Category: Isaiah

September 1, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the fourth chapter of 1 Thessalonians and two chapter of Isaiah.

September 1: 1 Thessalonians 4, Isaiah 51, Isaiah 52 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

1 Thessalonians 4. Believers live to please God and are called to purity and godliness, brotherly love and orderly life.  There is comfort in knowing of Christ’s coming for his own.

Isaiah 51 speaks of everlasting salvation out of Zion, via “the rock”. Wake up!

Isaiah 52. God redeems Jerusalem. “ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Verse 13 and forward is the beginning of the prophecy of the suffering servant.

August 31, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the third chapter of 1 Thessalonians and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 31: 1 Thessalonians 3, Isaiah 50 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

1 Thessalonians 3 tells of Paul’s concern for their faith and he is encouraged by Timothy’s report. The chapter ends with a prayer that their love may increase.

Isaiah 50 continues elaborating about the Servant. The two last verses has meant much in my life: “ Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.  Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.”

August 30, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the second chapter of 1 Thessalonians and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 30: 1 Thessalonians 2, Isaiah 49 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

1 Thessalonians 2. Paul defends his motives and his conduct, they were all pure. Then he gives thanks to God for the conversion of the Thessalonians and mentions his longing to see them.

Isaiah 49. A chapter on the servant. Is it Israel or is it Jesus? Isaiah indicates it is both, and “a light to the Gentiles.” Read it and contemplate.

August 29, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians and three chapters of Isaiah.

August 29: 1 Thessalonians 1, Isaiah 46, Isaiah 47, Isaiah 48 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

1 Thessalonians 1. After the greetings Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians’ good example.”Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

Isaiah 46 tells of the dead gods of Babylon and other useless idols. Compare that to the living God! “ Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”

Isaiah 47 prophesies the fall of Babylon.

Isaiah 48. God declares His plan for Israel, and it ends with something quoted in  a play. Which play?

August 28, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read two Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 28: Psalm 90, Psalm 91, Isaiah 45 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 90, a Prayer of Moses, the Man of God. This is his prayer in the wilderness, and is the only song of Moses in the Psalms, but there are two others in the Pentateuch (Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32-33).

Psalm 91. It shall remain anonymous. Charles Spurgeon commented: “In the whole collection there is not a more cheering Psalm, its tone is elevated and sustained throughout, faith is at its best, and speaks nobly.” He also quoted (in English) Siméon Marotte deMuis: “It is one of the most excellent works of this kind which has ever appeared. It is impossible to imagine anything more solid, more beautiful, more profound, or more ornamented.”

Isaiah 45. Cyrus is God’s instrument. God will give him “the treasures of darkness”, though he does not acknowledge Him. The Lord is the only savior, there is none else. God says: “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

 

August 27, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read one Psalm and two chapters of Isaiah.

August 27: Psalm 89, Isaiah 43, Isaiah 44 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 89, of Ethan the Ezrahite. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever“. A Psalm of praise to God and His covenant with David, His glory and holiness, His faithfulness to deliver His promises, but also the trouble with the unfaithful. It ends up with a plea for a speedy restoration.

Isaiah 43 speaks of the redeemer and the rebirth of Israel. This happened in 1948, and it happened in spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness only by God’s mercy, and He will do a new thing.

Isaiah 44. Israel is the chosen nation, God is supreme, idols are worthless. Sing, for the LORD has done it. God is the one “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.”

August 26, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read one chapter of Proverbs and two chapters of Isaiah.

August 26: Proverbs 13, Isaiah 41, Isaiah 42 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Proverbs 13, more proverbs of Solomon.

Isaiah 41 writes of the helper of Israel. “How firm a foundation” is to stand with God. Compare that to the futility of idols!

Isaiah 42 records the Servant of the LORD as a light for the gentiles. The sons of Kedar will sing a new song, which is not the doctrine of Islam, but as is so often the case, Israel is still blind and deaf.

 

 

 

August 25, read through the Bible in a year.

In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read three Psalms  and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 25: Psalm 86, Psalm 87, Psalm 88, Isaiah 40 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Psalm 86, a Prayer of David. A plea for help, David pours out his needs and confesses his total dependence on God to teach him His ways.

Psalm 87, of the Sons of Korah. A song of praise to Zion, the City of God and its citizens, even to those gentiles so honored.

Psalm 88, of the Sons of Korah, Heman the Ezrahite. This may be the saddest Psalm of them all, seemingly without hope, and yet?

Isaiah 40. After reading Psalm 88 we need something uplifting, and this chapter has helped me immensely. I will not comment any further. Read it, listen to the music, read it again and let it sink in!

 

 

August 24, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the last chapter of Colossians, two Psalms  and one chapter of Isaiah.

August 24: Colossians 4, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Isaiah 39 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Colossians 4, Paul gives final instructions, final Greetings and exhortations  as he bids them God’s grace.

Psalm 84, of the Sons of Korah.  Charles Spurgeon said this Psalm was entitled “to be called The Pearl of Psalms.” He once preached a whole sermon on verse 3: “Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.”

Psalm 85, of the Sons of Korah. A prayer of thankfulness.

Isaiah 39 tells of Hezekiah’s folly, how he shows all the riches of Jerusalem to the envoys from Babylon, and he said “There will be peace for our time”, like Neville Chamberlain did before WWII.

 

August 23, read through the Bible in a year.

Today we read the third chapter of Colossians and three chapters of Isaiah.

August 23: Colossians 3, Isaiah 36, Isaiah 37, Isaiah 38 (click on the chapter to begin reading).

Colossians 3. Paul lists the rules for holy living;  not carnality but Christ, the character of the New Man and proper relationships in the christian home.

Isaiah 36. Isaiah breaks from prophecy and gives a historical rendition, duplicated is 2 Kings. This is not plagiarism, Isaiah was the scribe during Hezekiah’s reign

Isaiah 37. Jerusalem’s deliverance is foretold, Hezekiah’s prayer and the word of the LORD concerning Sennacherib, and his final fall.

Isaiah 38 desaribes Hezekiah’s illness and how the LORD added 15 years to his life.