Isaiah 12

Hanging this on my wall and reading it aloud while I slog through the oracles ;-)

Isaiah 13 - the First of the Oracles

We are diving into some difficult chapters now, the oracles against the nations.  There are days that I have to remind myself, why exactly am I studying Isaiah?

If I believe that all scripture is inspired by God, I have to believe that ALL scripture is inspired by God.  That means Isaiah too including all the chapters on judgment and coming destruction.

With that settled, how do I approach these chapters?  I offer two suggestions that helped me not be discouraged by chapter 13.  Go back and reread chapter 12.  In fact, reread chapter 12 after each of the next 10 chapters at least. 

I'm using three primary resources while studying Isaiah, besides different Bible translations.  This book has been the most valuable of the three.

 I stumbled over it in a box of books someone gave me to donate for them.  What a gift from God just for me!  The second is  Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah found free online.  It's a lot to wade through but provides good insights.  The third is Walvoord's Bible Knowledge Commentary which fills in a lot of the unfamiliar historical information.  I guess a fourth would be my Strong's Concordance app.

 

I'm also asking the same question I have been: what does this teach me/reveal to me about the heart of God?  Even chapters that dwell on what God hates reveal to me in the process the things God loves.  Additionally, I can ask what the passage reveals to me about people.

A fast reading through chapter 13 in the Message reminds me:

Judgement belongs to the Lord.

God's power is greater than I could ever grasp.

God WILL take care of things in the end.  He has a plan and He has it under control.

I should never take God lightly.  Fear of the Lord is a real thing.  (Maybe I need to reflect more on that.)

Things God does not tolerate: sin, evil, pride.

This oracle against Babylon is directed at the most important city in the Assyrian empire as well and the capital of the empire that will conquer Assyria.  Babylon is also a symbol of world empires opposed to the Lord. (Rev. 17-18)

The Lord of hosts is mustering a host for battle.  The description that follows is either thrilling or terrifying depending on your point of view.  I don't want to be on the wrong end of the Lord's weapons of indignation!  But if our Defender strikes such fear in those who oppose us, what do we EVER have to be afraid of!  I see this theme of who we should fear being repeated in Isaiah.   Do you fear the Assyrians? The Philistines?  Do I fear a certain presidential candidate? My boss? Terrorists? Disease?

God's wrath is not indiscriminate.  He is slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and gives countless opportunities for repentance.  Yet His holiness demands justice for sinners, punishment for evil and wickedness, and an end to arrogance.  We who live under the New Covenant need not fear his wrath.  Yet we should not make the mistake of thinking God has relaxed his standards of holiness.  His holiness is the same; His justice demands that sin be punished.  The description of wrath we read in chapter 13 is the full wrath Jesus took for us.  Maybe that will help us consider that sacrifice a little differently.

The Wells of Salvation

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

Isaiah 12:3  

I've been surprised to discover that salvation is a theme of Isaiah.  I think of salvation as a New Testament concept, but in the beginning of chapter 12 the word is used three time including the image of the 'wells of salvation.'

The word for wells means a fountain, a spring, a well, or my personal favorite, a source of satisfaction.  The Old Testament if full of imagery related to wells, springs and fountains.    

-springs in the midst of valleys

-fountains of living water

-a fountain shall come forth

-fountain of life

In a desert land water is literally life.  In Bible times, water determined where you lived and how you travelled.  If the spring dried up, you moved because death came quickly without water.  Although I know that I need water to live, I take it for granted.  I rarely if ever feel an urgency about water, or my urgency is based solely on the thirst of the moment.  

These illustrations have lost some potency for us because we haven't experienced the thrill of water in the desert.  I've even lived in the desert where I ALWAYS travelled with water, but I still never had a time I couldn't get my hands on clean water for a few coins.  In this current age, we live disconnected from the spring that keeps us, our family and our livestock alive.  We have never lived with the dependence on a well for our physical salvation.

Do I live with this kind of dependence on the Lord? He IS the source of life, but just as I take for  granted the clean water flowing on command as I turn the faucet, do I also take salvation for granted? Do I go daily to the well to draw? Do I experience joy related to the well of salvation? I can relate to the satisfaction of a cold glass of water when I'm hot, tired and thirsty.  Where is my source of satisfaction when my spirit is tired and thirsty?  Do I remember the well?

Why Does Jesus Delight in the Fear of the Lord?

