Isaiah 54:4-8

Passage: Isaiah 54:4-8
4 "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the LORD of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the LORD has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD, your Redeemer.

Journal: Isaiah often speaks of the compassion of God. Today's verses point to His grace once again. [v. 8 -- "In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer."] Note that the anger of God towards His children is for only a season, but that the love of God is everlasting. [v. 7 -- "For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you."] However, these relational postures are not by happenstance, for it would have been within God's perfect justice to allow His anger with a sinful people to be everlasting and His love to be severed as a sinful consequence. Yet, His grace has allowed for a redeemer that has given His children a positional standing with and for Him. [v. 5-6 -- "For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God."] The "cast off" wife illustrates our positional standing as a sinful people; yet, He has "called" us as a husband to the wife of His youth. A reconciliation which is made possible only by our Lord and Savior. "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed . . ."

Heard 'Round the House:
This "highbrow" conversation occurred last night. I had been invited to a dinner for Sarah Palin that would cost a mere $1,000 per plate and Jill had suggested [tongue in cheek] that I go and take the whole family since it would only be $9,000 --
Alex: "We are going somewhere?
Song: "What dinner?"
Luke: "Who is Sarah Palin?
Mom: "She is running for vice president?"
Luke: "Why was dad invited to that?"
Mom: "A friend of his asked him."
Luke: "Is he going?"
Mom: "It would cost a $1,000 for just daddy to go. So, I don't think he will be going.
Song: "Is the food really good or something?"

Isaiah 53:4-6

Passage: Isaiah 53:4-6
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.


Journal: A priest performs sacrificial work for the sinner. Christ, the ultimate and final priest, was the ultimate and final atonement for the sin of His brothers and sisters, the children of God. He suffered not for His own sin but, instead, for my sin. As I sin now, His suffering increases. As I stumble and fall, His knees and elbows are bruised. As I cry out in rebellion, He screams out in anguish. [v. 4-5 -- "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."]



While God's grace prevailed upon sin to be forgiven, God's justice demands that sin be punished. Thus, our punishment became Christ's punishment. It is one of the three great imputations [transfers] revealed in God's word. Adam's sin was imputed to us all. The sin of God's children was imputed to Christ on the cross. The righteousness of Christ was imputed to God's children. Thus, both the grace of God and the justice of God are preserved. It must be, for God can only be God, and He is never something less than what He is and what He will always be. [v. 6 -- "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."]





Heard 'Round the House: Last night I was bombarded with riddles. It started with Anna telling me a couple of zingers and then Luke joined in with one of his own. It went something like this . . .


Luke [age 12]: A crime happened in the house one Sunday evening. The Dad was getting the paper. The Mom was cooking. The daughter was watching TV. The son was playing video games. Who did it?


Daddy [pondering]: Well, I am wondering why the Dad would be going to get the paper in the evening.


Luke: You're close , but that's not it. There is no paper on Sunday.


Dad: What do you mean? There is a paper every day of the week.


Song [age 10]: The Sunday paper is the most important paper Luke - it's the biggest.


Anna [age 8]: Luke, it's the mail that doesn't come on Sunday.


Luke: Oh yeah. OK, I meant Dad was getting the mail . . .

Isaiah 47

Passage: Isaiah 47

The Humiliation of Babylon.

1 Come down and sit in the dust,

O virgin daughter of Babylon;

sit on the ground without a throne,

O daughter of the Chaldeans!

For you shall no more be called

tender and delicate.

2 Take the millstones and grind flour,

put off your veil,

strip off your robe, uncover your legs,

pass through the rivers.

3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered,

and your disgrace shall be seen.

I will take vengeance,

and I will spare no one.

4 Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name—

is the Holy One of Israel.
5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness,

O daughter of the Chaldeans;

for you shall no more be called

the mistress of kingdoms.

6 I was angry with my people;

I profaned my heritage;

I gave them into your hand;

you showed them no mercy;

on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.

7 You said, "I shall be mistress forever,"

so that you did not lay these things to heart

or remember their end.
8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,

who sit securely,

who say in your heart,

"I am, and there is no one besides me;

I shall not sit as a widow

or know the loss of children":

9 These two things shall come to you

in a moment, in one day;

the loss of children and widowhood

shall come upon you in full measure,

in spite of your many sorceries

and the great power of your enchantments.
10 You felt secure in your wickedness,

you said, "No one sees me";

your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,

and you said in your heart,

"I am, and there is no one besides me."

11 But evil shall come upon you,

which you will not know how to charm away;

disaster shall fall upon you,

for which you will not be able to atone;

and ruin shall come upon you suddenly,

of which you know nothing.
12 Stand fast in your enchantments

and your many sorceries,

with which you have labored from your youth;

perhaps you may be able to succeed;

perhaps you may inspire terror.

13 You are wearied with your many counsels;

let them stand forth and save you,

those who divide the heavens,

who gaze at the stars,

who at the new moons make known

what shall come upon you.
14 Behold, they are like stubble;

the fire consumes them;

they cannot deliver themselves

from the power of the flame.

