Isaiah 63-66

The first six verses of chapter 63 are brutal.

It reminds me again that the Bible is not full of child-friendly material; it is full of real life messiness. Think about it: even the most popular children stories are…well, disconcerting at best.

–Joseph and the coat of many colors. As a boy, he’s thrown in a pit by his brothers. A deep dark hole. Then they decide it would be better to sell him into slavery. Absolutely terrible. Then he’s falsely accused of an affair and forgotten in jail.
–Noah and the ark looks like a peaceful picture until you realize the whole world population was killed during the flood. Even being spared in the ark must have been a ruckus to live in, considering it was a jam-packed boat with a bunch of animals and your closest family for a few months. No outdoor time. Rough.
–Daniel and the lions den. Great that he lived through it, but can you imagine the distress of sleeping with hungry lions for a night?
–The Good Samaritan. The man was beaten to a bloody pulp, left for dead before he was ever helped by the Samaritan. It was a crime scene.
–And Jonah…well, we all know how bad a fish can smell on the outside. Can you imagine the insides?

I think about these things. Thus I can’t just gloss over these opening verses, like nothing big is happening.

Throughout the other three chapters, we see pictures and declarations of justice for the wicked, mercy for the chosen, and restoration for Israel. 65:13-16 summarize it well.

You might also notice a number of popular verses in these final chapters of Isaiah. The new heavens are mentioned; we being the clay and God the potter; Zion being brought forth in a moment.

I find the ending odd. But perhaps it helps the reader take the book of Isaiah with the utmost seriousness. For it’s not only poetry, but truth as well. Truth with consequences.

Fatherhood

Four years ago, I had no desire to be a father. Not until I was finished with school, which at the time, I planned to finish a PhD.

Three years ago, I told my wife we could start trying. The Lord did quite a work on my heart.

Two years ago, we had a little girl, and she lit up my world.

One year ago, I truly began to love fatherhood. It’s a fine calling. It refines you like nothing else.

Four months ago, we had another lovely girl.

Today, I know the Lord has blessed me deeply. I am humbled regularly. I pray often for grace. I know I often fail. Thankfully I have a gracious Lord, as well as a gracious wife. In the words of Solomon, this three-fold cord is hard to break.

Children are a blessing. So is a virtuous wife. I can’t imagine who I would be without them.

Isaiah 57-59

Ponder verses 1-2. Take it to heart. It will change the way you live.

The rest of 57 is like reading rated-R material. And people say the Bible is for all ages. I just don’t think so. That is a section I will not expound on for my daughters until they are teenagers, at least.

After the summary statement, “There is no peace for the wicked,” Isaiah moves into the elements of a true fast. Not exactly a transition I saw coming, but it does make sense. You fast for important things, like people repenting, like the Lord showing mercy to sinners, like us getting our lives and priorities straight. May we be obedient to follow the Lord’s leading to fast. And may we follow our fasts with obedience. May we be like verses 8-14.

As for 59, there’s a lot happening. I would summarize it as justice for the majority of the chapter, with mercy coming in at the tail. I definitely enjoy that last verse.

 

Isaiah 54-56

I vacationed for a couple weeks. Now it’s time to get back into this habit.

Isaiah 54 starts off with an encouragement to make progress, to gain ground. Our pastor recently used this as a jumping-off point for a series of sermons, in which he laid out some initiatives for our church. Big plans, good stuff.

The Lord goes on in 54 to tell His people He did cast them off, but now He will have compassion on them. Why? Because He is their Redeemer. That is His nature, His character, to redeem.

His steadfast love will remain with them. Nothing will harm them. This is the inheritance of His servants. He will vindicate them. Praise Him!

Chapter 55 headlines a number of popular verses: His thoughts being higher than our thoughts, His Word not returning void, mountains and hills clapping. Exciting words all around!

In the following chapter, we see a declaration of The Lord to extend salvation to more than just the Israelites. He is going to bring eunuchs and foreigners into His house, which is a house of prayer.

I can hardly contain myself when I consider the joy of this section! Praise The Lord for encouragements like these.

Edging

When I drive by certain houses, I almost stop to admire their beauty. In our town, on the way to the grocery store, there are at least two of these houses. Good symmetry in the architecture, well manicured lawns, solid boundaries.
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This morning (a Saturday) I awoke at 5:30am. After a bike ride, I started working in the lawn. I started edging. That is, I began digging up weeds, making the distinction between cement and lawn. The process was therapeutic. And in my eyes, our house and lawn look much better.
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Edging, I think, is a key contributor to our minds’ perception of beauty. It provides a beginning and an end. It gives our eyes boundaries. It keeps things in their rightful place.
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What do you think? Is edging a key to beauty, not just in lawns, but other areas as well?

Isaiah 51-53

Most Christians are familiar with Isaiah 53. It’s the passage about Jesus being the suffering servant. He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement for our peace was upon Him. You remember that one, don’t you?

I will only comment on that passage by saying it is full of truth, solemn truth. It’s full of gravity and weight.

But I don’t want to expound on that passage, primarily because so many people have already heard about it. The chapters leading up to it, however, are not familiar to most. For that reason, they are of more interest to me.

Chapter 51 has two phrases to catch my attention: “Awake, awake” and “Listen to me.” For that reason, we need to pay attention. This chapter is chalked full of comfort to God’s people. “Don’t fear the enemy; fear Me,” is basically the Lord’s message.

The end of 51, however, is not so comforting. The Lord declares the punishment that’s coming before the comfort. Rather than going too far with that, the Lord (through Isaiah) goes back to proclamations of peace and rescue.

Which leads us back to the start…

Jesus…

The sin-bearing, suffering, despised servant…

Who becomes our Rescuer, our Salvation, our Lord.