Jeremiah had a difficult job to do. He felt called to deliver the bad news of impending disaster, namely that the whole region of the Holy Land was about to be overrun by the forces of the Babylonian Empire. Other prophets felt called to dispute the message delivered by Jeremiah. They felt so strongly, in fact, they stirred up a plot to kill Jeremiah. Those plans failed. Jeremiah lived, but he may have lived cautiously.
I feel some sympathy for the leaders of Judah. One prophet said, “Doom and gloom,” while other prophets said, “Peace and prosperity.” Whom ought the leaders to believe? I suppose it may have depended on the consistency of truth told by the prophets, respectively, and any convictions arising in the leaders as a result.
We are led to believe Jeremiah stated truth when he condemned the leaders’ oppression, greed, injustice, and idolatry. If those leaders came under conviction, if they thought, “He’s right, we have oppressed the poor, we have stolen in order to gain wealth, we have defended our clique against the rightful claims of others, and we have worshiped idols,” then they may have concluded, “All of that is true, so we must believe he’s telling the truth, even in the bad news he seems compelled to publish.”
To be clear: I do not feel sympathy for those leaders in their wrongdoing. My sympathy stems from the predicament of their having received conflicting messages from the prophets. What does one do when the advice one has requested is mixed? For that matter what does one do with unsolicited advice, part of which advises one thing and part of which advises another?
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Jeremiah 22-24, Psalm 112
Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. (Psalm 112:1)
Hallelujah! God-respecters, eager and joyful divine will-doers are filled with holy bliss.
Hallelujah! God-respecters, eager and joyful divine will-doers are filled with holy bliss.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Jeremiah 19-21
Jeremiah is called to announce the LORD's judgment from which there is no escape-- no more second chances, no reprieves. No matter what the people say, no matter what they do,even if they should suddenly repent of all wrongdoing, they will suffer the consequences of their previous ungodly behaviors.
One lyric of a country song says, "Baby, give me one more last chance." Ha. Any last chance ought to be THE last chance.
Get ready, people. The unstoppable advances on you, and you are not immovable.
One lyric of a country song says, "Baby, give me one more last chance." Ha. Any last chance ought to be THE last chance.
Get ready, people. The unstoppable advances on you, and you are not immovable.
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Jeremiah 16-18
[According to Jeremiah, the LORD says,] “Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for you have kindled my anger, and it will burn forever.” (Jeremiah 17:4)
Taken alone or taken in the context of Jeremiah’s many condemnations, this proclamation reflects on God as both angry and vengeful. I have difficulty trusting it as God’s final word toward the people of Judah, let alone God’s final message to humankind. I could be wrong. Maybe Judah went too far, and the LORD remains continually hostile with them. Perhaps humankind is entirely at fault, and God is permanently pissed off at us.
But I am looking for another final word from God, one that balances, if not rescinds, the image of God as both angry and vengeful. Will a Word of reconciliation come from Jeremiah the prophet? Will peace between God and humankind be proclaimed by another prophet? Will hope spring up somewhere in sacred scripture? Will restoration become Gods final “final word” for human beings? Where is the larger context that balances, if not rescinds, Jeremiah’s reflection on God as both mad and bitter toward people?
Taken alone or taken in the context of Jeremiah’s many condemnations, this proclamation reflects on God as both angry and vengeful. I have difficulty trusting it as God’s final word toward the people of Judah, let alone God’s final message to humankind. I could be wrong. Maybe Judah went too far, and the LORD remains continually hostile with them. Perhaps humankind is entirely at fault, and God is permanently pissed off at us.
But I am looking for another final word from God, one that balances, if not rescinds, the image of God as both angry and vengeful. Will a Word of reconciliation come from Jeremiah the prophet? Will peace between God and humankind be proclaimed by another prophet? Will hope spring up somewhere in sacred scripture? Will restoration become Gods final “final word” for human beings? Where is the larger context that balances, if not rescinds, Jeremiah’s reflection on God as both mad and bitter toward people?
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Jeremiah 13-15
Here is the problem: Some of Judah's prophets announce peace. "Let the good times roll," they say, in effect, but they have not received their messages from God. Jeremiah the prophet HAS received God's revelation.
[He says,] "LORD, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering—do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails."
Therefore, this is what the Lord says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them." (Jeremiah 15:15-19)
If he is to remain faithful to the LORD, then Jeremiah must endure the inevitable emnity between them and himself. He is set apart, not through his own doing, but by God's.
