Day 83 – December 18, 2023: Isaiah 1-5 and Psalm 148

You can see in the first chapter of Isaiah all of the kings under which he served: Uzziah, Jotham Ahaz, and Hezekiah. In all his service to the people of God as a prophet of the Lord was about 40 years. He saw a lot of change in that time as he can imagine, and he experienced some of the most tragic moments in the history of the people of God. Keep in mind that the kingdom is now divided. The 12 tribes of Israel are divided into the a Southern Kingdom, Judah, where Jerusalem is located and where the temple was located so many consider it the more genuine location of the people of God. We also have a Norther Kingdom which was called Israel but did not have Jerusalem as its center of operations. So Israel was the norther kingdom and Judah was the southern kingdom. Isaiah served in the southern kingdom, where Jerusalem was, and the temple.

Here are some highlights in these chapters, verses that we have heard before. 1:18 where we see the promise that Isaiah gives that one day our sins will be washed clean, although they may be like scarlet now. 2:4 which gives us the Pete Seeger song that they will study war no more. The turning of these instruments of war into farming equipment is an image that we have used over the years repeatedly to be encouraged by the promise that God is a God of peace. I’ll leave you with this song.