ISAIAH STUDY, PART 8

 

I'm a little more than half-way through my personal study of the major prophet Isaiah.  I'm really glad I'm also using a study guide via the YouVersion Bible app because some of the chapters have been difficult to interpret.  This section is easier. Here's a short summary of Chapters 38-42.

CHAPTER 38-39: God healed Hezekiah from a terminal illness.  Hezekiah praised God and then showed the messengers from Babylon his wealth. This led to Jerusalem's downfall.  Hezekiah ahd sung a song of praise to God but he made a mistake. He didn't think about the long term  consequences.  Years later, all of Hezekiah's weapons and wealth were confiscated by the Babylonian raiders.

For us today:  Do we rely on God through trials that come to us?  Even seasoned Christians can make mistakes.  Stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading.  Talk about big decisions with a trusted friend or spouse. Impulsive decisions can have negative and long lasting consequences/results. 

CHAPTER 40: God told Isaiah to speak words of encouragement to the people of Jerusalem.  God's anger had passed after their long time of punishment and now it was recovery time.   All through the Old Testament God related to Israel as their Father. God's righteousness is seen in His punishing His children for disobedience, but His mercy, grace, and love are seen in His forgiving, healing,  and restoring them. This chapter signals the beginning of the restoration of God's people to their Father.  These verses are prophecies about Jesus, God's Son. 

For us today: Think of someone who has hurt you. Think about what that feels like.  That's what God feels. Holding onto hurts damages us more than the other person. Handle negative emotions (anger, hurt, depression, bitterness) in ways that model and honor Him. Ask God to help us forgive.  This leads to peace. 

CHAPTER 41: Israel was surrounded by nations who created idols (false gods) and worshipped them. God creates His own worship song in this chapter and is saying He is the One True God.  He has shown it through His deeds.  He told them that the metal and stone gods can't tell them anything and they can't do anything!

For us: We can choose to listen to God vs listening to what the world bombards us with each day. Meet with God daily through the Word and in prayer.  Spend time with Jesus. Some false gods have carried over into the modern world of course. Some of these false gods or false prophets are: Ann Lee (Shaker), Sun Myung Moon(South Korea)  David Koresh (Branch Davidian), Joseph Smith (Mormon), Muhammad (Muslim), plus so many others. Even modern technology can be viewed as a "god" if it takes the first place in our lives. 

Chapter 42: The first part of this chapter is the introduction of The Messiah.  Messiah is the Hebrew word for "specially chosen one".  The Greek word for Messiah is Christ.  We see the Messiah as a servant and a ruler. He brings justice but also forgiveness for all who ask and trust Him. The last part of this chapter centers around Israel still being in a state of disobedience to God!  They need a Savior---the Messiah---who will reconcile them to God. 

For us today: The world needs God's forgiveness.  Jesus bears the title Christ because He is the Chosen One of God (son of God) to offer salvation. God has provided a Savior who can redeem us and reconcile us back to the Father (God).