Acts 8 – It’s an awesome thing when the Holy Spirit begins to transform lives and show himself in amazing and unpredictable ways. The early church was on fire and the gasoline that was fueling it was …
Isaiah
133 posts
Acts 6 – We really have two storylines going on here. We have a great leadership move and a great Holy Spirit move both packed into one chapter. The beginning of Stephen is a great story, and …
Leviticus 25 – After 7 cycles of the sabbatical years came the 50th, or, Year of Jubilee. It was a release from debt and bondage. All slaves were released, all captives were set free, all debts were …
Revelation 21 – There is a lot of crossover between what Isaiah writes in chapter 65 and the 21st chapter of Revelation. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will …
Revelation 20 – If someone comes up and asks you, “How do you interpret Revelation?” most likely, they are referring to Revelation 20:1-10. The question of pre or postmillennialism is the first order of business. It simply answers …
Revelation 19 – After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are …
Revelation 16 – The continuity of the seals and the trumpets is broken up with the bowls as they move seamlessly through all seven with no interlude between the 6th and 7th as we have traditionally seen. …
Revelation 12 – The Woman It is out of Israel that the Messiah will come, therefore, it makes sense that the woman would represent not only Israel but also the Messianic community. We can marry these two …
Revelation 6 – I grew up in Berne, Indiana which sits directly on top of the continental divide. If you are not familiar with the continental divide, it is an area of raised terrain that …
Revelation 5 – The Scroll In ancient times, the Romans would seal their wills seven times. Each wax seal usually contained an engraved emblem and sealed the letter for security or to designate ownership. Marriage contracts, leases, …
Revelation 4 – The Throne We just recently studied the book of Ezekiel and Leviticus which have some strong ties to the language here in Revelation. Before God’s throne, John sees brilliant and vivid imagery that is …
Revelation 3 – Lukewarm I remember several years ago going to a music festival in Kentucky called Ichthus. It was basically a camping trip with live Christian music playing at all times across multiple stages. Now, I’m …
Jeremiah 48 – Moab can trace its ancestry all the way back to Lot. Historically, Israel and Moab experienced times of peace and hostility but there was little love lost between these two nations. Moab seemed to play both sides of the fence. Often, they were a thorn in the side of God’s people. …
2 Chronicles 33 – Sometimes it has to hurt in order to draw genuine Godly repentance. It’s not a concept we like to think about, but it is true. Though Manasseh’s acts were heinous and evil, God …
2 Chronicles 31 – What we notice about the kings of the past two books (1 & 2 Chronicles) is that their actions are described in detail. Generally speaking, the kings either followed the Lord and backed …
2 Chronicles 29 – In the first month… There were many decisions that needed attention when coming into power as a king. Certainly, there would have been personal decisions, political decisions, military decisions and economic decisions. There …
2 Chronicles 27 – The people continued in rebellion under Jotham. Although he was a faithful king, he did have one flaw that stood against him outlined in 2 Kings 15. He did …
Isaiah 66 – As the book of Isaiah comes to a close, I am drawn to the writings of F.F. Bruce. “As the book has stated again and again in a variety of places and ways, however, …
Isaiah 65 – God has made Himself available. He is standing with arms outstretched ready to help His people. God says one thing, but the people say another. God offers His help, but the people will not …
Isaiah 64 – What does it really look like to come before God in humility and express your deepest grief for the sins of you and your people? I’m not talking about grief for consequences or fear …
Isaiah 63 – At the beginning of Isaiah 63, we find a familiar theme in Scripture. There is someone with blood-stained clothes who is robed in splendor and striding forward in the greatness of strength. This can …
Isaiah 62 – *If you haven’t read the Isaiah 61 blog entry, it would be helpful for context. Isaiah 62 is picking up on the new status of Israel after their redemptive moment in Isaiah 61.* Holy …
Isaiah 61 – Isaiah 61 is such an interesting chapter. In Luke 4, Jesus reads the first two verses of Isaiah 61 in the synagogue. “The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling …
Isaiah 60 – Isaiah 60 begins a new section that looks ahead Christ’s Kingdom and rule. Remember, Isaiah was a prophet in the southern kingdom of Judah during the time when the northern kingdom, Israel, had already …
Isaiah 59 – In a beautiful example of what it is like for the Lord to work in a person’s heart, Isaiah speaks directly to the blindness of Israel. In reality, it is the blindness that all …
Isaiah 58 – Superficial people. We’ve all endured them. If we’re honest, we’ve probably been one at some point in our lives. Superficial people seem frivolous, self-absorbed, and shallow. Merriam-Webster defines superficial as lacking in depth or …
Isaiah 57 – And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.” Isaiah 57:14 NASB Remove every stumbling block! If this phrase sounds familiar …
Isaiah 56 – Here at the end of the chapter, we read that Israel’s irresponsible leaders are the source of their blindness. Anytime that leadership is failing, the people under that leadership have little chance of success. …
Isaiah 55 – Faith in Jesus without a life filled with Jesus’ attitude and behavior is no life of faith at all. There are no excuses because a reborn life is not done in our own strength …
Isaiah 54 – This chapter focuses on the wonderful love God has for His people. Amazingly, even though human sin has corrupted the future God had promised, His words will not return void. Given the current exile …
Isaiah 53 – The opening verse grabs my attention. “Who has believed our message?” It’s a rhetorical question but one that was referenced twice in the New Testament. But though He had performed so many signs before …
Isaiah 52 – God’s people will be redeemed. They were sold for nothing but they will be bought back without money. The foreshadowing of the future for Israel is also a foreshadowing for humanity. The Messiah will …
Isaiah 51 – In verse 9 of this chapter the writer appears to believe that the Lord is asleep. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; Awake as in the days of old, the …
Isaiah 50 – Here in Isaiah 50 we read a soliloquy by the Servant as well as statements directed toward the believers and unbelievers of Israel. The soliloquy is found in the opening verses of 4-9 and …
Isaiah 49 – His words were like a sharp arrow ready to pierce the heart. Israel would be his servant and he would be their master. But something was wrong. Their response was rejection! Though he came …
Isaiah 48 – We who know Christ understand that the Gospel message is not a one of mystery and mysticism. Yes, some may claim this because our God is a mysterious God, however, the sending of His …
Isaiah 47 – God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray. You said to yourself, ‘I …
Isaiah 46 – The weight of holding onto our idols can be unbearable. Like a backpack full of bricks, the straps pull on our shoulders, twisting our back as we awkwardly try and move forward. With each …
Isaiah 45 – Exodus 33:20 NASB But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” He is the unseen God, and for good reason. If we would look at Him, …
Isaiah 44 – “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. Isaiah 44:6 NASB …
Isaiah 43 – Should we forget the past or remember it? This is a troubling question. On the surface, it would seem that Isaiah has contradicted itself. For instance, in Isaiah 43:18 it says… “Do not call …
Isaiah 42 – God is the only Savior. His creation will bring glory to Him alone and it will not be shared with an idol. In the beautiful and symbolic open verses, the theme of restoration continues. …
Isaiah 41 – In this chapter, God is reminding His people of His promises. The people of Israel would be used to glorify the one and only true God of this world. Even though consequences were coming, …
Isaiah 40 – The theme of chapters 7-39 focuses directly on the punishment of God. It’s easy to read this chapter and become discouraged. We must remember that God’s heart was not to needlessly punish his people …
Isaiah 38 – Let’s review what’s happened thus far and what will happen in the future. Assyria has built the strongest military the world has ever seen and has destroyed both Aram as well as Israel. Judah …
Isaiah 37 – Much of what Isaiah has written leading up to this point has been about the rebellion of God’s people. They were living like they really didn’t trust the Lord, and continually went back to …
Isaiah 36 – The goal of the enemy is to render us hopeless in the face of our circumstances. The world, Satan, and even our own hearts influence our minds to these dark places. Even though the …
Isaiah 35 – The promise at the end of the chapter is beautiful. There will be no lion there, and no vicious beast will go up on it; they will not be found there. But the redeemed …
