Scripture

In one night the town of Ar will be levelled and the City of Kir will be destroyed.

Observation

Isaiah now prophesies against Moab, which lies to the east of Israel.

Devastation is coming with towns being levelled in one night. People cry out in terror at what is happening.

The rivers are dried up and the grassy banks are scorched. The streams near Dibon run red with blood. The lord will send lions to hunt down the survivors – both those who try to escape and those who remain behind.

Application

Here Isaiah paints a picture of sudden destruction in Moab. Several towns are destroyed overnight.

It is not clear what sort of event is being described – an earthquake together with drought perhaps. Or is there a military invasion being described?

While are modern civilisation protects us from many natural disasters, life is still fragile. In poorer countries, drought turns into famine and then disease.

Even in advanced societies, any of us can be struck down in an instant by the proverbial bus, or unexpected severe illness, or attacks by criminals.

Tonight my life on earth could end. Then I have to stand before God. I am thankful for the knowledge that my sins have been atoned for by Christ and my guilt is taken away.

For those who don’t know Christ, I encourage you to make today the day you give your heart to him.

Prayer

Lord, we link to think that our life on earth is endless, but the fact is that all of us are here for a short time. Thank you for sending Jesus to pay for my sins. Amen.

Scripture

For you said to yourself, “I will ascend to heaven, and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.”

Observation

The Lord will bring His people home. He will have mercy on them.

The king of Babylon will be destroyed by the Lord. The spirits in the world of the dead will mock him. For all of his pretensions of greatness, he is as weak as any other dead person.

He said to himself that he would set his throne above God’s stars. He would climb to the highest mountain, the mountain of the gods, and preside over them.

The Lord will make Babylon a desolate place. He will also break as Syria and Philistia

Application

People sometimes attribute parts of this the self-exaltation of lucifer or satan. There is nothing in the text to suggest that it is anything other than a rhetorical attack on Babylon.

We can see, though, how people think, often under the influence of satan. They should be the top dog – the leader of the world, the CEO of the company, or the pastor of the local church. They deserve the place of honour, they think; the right to control other people’s lives.

This is not the way of the Lord. Jesus tells us to put others ahead of ourselves. The way to the top is through an attitude of service – serving others and serving the Lord. This is to be done without any thought of personal reward.

This is a hard lesson for some. We must learn to serve.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to love the place of service. Show me any attitude of pride that stops me from walking in your ways. Amen.

Scripture

With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation.

Observation

This chapter is a song about salvation.

I will praise you God because you have lifted your anger from me and replaced it was comfort. We can trust the God who saves us and not be afraid.

With joy we drink deeply from the fountain of salvation. The Lord has done wonderful things. Great is the Holy One of Israel.

Application

One of the most observable features of Christians is their joy. When I move between christian and non-christian environments, this move from joy to fear/anxiety /depression often strikes me.

My wife comes from a big extended family, many of whom are Christians. Whenever they get together, it is like a happy reunion of old friends. Even at funerals, the joy and laughter are evident.

How can we drink deeply from the fountain of salvation?

I think the key is that we maintain the spirit of thanksgiving, the attitude of gratitude.

I regularly thank the Father for adopting me into His family and Jesus for paying the price of my salvation. I praise the Holy Spirit who is the deposit or seal of my salvation.

Read the scriptures daily and immerse yourself in the spiritual realities that lie behind the veil of the physical realm. We are in a spiritual battle, but God has the victory!

Keep coming back to the Lord. He is The fountain of salvation and the source of all joy.

Prayer

Hallelujah! What a saviour! Thank you Lord for saving me and keeping me safe in the palm of your hand. Amen.

Scripture

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

Observation

Out of David’s stump a shoot, a new branch, will grow. The Spirit of the Lord will be upon him – wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.

He will bring justice, and the earth will shake at his word. Nature will be transformed and natural enemies will live in peace.

The heir to David’s kingdom will be a banner of salvation to the whole world. Nations will come to Him. He will make a highway for his people to return to the land from every direction.

Application

From the stump of David’s Kingdom came the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. His word has shaken the world and now billions of people from every nation on the earth claim to be his followers.

The Spirit of the Lord rests upon him. That is how we know He is the true son of God and not a pretend saviour

The Spirit of wisdom – He knew how to deal with the sick people and the true seekers, as well as deflecting the troublemakers.

The Spirit of understanding – He sees through all the pretences of men and women because He sees our hearts.

