Milo

MAY 17

Reading 137

DESTINY’S CHILDREN Isaiah 2–6

“The Law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3).All too often we sense a great gap between what is and what should be. In these opening chapters, Isaiah reminded his hearers and us that what God intends ultimately will be.

Overview

Isaiah stated God’s intention for Jerusalem (2:1–5), then pronounced judgment on its inhabitants for failing to walk in His light (v. 6–4:1). Despite the failure of God’s people, the Lord will make Jerusalem holy (vv. 2–6). Isaiah defined Judah’s sin in his “song of the vineyard” (5:1–7) and announced judgment as a series of woes (vv. 8–30). The section ends with a Isaiah’s call to serve as a prophet (6:1–13).

Understanding the Text

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” Isa. 2:1–5. Isaiah shared a vision of the ideal. God intended Jerusalem to be glorious: a beacon, calling all nations to Him and His Law. If only the nations would turn to the Lord and His Law, God would bring peace to the world. This thought is expressed in one of the most famous of Old Testament images: “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” In Isaiah’s day the ideal had not been realized. International conditions were grim, and Judah was threatened by powerful enemies. Yet Isaiah cried, “Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” That is, let us live as though the ideal were present now! God calls you and me to live in exactly this same way. The kingdom of God hasn’t yet been established on earth. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is often perverted by the world to, “Do unto others before they can do unto you!” Yet we who know Jesus as Saviour are to live now as if God’s kingdom were firmly in place. We are to ignore the “realities” that drive others to compromise with God’s will, and to “walk in the light of the Lord.” “Their land is full of idols” Isa. 2:6–4:1. Having described God’s ideal for the Holy City and its people, Isaiah went on to describe the reality. Rather than walking in the light of the Lord, the people of Judah had embraced the ways of the pagans they were called to influence! They had arrogantly adopted pagan superstitions (2:6), materialism (v. 7a), confidence in military might (v. 7b), even idolatry (v. 8). Isaiah now warned his fellow countrymen. God would act to judge this arrogant people: they will be “brought low” (vv. 10–22). (See DEVOTIONAL.) In that day everything would fall apart: there would be anarchy within a nation desperate for leadership and stability (3:1–12). Two groups were singled out: the elders and leaders of Judah, and the “women of Zion.” The thought seems to be that the women’s passion for wealth and luxury was a driving force in the corruption of the society. When judgment came these women would lose everything, including any hope of marriage, due to the death of so many of Judah’s men. The passage reminds us that no people who refuse to walk in the light of the Lord can prosper. But there is a special word to individuals, in verse 10. God told Isaiah, “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.” Whatever happens to our society, you and I need not despair. Our calling is to live righteous lives, and expect God to care for us whatever may come. “Those who are left” Isa. 4:2–6. God’s ideal surely will be achieved. This is the thought with which Isaiah closed his lengthy sermon. After judgment has removed sinners and purified survivors, a cleansed and holy Jerusalem will serve as a shelter and shade for humanity. But this will only be accomplished by the appearance of a person called “the Branch of the Lord.” This term, “branch,” is a frequent title of the Messiah, who is to come from David’s family line and to accomplish the ultimate deliverance of the Jews and all humankind. Again Isaiah’s words serve as a reminder to us. God’s ideal is more than we can accomplish in our own strength. But God Himself has acted in Christ to make it possible for you and me to walk in the light of the Lord. We are His new creation. All we can do is to honor the Lord by living righteous lives, however dark the ways of this present world. The low vines of Palestine’s grapes produced a crop associated in the Old Testament with joy and fulfillment. In one of Scripture’s most powerful images Judah is likened to a vineyard, planned and planted by God, intended to bear fruit that would gladden the Lord’s heart (5:1–7). But instead of the justice and righteousness God sought, His vineyard, Judah, produced injustice and bloodshed. “Woe to you” Isa. 5:8–30. A “woe” is an exclamation, a cry of grief or anguish, that is typically associated with divine judgment. This series of woes is announced for specific sins that are particularly grievous. These are: (1) creating large personal estates at the expense of poorer landholders (vv. 8–10); (2) hedonistic living that shows “no regard for the deeds of the Lord” (vv. 11–17); (3) making evil a life’s work and scoffing at divine judgment (vv. 18–19); (4) calling evil good and good evil (v. 20); (5) relying on one’s own counsel rather than revelation (v. 21); (6) failing to take governmental responsibilities soberly (vv. 22–23). God’s judgment will surely fall on such a people, for each action described shows that “they have rejected the Law of the Lord Almighty, and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.” These woes can be summed up by noting that the sins condemned involve a reconstitution of society. A desire for wealth and personal pleasure is expressed in societal values that replace the values revealed by God. The good traditional values are replaced by evil new values, and scoffed at by those who are wise in their own eyes. Even those who administer the nation’s laws accept the new values, and so “acquit the guilty for a bribe.” It may be hard to live by God’s values in our own society. But it was hard in Bible times too! Only a firm commitment to God and His ways can guard us against evil influences that press in on every side. “I saw the Lord” Isa. 6:1–8. Scholars debate whether this chapter belongs with 2–5 or with 7–12. It seems best to place it here. Isaiah had bluntly warned Judah of impending judgment. The story of his call by God is included to prove his words are authoritative. Isaiah’s account emphasized the holiness of God (vv. 1–4), the prophet’s awareness of his own sinfulness (v. 5), his cleansing (vv. 6–8), and his subsequent willingness to serve as God’s messenger (v. 8). In a sense Isaiah’s call reflects our own experience. When you and I are forgiven, we too become responsible to serve as God’s messengers to others in our society. “How long?” Isa. 6:9–13 Isaiah’s task was to communicate his message of judgment until it was fulfilled, and the doom he pronounced came. You and I are also to communicate our message until God’s words are fulfilled. But the message we carry is the good news of salvation! Let’s not become discouraged if others do not respond immediately. Let’s keep on sharing, until the Gospel bears its fruit.

