The High and the Lowly
Labels:
Isaiah
52. An expository study of
Isaiah, chapter 57
The righteous perish
Now I find this verse before
us: “The righteous man perishes, and no
one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For
the righteous man is taken away from calamity” (v.1). Had there been ten
righteous people in Sodom, they would have averted its disaster. The principle,
concerning the raptured church, holds true today every time that a righteous
man goes to be with the Lord. They are the salt of the earth (a means of
preserving it). A restraining force is taken away from before the flood of
lawlessness, and this world becomes a little worse as a result.
Grace for Strangers and Outcasts
Labels:
Isaiah
51. An expository study of
Isaiah, chapter 56
The Kingdom is at hand
One of the main themes of our
last chapter was hunger and thirst and in the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaimed: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Mt.5:6). Here in this chapter God calls to a people to
“keep justice, and do righteousness”.
These are not a religious
people, trying to do good works, confiding in them in order to attain their
salvation. His salvation is at hand; they are anticipating His deliverance and
preparing their hearts: “Soon my salvation
will come, and my deliverance be revealed” (v.1). ). Isaiah may be encouraging
the Jews threatened by Sennacherib or those in Babylonian exile, but it is an
appropriate word also for the coming Messiah, of whom all the prophets spoke. Like
those that Jesus blessed in the Beatitudes, so these are a blessed people. Though
there may be many, they are addressed individually: “Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast.”
Update 2017: Articles Most Read
I am so happy to welcome many,
many new readers to our English blogspot! Every year in March, I update the
statistics, concerning the numbers of visitors to our blogs, both Spanish and
English, and also update the 10 most-read articles since we opened in 2011.
Because of the increased number of new readers, the older articles have been
totally replaced by newer ones, mostly our expositional studies on the book of
Isaiah. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see people enter an expositional
Bible study… it is so necessary these days!
However, I also want to
encourage our new visitors to go back and read previous most-read articles. PLEASE
read them! Some of them may shock you; some will bring joy and some fear. I
give you my full assurance that they are of great importance and will be
helpful for you, as you seek to follow Christ. You will find them listed just
below these opening paragraphs, along with the links that will easily open them
for you.
Now then, let me give you the
2017 updated statistics: As of yesterday, the total number of visits to this
English blog has risen to 85,431, since this blog was put together by our
grandson, John, in 2011. That number almost doubled during the last 12 months,
in which we have had 41,525 visits. When we add the visits to our Spanish
blogspot, the total number of visits increases to 225,598, and the number over
the last 12 months to 103,225 (obviously, we have more Spanish than English
readers).
To Hunger and Thirst
Labels:
Isaiah
50. An expository study of
Isaiah, chapter 55
(click on the photos for larger views)
A passionate invitation
We meditated on the message of
salvation in chapter 53. We studied the one, who would bear the message and
bring forth children in chapter 54. Now we see the message’s recipients and the
manner, in which the message is to be received. Whether or not your translation
carries an exclamation point or points in verse one, these are exclamations, clearly seen by
the repetition of the word come. Come…
come… come!
Did the prophet know that his
invitation would reach to the 21st Century? Who can say? In any
case, the Holy Spirit, who inspired him, knew and willed that we should see it
before our eyes: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come
to the waters; and he who has no money, come,
buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price” (v.1).
It is impossible to miss the
good intentions of the heavenly Father. Seven hundred years later, the Word was
made flesh and renewed the invitation: “Come
to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt.11:28).
He added in John 6:37: “All that
the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast
out.” Many years later still, five verses before the Apostle John closes the New
Testament canon, speaking for the Spirit and the Church, he gives the readers one
last cry: “The Spirit and the Bride say,
‘Come’. And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty
come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Rev.22:17).
The Song of the Barren
Labels:
Isaiah
49. An expository study of
Isaiah, chapter 54
In chapter 53, we studied a
message that Israel largely rejected and in this chapter, we see Israel as the
incapable messenger, the broken tool, the light that is snuffed out. Of course,
unbelief lies at the root of her problem and fosters idolatry and sin. It is
likened to a childless woman, a most disgraceful state in Bible times. It is
particularly addressed to a desolate Israel in Babylonian exile, but as we have
observed already a good number of times, the prophecy projects into the last
days. It also serves as an example of the heavenly Jerusalem, from which the
true church is born (Gal.4:27). These all prove the divine principle that
involves a naturally incapable people, empowered by God.
Unfaithful and desolate, she
is converted, God forgives her and takes her back. We see her repenting first under
the ministry of John the Baptist, and then, believing and following Christ. As
the book of Acts begins, they come by the thousands, Jews from many different
parts of the world. As we read on, we learn of the conversion of Saul of
Tarsus, the conversion of Cornelius, and then a movement throughout the Middle
East and into Europe among non-Jewish people.
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