Isaiah Week 2, Day 2: Isaiah 5:8-23

The futility of those who choose to go their own way is described in Isaiah 5:

"Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope" (v. 18, KJ).
"What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart! (v. 18 NLT)

From this Isaiah Bible study commentary:

"They sinned and dared God to punish them. When punishment didn't come immediately, they chose to continue doing evil.  Raymond C. Ortlund asks us to  "Picture people, not horses, harnessed to a heavy wagon, pulling it along, straining with all their might"  Isaiah understands the burden that sin is.  But we do it to ourselves. Why?  Because sin is deceitful (Hebrews 3:12).  This is what is meant by cords of falsehood (v. 18)"  -Grace Church Memphis, Isaiah study

"That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (v. 19-21).

Q1. The six woe's of Isaiah 5 are:

1. Woe to those who buy up houses and fields to greedily add to their possessions (v 7-8).

2. Woe to those who over indulge in alcohol (v 12)

3. Woe to those who drag falsehood and sin after them like a cart (v 18-19)

4. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil (blurring morality) (v 20)

5. Woe to those who are proud in their own eyes  (v 21)

6. Woe to those who acquit the guilty for a bribe--pervert justice (v 23)

Q2.  Do I see myself in any of these woes?  I think there is always danger of slipping into pride and fooling ourselves by dragging sin/falsehood behind us instead of trusting God with the upright.  In our current culture, it requires vigilant discernment to call good good and evil evil--particularly since moral relativism is the dominant flavor of thought.

Isaiah Week 2, Day 1: Isaiah 5:1-7

The vineyard metaphor continues from the perspective of the vineyard owner who has done all he can to care for it, "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" Isaiah 5:4


1. The vineyard represents Israel: "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting." Isaiah 5:7.

Psalm 80:8-9: "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land."

Jeremiah 2:21: "Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?"

There is this overarching sense that God was faithful to his side of things and Israel was not.

2. What had the Lord done for his vineyard?  Everything He could---he brought it out of Egypt, cleared the land before it, planted it, "didst cause it to take deep root, " and "fill the land."

Exodus 13:21-22 describes how God went before them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Exodus 15:1-18 describes how the Lord allowed them to escape Pharoah and Israel's enemies, the deliverance through the Red Sea, and the way that the Lord caused the other nations to fear Israel.  The picture is again of Israel being given choice conditions,   "Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established" (v. 17).

Deuteronomy 32:3-12 recounts how the Lord brought Israel up as a lost nation in the desert,
as "the apple of my eye," protecting them.  They were found in a desert

Joshua 23:23-5 tells how the Lord has pushed back nations and given them to Israel so they may possess the land.

2 Chronicles 36:15  God sent messengers to them (prophets) but they consistently mocked them.

3. Because of Israel's choices, the Lord says "I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured.  I  will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down." Isaiah 5 (v.5)

Luke 3:8-9  Vine and branches passage.  Every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

John 15:1-8  "Every branch in me [Jesus] that does not bear fruit he takes away." Branches that do bear fruit are pruned.  If anyone does not abide in Christ, he is thrown away like a branch and withers (v 5) These branches are gathered together and burned.

Galatians 5:22-23  "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy..."

"If we be fruitful, bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit, there is no law against us." -BI, N Rogers

4.  In John 15, Jesus describes himself as the "True Vine" and the Father as the "vine dresser."

"The fruit for which the culture is bestowed is moral. God looked for judgement and for righteousness."   Joseph Parker

Isaiah Week 1, Day 6: Isaiah 3:1-Isaiah 4:6

Overall imagery:  The picture is a community without leaders--children and women are doing the leading.  No one wants to lead or wants responsibility for the mess.   The reason for this dynamic is that Israel has been brazenly proud, provoking the Lord.

The image is that they will reap what they have sown--bad fruit or good.  The Lord stands up as if to judge in a courtroom.  (Isaiah 3:13 "The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.") Israel is accused of poor stewardship of His vineyard, especially Israel's leaders, "for you have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of poor is in your houses" (Isaiah 3:14).  God's people=the vineyard.  This vineyard imagery also is echoed in Isaiah 5:1, Isaiah 5:7, Psalm 80, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea. Leadership is accused of being materialistic and abusive of the poor.