DEVOTIONAL

Arrogance Brought Low (Isa. 2)

It’s surprising how extensive the Old Testament’s vocabulary of “arrogance” is. One Hebrew root, zid, pictures a self-important pride that leads to acts of rebellion. Another root, ga˒ah, implies overwhelming self-confidence linked with insensitivity to others. A third, gabah, suggests a sense of self-importance. What’s wrong with being proud? Well, nothing. As long as our pride is simple satisfaction in our accomplishments, or honesty about our strengths and abilities. But pride becomes arrogance when it grows beyond simple satisfaction to become a self-important disdain for others, or a bloated self-confidence that makes us feel we can step outside the moral rules that govern others and get away with it. In fact, the feeling that we can “get away with” something that “other people” can’t, lies at the heart of arrogance. The stockbroker who makes money with insider information, the adult who takes one more drink before driving, the teen who thinks that just trying crack or sex can’t hurt, all fall into the category of the arrogant. And, in Isaiah’s words, “The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low” by God (vv. 11, 17). What’s the antidote to arrogance? The same verses have the answer: “The Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” We exalt the Lord when we accept our place as creatures who are totally dependent on His goodness and His grace. We exalt the Lord when we keep His commands, not just out of love but out of a conviction that God is wiser than we are. We exalt the Lord when we honor others as persons of worth and value because they too are His creatures and objects of His love. We exalt the Lord when we find joy in our accomplishments, and thank Him for the gifts that made them possible. When you and I live humbly, exalting God rather than ourselves, we avoid the judgment earned by the arrogant.

Personal Application

With God in first place, we will never be in last!

Quotable

You know, Lord, how I serve You, with great emotional fervor, in the limelight. You know how eagerly I speak for You, at a women’s club. You know how I effervesce when I promote a fellowship group. You know my genuine enthusiasm at a Bible study. But how would I react, I wonder if You pointed to a basin of water, and asked me to wash the calloused feet of a bent and wrinkled old woman, day after day, month after month, in a room where nobody saw, and nobody knew! -Ruth Harms Calkin

Isaiah

MAY 16

Reading 136

BEHIND THE SCENES Isaiah 1

“Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption” (Isa. 1:4).

In spite of material prosperity and a superficial religiosity, Judah like Israel was in desperate need of a spiritual awakening.