Isaiah 34 – The idea of this chapter is that the Lord will conquer all who oppose Him. There is no question about it. Within the text, the language is bold and abrasive. Divine wrath will be …
Isaiah 33 – The book of Isaiah is very clear. Trust in nations; destruction. Trust in God alone; deliverance. The irony is that God would use nations to humble His people, but He would command them not …
Isaiah 32 – Isaiah’s description of a true king is exactly what we all desire. He is righteous, just, and a source of protection and support. This king would contrast many other kings that ruled in ancient …
Isaiah 31 – God had willed captivity for His people. He also willed restoration. When we must go through a season of captivity in order to receive restoration, we tend to resist. We want to take the …
Isaiah 30 – The people resisted God’s counsel, and instead, they received His judgement. It sounds harsh, but remember, we live under the New Covenant. There should be an aspect to this that is somewhat foreign since …
Isaiah 29 – I can remember times in my life when I was simply neglecting the spiritual wisdom of God. Like a nagging fly that kept landing on me, I swatted those thoughts out of my mind …
Isaiah 28 – Samaria is given a strong warning by Isaiah to begin the chapter. The problem was self-indulgence and a lack of true wisdom. He then turns to Judah in verse 7 and gives warning that …
Isaiah 26 – Disease. Affliction. Poverty. The kingdom of man wrestles with the birth pains of this world. The city of God, however, is strong and unwavering. “Go into your houses, my people, and shut the door …
Isaiah 25 – Following a chapter on the destruction and judgment of God, we read a deeply personal appeal to His faithfulness. It almost reads like a prayer, and this is significant. When we face trials, struggles, …
Isaiah 24 – The somber truth is that our world is headed for judgment. In the end, God will reign. Although much of humanity believes we are self-sufficient and in control of our own destiny, reality tells …
Isaiah 23 – Babylon was the great city along the eastern side of the ancient world and Tyre was considered the great city of the west. Tyre was known for their fabulous wealth – a benefit to …
Isaiah 22 – How do you handle the immense spiritual burdens of others? Isaiah wept over Israel. You can feel his raw emotion in verse 4. He refuses comfort in his mourning because of his bitter sadness. …
Isaiah 21 – A shared truth sticks out over the past few chapters of Isaiah. All the main players surrounding Judah (Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, and Ethiopia) are under the authority of God. The domino effect that occurred …
Isaiah 20 – Let’s first set the stage. Coming on the heels of Isaiah 19 and the oracle concerning Egypt, we now see the unfolding of God’s judgment. King Sargon of Assyria orders his commander to invade …
Isaiah 19 – What do we use to replace God in our lives? It’s really a thought-provoking question. The temptation is to brush it aside, or minimize it. But when given proper thought, and approached with humility, …
Isaiah 18 – I believe that chapter 18 is an expansion of Isaiah 17:12-14. The flow between the two chapters speaks to the hand of God being involved in all details of future events. Although there is …
Isaiah 16 – Though Moab’s nation was broken to pieces, they had far more hope through Salvation than did Babylon or Philistia. The language describing the destruction of Moab offers much hope. In fact, we read in …
Isaiah 15 – Moab was the region on the east side of the Dead Sea. The total land surface would have been about 30 miles long and 30 miles wide. As compared to the nation of Edom, …
Isaiah 14 – There are some deep theological principles at work in this chapter. There is also some controversy as to the correct translation of the phrase, “Oh Lucifer, Son of the morning” in verse 12. Many …
Isaiah 13 – Chapters 7-12 were Messianic in nature and now in Chapter 13 of Isaiah turns to the surrounding Gentile regions. Isaiah reiterates that God knows of the destiny of Babylon, Assyria, and every nation in …
Isaiah 12 – Isaiah 12:1 is a mirror image of Paul’s writing in Romans 6:17. Compare the two passages. Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You …
Isaiah 11 – There is a good point here to be made about the wrath of God. Many skeptics are quick to point out God’s wrath, especially in the Old Testament. Of course, we have all heard …
Isaiah 10 – ‘Woe” is a dangerous word in Scripture. Chapter 10 kicks off with God using this word as a warning of the severe consequences to come. It is the deprivation of the poor and …
Isaiah 8 – There are many prophecies to sort through in this text. First, we have the prophecy of Samaria falling to Assyria. This was written in verse 4 and would occur in 722 BC. Verses 5-10 …