[He says,] "LORD, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering—do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails."
Therefore, this is what the Lord says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them." (Jeremiah 15:15-19)
If he is to remain faithful to the LORD, then Jeremiah must endure the inevitable emnity between them and himself. He is set apart, not through his own doing, but by God's.
Friday, July 26, 2019
Jeremiah 10-12, Psalm 111
“And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 12:16-17)
I wonder which nations of the world are learning the ways of a godly people. I wonder how the nations of the world are listening for a word from God. I wonder what may be hindering me in my efforts to hear and to heed God.
Help, God! Amen.
I wonder which nations of the world are learning the ways of a godly people. I wonder how the nations of the world are listening for a word from God. I wonder what may be hindering me in my efforts to hear and to heed God.
Help, God! Amen.
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Jeremiah 4-6
Well, this is a "fine kettle of fish!" I've skipped the readings for Wednesday this week. If I've made you feel "out of order," dear reader, I apologize. What follows is a reflection on the readings specified for yesterday...
[The LORD says,] “A horrible and shocking thing
[The LORD says,] “A horrible and shocking thing
has happened in the land:
The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:30-31)
The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:30-31)
Perversity: a deliberate desire to behave in an unreasonable or unacceptable way; contrariness.
What is a prophet to do? The prophet is bound to tell the truth, to repeat a word from God. What is a priest to do? The priest is called to mediate the things of God among a people and to represent them before God. What are God's people to do? God's people are to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (reference Micah 6:8).
Jeremiah pours out his heart at the perversity he sees.
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Jeremiah 7-9
This sentence:
“Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching!” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 7:11)
Causes me to think of this:
“It is written,” [Jesus] said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” Matthew 21:13)
Jesus stands in the prophetic tradition of Jeremiah. Take note.
“Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching!” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 7:11)
Causes me to think of this:
“It is written,” [Jesus] said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” Matthew 21:13)
Jesus stands in the prophetic tradition of Jeremiah. Take note.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Jeremiah 1-3, Psalm 110
During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:6-10)
Jeremiah is a prophet to Judah, the God-chosen kingdom of the southern Holy Land. Here he has plenty to say about the kingdom of the northern Holy Land, namely, Israel. Israel had been overrun by the Assyrians in ~ 722 BCE. Jeremiah diagnoses the root of Israel’s problems in Israel’s idolatry, which he likens to adultery on the scale of humanity. Israel is “married” to the LORD. When Israel worships other gods, then, the people adulterate their covenant relationship with God. That Israel and the LORD have divorced is confirmed in the prophet’s thinking by the evidence given in Assyrian conquest and occupation of Israel’s territory.
Judah, the southern kingdom, might have learned from Israel’s negative example. But during the reign of Josiah (~ 640-608 BCE) the worship of idols was widespread still, according to Jeremiah’s witness. The people of Judah had had opportunities to learn from experience and to grow in faithfulness to God, but they had not. They had kept up the pretense of faith without delivering on the practice of faith.
Does this story have application in my life and yours, reader? Have you and I learned from others’ negative experiences and our own? Are we growing in grace and faithfulness to God, or are we merely maintaining the pretense of doing so? What would God have us to be? What is God inviting us to do?
Jeremiah is a prophet to Judah, the God-chosen kingdom of the southern Holy Land. Here he has plenty to say about the kingdom of the northern Holy Land, namely, Israel. Israel had been overrun by the Assyrians in ~ 722 BCE. Jeremiah diagnoses the root of Israel’s problems in Israel’s idolatry, which he likens to adultery on the scale of humanity. Israel is “married” to the LORD. When Israel worships other gods, then, the people adulterate their covenant relationship with God. That Israel and the LORD have divorced is confirmed in the prophet’s thinking by the evidence given in Assyrian conquest and occupation of Israel’s territory.
Judah, the southern kingdom, might have learned from Israel’s negative example. But during the reign of Josiah (~ 640-608 BCE) the worship of idols was widespread still, according to Jeremiah’s witness. The people of Judah had had opportunities to learn from experience and to grow in faithfulness to God, but they had not. They had kept up the pretense of faith without delivering on the practice of faith.
Does this story have application in my life and yours, reader? Have you and I learned from others’ negative experiences and our own? Are we growing in grace and faithfulness to God, or are we merely maintaining the pretense of doing so? What would God have us to be? What is God inviting us to do?
Monday, July 22, 2019
Isaiah 64-66
For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:12-13)
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river.