Background

Isaiah’s life.

Isaiah was apparently a member of the royal family, and according to tradition a cousin of King Uzziah (Amaziah), Judah’s 11th king. In the course of Isaiah’s ministry he confronted the rebellious Ahaz, and worked closely with godly Hezekiah. He was warned early that he would minister to a people who would not listen until “the cities lie ruined” and “the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken” (6:11–12). Yet Isaiah was also given a glimpse of the splendor that awaits God’s people at history’s end. Isaiah, more clearly than any other prophet, foresaw the coming and ministry of the Messiah. Isaiah, more fully than any other, described the blessing God intends to pour out on Jew and Gentile alike. Tradition tells us that Isaiah was martyred during the reign of Manasseh, the apostate son of godly King Hezekiah. If so this towering Old Testament figure, of whose personal life we know so little beyond what his writings reveal, must have died in hope, sure that God would accomplish the good purposes that He had revealed to and through His servant. Perhaps the most significant thing we know about Isaiah is found in chapter 6. There Isaiah accepted his commission from his holy God, and was told that he must spend his life speaking to a people who would hear, but never understand; who would see, but never perceive. What a burden for anyone to bear! And yet, Isaiah was faithful, not just for a year or 2, but over a 50-year span! Isaiah’s contemporaries would not hear the words Isaiah spoke. Yet his words echo through the centuries, and conjure up images for you and me today that help us know God better, and that deepen our awe of God’s wisdom and His love. When God calls you or me to minister, and others do not seem to hear, or reject our efforts, we can remember Isaiah. His years of rejection bore unexpected fruit. And our faithful service will too. Isaiah’s times. When Isaiah began his ministry in Judah, around 739B.C, both Hebrew kingdoms were prosperous and powerful. Yet Isaiah, like his northern contemporaries, Amos and Hosea, was deeply concerned over evidence of spiritual deterioration. Prosperity saw the development in each kingdom of a wealthy class, which victimized the less fortunate. The court system, which relied on honest judges and truthful witnesses, was corrupted to serve the rich and powerful. Religion was increasingly a matter of ritual observance; less and less a matter of love for the Lord. In the late 730s, the states of Syria and Palestine formed a reluctant coalition to resist Assyria, the great northern power that was putting more and more pressure on the western Mediterranean states. In 722 the Northern Kingdom, Israel, was crushed and its people were deported by the Assyrians. Only divine intervention, in response to Hezekiah’s prayer, turned Assyria back from an intended attack on Jerusalem. During Isaiah’s life, then, Judah gradually declined from wealth and relative military strength to vulnerability. Isaiah’s listeners’ failure to heed his words, and their continued indifference to the Lord, sealed the fate the nation would experience when it was invaded, not by Assyria but by Babylon. Isaiah’s Judah was very much like 20th-century America. Both nations were marked by prosperity and power. Yet in each the fabric of society was strained by moral decline and materialism. The very existence of such forces in society testifies to the superficiality of religion, and no superficial religion can save a nation from disaster. While the charges lodged by Isaiah against Judah speak to us today, so do his words of hope. They remind us that whatever may happen to any nation, God remains in full charge of history. The visions Isaiah shared of God, of the coming Saviour, and of the splendor to be unveiled at history’s end, thrill our hearts, and lead us to worship our sovereign, loving God.

Overview

After establishing the setting of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry (1:1), the prophet, speaking in God’s name, launched a vigorous indictment of his society (vv. 2–31).