The Spirit of counsel – he is the Advocate, the Paraclete. Jesus advocates for us with the Father, saying “he/ she is mine.”

The Spirit of knowledge – He knows all things and can give us knowledge that brings healing and conviction for us and for others.

The Spirit of the fear of the Lord – this is about worship, our whole lives are being transformed by His presence as we bring our lives into alignment with His purposes.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are the true messiah, the glorious king over all people over all people, the Son of God. Praise be to you. Amen

Scripture

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; for those who live in a land of deep darkness a light will shine.

Observation

The predicted time of darkness will come to an end. The people who walked in darkness will see a great light. The Lord will enlarge the off the op stop

A child is born, and the government will rest on him. He will be the wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting father, the prince of peace. His rule will be fair, and he bring never ending peace.

In a single day, the Lord will destroy both the leaders of Israel and the prophets.

Application

Isaiah looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour of Israel. In this chapter, there are two passages that relate to the birth of Jesus.

God promised that the people who walk in darkness will see a great light. This is a message about salvation that comes through Jesus.

We are the people who walked in darkness. We were in bondage to sin and evil, even when we tried to do good. Satan had us in captivity.

Then the light of the gospel shone into our dark lives and we saw the love of God.

Whether you had a dramatic conversion experience as I did, or grew up in a Christian family and gradually grew into faith, the process of salvation is the same. We see the light of God, recognise our need for a saviour, and then call on the Name of the Lord to be saved.

This is all God’s work. Praise the Lord!

Prayer

Thank you Lord for saving me. I was trapped in the darkest place, but you shone the light of your gospel. Thank you. Amen.

Scripture

Don’t call everything a conspiracy like they do, and don’t leave in dread of what frightens them.

Observation

The Lord tells Isaiah to take a large signboard and write on it the words “swift to plunder and quick to carry away.” When his wife becomes pregnant, he is to call his son by this name.

The Lord’s care for Judah is like a gently flowing river. but because the people are rejoicing over the fate of foreign kings, the Lord will overwhelm them with a mighty flood, that is, the king of Assyria.

The lord tells Isaiah to not think like everyone else does. He is not to call everything a conspiracy or to live in dread of the things that frighten them. They are to live in hope and trust in the Lord.

When people consult mediums for guidance, Isaiah says, ”Shouldn’t you listen to the Lord? People who contradict God’s ways are living in the dark.”

Application

Conspiracy theories arise when people feel afraid and unable to have any agency. The COVID pandemic led to many conspiracy theories – some of which turned out to be true. Often, though, the people thought to be pulling all the strings are either incompetent or just as much victims as the rest of us.

Isaiah tells us that we should not think like worldly people. We should not be afraid or believe the conspiracy theories (even the true ones!) because we trust the Lord.

In the end, our trust is not in our knowledge of what is “really happening”. We trust in the Lord. As Jesus shows us at Easter time, He has conquered even death, so we are safe in the hands of the Lord.

The “elites” can silence people, murder people, cause people to disappear, or keep us all drugged and helpless. It doesn’t matter, because our lives are not in their hands but in the hands of the Lord. My eternal destiny is not determined by any person or corporation, but by the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the knowledge that you are in control. You are greater than the people who think they run things. My trust is in the Lord. Amen.

Scripture

The Lord Himself will give you the sign. Look! A virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel which means God is with us.

Observation

Syria and Israel join forces to attack Jerusalem. The Lord tells Isaiah to go to meet King Ahaz and tell him to stop worrying about these two kings. The Lord says the invasion will not happen.

Later, the Lord sends a message to Ahaz to choose a sign of confirmation. Ahaz refuses to test the Lord in the way. Isaiah says that the Lord will give him the sign. A virgin will conceive and she will call her child Emmanuel, which means God is with us. By the time the child is old enough to know right and wrong, he will be eating yoghurt and honey for the lands of these two kings will be deserted.

Application

This prophecy about a virgin conceiving was to reach it’s fulfilment in the birth of Jesus, and we often remember it at Christmas.

At the time, the kingdom of Judah was facing an existential threat as the kings of Israel and Syria were planning to invade. How comforting the name Emmanuel must have been to King Ahaz.

Jesus is Emmanuel, God is with us.

He has promised to be with us always, regardless of where we might go in the world. “I will never leave you or forsake you,” He promises us.