Isaiah paints a picture of the denigration of Israel to come through Babylonian captivity. The wealthy daughters of Zion will be stripped of all of the little elements that comprise their beauty:  jewelry, perfumes, linens. Their men will die in wars.  Her gates shall mourn and she will be desolate on the ground.

1. Jerusalem will suffer the loss of steward leadership.  The wealthy women will be stripped of their beauty and men will die in war. Her gates will mourn.  Israel will sit on the ground desolate. There will be 7 women to 1 man!

I came across this comment on women's feet "mincing" while looking for information about ancient robes:

"The sages of the Talmud said the women Isaiah critically depicted as “mincing” as they walked (3:16) meant that they had put fragrant myrrh and balsam in their shoes and kicked when they spotted young men, to spread the fragrance." -Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, "Pink Wool To Ponchos: What People in Ancient Israel Really Wore," Haaretz

2. 2 Kings 24:10-16 realizes the prediction of this chapter, which happened in 586 BC.  At that time, Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar.  Jehoiachin, Judah's 8 year king, his mother, his wives, officers, etc. surrendered. Nebuchadnezzar stripped the temple of all its richness from Solomon.  He took into captivity all the princes, craftsmen, 10,000 men, leaving only the poorest behind.

Isaiah 4:2-6

3.  The promise that "the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious"(v.2).   Those that remain are purified the filth and washed the blood (v3).  This anticipates also the survivors of the Great Tribulation.  The branch could be seen as the Church but is more likely the Messiah.

Jeremiah 23:5
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."

The BKC commentator says that the two kingdoms will be reunited into a single kingdom and experience safety:

Romans 11:26-27  "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, "There shall come out of Zion, the Deliverer, and shall turn away godliness from Jacob."  Paul here is quoting Isaiah 59:20-21.  BKC: When Paul says all Israel will be saved, he does not mean every person, as Ezekiel 20:34-38 talks about the rebels being separated out, "And I will purge out from among you the rebels...." (v. 38)
BKC: After this, God will establish his new covenant and regenerate Israel, "After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts...they shall all know me...I will forgive their iniquity, I will remember their sins no more." Jeremiah 31:33-34

4. Who or what is the branch?
The branch is Israel.  It will be A) beautiful B)glorious
Jeremiah 33:15  The branch will A) grow up/through David B)He will execute judgement C)He will execute righteousness.

Isa 4:5  Then the LORD will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land.

A man in close fellowship with God will have wonderful flashes of sagacity, even about small practical matters. The gleam of the pillar will illumine conscience, and shine on many difficult, dark places. The ‘simplicity’ of a saintly soul will often see deeper into puzzling contingencies than the vulpine craftiness of the ‘prudent.’ The darker the night, the brighter the guidance.  -Andrew MacLaren

Isaiah Week 1, Day 5: Isaiah 2:6-22

Day 5

Isaiah 2:6-22

1. The Lord will reject his people because "they are full of things from the east, of fortune tellers, and they strike hands with foreigners (made alliances with pagans). (v 6) Their land is full of idols (v.8).

They may set a king over them but not a foreigner, and he should not acquire many horses or wives, or too much wealth (lest his heart turn away).  Deuteronomy 14:14-17

When you see armies, horses, and chariots bigger than you--don't be afraid.  -Deuteronomy 20:1
Don't come to trust in the army and its resources more than the Lord--look to the Lord.  Isaiah 31:1
Trust in name of the Lord, not chariots or horses.  Psalm 20:7

"A sad sequence--money leading to idolatry." -BI

2. For those who do not repent, each man is brought low and will be humbled (Isaiah 2:12), people shall enter the caves of the rocks (Isaiah 2:19), they will cast away their idols to the moles and the bats (Isaiah 2:20),

3. They must cast away idols

4. The exhortation is "stop regarding man."

Isa 2:22  Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

Isa 2:22  Don't put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they? 