No coal for warming oneself is this,

no fire to sit before!

15 Such to you are those with whom you have labored,

who have done business with you from your youth;

they wander about, each in his own direction;

there is no one to save you.

Journal: Babylon will be given rule over Judah for a season. The "reason for the season" is the discipline of God's people for its rebellion and pride. Yet, Babylon was full of its own pride, and ruthless while in its conquering posture. For this, God will give Babylon some of its own medicine - dust, toil, nakedness, shame, silence and darkness. [v. 1-3 -- "Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one."] God is just, and His justice is never compromised. [v. 10 - 11 -- "You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, "No one sees me"; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me." But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing."]

The plight of the Babylonians would be our plight as well. That is, God's justice demands that "disaster shall fall upon [us], for which [we] will not be able to atone." This is our sin, the sin we will commit even today, that will be exposed in nakedness and darkness before our God. However, the incredible grace of God has pacified His justifiable wrath [His justice] through the "atonement" of Christ Jesus. It is this atonement for God's children that allows us to escape the wandering way the Babylonians. [v. 15 -- "Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you."]

Heard 'Round the House: We can put this under the index of "Willy Wonka."

I got up this morning at 5:30 am, turned on the shower and, while waiting for the water to warm up, was groggily reading by the light of the shower a flier from a local nursery. It was advertising an auction that it has on a quarterly basis. I am a regular attendee and have landscaped my home primarily from stuff [plants and landscaping material] bought at these auctions over the past few years.

Jill stumbles in about this time to go to the bathroom [she wanted me to share that]. She sleepily asks what in the world I am doing as I have this flier up in the air to catch the light of the shower. I told her what it was. She asked what I was targeting this go round for my purchases. I reply chocolate covered rock. Of course, I meant to say chocolate colored rock, since this is the rock with which I have been lining my flower beds. Even in my eyes half opened state, I quickly corrected myself to say "chocolate colored" rock. I don't know if it was funnier that I said what I said, or that Jill didn't even catch it as being somewhat of an unusual targeted purchase category. I did note that people would be looking forward to coming to our house for parties since it would be such a "yummy" place to hang out . . .

Isaiah 45:1-8

Passage: Isaiah 45:1-8
Cyrus, God’s Instrument.

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,

whose right hand I have grasped,

to subdue nations before him

and to loose the belts of kings,

to open doors before him

that gates may not be closed:

2 "I will go before you

and level the exalted places,

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

3 I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the hoards in secret places,

that you may know that it is I, the LORD,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,

and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name,

I name you, though you do not know me.

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other,

besides me there is no God;

I equip you, though you do not know me,

6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun

and from the west, that there is none besides me;

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

7 I form light and create darkness,

I make well-being and create calamity,

I am the LORD, who does all these things.

8 "Shower, O heavens, from above,

and let the clouds rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;

let the earth cause them both to sprout;

I the LORD have created it.

Journal: Who is this Cyrus? He would reign as the king of Persia about 150 years after these prophetic words were written by Isaiah. Judah in the years to come would fall to Babylon and is carried off into captivity. Babylon thereafter would fall to Persia, and Judah therefore would become subject to Persian rule, and to King Cyrus.

The calling of Cyrus evidences the sovereignty of God. That is, he was "anointed" by God though he did not "know" God. [v. 1a -- "Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him . . ."; v. 4-5 -- "For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me . . ."]

There is no event, international or otherwise, that occurs outside the counsel of our sovereign God. Here, Isaiah writes of a man that lives at least 100 years after him, and even calls him by name. God leaves the idea of His great intervention with no doubt or wavering -- "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things. Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it." [v.7-8] His most excellent sovereign ways produce "clouds that rain down righteousness."

Heard 'Round the House: I received a nice Father's Day present from Jill and the kids [a couple of pecan trees planted in the front yard]. Alex [age 13] decided to go an extra step, and bought some things for me from the dollar store with his own money. Very sweet. Anna took notice apparently on Saturday, and decided that she wanted to get me something extra as well. A road trip to a store was impossible, so I received [literally] a bag of rocks from Anna. These rocks were special, because she had painstakingly gathered interesting selections from our yard and placed them into a clear baggy. I love my rocks. My rocks brought a tear to my eye as she pointed out certain selections that had special marks, crystals, and the like. Father's Day Rocked!

Isaiah 43:14-28

Passage:

14 Thus says the LORD,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

"For your sake I send to Babylon

and bring them all down as fugitives,

even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One,

the Creator of Israel, your King."
16 Thus says the LORD,

who makes a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,

17who brings forth chariot and horse,

army and warrior;

they lie down, they cannot rise,

they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

18 "Remember not the former things,

nor consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

20 The wild beasts will honor me,

the jackals and the ostriches,

for I give water in the wilderness,

rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,

21 the people whom I formed for myself

that they might declare my praise.
22 "Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;

but you have been weary of me, O Israel!

23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,

or honored me with your sacrifices.

I have not burdened you with offerings,

or wearied you with frankincense.

24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money,

or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.