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Isaiah 61-63
This:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners... (Isaiah 61:1)
Reminds me of this:
[Jesus reads from the scroll,] “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free...” (Luke 4:18)
Jesus stands in the prophetic tradition of Isaiah the Prophet.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners... (Isaiah 61:1)
Reminds me of this:
[Jesus reads from the scroll,] “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free...” (Luke 4:18)
Jesus stands in the prophetic tradition of Isaiah the Prophet.
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Isaiah 58-60
This:
He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. (Isaiah 59:17)
Makes me think of this:
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Great themes of faith are repeated, aren’t they, reader? What theme are you and I repeating with emphasis today?
He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. (Isaiah 59:17)
Makes me think of this:
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Great themes of faith are repeated, aren’t they, reader? What theme are you and I repeating with emphasis today?
Friday, July 19, 2019
Isaiah 55-57, Psalm 109
The Sovereign Lord declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.” (Isaiah 56:8)
This is a little like—
[Jesus says,] “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)
I suspect we humans have no idea of the scope of God’s ultimate soul-gathering plans.
This is a little like—
[Jesus says,] “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)
I suspect we humans have no idea of the scope of God’s ultimate soul-gathering plans.
Isaiah 52-54
In these chapters the LORD speaks to the Israeli people exiled in Babylon. A return to their homeland is promised. Why has capture and exile happened, and why is a return promised? The Israeli people's suffering is redemptive. The prophet uses the figure of a "suffering servant" to show how the story of Israeli capture, exile, and return explains the LORD's plan of salvation.
Centuries later, Christian apologists will look at this same story and connect the figure of a "suffering servant" with the person and work of Jesus Christ in order to explain again the LORD's plan of salvation.
Centuries later, Christian apologists will look at this same story and connect the figure of a "suffering servant" with the person and work of Jesus Christ in order to explain again the LORD's plan of salvation.
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Isaiah 50-51, Psalm 108
My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth. (Psalm 108:1-5)
The heart may be loyal, but the will can be wayward. Can music bring everything together, the music of essential being? I hope so.
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Isaiah 46-49
And now the Lord says,
who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says:
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the preserved of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:5-6)
who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says:
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the preserved of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:5-6)
Here is the universalizing statement for God's plan of salvation. The servant of the Lord is formed for the purpose of bringing the chosen people back to God, "...to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel...," but more than that, the servant is also destined to extend God's salvation to all, "...that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." God's love is not limited to the Jewish people. No! God loves all people and, if any are willing, restores them to God's self.
Isaiah 43-45
When you pass through the waters I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)
How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
"Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
"When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.
"When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
"E'en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
"The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)
This verse of scripture is one source of inspiration for writing the hymn titled, How Firm a Foundation. Check out its lyrics:
How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
"Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
"When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
"E'en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
"The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."
The author of these lyrics is known only as "K." Read about the mystery surrounding "K" by clicking on this link:
Isaiah 40-42
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary,
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary,
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)
These verses hold a special place in my heart. Years ago, during a time when I doubted my calling, I was guided to them. As I read, "...they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength...," I began to feel stronger. I felt divine energy pulsing through me. I stood against the doubts; and God reaffirmed my calling. It's thrilling to remember and to treasure how these words from the Bible helped me then.
God, thank you for your grace!
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Isaiah 38-39, Psalm 107
The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?” “They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.” (Isaiah 39:4)
Oops! Bad move, Hezekiah. The king would have been better served by restraining himself, by letting outsiders know little of his kingdom, not much, and especially so much concerning the wealth of the kingdom.
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) Pride will be the undoing of Hezekiah’s rule. The treasures of Judah will be taken away.
Of what am I most prideful? Of whom do you swell with pride, reader? When we put our boasting on full display, what may we expect as one outcome?
Oops! Bad move, Hezekiah. The king would have been better served by restraining himself, by letting outsiders know little of his kingdom, not much, and especially so much concerning the wealth of the kingdom.
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) Pride will be the undoing of Hezekiah’s rule. The treasures of Judah will be taken away.
Of what am I most prideful? Of whom do you swell with pride, reader? When we put our boasting on full display, what may we expect as one outcome?
Isaiah 36-37, Psalms 105-106
Continuing my “catching up” ...
We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. (Psalm 106:6)
It is astonishing that here in the liturgy of the Jewish faith is a record of Jewish sins. Many authorized historians gloss over their nation’s sins or omit them altogether in the histories they write. Not so for ancient Judah—its record of wrongs is on full display, not only in the chronicles of the kingdom, but also in the poetry/hymnody of its national religion!