“His breath is in his nostrils,” puffed out every moment, soon gone for good and all. Man is a dying creature, and may die quickly; our nostrils, in which our breath is, are of the outward parts of the body; what is there is like one standing at the door ready to depart. Nay, the doors of the nostrils are always open; the breath in them may slip away, ere we are aware, in a moment; wherein then is man to be accounted of? Alas, no reckoning is to be made of him; for he is not what he seems to be,—what he pretends to be, what we fancy him to be." Matthew Henry

"Every man must cease from himself first, and then from all men, as his hope and his trust, because neither ourselves nor others are worthy of such confidence. “Wherein is he to be accounted of?” Compared with God man is less than nothing and vanity. Reckon him so, and act upon the reckoning." C. H. Spurgeon.

Once more, cease from being worried about men. We ought to do all we can for our fellow men to set them right and keep them right, both by teaching and by example; but certain folks think that everything must go according to their wishes, and if we cannot see eye to eye with them, they worry themselves and us. Let us not be unduly cast down if we cannot set everybody right. The body politic, common society, and especially the Church, may cause us great anxiety; but still the Lord reigneth, and we are not to let ourselves die of grief. He only requires of us what He enables us to do. -C.H. Spurgeon

"God, the Verity of verities--Care nothing for the vanity of vanities, but trust in the Verity of verities." C. H. Spurgeon

“But they say.” What do they say? Let them say. It will not hurt you if you can only gird up the loins of your mind, and cease from man. “Oh, but they have accused me of this and that.” Is it true? “No, sir, it is not true, and that is why it grieves me.” If it were true it ought to trouble you; but if it is not true let it alone. Nine times out of ten if a boy makes a blot in his copy book and borrows a knife to take it out, he makes the mess ten times worse; and as in your case there is no blot after all, you need not make one by attempting to remove what is not there. All the dirt that falls upon a good man will brush off when it is dry: but let him wait till it is dry, and not dirty his hands with wet mud. Let us think more of God and less of man. Come, let the Lord our God fill the whole horizon of our thoughts. Let our love go forth to Him; let us delight ourselves in Him. Let us trust in Him that liveth forever, in Him whose promise never faileth. Cease ye from man because you have come to know the best of men, who is more than man, even the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has so fully become the beloved of your souls, that none can compare with Him. Rest also in the great Father as to your providential cares: why rest in men when He careth for you?" -C.H. Spurgeon

Lovely commentary here from BI:

Man is made up, as the old writers used to say, of soul and soil. Alas, the soil terribly soils his soul! “My soul cleaveth to the dust” might be the confession of every man in one sense or another. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Two things are indispensable to undisturbed tranquility of mind, namely, humble and distrustful views of ourselves, and supreme and unfaltering reliance on God.  So long as a man depends on his own wisdom, power, and goodness, he must be disquieted and unhappy. We can attain to substantial quiet only when we feel that our dependence is on a Being omnipotent, independent, and supreme, as well as abundant in truth and love (Isa_26:3).

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

Additional Thoughts:

Union of the Natural World and Humans:

"In order to understand the prophet we must bear in mind what sacred Scripture assumes throughout, that all nature is joined with man to form one common history; that man and the whole world of nature are inseparably connected as centre and circumference -F. Delitzsch

Unnatural blur of nature and God in paganism:

 "In heathen systems of religion, God and nature are not kept distinct. His personality, also, is confounded."  -BI Homelitic Review

The natural world is impacted by man's sin and fallen nature.  Both man and nature are God's creation and under his provision and control.  In contrast, paganism unites the natural world with God so that they are indistinguishable.   

Isaiah Week 1, Day 4: Isaiah 2:1-5

Day 4

Background:  Chapters of Isaiah 2-6--earliest ministry of Isaiah circa 735 BC
Reign of Uzziah?  One of general prosperity

Isaiah 2:2-4 matches Micah 4:1-3.  The commentaries suggest they both echo back to a more ancient prediction.


Passage: Isaiah 2:1-5

1. a. The mountain of the Lord was lifted high above all the other hills, and all the nations will flow to it. (Isaiah 1:2-3)  People will say "come let us go to the mountain of the Lord that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his path." He will judge between nations and settle disputes.  They will beat their weapons into agricultural tools and will learn war no more."