Understanding the Text

“The ox knows his master” Isa. 1:2–4. “Knows” here, as in other places, implies “responds to.” Even a dumb animal recognizes and responds to its master’s voice. But Judah did not respond to God. Isaiah identified the reason. This was a willful rather than ignorant failure to respond. Note the three descriptive terms: forsaken, spurned, and “turned their backs on.” We may be critical of things the pagans among us do in ignorance. But sins we commit are far worse! We know God’s will, but fail to do it anyway! “Why should you be beaten anymore?” Isa. 1:5–9 Isaiah’s prophecies are not arranged in chronological sequence. These verses suggest chapter 1 should be placed after Assyria had deported Israel. In that invasion many thousands of citizens of Judah were also taken into captivity. God’s warning here is best understood as a cry of anguish. It hurts the Lord to discipline His people. Why, oh why, will we not respond, and free Him from the painful necessity of punishment? “What are they to Me?” Isa. 1:10–17 There is no indication here that the people of Judah violated any ritual regulation. Their fault, a fault which kept God from listening to their prayers, was moral. No one who sins against his fellowmen can be confident of a hearing with God. (See DEVOTIONAL.) “Though your sins are like scarlet” Isa. 1:18–20. God chose scarlet for a simple reason. This bright red color was the most “fast” color known. While other colors might be bleached out, scarlet could not. How powerful the promise, then. Even if our sins, like scarlet, are impossible to remove, God will do it if only we will turn to Him, becoming “willing and obedient.” Sometimes Christians cannot forget their sins. The past seems fixed, forever coloring their outlook. How wonderful to realize that God can—and in Christ, has—purified us, so that in His sight we are “white as snow.” “Zion will be redeemed” Isa. 1:21–31. All things change. The faithful city fell, and became wicked. You and I may fall too. Yet God will not leave us in such a state, any more than He would leave the ancient city or its people. God said, “I will remove your impurities,” and, “You will be called the City of Righteousness.” What a wonderful word of reassurance. You may have failed God. But He will not fail you. He will “remove your impurities” and you will be known for your righteousness!

DEVOTIONAL

Right Is Only Half the Story!(Isa. 1)

One comedian has a routine in which he pictures two Christians meeting for the first time. They question each other, gradually discovering that they are both Conservative, Fundamental, Seventh-Day, Separated, Predestinarian Baptists, Great Lakes District. Then the final question is asked. Organized 1912, or Reconstituted 1934? When one answers 1912, the other pushes him off a cliff, shouting, “Die, heretic!” We might resent the routine a little. But it is funny. And it points up a flaw in some of our thinking about faith. A flaw Isaiah saw some 700 years before the birth of Christ. In verses 10–17 the prophet described a religious people whose ritual seems to be according to the Law. These folks had religion down pat, and were absolutely “right.” They went up to the temple for the required festivals. They offered the right sacrifices. They made long prayers. But God called all these things meaningless. He went on through Isaiah to tell these religiously right people to “stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow” (vv. 16–17). The point, of course, is that what demonstrates a real and vital faith is not that we are “right,” but that our relationship with God has produced righteousness. I suppose it’s good to be concerned about being right. But being right is, at best, only half the issue. What God cares about most is, are we righteous?

Personal Application

To please God, pay more attention to doing right than to being right.

Quotable

Henry David Thoreau once went to jail rather than pay his poll tax to a state that supported slavery. His good friend Ralph Waldo Emerson hurried to visit him in jail and, peering through the bars, exclaimed: “Why, Henry, what are you doing in there?” Thoreau replied, “No, Ralph, the question is, what are you doing out there?”

Isaiah

INTRODUCTION

Isaiah ministered in the critical period from 739 B.C. to about 680 B.C., during which Assyria carried the Northern Kingdom, Israel, into captivity and threatened Judah. The South was temporarily saved due to revival under godly King Hezekiah. Yet the first half of the Book of Isaiah is dark with grim warnings of judgment, and names Babylon as the future oppressor of Judah. The second half of Isaiah throbs with hope, as the great prophet described the ultimate deliverance of God’s people. Three repeated themes are woven throughout this great prophetic book. (1) Isaiah gave us an exalted vision of God, enhanced by names which reflect His attributes or character. (2) Isaiah provided vivid images of history’s end, and the bright future awaiting God’s people at that time. And (3), Isaiah constantly referred to the Messiah, the promised Redeemer, whom he described both as a Servant and as history’s sovereign Lord. Isaiah’s emphasis on the Messiah, and especially his description of the suffering Saviour in chapter 53, has led some to refer to this beautiful book as the “Gospel” of the Old Testament.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I.	Visions of Judgment	Isa. 1–35
	A. Israel’s Holy One	Isa. 1–6
	B. Book of Immanuel	Isa. 7–12
	C. Oracles of judgment	Isa. 13–24
	D. Judgment and deliverance	Isa. 25–35
II.	Historical Interlude	Isa. 36–39
III.	Visions of Splendor	Isa. 40–66
	A. Beyond the Exile	Isa. 40–48
	B. Messiah: God’s Servant	Isa. 49–55
	C. Redemption	Isa. 56–59
	D. Restoration	Isa. 60–66

