, and self-righteous. …

Isaiah 45 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence In the previous chapter Isaiah mentions by name the anointed one, a messiah and the shepherd of nations that the Lord would use to overthrown the Babylonian Empire and to bring the Jews back to their homeland in order to build up the house of God.  In 539 BC, Cyrus the Great would enter the city of Babylon and take captive Nabonidus thus ending his hegemony over the nations. …

Isaiah 44 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk Have you heard the expression, “You are what you eat”? It’s a pithy saying that teaches us that our health is directly linked to what kind of food we eat. Well, there’s also a Christian version of that saying: “You become what you worship.” Isaiah 44 is a good reminder of that. All throughout this chapter, there is a play on the idea of creating, forming, fashioning, making,…

Isaiah 43 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson             In a lengthy book like Isaiah, I like to know where I am in the context of the entire book.  I follow the outline of John Oswalt’s commentary.  I made copies of that outline (2 sided) and the one-sided copy of E.J. Youngs’ commentary last Sunday night.  There might be copies in the office still.             We are in a section, according to Oswalt, from Is. 42:10-44:22…

Isaiah 42 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence It is no wonder that the Ethiopian eunuch had a hard time understanding the scroll of Isaiah when he was reading it seated in his chariot in Acts 9.  When Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading about the servant of God in Isaiah, the eunuch asked Phillip, “About whom does the prophet say these things, about himself or about someone else.”  It’s interesting, there are…

Isaiah 41 by Pastor David Groendyk As you read in yesterday’s devotional, you will notice that this second half of Isaiah reads differently (although, not that differently) than the first half. In terms of historical events that occasion Isaiah’s writing, Judah has undergone exile between chapters 39 and 40. Judah has experienced and is experiencing much of the judgment that Isaiah warned of in the first half of the book, so hope and comfort is…

Isaiah 40-66 Devotional (overview) by Pastor Mark Hudson             Since there is a bit of controversy about the second half of Isaiah, I will address that topic in lieu of commenting on the wonderful chapter 40 of Isaiah. Presuppositions.  We bring assumptions to a text we read.  Isaiah is called 1st Isaiah, 2nd Is, and 3rd Is.  You would think that when the New Testament quotes a verse in Isaiah and claims that Isaiah is…

Isaiah 39 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin            Somehow news of Hezekiah’s healing had spread eastward all the way to Babylon, and the Babylonians saw this as an opportunity.  Merocach-baladan, the king of Babylon, was seeking allies in his fight against the Assyrian Empire, and having an ally with a powerful god behind them was quite appealing to him.  More than likely he also had heard about the strange incident of the 185,000 Assyrians lying…

Isaiah 38 by Pastor David Groendyk The narratives found in Isaiah 38–39 can also be found in 2 Kings 20 and 2 Chronicles 32. Within the larger section describing the rise and fall of Judah, we’re getting a vignette of the rise and fall of Jerusalem and Hezekiah. Isaiah is using this vignette of Hezekiah to set up the break between the first half of the book (which points towards exile) and the second half…

Isaiah 37 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson                 Finally a chapter that is easy to understand!  The Assyrian royal counselor for military affairs named Rabshakeh is telling the people of Judah that they should just give up because no one can save them from the Assyrians.  Most of the previous chapter is his speech which from any Assyrian’s viewpoint must have been convincing.  Yet, Rabshakeh had no idea who he was talking about.  People my…

Isaiah 36 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence                 Chs. 36-37 of Isaiah recount the same events that are recorded in 2 Kings 18 and 19 when the Assyrian king had sought to capture Jerusalem.  This is actually only the third time in the book of Isaiah where we are told the specific time in which one of Isaiah’s prophecies was given.  This prophecy was delivered in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah which was in the…

Isaiah 35 by Pastor David Groendyk This chapter closes a section of Isaiah that is filled with oracles about the rise and fall of Jerusalem. For many chapters, Isaiah has been warning Judah of coming judgment, calling them to repent, and showing them what true redemption and salvation look like. Now, after promising one final time that all of God’s enemies will be everlastingly wiped out in chapter 34, he promises that his people will…

Isaiah 34 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson             In chapters 34-35, Isaiah is still focused on who to trust: the nations or God?  In chapters 34-35, the result of that choice will be either a desert (34) or a garden (35).  Once again in this book there is a close relationship with God’s judgment or blessing and the natural world.  We find God’s judgment reflected in a desert in this chapter.  As Oswalt writes, “To…

Isaiah 33 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence                 In this chapter Isaiah uses the impending destruction of Assyria as a portent of a greater judgment against the whole world in its opposition to the Lord and his anointed.  In the first six verses, the Lord pronounces his woe upon Assyria the destroyer and betrayer who promised peace if tribute was given them but then reneged on their deal and sought to destroy those who love peace. …

Isaiah 32 by Pastor David Groendyk This whole chapter is a description of the coming Messiah and what his reign and rule over his people will look like. In the previous chapter, Isaiah described the downfall of Egypt and Assyria and all other manmade powers and idols. In their place, God’s chosen king will reign. And as Christians living at this point in time, we know that it is Jesus Christ who is the true…

Isaiah 31 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson             Isaiah 31 continues the theme of Is 30.  If Judah seeks Egypt’s help it necessarily means rejecting God.  In choosing Egypt she rejects the true for the false.  Isaiah has been hammering this message home: Egypt cannot help you.  If they go to Egypt for help this casts shade on the exodus.  God brought us out of Egypt, Isaiah is saying, and you want to go back? …

Isaiah 30 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence            In light of the Assyrian invasions of their neighboring countries, the Jews are sending out emissaries to meet with the Egyptians to ask for their protection, which would involve entering into a covenant with those who were their previous oppressors.  Consequently, God sends Isaiah to rebuke the leaders in Jerusalem for making plans and forming alliances without consulting him or even asking him for guidance.  Instead of trusting…

Isaiah 29 by Pastor David Groendyk Our attention has been shifted away from the nations of the world back to the nation of Judah and the capital city of Jerusalem. These next few chapters condemn the country’s leaders and the country itself for turning to non-believing nations for protection and security. The general theme of judgment on Judah for turning away from God which we’ve seen all throughout this book remains constant, but the picture…

Isaiah 28 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson In Is 28-33, Isaiah reminds his listeners the folly of trusting in other nations rather than God.  Remember in 722, Assyria removes Israel and then in 701, Sennacherib attacks Jerusalem. In those years in between, Israel seeks help from Egypt (Is 30:3-5).  Isaiah really has one sermon: trust God not the nations.  Isaiah has to keep saying it because Israel and now Judah refuse to listen. Oswalt looks…