"The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  And He will delight in the fear of the Lord."  Isaiah 11:2-3

The study of Isaiah has convinced me that I don't understand the fear of the Lord and that I probably lack the fear of the Lord.  I'd be ok with that and go on my merry way, except for this prophecy of Christ in chapter 11.  If Christ not only had the spirit of the fear of the Lord but DELIGHTED in the fear of the Lord, then I'd best take it seriously!

To help my understanding I often turn to Strong’s Concordance (I have an app and it’s the best $5 I ever spent!)  First I discover that in the King James no delight is mentioned; instead the phrase is translated, “of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord.” 

Next I look to the Hebrew word.  In this case, I’m more confused than ever!!  The word is ‘ruwach,’ and it means to blow/breath, literally to smell, by implication to perceive, figuratively to anticipate, enjoy.  It’s usually translated accept, smell, or make of quick understanding, but a quick scan of the places where it’s used shows that it is most commonly translated ‘smell', as in the smell of battle, the smell of raiment (the way Isaac recognized Jacob), and the smell of incense or perfume before the Lord. 

Or here is another use:  "And as for the perfume which you shall make, you shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.  Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.” Exodus 30:37-38

This is a perfume, a recipe given by the Lord, to be put in the tabernacle and will be holy.  “Whoever shall make any like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people.” “Whoever copies it for personal use will be excommunicated.” 

How in the WORLD does this word for smell get translated ONE time to ‘of quick understanding’ followed by ‘of the fear of the Lord’? And where do smell, quick understanding and delight connect? I need more help, so I look at the phrase in several versions.

“Fear-of-God will be all his joy and delight.”

“And shall make Him of quick understanding, and His delight shall be in the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord.” 

John Walvoord's Bible Knowledge Commentary “To fear God is to respond to Him in awe, trust, obedience and worship.”

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah: "The believing fear of God is a special preservative against the disquieting fear of man. We must look upon God as the Lord of hosts that has all power in his hand and all creatures at his beck. We must sanctify him accordingly, give him the glory due to that name, and behave towards him as those that believe him to be a holy God. We must make him our fear, the object of our fear, and make him our dread, keep up a reverence of his providence and stand in awe of his sovereignty, be afraid of his displeasure and silently acquiesce in all his disposals. Were we but duly affected with the greatness and glory of God, we should see the pomp of our enemies eclipsed and clouded, and all their power restrained and under check. Those that are afraid of the reproach of men forget the Lord their Maker.”

Do I feel like I understand any better?  Let me give it a whirl.  God is holy and as such He is set apart from us.  God asks for our trust, our obedience, our reverence, and our worship.  In Old Testament times, He gave His people specific instructions for how to worship, including this special perfume that was to be carefully crafted and used ONLY for worship, before the testimony, in the tent of meeting, where God promised to meet with man. (Ex 30:34-36) God gave them instructions to define a heart attitude: "Some things are reserved just for Me because I am different than everything else."  Approach a holy God with a heart that acknowledges the difference, that acknowledges the set-apart-ness.  With a breath He could destroy us. Instead He seeks us, invites us, redeems us.

Delight comes from understanding that I owe Him everything, and I deserve nothing.  Fear of the Lord is the wonder, awe-inspiring comprehension of all God can do, all He could do, all He does do and all He restrains Himself from doing.

Who will I lean on?

It’s easy for me to condemn the pride of the King of Assyria expressed in chapter 10 verse 13:

"By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, for I have understanding.”

How arrogant!  But really, am I guilty of the same? How often do I pat myself of the back for how well I handled something?  Am I wise in my own eyes? Do I rely on my own understanding, even being unwilling to step out in faith where God has prompted because I don’t see or understand how it’s all going to work out?  Am I clinging to my own understanding rather than trusting in the Lord?

 

“In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.”

Isaiah 10:20 ESV

When we were trying to teach my daughter to swim, she was calm on the steps and calm when holding precariously onto the side.  If her Daddy walked with her into the deeper water she cried and wrapped both arms and legs around him.  He'd peel her off so he could teach her to kick, and she was terrified.  She was so sure she was safer alone on the steps or clinging by her little fingers to the side than in the strong arms of her daddy.  She wanted to feel in control even though letting go and trusting her daddy was a much safer place to be.