I wonder if a national day of confession, instead of a national day of prayer, might be a good thing for a nation today.
We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. (Psalm 106:6)
It is astonishing that here in the liturgy of the Jewish faith is a record of Jewish sins. Many authorized historians gloss over their nation’s sins or omit them altogether in the histories they write. Not so for ancient Judah—its record of wrongs is on full display, not only in the chronicles of the kingdom, but also in the poetry/hymnody of its national religion!
I wonder if a national day of confession, instead of a national day of prayer, might be a good thing for a nation today.
Isaiah 33-35
Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed. (Isaiah 33:1)
I guess “what goes around comes around,” huh?
I guess “what goes around comes around,” huh?
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Isaiah 30-32
The fortress will be abandoned,
the noisy city deserted;
citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever,
the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
till the Spirit is poured on us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
and the fertile field seems like a forest.
The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
his righteousness live in the fertile field. (Isaiah 32:14-16)
the noisy city deserted;
citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever,
the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
till the Spirit is poured on us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
and the fertile field seems like a forest.
The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
his righteousness live in the fertile field. (Isaiah 32:14-16)
Doom and gloom is announced again and again in Isaiah's prophecy. Promise and hope are announced again and again, too. In these verses there is a tight pairing. Citadel and watchtower will become wasteland forever! But when Spirit comes justice, righteousness, and fertility will live! The juxtaposition takes my breath away, and why not? The Spirit of God is the Breath of God...
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Isaiah 27-29
And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth. 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. (Isaiah 28:7-10 NIV)
False prophets are mocked in the verses above. They lack understanding. Either they are literally intoxicated and so unable to state the Word of the LORD accurately, or they are out of their league. They presume to be true prophets, but they are not. When they presume to speak the Word of the LORD it comes out as meaningless repetition of religious platitudes—a rule for this, a rule for that, etc.
To me this is another indication that a life of faith cannot be reduced to one’s attempt to obey “the rules.”
False prophets are mocked in the verses above. They lack understanding. Either they are literally intoxicated and so unable to state the Word of the LORD accurately, or they are out of their league. They presume to be true prophets, but they are not. When they presume to speak the Word of the LORD it comes out as meaningless repetition of religious platitudes—a rule for this, a rule for that, etc.
To me this is another indication that a life of faith cannot be reduced to one’s attempt to obey “the rules.”
Monday, July 8, 2019
Isaiah 24-26
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.
Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.
We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.
Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:1-4)
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:1-4)
In chapters 24-26 of Isaiah's prophecy the destruction of the earth is foretold. When the message was first delivered in antiquity Judah was the last stronghold of the once-unified nation of Israel. They were being threatened by foreign powers; and Isaiah delivered an unpopular prophecy, namely that just as all of its neighboring kingdoms had been conquered, so Judah would be defeated also. But some time after Judah's defeat, Judah would rise from defeat and become a great nation again. (See Isaiah 25:1-4 above.)
The destruction of Judah as described in Isaiah 24-26 is thorough and widespread. In fact it is characterized as the destruction of the whole earth. If, as Isaiah 24:23 states, "The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed...," then perhaps the destruction foretold extends to the whole cosmos! Was Isaiah the prophet naming the feelings of Judah's people, that is, they felt the foundations of both nation and creation threatened, or was he describing an actual undoing of both nation and creation at some time in their future?
There is one thing of which I am fairly certain: In his time Isaiah expresses the hopes and fears of the people of Judah.
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Isaiah 20-23
You saw that the walls of the City of David
were broken through in many places;
you stored up water
in the Lower Pool.
You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
and tore down houses to strengthen the wall.
You built a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard for the One who planned it long ago. (Isaiah 22:9-11)
were broken through in many places;
you stored up water
in the Lower Pool.
You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
and tore down houses to strengthen the wall.
You built a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard for the One who planned it long ago. (Isaiah 22:9-11)
Those who inhabited ancient Jerusalem took pains to supply water from outside the walls of the city to a pool located on the inside of those walls. Why? So that if an enemy besieged the city and surrounded it, the besieged citizens would have a ready water supply.
Today, those ancient waterworks are being mapped and studied by archaeologists. Here is a link to an article related to that work:
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have...
Isaiah 17-19
Catching up...