But you have burdened me with your sins;

you have wearied me with your iniquities.
25 "I, I am he

who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,

and I will not remember your sins.

26 Put me in remembrance; let us argue together;

set forth your case, that you may be proved right.

27 Your first father sinned,

and your mediators transgressed against me.

28 Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,

and deliver Jacob to utter destruction

and Israel to reviling.

Journal: God is about to do something new. [v. 18-19 -- "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."] He has been the physical salvation for Israel, with the exodus from Egypt being the primary example. He had provided a system for spiritual renewal through sacrificial atonement involving animals and ritual. But this was a "new thing," and His people were having a difficult time trying to "perceive" what was being promised.

God's moral law was inseparable from what He had done in the past, and His moral law would be the foundation of what He would do in the future. Either way, whichever direction one takes to gaze at His righteousness, the attitude of His people was one of indifference and distraction. [v. 22-24 -- "Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities."] Thus, God was "wearied" by His people.

Yet, the beautiful convergence of His justice and His grace produces the marvelous tapestry of His law and His salvation. The words of one of my favorite hymns comes to mind -- ". . . mercy there was great and grace was free; pardon there was multiplied to me; there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary . . ." It was the drama to unfold at Calvary that Isaiah was calling a "new thing," and it was at Calvary [Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified] that a "wearied" God delivered upon His promise to His children. God, the one thing we can grasp that is completely trustworthy, deserves our renewed worship and praise.

Heard 'Round the House: Jill and Anna [age 8] were "giving each other the business" and in the midst of this were calling each other a "toot." This exchange prompted Anna to consider the deeper aspects of life and lineage, and she asked this probing question:

Anna: "Which side of the family did I get my burping from?"

Editor's Note: Anna burping tendency is strictly maternal -- I will save for another day the deep question of what she sometimes does that is paternal in nature . . .

Isaiah 43:8-13

Passage: Isaiah 43:8-13

8 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,

who are deaf, yet have ears!

9 All the nations gather together,

and the peoples assemble.

Who among them can declare this,

and show us the former things?

Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,

and let them hear and say, It is true.

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,

"and my servant whom I have chosen,

that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me.

11 I, I am the LORD,

and besides me there is no savior.

12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,

when there was no strange god among you;

and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD,

"and I am God.

13 Also henceforth I am he;

there is none who can deliver from my hand;

I work, and who can turn it back?"

Journal: The picture here is of a courtroom. God is challenging the idols, and the assembly who worship them, to bear witness to the worthiness of such worship. Of course, there is no response. [v. 8 - 9 -- "Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true."] Yet, the God of Israel, the only God, has a multitude of witnesses. His witnesses are His people, for whom He has done miraculous works throughout history. [v. 10 - 11 - "'You are my witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior.'"]

His exclusivity annoys people, for they want a god of their own fashioning rather than the God that is, the God that fashions all things. Yet, what other can be placed with Him? He alone is worthy of worship, for He alone is eternal. He alone is worthy of worship, for He alone has provided atonement and salvation. He alone is worthy of worship, for He alone is faithful. [v. 12 - 13 -- "'I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?'"]

We are His witnesses. He deserves a testimony clothed in boldness and veracity. We are to bear witness to His glory.

Heard 'Round the House: I recently participated in the facilitation of the testimony of a professional athlete. When I got home that evening, Anna [age 8] asked me to sign her glove. I thought that was very sweet. However, as I was getting ready to sign she did mention that I should not sign it too big in case [name of athlete] ever wanted to sign it. I'll still take it . . .

Isaiah 42:10-17

Passage: Isaiah 42:10-17

Sing to the LORD a New Song.

10 Sing to the LORD a new song,

his praise from the end of the earth,

you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it,

the coastlands and their inhabitants.

11 Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,

the villages that Kedar inhabits;

let the habitants of Sela sing for joy,

let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Let them give glory to the LORD,

and declare his praise in the coastlands.

13 The LORD goes out like a mighty man,

like a man of war he stirs up his zeal;

he cries out, he shouts aloud,

he shows himself mighty against his foes.

14 For a long time I have held my peace;

I have kept still and restrained myself;

now I will cry out like a woman in labor;

I will gasp and pant.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills,

and dry up all their vegetation;

I will turn the rivers into islands,

and dry up the pools.

16 And I will lead the blind

in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known

I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,

and I do not forsake them.

17 They are turned back and utterly put to shame,

who trust in carved idols,

who say to metal images,

"You are our gods."

Journal: The song of praise of verse 10 is in response to the sovereign covenant of redemption set forth in verses 5-9 {discussed yesterday}. [v. 10 -- "Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants."] God is saving His people, and this salvation has always been His one and only plan. This salvation is beyond our grasp, and yet the sovereign hand of God has reached down to us. This song of salvation is a "new song," to be sung with humble praise and thanksgiving.

Yet, there is still pride here for some. The song of humility cannot be heard from the haughty voice of pride. It is this pride, this continued rebellion, that evokes the wrath of God. [v. 13-15 -- "The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes. For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools."] This is a deserved wrath, for God gave all of Himself and has received in return human fists raised in scornful rejection.