Wow--Spurgeon's interpretation, worthy of contemplation:

This is the magnificent picture of the text. I do not know that in all the compass of poetry there is an idea so massive and stupendous as this—a mountain heaving, expanding, swelling, growing, till all the high hills become absorbed, and that which was but a little rising ground before, becomes a hill the top whereof teacheth to the seventh heavens. Now we have here a picture of what the Church is to be." C. H. Spurgeon

Beautiful, beautiful image--he's right about the power of it.  To think upon the Lord's high regard and hope for His Church is humbling.  We seem no where ready to assume such an elevated role, full of hypocrisy and our own shortcomings. But, it is God who makes the Church sufficient in the end, thankfully, not us.

Isaiah 2:2 "...and all the nations shall flow to it."

"The Church is established on the top of the mountain, and all nations are flowing unto it. Yes, flowing up hill! Yes, up the mountain side! When I was a boy I said, “That is false rhetoric, a mistake—flowing to the top of the mountain; it cannot be.” I went to the workshop of a friend, and I saw in the dust a parcel of steel filings. And he had a magnet, and, as he drew it near to the steel filings, they were attracted to it and kissed the magnet. Then I said, Give me a magnet large enough, place it on the mountain top, and it will draw all the nations unto it. That magnet is the Lord Jesus Christ, for He said, “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me.” (Bp. M. Simpson, D. D.)

Isaiah 2:4  "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people...."

"He shall judge among the nations. The word “judge” is not always used in its purely judicial sense, but in that of government,—the exercise of regal power both in mercy and judgment; and in this sense we here take it." Richard Watson, BI

As J. Parker points out, Isaiah's egalitarian vision is profound in significance and radical in its day:

Consider what that prediction meant in Isaiah’s time. He lived within well-defined boundaries and limitations: the Jew was not a great man in the sense of including within his personal aspirations all classes, conditions, and estates of men; left to himself he could allow the Gentiles to die by thousands daily without shedding a tear upon their fallen bodies; he lived amongst his own people; it was enough for him that the Jews were happy, for the Gentiles were but dogs. Here is a new view of human nature, great enlargement of spiritual boundaries. (J. Parker, D. D.)

1. b. Acts 2:14-18  Peter at Pentecost references Joel---In the last days I will pour out my spirit on all flesh---your sons and daughters shall prophecy, young men shall see visions, old men see dreams....

Hebrews 1:2 In the last days, He speaks to us through his Son--who was present at creation and appointed heir of all things.

2 Timothy 3:1-5  There will be times of difficulty.  People will be self-lovers, $ lovers, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless [without love], unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous [disposed toward betrayal], reckless [rash], swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of Godliness but denying its power.  Avoid such people.

2. Isaiah exhorts the house of Jacob to "walk in the light of the Lord."  Isaiah 2:5

"Dr. Charles Berry said, in the last pastoral letter he wrote, “There are some things—the best things—that can only be seen when the lights of life are turned low, and the light of God is left to shine alone.” -BI

Isaiah Week 1, Days Two & Three: Isaiah 1

Disclaimer: working my way through Isaiah for the Advent season, using this study.  These notes are my study answers--interesting to no one but me! 

Day 2

The book is directed to Judah (Southern Kingdom) which would fall about 100 years later. The Northern Kingdom was in its final days.

Isaiah 1:1  Isaiah had a "vision."

“Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me."  Isaiah 1:2

1:3  Ox knows owner, donkey its master's crib but my people don't know me.

1:5  Why do you continue to rebel?  Whole heart faint, whole head sick.

1:6-9  the city and people full of bruises....if the Lord had not left a remnant, we would be wiped out like Sodom & Gommorah.

1. He calls them His children; Ex 4:22--my first born son; Ex 6:6--my own people; Ex 19:5--my own special treasure, my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.

"There is something very beautiful and pathetic in the fact that Judah is not directly addressed, but that Isaiah 1:2 - Isaiah 1:4 are a divine soliloquy. They might rather be called a father’s lament than an indictment. The forsaken father is, as it were, sadly brooding over his erring child’s sins, which are his father’s sorrows and his own miseries....And this fatherly lament over Judah is indeed a wail over every child of man. Does it not echo in the ‘pearl of parables,’ and may we not suppose that it suggested that supreme revelation of man’s misery and God’s love?" -Andrew MacLaren

2. Judah has rebelled (v. 2), sinful/evil, have rejected the Lord.

3. His ideal people are obedient to his commands, holy. He will set them above other nations and give them praise, honor, and renown.  2 Corinthians--we are his ambassadors, reconciling people to him. 1 Peter 2:9--chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, God's very own possession