I want to trust in what I understand too.  I'm uncomfortable letting go of the precarious hold I have and relying on something I can't see.  I'd rather depend on my own strength, my own wisdom, my own understanding that have to let go of control and understanding and trust God to provide.  Maybe verse 20 will become a prayer, that I will no more lean on (myself, my husband, the latest book, my job, well-meaning advice), but I will lean on the Lord, the Holy One, in truth.

Light in the Darkness

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.”  Isaiah 9:2

I always hated in school when we were asked to describe the theme of a book or a poem.  I love to read, but I’m just not good at seeing themes and symbols.  However, Isaiah is making some obvious to me, light and darkness being one of them.

The word used here for darkness means literal darkness, but can also mean misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorry or wickedness. The root word it is taken from means to darken as in withholding light.  Even more interesting to me is that the phrase ‘dark land’ means shade of death, the grave or shadow of death. 

I’ve felt like I’ve been in darkness. Darkness by definition means seeing is not possible, and there have been times I haven’t been able to see the way forward.  Depression has been my darkness.  Sin and anger have been my darkness.  Unforgiveness has been my darkness.

Darkness is overcome by light.  Light is the hope in the darkness, the cure of darkness.  Here the word for light means illumination, luminary in every sense, happiness, morning, sun. In Revelation Jesus refers to himself as the Bright Morning Star.  John calls Jesus the Light.  It sounds trite and cliché to say Jesus is the light in darkness, but it is also truth.

The darkness of wickedness (my unforgiveness for example) is overcome by the light of Christ who forgave ALL my sins and asks me to forgive others.  As I submit and repent, light shines in my darkness.

The darkness of hopelessness is lightened by the presence of Christ.  Even when or especially when physical death is immanent, Christ is the reminder of eternal life, that this world is just a shadow of eternity.

The people of Isaiah’s time faced a darkness of distress and anguish, a darkness of very real fears of a very real enemy, and a darkness of ignorance through rejecting God, His ways and His prophets and looking to man for solutions.  Isaiah prophesied that these people in darkness would see a great light.  We read with the knowledge that he is foretelling Christ, but to the people light symbolized hope, help, even deliverance.

When we say Jesus is the light, we are saying He is what overcomes darkness. Whatever the darkness we walk in, Christ has the answer.  Christ is the answer.  Not the answer that we have decided will fix everything, but the presence that changes everything.  “Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.”

A Beautiful Fear

“It is the Lord of hosts who you should regard as holy.  And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread.

Then He shall become a sanctuary.” Isaiah 8:13-14

Is that ‘then’ important?  Is it only after we learn and commit to regard God as holy, only after we fear Him that He becomes our sanctuary?

Is this in part because our fear can keep us safe? Good parenting often involves a little fear.  I don’t really care if the motivation to obey me is fear of getting in trouble when that means they won’t play with matches or cross the street alone.  My children may not understand WHY I am putting certain boundaries on them.  At the time, their understanding is less important than their obedience since my goal is to protect them and keep them safe.

As our children grow older, hopefully the fear factor morphs into a trust factor.  Maybe they fear a little less getting into trouble and begin to trust that our rules are meant for their benefit.  Or they just fear being grounded so they come in before curfew! I still prioritize obedience over understanding since my goal is still to protect them.

As a child of God, am I guilty of prioritizing understanding over obedience? If so, I’m acting just like my teenagers when they throw fits and tell me my rules are ridiculous.  I’m acting just like I did with my parents when I challenged their rule about no boys in the house when they were gone. “Ugh! What a stupid rule! Don’t they trust me?”

Is it possible that in many situations I am incapable of understanding why the Lord has laid out certain instructions? I somewhat recoil from the idea of ‘fearing’ the Lord, but maybe there is such a thing as a healthy fear, a fear that keeps me on the straight and narrow when I face temptation.

One of our ladies at Bible study shared that she so respected and loved her father, that while at college her ‘fear’ of him kept her from making certain poor choices.  Her fear was breaking her father’s heart.

I think that is a beautiful fear.  Could I be so in touch with the heart of God and so overwhelmed by His love for me that concern over grieving my Father motivates my daily decisions?

Do not just fear breaking His law; fear breaking His heart.