On the other hand, God is gentle with His children, for the regenerated heart longs for redemption. [v. 16 -- "And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them."] This is a beautiful verse. This is the Gospel. God takes us to a place that otherwise we would not seek. We think we can see, and yet what we behold is darkness without His light. We start running toward a mine field with pitfalls and hidden traps, though we perceive it to be smooth. We would fall and stumble toward the bottomless pit without His merciful hand, a hand that guides us from the "rough places into level ground." Our journey to the pit of Hell has been interrupted by His redemption. This should be the meditation of our soul. This should spring from within us a new song. The song of redemption.

Heard 'Round the House: This is the latest in Vera's [age 9; down syndrome; age 5 when adopted from Russia] never ending quest to sleep on a pallet in mommy and daddy's room, rather than in her cozy bed upstairs. She is talking on a plastic phone to NiNi [Jill's mom] in her own little language [we call it Veranese] when she hangs up the phone. Jill asks Vera what NiNi had to say, to which Vera succinctly responded, "Pallet!"

Isaiah 42:5-9

Passage: Isaiah 42:5-9
The LORD’s Chosen Servant.

5 Thus says God, the LORD,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people on it

and spirit to those who walk in it:

6 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you as a covenant for the people,

a light for the nations,

7 to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

8 I am the LORD; that is my name;

my glory I give to no other,

nor my praise to carved idols.

9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth

I tell you of them."

Journal: There are two things that stand out here. First, it is the inarguable sovereignty of God. His hand is in all things; there is nothing that escapes His intention or attention. He speaks all things into existence and sustenance, both physical and spiritual. [v. 5 -- "Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it . . ."] He is the author of that which has been and the author of that which is yet to come. [v. 9 -- "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."]

Second, there is God's instrument for His sovereign redemption of man. It is Christ now, and it was Christ then. It has always been Christ. His redeeming nature and quality was decided in eternity past. It was not a chess move to thwart Satan's attack on man. Rather, it simply was, and has always been. [v. 6-7 -- ""I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness."] Man was free in the enjoyment of God's glory. Man threw himself into the "dungeon," the "darkness," the "prison." Yet, God did not forget us, for He has always remembered us. It is Christ the redeemer of whom Isaiah speaks, and it is Christ the redeemer whom we now claim. Better yet, it is Christ the redeemer who has always claimed us from the far edges of eternity and then some. "I am the LORD; that is my name . . ."

Heard [Seen] 'Round the House: I give today's picture of Ella [age 3] the title -- "Work Hard, Play Harder . . ."

Isaiah 41:8-13

Passage: Isaiah 41:8-13
8 But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, "You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off";
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the LORD your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, "Fear not,
I am the one who helps you."

Journal: Judah is in fear. After all, God is pronouncing judgment on the surrounding pagan nations, and Judah is guilty of many of the same sins. Yet, God is providing reassurance for those in Judah that will remain faithful to Him. He calls them His "servants," which is a term that will be used a great deal in the next few chapters. It is not for us to know why God chose Abraham and his offspring [Jacob; Israel] as His servants, for the bigger question is why He chose any of us at all. [Isaiah 41:8-9 -- "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off."]

What God does reveal is that He will protect and keep those whom He has called. [Isaiah 41:10b -- "I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."] The spiritually dead have a great deal to fear. In contrast, the regenerated heart, the heart that is claimed by God from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, is being reminded to fear not, for He is with us yesterday, today and tomorrow. [Isaiah 41:13 -- "For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."]

Heard 'Round the House: Speaking of fear, apparently I don't cause much. We were all coming home from Luke's [age 12] baseball game in another city the other night and stopped for gas. Apparently, Luke did not like the looks of things around him as I was outside getting the gas and asked his mom to lock the doors. Mom replies that he should fear not for Dad was right outside. Luke, apparently electing to fear, proclaimed the following:

Luke: "Yeah, but Dad's just not that big . . ."

Isaiah 41:5-7

Passage: Isaiah 41:5-7

5 The coastlands have seen and are afraid;

the ends of the earth tremble;

they have drawn near and come.

6 Everyone helps his neighbor

and says to his brother, "Be strong!"

7 The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,

and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, "It is good";

and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

Journal: God's sovereign will is on display here. He has just proclaimed the coming fall of Babylon [Isaiah 41:2 -- "Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow."] Babylon is one of the greatest powers the world will ever see, and its fall is unthinkable. And yet it happens. In fact, history tells us that the great Babylon fell to Persia [the "one from the east"] without a fight. Man's power is quite small when contrasted to God's sovereign will.

The proper response to this proclamation is humility and repentance. That is, men should fall on their knees when faced with the awesome power of their creator. Yet, the nations of the world are not prone to turn to God. Here, they turn to each other [v. 6 -- "Everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother, 'Be strong!'"] and to their created gods [v. 7a -- "The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, "It is good" . . ."]

