Recap

So far in Isaiah, we’ve read through the first half of Isaiah focused on the judgement and future hope of Jerusalem, the nations, and then judgement on Israel's leaders, for here they put their trust.

Through these different preaches and visions, we gathered a series of images. God was about to pour judgement on the Israelites for their wickedness and corruption. This punishment was described like God laying an axe to a tree and just a stump remaining. Out of the remnant of his people, this tree stump, God would raise up a branch from the line of David, who would be king who reigned over the earth and brought peace.

Focusing on the foreign nations, we got mention of a 'day of the Lord'. On this day, God will bring judgement, waging war on evil and wickedness. He will destroy powers that set themselves up against him, whether they be human kings or spiritual beings. The foreign nations are judged for their pride, oppression, and wickedness.

Focusing on Israel's leaders, Isaiah pointed out that the judicial leaders, the priests, and even some of those who claimed to be prophets were proud drunkards who put their trust in their own power and authority rather than God.

But through these preaches, Isaiah highlights some key ideas. The Israelites are not to turn to these foreign nations for support and protection. God is in control and will use all this for his purposes. Eventually, even these foreign nations will be brought into God's future kingdom. In that time, all people will celebrate, feast, and worship God, led by a king who will bring peace and flourishing.

Then we started the second half of Isaiah, written to the people after the exile, giving them a new hope. It was God that led the other nations to do what they did, not those nations' own strength of own gods. God was always in control and will lead his people to flourish again. As God leads the foreign nations against each other, ultimately he will still see all nations brought under his authority, worshipping him.

We got the introduction of someone God calls ‘my servant’, saying, "I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1). This servant will be despised by Israel and suffer to the point of death. But this servant is to be a covenant to God's people, an offering for their sin to bring them salvation.

This servant is contrasted with Israel, who is described as a blind servant because the continue to reject God. We got imagery of God divorcing Israel, but will one day restore them to himself. God will send one ahead of him to his people declaring 'Good News' of their salvation.

Isaiah 55-57

God is now making an open call, an open invitation to enjoy a relationship with him. He promises to make an everlasting covenant with anyone who is thirsty or hungry. This call goes well beyond the people of Jerusalem, to the nations, that anyone may come. He invites the people to seek him and to turn away from their sin, because he is willing to forgive them.

Just as rain comes, waters the ground, and brings life to the earth, so God's words bring life to those who hear them. The overarching message of the last couple of chapters has been that God is going to poor blessing on his people so they will sing with joy, expand their tents to fit all his blessing, and no longer fear, and that in return they must listen to the Lord, seek him, and turn away from their sin towards him.

This brings us to the last section of the book. Each of these sections have picked up and used the same themes, but have had different focuses. This last section focuses on God's plan for the future; to offer his salvation, to transform his people, and to final destroy the wicked once and for all. Let's jump into it.

God starts by outlining what is expected to receive salvation; keep justice, do righteousness, keep the Sabbath as holy, keep away from doing evil. He then opens this up and says the no one who does these things will be kept from his salvation. It doesn't matter if you're not an Israelite (a foreigner) and it doesn't matter if society thinks you're lesser (a eunuch). If you're obedient to what God asks, you get to be part of his family, be one of his sons and daughters, and live in his house. Just as he has gathered the broken of Israel back together, so will God bring all people to him.

In contrast, God begins to reject those who have not been obedient to him, following his ways. He first attacks Israel's unfaithful leaders. He calls them watchmen, and likens them to lazy dogs that gorge themselves, to shepherds that don't know what they're doing, and to drunkards.

Next, he challenges the 'sons of the sorceress' (Isaiah 57:3). These are those that have chased after demon worship, or the worship of other gods. He says how they are the result of adultery and then challenges them for causing his people to commit adultery against him.

Because of them, the people have gone to 'smooth stones', standing stones that were places of worship to other gods and make offerings. Or to the mountains, where there were altars to different gods so they could make sacrifices to them. Their worship of these other gods was as bad as leading a lover into their bed and having an affair with them.

So God challenges them, saying that he has held his peace with them for long enough, and if this is what they want, then they can look to their idols to save them next time they are in trouble. But those who take refuge in God will be able to come close to him. God will deal with those who are humble. Even if those who are humble failed greatly in the past, God will still heal them, restore them, and lead them. He will bring them peace. But there will be no peace for those who continue down the wicked path.

Psalm 119:129-152

We are continuing on with Psalm 119. This psalm isn’t attributed to anyone in particular and falls into the category of wisdom psalm. Each stanza has eight verses each, and each verse within a stanza starts with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. With twenty-two stanzas, we have a different stanza for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In many ways, this psalm can be seen as the A-B-Cs of Biblical wisdom.

Psalm 119:129-136 - Pe (פ): Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them

Psalm 119:137-144 - Tsadhe (צ): Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules

Psalm 119:145-152 - Qoph (ק): With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord

Stanza seventeen (Psalm 119:129-136) praises God for his decrees and has the psalmist once again committing themself to them. The decrees of the Lord are wonderful. They give light and impart understanding. Because of this, the psalmist thirsts for more of the Lord’s decreed and to understand them better. The psalmist appeals to the Lord to be gracious, as is his custom. To guide the psalmist’s steps and redeem them when others seek to oppress them. May the Lord help them understand his commands, because it grieves the psalmist when they’re not kept.

In stanza eighteen (Psalm 119:137-144) the Lord’s teachings are a reflection of his righteousness. As a God of righteousness and justice, the Lord has made decrees that promote righteousness and justice. The psalmist is then zealous for the Lord’s decrees to be upheld because the alternative is injustice. The psalmist holds onto them because they know that living according to them will promote righteousness forever.

Then, in stanza nineteen (Psalm 119:145-152) again the psalmist is struggling. The psalmist holds tightly to the Lord’s decrees, but their enemies do not. They are far from God’s law and intend evil. They persecute the psalmist. But despite all that, the psalmist holds even tighter to the Lord’s decrees, and the Lord draws near to the psalmist.