"After the indictment comes the sentence [Isaiah 1:5 - Isaiah 1:8]. Perhaps ‘sentence’ is not altogether accurate, for these verses do not so much decree a future as describe a present, and the deep tone of pitying wonder sounds through them as they tell of the bitter harvest sown by sin. The penetrating question, ‘Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more?’ brings out the solemn truth that all which men gain by rebellion against God is chastisement. The ox that ‘kicks against the pricks’ only makes its own hocks bleed. We aim at some imagined good, and we get-blows. No rational answer to that stern ‘Why?’ is possible. Every sin is an act of unreason, essentially an absurdity."  -Andrew MacLaren

4. For His larger purposes--He always saves a remnant.

Day 3

The Lord is disgusted with the lack of justice in Judah.  He detests their pomp and circumstance of holy days and ceremonies which he said he did not ask for. They are worshiping idols in forbidden places (v. 29) Leaders are rebels, companions of thieves (v23), demand bribes, and do not defend the widow or orphan.  They are described as murders

1. a. He's displeased because their behavior is poor, despite the religious show.

b. It's relevant because we still cling to outward show over inward obedience and change.  It's easier.  It's socially more acceptable.

2.  8 things:
stop meaningless gifts
stop special ceremonies/days
wash yourselves
learn to do good
seek justice
help the oppressed
defend orphans
fight for the rights of widows
obey me

3.regret--feel sad or disappointed over
remorse--deep regret for wrong committed
repentance--to feel sorry for

I think he wanted #3...the definitions don't really bear/flesh out what he wants.

4. Isaiah 1:18  Come let us settle this. Though your sins are scarlet, I will make them white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson, I will make them white as wool.

"If you obey me, you will have plenty to eat." Isaiah 1:19
"Those who repent will be revived by righteousness."  Isaiah 1:27

5.  "But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemy Isaiah 1:20  Rebels and sinners will be completely destroyed.

Isaiah, Week 1, Day 1

Working my way through Isaiah for the Advent season, using this study.  These notes are my study answers--interesting to no one but me! 

Day 1

1. The 12 sons of Jacob are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Isacchar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

2. Explain the prophecy of Judah from Genesis 14:10

 Gen 49:10  The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the One to whom it belongs, the One whom all nations will honor.

I think of a scepter as a symbol of power, so Judah will be a leader and his sons leaders until the coming of the Messiah ("the One to whom it belongs, the One whom all nations will honor).  

It's a Messianic prophecy.

All of the sons and their prophecies:

Reuben--as unruly as a flood, will be first no longer (v. 3-4)

Simeon & Levi--two of same kind, their weapons are instruments of violence--may I never be a part of their plans, for they murder men and cripple oxen for sport. (v.5)  A curse on their anger and wrath, He will scatter them (v.7)

Judah--your brothers will praise you, will grasp enemy by neck, all relatives bow before, like a young lion who has eaten his prey (v. 8), ties foal to grapevine, washes clothes in wine

The context of this prophecy is Jacob's deathbed blessing upon his sons, "Gather around me, and I will tell you what will happen to each of you in the days to come." Genesis 49:1 NLT

Zebulun--will live by seashore, be a harbor for ships (v.13)

Issachar--sturdy donkey resting between 2 saddlepacks, when sees how good land is he will rest his load and submit to hard labor (v. 15) (subjected to invading armies?)

Dan--will govern his people, but be like a poisonous viper on the roadside striking (v.16-17) BKC says that there was a discrepancy between his calling (Dan means justice) and his achievement.  The tribe of Dan was treacherous like the snake and in the period of Judges was the first to turn to idolatry.

Gad--will be attacked by marauding bands, but he will attack them when they retreat (v. 19)

Asher--will dine on rich foods and produce foods fit for kings (v.20)

Naphtali--doe set free who bears beautiful fawns. (v. 21)

Joseph--foal of a wild donkey on ridge, archers attack him but his bow remained taut and arms were strengthened by mighty one. May the blessings of your father surpass the blessings of the mighty mountains. prince among brothers. (v. 22-26)

Benjamin--a ravenous wolf, devouring his enemies in the morning and dividing plunder in evening. (v. 27)

2 Samuel 7:12-16  God's prophecy via Nathan to David--when you die, I will raise up one of your descendents, he will build a house, a temple for my name.  My favor will not be taken from him. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, your throne will be secure forever.