I have noticed that men tend to be repelled when God reveals Himself as large and authoritative, and thus necessarily revealing men as small and subordinate. We desire to be the driving influence in our mind and in our heart, and our insubordinate power grab emanates from our natural propensity toward sin. Yet, through it all, Christ surveyed the hearts of His brothers and sisters and deemed us worthy of His sacrificial atonement. This act of love, put in its proper light, makes our idolatry ever the more foolish and insane.

Heard 'Round the House:

Alex [age 12] has had a bit of Yogi Berra in him from the time he learned English at the age of three [he was adopted from Russia as a three year old]. You never know what that boy might say, and it sometimes isn't quite what he meant. The delegation of responsibility hasn't always been a smooth thing either, as that must be earned around here. He sometimes gets frustrated that Luke [also age 12, but four months younger] has earned a bit more in the responsibility arena and resulting rights and privileges. Recently, Alex and Luke have been allowed to "babysit" for short stints during the daylight hours. Alex is very excited about this. However, he obviously is wondering if he would be granted such power if he were flying solo. This led to the following question yesterday for Jill --

Alex: Mom, if I were an only child, would I still get to babysit?

Isaiah 40:25-31

Passage: Isaiah 40:25-31
The Greatness of God.
25 To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
and because he is strong in power
not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God"?
28 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.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 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.

Journal: There is an epidemic in our country, as more and more people fight depression. Idolatry and depression are different pockets in the same pair of pants. Idolatry is thinking wrong thoughts about God. Depression is thinking wrong thoughts about yourself. Each of these adversely impact our greatest purpose, which is to give glory to God by our enjoyment of God. It is difficult to enjoy God if you are giving your time and attention [your worship] to other things, or if you are feeling despondent toward life.

There is no doubt that this despondency is the sum total of dealing with different challenges, some big and some small. I don't pretend to offer sure fire answers to these feelings, nor do I discount the reality of these feelings. However, God's word is very clear that God is intimately involved with all aspects of our life. The lining in the pocket of depression must be the feelings of loneliness and insignificance. Here, God is dealing with these thoughts head on. That is, we are never alone. That is, we are extremely significant. We need only to consider creation itself. God knew that man would need a redeemer. God knew that the redemption of man would be at great cost to Himself. Yet, He created us anyway. Thus, He considers His children so significant that He took on the agony to gain our redemption.

Is it a great mystery, therefore, that He alone is worthy of our worship? [v. 25 -- "To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One."] Idolatry is useless, and yet it is a distraction brought from the evil one that we must deal with on a daily basis. This requires prayer.

Additionally, we indeed are significant to our Father. [v. 26 -- "Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing."] He moves mountains and He saves sparrows. He knows us intimately and loves us beyond our ability to know. We can start feeling rightly about ourselves only when we begin to feel rightly about God. Our worship of Him and our feelings about our self are inextricably intertwined. A child of God is never alone and never abandoned. [John 10:27-30 -- "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one."]

Heard 'Round the House: Jill is giving me a follow up to the entrepreneurial undertaking of Luke, Alex and James that was highlighted yesterday. She read the flier constructed to advertise their landscape maintenance expertise, and it specifies that they will work between the hours of 11 am and 8 pm. She points out to Luke that this is the hottest part of the day. His partial explanation [to me at least] is that James likes to sleep in. Ah, the American dream. A business that doesn't adversely impact the other parts of your daily routine . . .

Isaiah 40:18-24

Passage: Isaiah 40:18-24

The Greatness of God.

18 To whom then will you liken God,

or what likeness compare with him?

19 An idol! A craftsman casts it,

and a goldsmith overlays it with gold

and casts for it silver chains.

20 He who is too impoverished for an offering

chooses wood that will not rot;

he seeks out a skillful craftsman

to set up an idol that will not move.

21 Do you not know? Do you not hear?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,

and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;

who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,

and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;

23 who brings princes to nothing,

and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,

scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,

when he blows on them, and they wither,

and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

Journal: Isaiah's query [actually four questions] is whether Judah adequately understands the greatness of God. [v. 21 -- "Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?"] In the previous verses, he had extolled Him as creator of all things. Here, he expands the concept to His maintenance of all things. [v. 22 -- "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in . . ."] God didn't create the world, cross His fingers, and then sit back while it spins "out of control" as He hopes for the best. He is not asleep in His chair wanting to be awakened when the show is over down below. Nor does He view the world as a giant chess board, where He and His creation are making continuous moves to counteract each other.

Rather, God interposes His will upon His creation. [v.23-24 -- ". . . who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble."] Daniel touched upon this attribute of God as well. [Daniel 2:21 -- "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding . . ."] This realization makes idolatry seem even more foolish and silly. This realization brings great security to God's children, as we know that our father is intimately involved in our welfare.

Heard 'Round the House: Alex [age12], Luke [age 12], and their cousin James [age 11] have decided to start a business. It is the usual type, as they will pull weeds, mow, edge, and the like. They want to save enough money to go to Australia [dream big, don't they], and I guess the cash derived from past lemonade stands was lacking. Luke is telling me the details, when he starts cackling. He has realized a fatal flaw in the "fliers" put together by the group. After detailing the type of work this group is willing to undertake, the guys end the advertisement with the definitive statement that the business will be launched beginning June 1, and that the group will not work on Sundays. Luke had realized that June 1 is indeed a Sunday and, for some reason, this quality control contradiction had him in stitches. If nothing else, they should have fun with their entrepreneurial undertaking [but not on Sundays . . .]