How Dare He! (Isaiah 7)

     I’ve read Judges, Kings and Chronicles more than once, so it takes a lot to shock me.  But King Ahaz shocked me! He was outlandish, audacious, brazen. There are many other adjectives that I could apply to him, but instead I’m just going to list some of his ‘accomplishments.’ (from 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28)

·         Did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord
·         Made his son pass through the fire (abominations of the nations)
·         Sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, hills, under every green tree
·         Asked king of Assyria for help
·         Took silver and gold from the house of the Lord and sent to king
·         Sent plan of Damascus altar to his priest and instructed him to build it
·         Offered his burnt offering, meal, drink and peace offerings on this new pagan altar
·         Moved the Lord’s bronze altar to another side of his altar
·         Instructed priests to use his new altar for all sacrifices
·         Used the Lord’s altar as his private altar
·         Cut apart the temple utensils (those made to the Lord’s specific instructions)
·         Made molten images for the Baals
·         Was very unfaithful to the Lord
·         In distress became more unfaithful to the Lord
·         Sacrificed to the gods of Damascus
·         Closed the doors of the house of the Lord
·         Made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem
·         Made high places in every city to burn incense to other gods

God extended an opportunity of repentance and restoration even to the affront that was King Ahaz.  He sent Isaiah with specific words for Ahaz and with the singular offer to ask for a sign.  Not many in scripture are given permission by God to ask for a sign.  But Ahaz rebuffed God’s offer, he remained in his unfaithfulness, he refused to repent and return.  Ultimately, he rejected the Lord as his God.

God ALWAYS desires restoration of His people.  He ALWAYS has an offer.  But He stops short of forcing people’s hands, of forcing obedience, of forcing repentance.  I’m currently praying for several people I wish God would push to repentance, but as I pray I see a picture of the Lord extending His hand to them ready to grasp and pull them up.  But they have to reach out.  They always have a choice.

The good news: no one, not even Ahaz, is beyond the care and compassion of the Lord.   He always pursues. He always offers redemption.

Yes, Lord!!

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”  Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

Why does this verse prick my heart?  I want to be one that without hesitation responds, “Here I am, send me!” when the Lord calls.  I want to be like Isaiah or like Mary who asked one question and then responded, “I am the bondslave of the Lord; may it be to me according to your word.”  However, I fear I would make excuses like Jeremiah.  Or come up with lots of reasons why I should not be chosen like Moses.  Or worse, run in the opposite direction like Jonah.

Thankfully, I know how Jeremiah, Moses and Jonah responded to the call of God because they made the Book too!  The Bible is not just full of success stories, accounts of those flawless individuals who made no mistakes, never wondered, never doubted and never feared.  Gloriously, the Bible is full of human failures, human mistakes, human doubts, human unbelief.  In summary, the Bible is full of human sin.

God answered Jeremiah’s concerns with a personal experience, and further opportunities show Jeremiah’s growth and confidence when he obeyed without question some specific and seemingly crazy instructions.  God countered every argument/excuse Moses came up with, and Moses proceeded to become a remarkable yet imperfect leader who spoke face to face with God just as a man speaks to his friend. And God demanded Jonah’s full attention in a most unlikely way, transforming a recalcitrant servant of God into an effective if volatile prophet.

How will I respond when I hear the voice of the Lord?  I HOPE with, “Here I am; send me.” Nevertheless, the story is always less about me and more about the Lord.  If He can bring a prophet from the belly of a fish, He can overcome the doubt, fear and sin of a disciple hiding behind her insecurities and rationalizations.  It is less about what I think I can do and more about what God WILL do through someone who will say, “Yes!”

Isaiah 5 – Woes of Today

Woe to you who focus on accumulating stuff yet ignore the people around you with real needs.  You miss out on the blessings that accompany following God’s priorities.

Woe to you who focus on indulgence and instant gratification, choosing immediate pleasure over lasting joy and hope.  You miss out on the blessing of seeing God at work; He’s working, you’re just too distracted to see it.

Woe to you who have concluded the end justifies the means, living by lies, trampling over others and promoting sin to get what you want.  You miss out on the blessings that come from waiting on the Lord and seeing His plans fulfilled.

Woe to you who turn evil on its head, calling darkness light and wickedness good, all in an effort to downplay sin.  You miss out on the blessings that accompany truth and light.

Woe to you who focus on your own intelligence, depending on your wits to help you succeed and placing all your hope in clever plots.  You miss out on the blessings of humility and dependence.

Woe to you who look to man’s provision and man’s capabilities looking only for results while ignoring character and integrity.  You miss out on what is lasting – the growth of a soul that lives for eternity.