Matthew 1:  This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of Abraham and David. 14 generations (3X)....from Abraham to David, David to Babylonian exile, exile to Jesus

1.  Ahijah the prophet met Jeroboam leaving Jerusalem (Jeroboam was the son of Nebat, a member of the tribe of Ephraim)  While Jeroboam was a young man, Solomon made him superintendent over his men in building a fortress and other public works (Wikipedia).  In this position, he became aware of the widespread discontent of the populace due to Solomon's widespread extravagance. After being influenced by the words of Ahijah, he began to develop conspiracies. He was discovered, fled to Egypt until after death of Solomon.  Then he returned with a contingent and requested that Rehoboam lower taxes. When Rehoboam refused, he withdrew allegiance to David and formed the Northern Kingdom (Samaria).  Only Bejamin and Judah remained and formed new kingdom of Judah under Rehoboam.  Rebuilt Shechem and established two state temples with golden calves...one in Bethel and one in Dan.  The goal was to keep people away from old allegiances in Jerusalem.  Bethel and Dan were already cultic sites so this was more of a revival of that than a new thing.  Toward the end of Jeroboam's reign, Abijah (Rehoboam).  Jeroboam was badly beat back by Abijah, lost Bethel and some other cities.

2. Jeroboam built separate centers of worship and included golden calves.  God's directions via Moses before they went into the Promised Land were not to worship as the pagan do (Deut 12:4)  They were to destroy their centers of pagan worship and everything affiliated with them.  Instead they are to seek God at the place He choose (Deut 12:5).  They are told their pattern of worship will change and that they are to bring all their offerings and celebrate at the place chosen by God: "You must celebrate there," with their family and servants.  Additionally, they are cautioned, "be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you like" (Deut.12:12).  Offerings of meat and blood are to be made only where the Lord approves...they are not to drink the blood. (Deut 12). They should only celebrate Passover and the Feast of Booths at the place of the Lord's choice (Deut 16). Solomon dedicates the temple before all of Israel and pleads to the Lord, "May You watch over this temple day and night...may You always hear the prayers I make toward this temple" (1 Kings 8:28-29).  Solomon asks, if the people of Israel go and fight where you send them and pray toward this temple, may God listen and honor their cause. If they sin and end up in captivity but repent and pray to You, hear and uphold their cause (1 Kings 8:44-48). The Lord hears their prayers and has set apart this temple to be holy . He will always watch over this temple (1 Kings 9:3).  He rejected Joseph's descendants and chose Judah's, on Mount Zion He chose to build a temple (Ps 78:67-69).  The woman at the well asked about the proper place to worship and Jesus said the time is coming when it won't matter (John 4). True worshipers will worship in "spirit and truth." Exodus 20:4-5--You must not make of yourself an idol of anything from the heavens, earth or sea.  Deut 21:5--The Lord has chosen the Levites to minister before him and to decide legal/criminal. Exodus 28:1--God set apart Aaron and Levites for priestly service.

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Background and Outline of Isaiah from Andrew MacLaren

The Center of Interest. The prophet deals primarily with the nation and not with the individual. He speaks primarily of the present and not of the future. These two facts must be kept constantly in mind as we read and interpret the book.

Analysis
1-Discourses Concerning Judah and Israel, Chs. 1-12.
2-Some promises and rebukes, Chs. 1-6.
3-The book of Immanuel, Chs. 7-12.

Prophesies against Foreign Nations, Chs. 13-23
4-The Judgment of the World and the Triumph of God's People, Chs.24-27.
5-The judgments. Ch. 24.
6-The triumph. Chs. 25-27.

Judah's Relation to Egypt and Assyria, Chs. 38-32.

The Great Deliverance of Jerusalem, Chs. 33-39.

The Book of Consolation, Chs. 40-66.
7-God's preparation for certain deliverance, Chs. 40-48.
8-Jehovah's servant, the Messiah, will bring this deliverance. Chs. 49-57.
9-The restoration of Zion and the Messianic Kingdom, with promises and warnings for the future. Chs. 58-66.