Isaiah 7 – War has broken out and Jerusalem is under attack. Amazingly, God shows King Ahaz mercy by commanding him to stay calm and courageous, even though he was a terribly immoral king. The Lord sends …
Isaiah 6 – The first 5 chapters of Isaiah outline his prophecies, but do not establish his calling. In chapter 6 we read the details of God’s calling for Isaiah. In many ways, Isaiah filled a role …
Isaiah 5 – Six woes are given to the nation of Israel starting in verse 8. The woes include greed, debauchery, unbelief, perversion, arrogance, and injustice. “To these sins are added prophecies of judgment: desolation, captivity or …
Isaiah 4 – Isaiah 4:2 describes the Branch of the Lord. The time is coming when the LORD will make every plant and tree in the land grow large and beautiful. All the people of Israel who …
Isaiah 3 – Strong Christian leadership is important. Most likely during the time that Isaiah was writing this, the readers were under the leadership of King Uzziah. He was a wise and godly king, however, a time …
Isaiah 2 – The first five verses of this chapter relate to the future Messiah and hint at the admission of the Gentiles to that kingdom. From there, the prophecies take a dramatic twist as they describe …
Isaiah 1 – The book of Isaiah is full of prophecy. Hebrew poetry used a literary style called parallelism, much like a modern-day analogy. In the first several verses, we see the parallels being drawn. “An ox …
Ephesians 5 – For this reason, it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” I’ve researched this phrase, and it must have been familiar to those he was writing to. …
Judges 13 – There are many instances in the Old Testament where scholars attribute a being from heaven as being Jesus Christ. This is one of those times. The ‘angel of the Lord’ comes to give instructions …
Judges 6 – Early Christian theologian and Greek scholar, Origen, makes some fascinating prophetic connections to the weak faith-testing by Gideon and the response by God. The passage I am referencing is Judges 6:36-40. Judges 6:36-40 HCSB …
Job 41 – It is the mystery of the Leviathan… No beast, terrestrial or aquatic, deserves the high character here given, though that character only considers him as unconquerably strong, ferociously cruel, and wonderfully made. Perhaps leviathan …
Job 37 – We experience and come to know God through Scripture. Another place we come to know Him is through His creation. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and …
Job 5 – Eliphaz continues his speech in chapter 5. I am struck with similar thoughts from his words in chapter 4. What he knew was not wrong. In fact, he was quoted by Paul. For the …
Ezra 1 – It is fascinating to consider the faith of Cyrus, King of Persia. Was he a believer in the one true God? The passage here mentions that “the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus …
Matthew 27 – Although we are typically hard on the Pharisees in Scripture, there were a few who sincerely had a heart change through Jesus’ ministry. Joseph of Arimathea was one of these men. Mark and Luke …
Matthew 22 – The Sadducees and Pharisees were always playing games with Jesus. They, like some today, thought they could outsmart God. Here in Matthew 22, we find some intense back-and-forth debating from the teachers of the …
Matthew 4 – “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1 NASB Wow! What a chapter! Let’s read and re-read this opening verse. Satan didn’t just …
Matthew 3 – Photo credit: Nelson’s New Illustrated Commentary Pictured is the traditionally accepted site (the Jordan River) for the baptism of Jesus. As I read this chapter, there are many questions that come to mind. Why …
Romans 15 – This week, I learned a very relevant historical fact that alters the way I read and understand the book of Romans. The very first house churches in Rome would have been comprised of mostly …
Romans 11 – To me, the most interesting part of Romans 11 starts in verse 25. After outlining the difference again between works and grace, and the stumbling that Israel has had over the years, Paul writes …
Romans 10 – A lot of times we talk about people having knowledge about God, but no zeal for him. Here, Paul is attacking just the opposite. He is accusing the Jews of having much zeal for …
Romans 3 – When we study Scripture, it is important we don’t sweep through it with a predetermined mindset. There are always deeper truths to be found but sometimes we can miss it. This is especially true …
2 Kings 25 – It’s definitely fitting that the fate of Israel was determined at Jericho. “It seems ironic that here, at the very spot where Israel first set foot on the Promised Land, the last of …