The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:25)
If we are to take these words seriously, then it seems that the LORD Almighty has something good to do with Egyptians, for they are God's people, with Assyrians, for they are God's handiwork, and with Israelites, for they are God's inheritance. If all persons take these words to heart, then how can the Egyptian condemn the Assyrian or the Israelite? How can the Assyrian have nothing to do with the Israelite or the Egyptian, and how can the Israelite hate the Egyptian or the Assyrian?
Strife among the people of Egypt, Israel, and Assyria continues to this very day. The human family rejects the blessings of the LORD Almighty.
Isaiah 13-16
Catching up...
In the Bible's book of Isaiah, chapters 13-16, the nations of Babylon, Assyria, and Moab are condemned, while the nation of Israel is encouraged. But among all of the prophet's words here are these:
I will punish the world for its evil,
the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
and will humble the pride of the ruthless. (Isaiah 13:11)
In the Bible's book of Isaiah, chapters 13-16, the nations of Babylon, Assyria, and Moab are condemned, while the nation of Israel is encouraged. But among all of the prophet's words here are these:
I will punish the world for its evil,
the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
and will humble the pride of the ruthless. (Isaiah 13:11)
Judgment, punishment, and promises for the nations abound, but in this one verse there is a warning and a promise. The entire world stands under God's justice. Let those who are wicked, arrogant, prideful, or ruthless take note: "I will punish. I will put an end to you," says the LORD.
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Isaiah 10-12
In the Bible's book of Isaiah, chapters 10-12 the prophet declares that Assyria is punishing the Israelites for their disobedience to God. Assyria is God's instrument, but Assyria fails to recognize, honor, worship, or obey the LORD, also. When the time of Judah's punishment is complete the judgment and punishment of Assyria will take place. A remnant of the Israelite people will be restored. One picture of that restoration has this appearance:
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah (11:6-9)
As far as I can tell this vision has never been fulfilled in history. We still wait.
Waiting on the World to Change
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah (11:6-9)
As far as I can tell this vision has never been fulfilled in history. We still wait.
Waiting on the World to Change
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Isaiah 7-9
This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me,warning me not to follow the way of this people:
“Do not call conspiracy
everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,
and do not dread it.
The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
he is the one you are to fear,
he is the one you are to dread..." (Isaiah 8:11-13)
“Do not call conspiracy
everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,
and do not dread it.
The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
he is the one you are to fear,
he is the one you are to dread..." (Isaiah 8:11-13)
In the reading above the word conspiracy called me to attention. Today, in our world, in my own country conspiracy theories run rampant. Digital communication and social networks have facilitated their promulgation. To me it's tempting to blame advanced communication technology for the fears incited by those who use it, but the scripture passage above reminds me that conspiracy theories have been going around for a long, long time, and false conspiracy theories, presented as factual--"fake news," if you will--have been a "thing" since the time of Isaiah the Prophet!
Why not call "everything this people calls a conspiracy" a conspiracy? Because not "everything this people calls a conspiracy" IS a conspiracy. Why not fear what the false conspiracy-mongers fear? Because there is nothing to dread in their groundless claims!
Why not fear the Lord Almighty instead? Because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Reference Proverbs 9:10.); and perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18); and finally, God is love (1 John 4:8).
God/Love > conspiracy/fear/dread...just saying...
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Isaiah 4-6, Psalm 104
According to the psalmist, the wonder and majesty of Creator God is seen in the natural world. Sunrise, sunset, and all weather are of God. The paths and pools of water--from tiny mountain springs to vast ocean depths--are of God. The intertwined web of food chains, supplying nourishment for every living thing, is of God.
The psalmist's response to all of this is to acknowledge Creator God as the God of great glory and to praise Creator God by singing, meditation, and prayer.
I suppose I am like the psalmist, as the subject of this video inspires me to sing, meditate, and pray.
Monday, July 1, 2019
Isaiah 1-3
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17)
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17)
In the verses that precede Isaiah 1:16-17, the Word of the LORD condemns Israelite sacrifices, offerings, and prayers. Why? Their worship is hypocritical. They profess to know, love, and worship God, but they do not follow God's way. According to God's way, Israelites are instructed never to oppress anyone. According to God's way, orphans and widows must be defended and supported. Apparently the Israelites aren't going God's way, for the Word of the LORD above emphasizes seeking justice, defending the oppressed, taking up the cause of the fatherless and pleading the case of the widow.
Someone has said that the health of a nation is revealed in the way that it treats its most vulnerable citizens. If that is so, then Judah and Jerusalem (reference Isaiah 1:1) are not very healthy at the time of Isaiah's vision.
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