April 3
WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
Isaac Watts, 1674–1748
Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified Him. (John 19:17, 18)
While preparing for a communion service in 1707, Isaac Watts wrote this deeply moving and very personal expression of gratitude for the amazing love that the death of Christ on the cross revealed. It first appeared in print that same year in Watts’ outstanding collection, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. The hymn was originally titled “Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ.” Noted theologian Matthew Arnold called this the greatest hymn in the English language. In Watts’ day, texts such as this, which were based only on personal feelings, were termed “hymns of human composure” and were very controversial, since almost all congregational singing at this time consisted of ponderous repetitions of the Psalms. The unique thoughts presented by Watts in these lines certainly must have pointed the 18th century Christians to a view of the dying Savior in a vivid and memorable way that led them to a deeper worship experience, even as it does for us today.
Young Watts showed unusual talent at an early age, learning Latin when he was 5, Greek at 9, French at 11 and Hebrew at 12. As he grew up, he became increasingly disturbed by the uninspiring psalm singing in the English churches. He commented, “The singing of God’s praise is the part of worship most closely related to heaven; but its performance among us is the worst on earth.” Throughout his life, Isaac Watts wrote over 600 hymns and is known today as the “father of English hymnody.” His hymns were strong and triumphant statements of the Christian faith, yet none ever equaled the colorful imagery and genuine devotion of this emotionally stirring and magnificent hymn text.
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most—I sacrifice them to His blood.
See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small: Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

For Today: Matthew 26:28; Luke 7:47; Romans 5:6–11; Galatians 6:14

Can you say with Isaac Watts: “my soul, my life, my all”? Sing as you go—

April 2
IN THE HOUR OF TRIAL
James Montgomery, 1771–1854
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up to it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Crisis situations are often the important pivotal points in our lives. Our response to these traumatic times—the loss of a loved one, a change in employment, a mistreatment by a trusted friend—will be the foundation stones upon which our lives are built. Maintaining the glow of our first love for God despite all the stresses of life is a major concern. The third stanza of this hymn teaches so well what our attitude should be when difficulties come our way: A desire to know what God is saying through the experience and a willingness to cast our cares on Him.
This beloved hymn was written by one of England’s foremost hymn writers, James Montgomery. It was first published in 1853 with the title “Prayers on a Pilgrimage.” The text is based on the incident of Peter’s denial of his Lord in the courtyard of the high priest (Mark 14:54, 66–72).
“In the Hour of Trial” also teaches that believers, like Peter, are capable of rebelling and straying from the fellowship of their Lord. The Bible gives this warning: “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). The antidote to sin’s allurements is the ability to keep our minds centered on Christ and His redemptive work for us. And like Peter, we can have our fellowship with God restored when we return to Him in brokenness and true humility. Peter’s remorse was the start of his spiritual greatness. Like Peter, we must let our pride and self-sufficiency become our Christ confidence if our lives are to count for the Lord.
In the hour of trial, Jesus, plead for me; lest by base denial I depart from Thee: When Thou seest me waver, with a look recall, nor for fear or favor suffer me to fall.
With forbidden pleasures would this vain world charm, or its sordid treasures spread to work me harm; bring to my remembrance sad Gethsemane, or, in darker semblance, cross-crown’d Calvary.
Should Thy mercy send me sorrow, toil, and woe, or should pain attend me on my path below, grant that I may never fail Thy hand to see; grant that I may ever cast my care on Thee.

For Today: Mark 14:54, 66–72; John 16:33; 17:15; Galatians 6:14

Be sensitive to the possibility of denying your Lord even in some small word or deed. Share with another believer who has strayed from God the truth of a new beginning with Christ.