Isaiah 40:9-11

Passage: Isaiah 40:9-11
The Greatness of God.

9 Get you up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

"Behold your God!"

10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,

and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.

Journal: Isaiah has spent a good 40 chapters or so detailing the wretchedness of God's people and the justifiable wrath and discipline of God in the midst of the rebellion. Yet, God has made a way to placate His wrath, and finding this way is dependent upon what we do with His provision and atonement. He "heralds the good news," and the exclamation point to the herald is "fear not." He is justifiably wrathful and yet we are to "fear not." Our fear is replaced by wonder, for we are to "Behold [our] God." As we behold Him, we see Him not only One who righteously punishes, but also as One who mercifully redeems. Thus, we "behold [our] God" on a cross bearing our iniquities.

Isaiah points us to the cross by declaring some of the attributes of our God. Isaiah 40:10 tells us that He comes with "might." [40:10 -- "Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."] Thus, He comes with power. Yet, Isaiah 40:11 points out that He also comes with tenderness. [40:11 -- "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."] The gentleness of God is lovingly displayed - a shepherd carrying his lamb close to his heart. I picture wolves howling all around, and Christ taking me up and gently carrying me to safety with my head next to His heart.

Heard 'Round the House:

I felt like I was watching a Monty Python segment yesterday afternoon as I was staring out the kitchen window into the back yard. First, Alex [age 12] motors by on the sidewalk on an electric scooter. [Pause] Next Vera [age 9; down syndrome], perched standing on a regular scooter, comes into view dressed in a dinosaur outfit with a long tail trailing the scooter. [Double Pause] Finally, here comes Emma [age 7; down syndrome] into view on a tricycle swaying back and forth singing a song at the top of her voice. The only thing missing was an English voice saying, "And now, for something completely different . . ."

Isaiah 38:9-13

Passage:

9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

10 I said, In the middle of my days

I must depart;

I am consigned to the gates of Sheol

for the rest of my years.

11 I said, I shall not see the LORD,

the LORD in the land of the living;

I shall look on man no more

among the inhabitants of the world.

12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me

like a shepherd’s tent;

like a weaver I have rolled up my life;

he cuts me off from the loom;

from day to night you bring me to an end;

13 I calmed myself until morning;

like a lion he breaks all my bones;

from day to night you bring me to an end.

Journal: Obviously, King Hezekiah did not want to die. Yet, it also appears obvious that he was quite close to death. He is healthy as he now reflects, and his reflection is back on his time of physical faltering and helplessness. [Isaiah 38:11-12 -- "I said, In the middle of my days I must depart . . . I said, I shall not see the LORD, the LORD in the land of the living; I shall look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world."] It is a scary thing to think of our healthy body becoming frail [Isaiah 38:13 - I calmed myself until morning . . .], and yet it is this inevitable march toward physical mortality that we all share in common.

King Hezekiah certainly knew that he would be blessed beyond death, and yet he wept bitterly at the thought of dying. I have heard of elderly people wishing for death so that they could be with their Lord. This is not the common emotion, however, of the young and healthy. Death is always thought to be casting its shadow on a distant horizon. This is why it is so shocking to face the darkness of death's shadow as we round an unexpected bend in the road. The shock went even further for this king, for he had no heir to his throne [His son was 12 when he took the throne after King Hezekiah's later death, which would have meant he was born three years after this earlier near death experience].

One thing we can definitely learn from King Hezekiah is the wonder that is evoked if the propensity is one toward prayer. Here, God had even revealed that he would die [through His prophet Isaiah]. Yet, we are seeing both the public revelation of God and the secret proclamation of God [Deut. 29:29 -- "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."] It is no wonder that God gave us the gift of prayer to discuss these things with Him on an intimate basis. He will reveal to us those things that we need to enable us to give Him His great glory. Yet, it is only through prayer and meditation on His Word that the revelation is captured.

Heard 'Round the House:

This is the latest offering from Vera [age 8, down syndrome] on her vigilant quest for sleeping on a pallet in our room. I recently led a Bible Study and had written my notes on a yellow pad. She came into the bathroom with pad in hand and commences to begin "reading" it. She mumbles for a couple of sentences as she is "reading" it, flips the page, emphatically points to the new page, looks up, and says "see Daddy, pallet for Vera." [perhaps this is one of those secret revelations from God that she has uncovered like we talked about in today's lesson . . .]

Isaiah 37:21-25

Passage: Isaiah 37:21-25

Sennacherib’s Fall.

21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria,

22 this is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him:

"'She despises you, she scorns you —

the virgin daughter of Zion;

she wags her head behind you —

the daughter of Jerusalem.
23 "'Whom have you mocked and reviled?