Bible Wanderings

I've been a Christian for 25 years now--maybe more.  As a Catholic teenager, I knew God distantly, though I struggled with absolute faith in His reality and refused to align my life with Him for years. A prodigal daughter, I had my doubts and rebelliously went my own way.  It took all of my teen years and some of my 20's before I sorted that mess out.  Or He did.

When I became a Christian--definitively and freely--at age 24 (1993), I began reading the Bible in earnest.  By now, I'd guess I've read it cover-to-cover 15 times or more.  For many years I worked through it annually, though I eventually tired of that pace:  it was too fast, as if I was flying over the landscape when I wished to walk.   The last four years I've spent at the opposite extreme--working through a chronological reading plan that was supposed to take a year. This allowed me to get lost in the landscape, which was fun in a different way.  I was mature and disciplined enough to eventually re-emerge, find the trail, and pick it back up--until, I'd get lost again.  It was a lovely journey with many worthy side-trails, but I'm ready for more structure again.

The last five months (June through October) I've worked through three different women's online Bible studies through Lifeway.  Each required the purchase of a study guide, but the accompanying videos were available free at the website for a limited time. This was a good exercise and kept me faithfully moving along--something different for the lazy summer and early fall.

Here are the ones completed:

Entrusted (2 Timothy)--Beth Moore

We Saved You a Seat--a study of Biblical Friendship--Lisa Jo Baker

All Things New (2 Corinthians)--Kelly Minter

I enjoyed all three for different reasons.

Beth Moore has good content and great passion, though I must admit that I tired of filling out those blanks.  At age 48, I suffer from blank burnout!

I also find I have little patience for chatty "reflect on your own life responses."  It's not that I'm against reflecting, but more that I'd rather do it in my own way and time---not because I need to fill a blank in some study guide. So although I'm a rule follower at heart, I  confess I've skipped many of the chatty blanks this time or just put skeletonal bits.

Men's Bible studies and general audience Bible studies don't typically  torture their audience with these types of exercises.  Why do women's studies insist upon this with women?  It feels too much like forced confession or scripted intimacy to me.  I know their intent is good, but....I would rather get on with the scriptures and leave the heart implications to the inner working of my spirit in good time.

The friendship study was worthwhile because I wasn't raised with a Christian concept of healthy female friendship--definitely a void. The videos were structured around a group of four of Lisa Jo Baker's friends chatting with her in authentic ways about various friendship issues.  Although I'd say this was the least "meaty" of the three studies, I found it a refreshing format. I thought this study would be a good one to do with our girls because they had a teen version of the study guide, but I just don't think they were ready for the videos--too adult in content for the 13 year-old and the 18 year-old was in transition to college and too many other things pulling.  I determined after this that the teen guides, although a nice attempt, don't bridge the gap enough.

 Kelly Minter's study on 2 Corinthians was strong in the content of the study guide, but unfortunately I lost my first copy in a hotel and the second one I ordered got lost in route.  So I finished the study on my own, reading through 2 Corinthians, relying on just the video commentary.  It's gotten me through, but it's probably not fair for me to evaluate the study because of the wacky way it's been.

So what next?  I was thinking about some kind of Advent focus....but a quick online search left me uninspired.  Either the readings were too fragmented, jumping around to snippets of gospel and prophecy, or they were predominately the beginning of Luke, dragged out for weeks.  

I do know I've gotten too far from the Old Testament for sure.  My son David and I were talking the other day about an Old Testament Survey class he's in, and sadly, I couldn't remember the name of David's mistress (landed on Delilah's name first before Bathsheba) and went through several male names before I remembered her husband was Uriah.  Although I'm getting older, and I do know the story well, the rusty thing with the names is not good.

In looking through the Advent readings, I inevitably stumbled upon multiple references to the book of Isaiah---boom--there it is.  Isaiah fits nicely with the upcoming Advent of Christ, is a book I haven't visited in awhile, and will keep me grounded through Christmas.   And the new year? Too far off to guess at yet, but I'm thinking back to the Old Testament in some concrete form.

In the meanwhile, I'll be in Isaiah.  Here is a rather ambitious study in Isaiah (178 page document) that I might pick through from Grace Church Memphis.  I'll let you know how it all goes.