Isaiah 29 - Woes of Jerusalem

 

Isaiah 29– Woes of Jerusalem

 

This prophecy was given by Isaiah during the times of King Nebuchadnezzar and his destruction of the city. It was also during the beginning of the Gentiles.

 

The prophecy says that the final battle of Jerusalem will be the worst of all, but God will intervene at the last moment and deliver His people from extinction. All the dreams of the enemies of God who want to bring in their own kingdom will be frustrated, and God will put them down. God will build His own Kingdom and establish it Himself. Just as he said he will do. God gave His teachings to the Israelites of Jerusalem, but they kept rejecting it. So, God told them ‘Have it your way’ you will be as a blind man.

 

If we reject God’s teaching it will be as if we have become ignorant of God’s plans for our future. God promises to give us wisdom and understanding if we ask for it.

 

The temple was crowded with people making sacrifices. They could recite the Lord’s prayer and the laws. The problem was they didn’t believe what they were saying. It was a ritual for them.

 

If we come to Bible Class or communion without an open heart, it is just a ritual. It is one thing to say I am religious but not have a relationship with Christ. God wants us to give up our religion, our ritual activities and come to Him as a sinner who accepted Christ and are building a relationship with Him.

 

Jerusalem had two woes: One because they act as if God does not see and the 2^nd. They act as if they are getting by with it.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

Isaiah 28 - Trust the Word of God, Study

 

Isaiah 28 – Trust the Word of God, Study

 

Isaiah addressed the northern tribe, Ephraim and accused them of drunkenness and an unteachable spirit. The religious leaders told Isaiah not to talk to them like children; after all, they knew the law! But God would talk to them through the Assyrians whose tongue Israel would not understand. If God’ people will not listen to His voice from the word, they may have to listen to foreign voices that speak no peace and show no love. The thing that caused Ephraim’s downfall was their crown of pride, but in the Millennium, they won’t have material riches but they will have spiritual riches and it will be a crown of glory.

 

It was a confident time in Israel, but their prosperity would fade like a trampled flower, be carried away in a storm and flood, and be swallowed like fruit. Judgment was at the gate. The Israelites were fed the word of God line upon line, precept upon precept and it was a daily grind for them to get into the word. Even though they learned the Word of God, they did not follow through with the teaching n their lives. They had backslidden just as some Christians do when they do not put every effort in staying in the Word daily.

 

Then Isiah denounced the sin of Judah, which was trusting false gods. Jesus Christ is God’s stone, and He alone is a sure refuge from the storm (Isa. 8:14). You have as much protection from lies as you do from a blanket that is too short! God is seeking a harvest and knows exactly how to handle the soil and the seed. God’s people may not enjoy the plowing and threshing, but the results are worth it. If you are hard and resist God, you are a hard grain and judgment will be severe for you. We ourselves determine our own judgment in the choices we make. If we study His word and follow His guidelines in the Word, He will spare us, and his judgment will be filled with His mercy and grace.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Isaiah 27 - "In That Day"

 

Isaiah 27 – “In That Day”

 

In the future, Christ will come with His sword. The sword being the word of God. The word of God spoke us into creation and the word of God will bring judgment against all nations. He won’t need anything else. The Leviathan is Satan. (Rev. 12:9). Satan probably thinks he can’t be judged. He probably thinks he is beyond the judgment of God. He has great pride in himself. There are many people today that follow the same thinking but they will be in for a rude awakening.

 

During the time of the 1000 years when Christ will reign there will be an abundance of fruit and Jesus is the vinedresser. He will guard it day and night so that no enemy may come upon it. He is talking of Israel and He has not given up on Israel. In that day it will flourish, and Jesus will protect it. Jesus will be the peace between Israel and all who may come against it.

 

Because Israel is God’s chosen people, they will be judged harsher than the other nations, but they will not be destroyed. God will allow many nations to be destroyed during the tribulation, but God will not destroy Israel. Because of His infinite mercy He will save out a remnant for Himself. He will restore them to the promised land.

 

Great cities will be destroyed that man has built but the nation of the Israelites will one day gather again in the promised land that Jesus watches over them. We can also be a part of that union if we but trust and obey the Lord and stay strong until the end.

From Israel blessings shall flow to the whole world.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Isaiah 26 - Peace, Perfect Peace

 

Isaiah 26 – Peace, Perfect Peace

 

This is a song that Isaiah says will be sung in the land of Judah. He is talking about the future, after the Tribulation. The song talks about peace. Anxiety happens to all of us. Jesus reminded His followers that “in the world you will have tribulation.” God gives peace despite conflict and turmoil.

Peace is so basic to God’s nature that it is part of His name. God the Father is the “God of peace.” God the son is the prince of peace. And God the Holy spirit produces peace in our lives.

To have “perfect peace,” we must focus our minds on God and trust in Him. The answer to human insecurities is to “trust in the Lord forever.” In Him we should find our security, peace and confidence.

We are surrounded by plenty of problems that fill our thoughts. Beset by fear and insecurity, we feel shaky, unstable, and unsafe.

Jesus told His followers on the eve of His death, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” With Christ’s peace in our hearts, we can be secure, knowing that He is in control. Isaiah speaks of our pain here on earth as being like the pain of childbirth. He says it is like the wind. Meaning the pain we bear does not bear any fruit. It is useless pain. When we say it is useless pain it is because we do not see our pain as something that works to the good for the glory of God.