Against whom have you raised your voice

and lifted your eyes to the heights?

Against the Holy One of Israel!

24 By your servants you have mocked the Lord,

and you have said, With my many chariots

I have gone up the heights of the mountains,

to the far recesses of Lebanon, to cut down its tallest cedars,

its choicest cypresses,to come to its remotest height,

its most fruitful forest.

25 I dug wells

and drank waters,

to dry up with the sole of my foot

all the streams of Egypt.

Journal: The humble prayer of King Hezekiah, his prayer of adoration and petition, was immediately answered by his intentional and sovereign God. God answered the prayer through His prophet Isaiah, the earthly advocate and faithful proclaimer of His word. The answer was an answer that reminds of how God "laughs" when the nations "rage." The answer was directed at the pride of Assyria and the haughtiness of Sennacherib.

Jerusalem is described as a "virgin," for she had not been "violated" since the days of King David. ["She despises you, she scorns you — the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you — the daughter of Jerusalem."] Sennacherib had military success previously for only one reason - God had allowed it. Recall that Isaiah had previously penned that Assyria was a "club in God's hand" to chasten His people. [Isaiah 10:5-19]

The imagery Paul used in Romans when discussing the sovereignty of God also comes to mind. [Romans 9:20-23 -- "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory . . ."] The stormy boasts of King Sennacherib, the most powerful man of his day, seem ludicrous as we consider the calm advancement of the kingdom of God.

Heard 'Round the House:

What was heard was a crash and the shattering of glass about 6 am yesterday morning. I walked all around the house and could not find what had broken. It was still a mystery when I left for work. Later in the morning, Jill called to explain the mystery. The light covering in our shower, which had behaved quite well for six years, decided to fall to the ground. The ceiling above the shower is a ten foot ceiling, and therefore it was quite the mess. The funny thing is that I had been in that shower about 5 minutes earlier. That would have been quite the wake up call as I did my lather, rinse, duck, wake up on the floor with a bar of soap in my mouth, repeat . . .

Isaiah 37:14-20

Passage:

Isaiah 37:14-20
Hezekiah’s Prayer for Deliverance.

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.

15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD:

16 "O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.

17 Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.

18 Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands,

19 and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed.

20 So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD."

Journal: As Sennacherib of Assyria temporarily retreated to deal with new military issues, he sent a threatening letter to King Hezekiah of Judah. His message was that King Hezekiah was deceived if he thought that God or anyone else would save Judah from Assyria's eventual onslaught. That is, Sennacherib believed that there was no power above or below greater than he.

In contrast to this pride was the humility of King Hezekiah, who "went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it [the letter] before the LORD." His prayer is one of adoration ["O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth"] and petition ["So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD"].

There was no messenger sent to Egypt on the swiftest horse to obtain the help of men. Rather, the stable door was closed and the sword set aside. The weapon of choice for King Hezekiah were calloused knees. This is a great reminder to me of how little I look up and how much I look around. There is no circumstance too large or too small for God's intimate involvement. This requires a humble spirit, which leads to a trusting soul.

Heard 'Round the House:

I coach Luke's [age 12] baseball team and we had a game [actually two games] on Saturday. My nephew Drew [age 6] is playing tee ball this year. He walked up to Luke in the dugout between innings and through the fence started talking about how he had a game last night too. Luke asked him what team he was on, to which Drew replied: "The Oreos."

Yummy . . .

Isaiah 37:5-9a

Passage: Isaiah 37:5-9a

Hezekiah Seeks Isaiah’s Help.

5 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah,
6 Isaiah said to them, "Say to your master, 'Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me.
7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.'"
8 The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish.
9 Now the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, "He has set out to fight against you."

Journal: Isaiah seemed ready for the inquiry of the servants of King Hezekiah [perhaps even before the advice was requested], and God had given Isaiah a specific answer for their plight. What is this "spirit" to be placed in King Sennacherib of Assyria? It was an impulse planted by God that compelled King Sennacherib to action. Specifically, it was a rumor that the King of Ethiopia [Cush] was marching to war against Assyria, and that the aggression required an immediate Assyrian response. [Isaiah 9a -- "Now the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, "He has set out to fight against you."] Therefore, King Hezekiah and Judah had bought some time as King Sennacherib abandoned his siege on Jerusalem to defend his own homeland. The intercessory prayer of a King and of a prophet of God were greatly intertwined with the sovereign will of God as Jerusalem was spared for the time being.

Heard 'Round the House: Alex [age 12] has some Archie Bunker in him as he gets words a bit confused sometimes. This was on display the other day as the home school lesson had briefly turned to the discovery of electricity . . .
Alex: Are we through talking about Jim Franklin?
Ben could of had a brother [or at least a second cousin] named Jim. Perhaps he discovered static cling . . .

Isaiah 37:1-4

Passage:
Isaiah 37:1-4
Hezekiah Seeks Isaiah’s Help.


1 As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD.


2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz.


3 They said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah, 'This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth.