God is also with us in the sense of being for us. Those who are in fellowship with Jesus can be certain that God is with us. He will not smite us, destroy us or let us down. He is for us, not against us. He loves us and will always work for our good.

Emmanuel – God is with us.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the encouragement of this scripture. You truly are Emmanuel, God with us. Amen.

Scripture

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. he touched my lips with it and said, “See this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Observation

Isaiah sees the Lord in the temple. The Lord is sitting on a high throne and the train of his robe fills the whole temple. Mighty seraphim surround the Lord, calling out His praises.

Isaiah is terrified. He recognises his sin in the presence of God’s holiness. A seraph takes a burning coal to Isaiah’s lips and says his guilt is removed and his sins are forgiven.

The Lord asks whom can he send as a messenger? Isaiah volunteers to go. Isaiah is to call the nation to repentance, but their hearts will be hardened. This will go on until the whole country is abandoned. The Lord will leave a stump from which Israel will grow back.

Application

Some christians believe that the Old Testament only about the law. A person had to obey God’s Law to be considered holy or righteous. But in this chapter, we read about Isaiah’s sins being removed by a seraph with a burning coal.

Everything about God’s dealings with people revolves around grace. Isaiah did not have to offer a sacrifice to be forgiven. He didn’t need the seraph to touch his lips; this was just a teaching aid to help Isaiah receive God’s forgiveness.

Jesus died once and for all. His death covers all the sins of all people through all history.

To be effective, we have to receive the gift. Isaiah could have turned his face away from the coal and held onto his guilt. People do just this. For a variety of reasons, they refuse God’s offer of grace through Christ. They remain unforgiven even though the offer is available.

If you have not accepted God’s forgiveness through Christ, do it now.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, your death on the cross took my sins away. I am forgiven and restored. Thank you. Amen.

Scripture

“When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?”

Observation

The Lord had a vineyard set on a rich and fertile hill. He ploughed the land, planted the best vines, and waited for the harvest. Yet it produced bitter grapes. Now he will tear down the vineyard and let it be destroyed.

The Lord expected to find righteousness and justice in the in the nation of Israel, but He found oppression and violence.

The people will go into exile far away. What sorrow awaits those who mock God. What sorrow for those who call evil good and good evil and for those who are wise in their own eyes.

T Lord’s anger burns against the people. He will whistle to distant nations and they will come and carry off their victims.

Application

The Lord is always expecting a harvest of righteousness and justice from His people.

There is a common form of “easy believeism” or cheap grace in which salvation is preached as a gift that comes when we say a prayer. Salvation is so much more than a transaction enacted in a church service. Unless a life is changed, or a heart transformed over time, then the person has not been saved.

Isaiah condemned the people of Israel for their corruption, self-indulgence, and injustice. They produced only sour grapes, not the sweet grapes the Lord intended for them.

There are many people who profess to be Christians who live the same sort of lives that the people of the world live. They have the same ambitions, plans ans dreams as unbelievers. The gospel hasn’t changed anything about them.

To repent means that we turn our lives away from sin and towards God. Over time we become more like Jesus.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for salvation. Please show me any part of my life that is displeasing to you. Amen

Scripture

But in that day, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and the glory of all who survive in Israel.

Observation

After the punishment, the destruction and the degradation of Israel comes the restoration. There will be so few men left alive that seven women will fight for each man.

But then the branch of the Lord, the remnant, will be beautiful and glorious. The land will be cleansed so that it is again fruitful.

The people will be holy. The Lord will wash the filth from Zion with the hot breath of Judgement. then He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and fire by night over all the land. It will protect them from the heat and the storms.

Application

The branch of the Lord refers to the remnant of the people of Israel. They are going to go through a disastrous time of discipline in which the Lord will strip away the corruption of Israel. What is left will be holy and beautiful, a people dedicated to the Lord.

The branch of the Lord also remind us of another promise in Isaiah; that a branch will grow from the stump of Jesse. This time of the year, we tend to think of Jesus as being that branch. Jesus is the one who is beautiful and glorious. He is the one who makes the land fruitful.

We can see in this also a reference to the church. Israel had not been faithful to the lord. Israel rejected the Messiah. So the church became a branch that brings pride and glory to the Lord. We are the branch, grafted in, as Paul describes it in Romans. We are the holy remnant, the people of the Lord.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for grafting me into your chosen people. I did not deserve this, but I am now a part of the holy priesthood of God, through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.