We need to change our attitudes about our problems. We can either let it bring us down into a state of depression or we can allow our pain to work through us and bring us closer to God. We only need to trust that God knows what is best for us and the pain we bear now is only temporary to end on the day that we step foot into heaven.

Knowing that the future is secure in the Lord is an encouragement when you suffer. Rom. 8:18-25, 2 Cor. 5:1-8.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

 

 

isaiah 25 - The Kingdom Age

 

Isaiah 25 – The Kingdom Age

 

The tribulation period is over, and Christ is on His throne. This is a praise to God for deliverance. It is a song of sheer delight and worship. It totally comes from the heart because the worshiper has come into a new knowledge of who God is and what He has done. All of the past is gone now, they are delivered from their enemies, and they no longer need a wall around them to protect them. This is the Millennium where man will turn to God. This is the joy that comes in the morning. The Anti-Christ has been defeated. There will be a feast of fat things. There will be no worry of gaining weight on these fat things, it will be a spiritual feast.

 

Death is humanity’s enemy. People fear death and the sorrow it brings. This is the first prophecy of the destruction of death and grief. In Christ’s death, the curse and power of death were destroyed forever. Believers have the promise of new life now and eternal life with God. Isaiah writes that the “Lord will wipe away all tears from faces.” In Revelation, John describes the same picture. “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” “There shall be no more pain.” For believers’ death is a gateway to eternal life. Who wouldn’t want to be happy throughout eternity? Christ is the real Messiah, the real ruler. Man will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. This is the time that the Meek will inherit the earth.

 

In heaven, there may not be a concept of time, I believe God will have something for each of us to do and there will be no boredom. We are all going to be so happy to be face to face with Jesus and all our loved ones, that we won’t care how long eternity is. We will be singing and praising God throughout eternity.. Praise His Holy Name.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah

 

Isaiah 23, 24 - Proclamation Against Tyre and the Whole Earth.

 

Isaiah 23 – Proclamation Against Tyre

 

Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities that brought great wealth to the nation by shipping and trading.

God said the old city of Tyre will not be rebuilt and still today it lays in ruin. It happened just as Isaiah warned. Sidon was the mother city of Tyre and was never destroyed, it is the main oil industry of that land. When Tyre was destroyed the main wealth of Egypt that came through the ports was ended. It literally destroyed the commerce of Egypt. Any commercial center is a place of fun and joy. Once destroyed, the joy left. It is no longer a crowing city, setting up governments and legislation. Even those who travel the Nile River can freely come and go as Tyre is no longer in charge.

It seems that people who rarely cry over anything else will weep when they have money problems.

Assyria put Tyre and Sidon out of business for seventy years, and then they were restored. In the latter days they will become a great merchant city again. They will enter the millennium and their merchandise will be for them that dwell before the Lord. All that they have will be dedicated to the Lord. It will be a gift from the people.

 

Isiah 24 – Burdens of the Whole Earth

 

The Lord made the earth and is King over all the earth (Psalm 47:2), so He has a right to do what He pleases. He will punish sinners because they have not respected His covenant or cared for the earth as faithful stewards of His gifts. They have disobeyed His will, claimed the earth for themselves, and abused it selfishly.

When that time of judgment comes, God will pay no attention to anyone’s economic or social status. The joyful feast will become a funeral, those who try to escape will be trapped, and proud leaders will become prisoners. The Lord will humble “the haughty people” and the “exalted ones”.

All the unrighteous  will stand before God and be judged for their evil deeds and lack of faith in Him (Re. 20:11-15)

But Isaiah ends on a note of triumph: the Lord will reign gloriously.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Isaiah 22 - The Burden of Jerusalem

 

Isaiah 22 – The Burden of Jerusalem

 

A valley symbolizes a place of sorrow, humbleness, and death. Because Isaiah’s vision is one of sorrow and coming battle, the valley is the proper place for this vision. Curiosity and fear sent God’s people to their rooftops to see the approaching danger. This vision is probably of the Assyrian attack on Jerusalem (chaps. 36-37).

When a crisis occurs, different people respond in different ways.

 

The prophet saw events from a spiritual viewpoint and was burdened. The city leaders depended on their defenses and did not call for fasting and prayer. The people fasted and expected the worst. They had no faith in God. (I Cor. 15:32).

 

Shebna was secretary of the treasury, a cheap politician under Hezekiah. Apparently he was misusing the funds in order to build a sepulcher to perpetuate his name. Instead of being of use to him, it only came to his shame. He was carried away captive and buried in a foreign land. It is said that Shebna was an example of the anti-Christ where as Eliakim was the example of Christ himself.

 

Eliakim was the statesman that proceeded Shebna. He was a very unselfish man and did good in the eyes of the Lord. He was a person who could be trusted with authority, and a strong peg on which the nation could put their burdens. He is the kind of leader we need today.

 

During the tribulation, the Anti-Christ will reign and people will trust him and even believe him to be the Christ. They will come to him for help but he is the nail that will fall. Only Christ is the nail in a sure place. We can put our faith in mankind but if they make a mistake, then that faith will fall down.

 

We can always trust Christ to take care of us in time of need and keep His promises to us.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.