4 It may be that the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.'"



Journal:


King Hezekiah tearing his royal clothes and exchanging them for sackcloth is a sign of humility. This is a proper response to outside arrogance [Isaiah 37:4 -- ". . . whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God . . ."], and yet our greatest battle is our own arrogance from within. I have recently been involved with ministry where the Gospel at times and by some is met with arrogance. My own sinful tendency is to respond inside, in my thoughts, with arrogance of my own. It is the humility of Christ that I must duplicate internally so that I might better minister externally. We must all be willing to don sackcloth on our souls. Our ability to minister to others begins with our willingness to repent of our own sin.


Not only did King Hezekiah humble himself, but he also prayed earnestly. [Isaiah 37:1 -- "As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD."] The prayer is not a demand for an explanation of the circumstance, for the "why" is often not ours to know. Rather, the prayer is for an ability to glorify God within the circumstance, for the "what" and the "how" reflects the purpose of God as He reveals Himself in the midst of humble prayer. [Deuteronomy 29:29 -- "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."] The circumstances of life come in waves and are an unknown. The law of God has come through His revelation, and is known for all eternity. We must pray for the ability to cling to the calm of the known in the midst of the waves of the unknown. It is this faithful response that portrays Christ to a world that is drowning in the swells of the unknown.


Heard 'Round the House:


Last night, Vera [age 9, down syndrome] created a new approach in her never ending quest to sleep on a pallet in mommy and daddy's room rather than in the scary confines of her own bed. She became "Baby Vera" [her description] and requested that Jill feed her dessert as one would a baby. In the midst of this "feeding," she developed a forlorn look, looked out in the distance past mommy's face, and in a fake, quivering and baby like voice said, "Pallet for Baby Vera?"

Isaiah 36:1-3

Passage:

Isaiah 36:1-3
Sennacherib Invades Judah.

1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah,

Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against

all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.

2 And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh

from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army.

And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool

on the highway to the Washer’s Field.

3 And there came out to him

Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household,

and Shebna the secretary,

and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.

Journal:

Chapter 36 is interesting, because it turns the prophecy of Isaiah into actual history witnessed by Isaiah. In Chapter 1, Isaiah informs that his life spans the lives of four kings of Judah covering forty years -- Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Previously, Isaiah has spoken prophetically about the events of King Hezekiah's reign. Now, in 701 B.C. [which is the "fourteenth year of King Hezekiah"] the Assyrian forces have reached the city walls of Jerusalem. [Isaiah 36:2 -- "And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army."] The prophecy has become reality. At this point, Israel had fallen to Assyria and the assault by Assyria on Judah [like Israel] was due to its disobedience to God and its rejection of God. Assyria was known for its brutality and cruelty, and is a vivid picture of the dire and relentless consequences of sin and rebellion.

Heard 'Round the House:

I have passed along hundreds of "Heard 'Round the House" musings over the years, but today's offering may rank as one of my favorites, as Jill is teaching the four "big kids" [Alex {12}, Luke {12}, Song {9} and Anna {8}] at home school, as world geography and American politics are on an unexpected collision course --

Mom: What can you guys tell me about Morocco?

Anna {8}: Are you talking about Morocc O'Bama?

Isaiah 35:8-10

Passage: Isaiah 35:8-10
The Ransomed Shall Return.

8 And a highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;

the unclean shall not pass over it.

It shall belong to those who walk on the way;

even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

9 No lion shall be there,

nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;

they shall not be found there,

but the redeemed shall walk there.

10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return

and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain gladness and joy,

and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Journal:

Isaiah has used the picture of a "highway" [or road or path] previously [Isaiah 11:16], and will do so again [Isaiah 40:3; 62:10]. Here, this "Way of Holiness" is representative of a journey to the kingdom of Christ to come. It will be a place of complete holiness since it will be a place that is free of sin.

How do we know if we are on that highway? For one, we will have a love for holiness. Certainly, our human limitation will make our reflection of this love quite uneven and occasionally distorted; yet, our life will be characterized by this pursuit of holiness. It is the "sanctification" of the saints. It is the maturation of God's children, as the "ransomed of the LORD [will] return and come to Zion with singing."

Next, the highway will consist solely of travelers that are covered by the atoning blood of Christ. Sinners indeed, and yet sinners that are not shackled and restrained by sin that is debilitating and unforgiven. It is this freedom from sin that allows one to travel on this "Way of Holiness." This great freedom is not obtainable by human effort, but has been obtained for the redeemed by God Himself. This is a pleasant quest indeed. [". . . everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."]

Heard 'Round the House:

Jill and I went on a date Saturday night, leaving the kids at my mom's house and spending the night in a hotel. We then got up on Sunday morning and attended Easter services at my mom's church. Song [age nine] had the following hot sport's opinion [or I guess hot sports question] about our intentions with this little excursion --
Song: Mommy, can I go with you and Daddy?
Mommy: No, Song. This is a date for Daddy and Mommy. You kids are going to stay at NaNa's.
Song: Mommy, will you and Daddy being doing that thing that grown ups do after they get married?
Mommy: Song, why do you need to know?
Song: You know, will you be sleeping without your pajamas on?