Isaiah 52-56

WOW! Y’know I read chapters like these and I think how can anyone who reads this and knows that it was written hundreds of years before Jesus walked the earth NOT see that he is the one being described in such staggering and awesome detail?! How is it that when Jesus came and proclaimed that the kingdom of God had arrived in him and then died the death that he died just as he said he would, that every Israelite who had ever read these chapters didn’t immediately identify him as the ONE?! How could they be so blind!

But then I quickly see that “there but for the grace of God go I”. It’s God who opens eyes to see his glory in the face of the one who was “disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14). So I pray that those who do not yet see will receive the mercy and grace of God and come to know the joy of forgiveness at the hands of the crucified one.

Isaiah 49:8-51:23

Isaiah 50:7-9 ⁷ Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.  ⁸ He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me!  ⁹ It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.

This would be news of comfort for the people of God. No condemnation for Gods people.

Vindication? free from accusation? No condemnation?

Romans 8:33-39

³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.³⁴ Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died– more than that, who was raised to life– is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isa 42:1-43:28

Finally great comfort arrives for the people of God. Future hope, news of a servant:

Isaiah 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

Isaiah 42:6-7 I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,  ⁷ to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Comfort has arrived for the people of God. Hope is here the servant has come:

Luke 2:28-32 ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:  ²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss {29 Or promised, now dismiss} your servant in peace.  ³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,  ³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all people,  ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Luke 3:21-22 ²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened  ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Thanks for a couple of good questions on Sunday. Here are a couple more that we didn’t get to…

Question 1 “Why was it only the line of Aaron that was to be priests?”

This question refers to Hebrews 5:4 “No-one takes this honour upon himself; he must be called by God just as Aaron was”. The honour being referred to is that of being High Priest, the first of whom was Moses’ brother Aaron (see Leviticus 8-10). The fact is that all descendants of Levi were eligible to be priests in Israel. Aaron was a great grandson of Levi. According to Leviticus 8-10 Aaron was chosen and ordained (set apart) as the first High Priest and his sons were also set apart. Leviticus 16:32 makes it clear that future high priests were to be chosen from among Aaron’s descendants. As for why God chose Aaron for this role, sorry, no clear answer is given.

Question 2 “Hebrews 2:7 says “you crowned him with glory and honour…” Does this refer to the believer as well as Jesus and man before the fall?”

Good question. “Bruce” is quoting Psalm 8 – a Psalm that reflects on the glory of creation and of mankind as the “jewel in creation’s crown”. But of course Bruce’s point is that because of sin “at present we do not see everything subject to him” (Hebrews 2:8). But we see Jesus “now crowned with glory and honour” (Hebrews 2:9). Your question though is “what about us? Are we also crowned with glory and honour?” The answer is “Yes/but not yet!” The Yes part of the answer is due to our connection with Jesus. Just as he has gone through the heavens (Hebrews 4:14) and has brought many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10) so there is a sense in which we are already seated with him (Ephesians 2:6-7). But experience tells us that there is also a “not yet” dimension to this truth! The key for us (as it was for the Hebrews) in this “now but not yet” time is to fix our thoughts on Jesus and hold on to the hope we profess (Hebrews 3:1-6). If we do that then our corown of glory and honour is “in the bag”!

Obadiah and Isaiah 40:1-41:29

Sorry for the late entry – had a bit of man flu this morning.

Not really sure what all of today’s reading is all about. However in the midst of judgment it seemed to be pointing out just how good the real God is. I found the following verses refreshing.

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Ezekiel 45 -48

We’re at the end of Ezekiel and I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed Ezekiel. Its been great to read the great words of God that promise redemption from exile and slavery but also speak of his justice and righteousness. Looking at Ezekiel has reminded that it is all about God showing grace to the wicked, not because of anything that is in them but everything that is in God… (Check out Ezekiel 36:24 – 38… God’s faithfulness to his promise to Abraham)

We get to chapters 45 – 48 (even 40 – 48) and I started to wonder… “where does this all fit in? Haven’t we already looked at the architecture of the temple somewhere else in the bible?”

Also how does the prince fits into this? No longer is the king mentioned but the prince appears to have taken over as a head of state…

Reading the chapters today made me think of Revelation 21 – 22 – the New Jerusalem that was to come. What’s the name of the city? “The Lord is there.”

I am not sure how all the boundaries of the land fits into that…? I would love to hear other people’s thoughts and reflections on Ezekiel!

Ezekiel 32:1-33:33

The failure of Israel is under the spotlight with some interesting descriptions of their error.

There pleas saying the Lord is unjust, just won’t wash. For their wickedness, they will be judged.

They might try to say they listen to the word of the Lord. As they sit before the feet of Ezekiel hearing what the Lord says to his people. Yet they have not heard, simply in one ear and out the other. Or better still:

³² Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. Ezekiel 33:32

How about you do you have any love songs in your collection?

Let us always hear the word of the God and put it into practice.

Ezekiel 25 – 27

God has just finished speaking of  his wrath that will be poured out upon Israel and Judah. Now He turns to all the other nations… Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre…

Why is God against all the other nations? Because those nations took advantage of God’s people when they were vulnerable…

- Ammon: “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel…” (25:2)

- Moab: “Because Moab and Seir said ‘Look, the house of Judah has become like all the other nations,’ ” (25:8)

- Edom: “Because Edom took revenge on the house of Judah and became guilty by doing so…” (25:12)

- Philistia: ” Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah…” (25:15)

- Tyre: “…because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now she lies in ruins I will prosper,’…” (26:2)

The nations will see God’s wrath being poured out and know that He is the one and only true God… We’ve read earlier in Ezekiel that God doesn’t taken pleasure in the death of people but he is just and sin needs to be dealt with, particularly sin and destruction against God’s chosen nation, Israel.

I am not sure what to make of chapter 27 – except that it was a great nation in the world’s eyes, with great wealth and position but before the Holy, Righteous, Sovereign God, Tyre is laid bare, nothing of worth left. It provides a great contrast between God and the nations that appear to have all the power and glory. It is only in God that true power is found and we were made to worship God alone, not the nations that he created and gave power and wealth to…