So we started this adventure by looking at the Living God's promise to reveal himself to us if we'll commit to seeking him and working to obey him. Doesn't mean we'll be perfect but it does mean we'll pursue him and his goals. On Day 2, we learned that following Jesus isn't a burden (like one more thing to do on the day) but instead following Jesus lifts our burdens- it's a new way of living. We saw that echoed on Day 3 by looking at Deuteronomy 30 and Psalm 1- following the Living God and his ways is life giving, anything else is life taking. With that recap, let's look at how the Living God proposes to deal with the result of our disobedience so far. I don't think any of us would claim that we've perfectly followed in the way of the Living God and if we reflect on Matthew 11 from day 2 and Deuteronomy 30 from day 3, we're left wondering how the Living God is going to deal with our prior disobedience that led to us finding death and destruction and being burdened instead of the "freedom" we desired by abandoning the Living God. With that in mind, let's kick it with one of my favorite Old Testament prophets today...
Check out Isaiah 52-53.
A little background for you before you do: Isaiah was a prophet about 700 years before Jesus showed up on the scene. He was writing at a time when Israel's consistent track record of disobeying the Living God and worshiping false gods had finally angered the Living God to the point where Isaiah 1 has this passage in it:
Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless. But it wasn't all bad. Immediately after this, the Living God declares to Israel that, "though your ins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are wiling and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.
Let's take a closer look at what the Living God has planned to restore Israel so that Israel can fulfill their role as a kingdom of priest for the rest of the world (Exodus 19:4-6) to reveal the Living God to the nations. Pray that the Living God will open your heart and mind to His word today.
Check out Isaiah 52-53.
Isaiah is full of poetic imagery, which is beautiful to communicate the wonder of what the Living God was up to. This section is part of the messianic and "suffering servant" promises of the Old Testament. That means that these passges (and others) described the coming Messiah. These promises were all fulfilled by Jesus and on at least two occassions (Luke 24:27 and Luke 24:45) , he showed his followers that what he suffered and accomplished was spoken of in the Old Testament long before he showed up.
- When Isaiah writes this passage, what has happened to Israel (check out verses 1-5 especially)?
- What is the "Good News" proclaimed in this passage?
- Why do you think Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 in Romans 10:15?
- How does Isaiah describe the appearance of this coming servant? Will he be a dearly loved and popular leader because he has charm and good looks?
- What do you think the phrase "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1) means?
- What is the plan that the Living God promises to enact, as told in Isaiah 53?
- How is he planning to deal with Israel's (and the world's) sins (or transgressions)?
- What one verse surpises you the most in the passages today? Why does it surprise you?
Take a few moments to thank the Living God for acting to forgive you, your parents, your friends, me, and everyone else if we'll leave our sin and transgressions and follow the Living God and his way... Remember the Good News from today- Peace to you because your God reigns!!
1 comment:
1. I think that Israel had totally gone to the dogs in that passage and evil had taken over.
2. The "Good News" to Israel was that they were saved and there would be peace and God would be the King.
3. I think he quotes Isaiah because he doesn't understand how people cannot find out about the Lord because it is "a beautiful sight".
4. I don't think he will be dearly loved because Isaiah said that he suffered until he no longer looked human. He also said that people were horrified of him.
5. It means that followers are questioning if anyone believes them about the Lord and wonder if anyone has seen the Lord in action.
6. I think God's plan was that the servant would suffer to obey God and would die for our sins so we could be forgiven. Then God would give him power because of his sacrifice.
7. I think that God planned to punish them if they didn't snap themselves into shape. I am not sure what the punishment would be.
8. Isaiah 52:14 surprised me the most because it said that people were horrified of what happened to the servant. But then I realized that they would be horrified of it because the suffering they saw would have been the punishment they deserved for their sinning.
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