PSA Bible Reading Challenge 2023-2024

Yes, it is blurry, but it is a map that we will need in order to understand the next 15 chapters.   So we begin here in chapter 13 and it takes us through chapter 27.   These are oracles, or statements from the prophet Isaiah, that speak about the future of Israel and the nations that surround it.  This first one speaks about Babylon.  You see Babylonia on the second map to the East of Judah and Israel.  This oracle is against Babylon.  It describes a time when they will get what is due them, primarily because they destroyed Israel and Judah and now their destruction is close at hand.

If you look at vs.16 you can see a scene depicted that is brutal and tragic.  It should remind you of Psalm 137:9 which depicts a similar image of children being dashed against the rocks, but then takes the next step of the plundering of the homes and the ravishing of the wives.  The oracle speaks of Babylon becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah that was overthrown by God.  This oracle is really bad news for Babylon who had taken the Israelites into captivity.  Now they are going to be punished for that, and punished severely.

Interestingly it is thought that the garden of Eden was in that region of the world, around Babylon.  You have the intersection of the rivers which the Scripture describes in Genesis, but if you look at vs.21 to the end you see that the wild animals will inhabit that land.  But these animals are not as peaceful as they were described back in chapter 11 where we found ourselves going back to how God created things.  This, instead, seems to be the antithesis of what we saw in 11.  I know in Eden there were no “goat-demons” that were dancing.  What an image that creates.  

This chapter marks the end of one section of the book of Isaiah, which means the next chapter, 13, will be the beginning of another section.  This chapter is called a concluding song of thanksgiving.  This is a prophetic futuristic appeal since it begins with: “You will say in that day…”  That day has not arrived yet, but the author fully expects it to arrive.  This is again another wonderful reference to Advent where we expect all things to come to completion on that day.  This is the OT rendition of Paul’s Romans 5:8 which tells us that even while we were yet sinners, still Christ died for us.  Isaiah states: “though you were angry with me…you comforted me.”  

The intersection of the image of water and salvation is one that we can understand through baptism.  As a result we are called to give thanks, we are called to sing praises, we are called to let the earth know of the marvelous deeds of the Lord.  

This post is unrelated but I was looking for a different song and this came up.  It works.

I think I already posted Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen in the past, so I’m going to spare you a repeat posting.  But here the prophet changes the tune from one of fear and dread, which the other chapters reflected, to one where he gives us a much rosier scene of what is to come.  This remnant that was discussed in previous chapters is becoming more defined now.  Do you remember when Jesus spoke in his home synagogue in Nazareth in Luke 4 and he begins by saying: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me?  Starting at vs.18 it should sound very similar.  But we see these verses all throughout Isaiah including in 61:1 which is actually the one that Jesus quotes.  We also see them in 58:6 and some more in 61:2.  We cannot overstate how important it was to Jesus, and to Scripture, and so to God as a whole, to take care of the poor.  That has to be our driving motive as a church.

Then in vs. 6 we find this idyllic bucolic scene where all of creation is able to co-exist peacefully.  For many this is a depiction of the garden of Eden where all creatures of our God and King are able to live in harmony.  After this beautiful depiction we then move to the nation of Israel itself which seems to regain its former glory.  It regains it to the point that it is now striking other nations and conquering them.  So much for the peaceful scene.  I guess we left that behind.  

It is clear that the Lord was not happy with the way that the most vulnerable of society were being treated.   The orphan was being trampled, and that was not to God’s liking.  The widow was being taken advantage of, and there was no one to defend her.  I can think of a similar situation today where we have orphans and widows on our borders and our backs are turned for the sake of seeking security.  There is quite a bit in these verses that have to cause us to pause and wonder: what are we doing and are there any similarities to what Isaiah has to say here?  The question is asked by God, should I not treat Israel the same way that I treated other nations that were acting in this way?  Look at vs.11 and you can see the reasoning in the verses leading up to it.

He then continues and gives us some insight into Providence and our inability to see who really is in charge.  We think we are the ax, and maybe we are, but the ax has no ability to dictate its future or its actions without the person who wields it.  The same is true of us.  We are people who are absolutely unable to predict our future and can only be on course as a result of the our Creator who puts us to work and on course.

But this chapter is especially known for vss.20ff.  We read about a remnant that will be preserved even in the midst of all of this disobedience.  A remnant will come out of the nation who is not defiled, but has obeyed.  This remnant will return back to Jerusalem and Zion and reestablish God’s kingdom.  When this happens then God’s anger will be appeased and the burden will be lifted from the shoulders of the people.  Yes, we are looking forward to that day.  Advent is all about the coming of the Lord and an anticipation of when that burden will be lifted.

We know that in the coming of our Savior the burden was lifted, but we still wait for when Jesus comes back again.  Maranatha!

I feel as if this is all that I need to post.  If you have an extra 2+ hours then go ahead and sit back and listen to the complete Handel’s Messiah.  And you thought it was just the Hallelujah Chorus, no there is a complete work.  But it does take a couple hours to get through it all.  

There is a bit of a dichotomy in this chapter between the beginning section and the ending section.  We have the very popular: “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness- on them light has shined.”  This is what we read every Christmas Eve when we light the Christ candle.  Christ is the light who came into the world.  If you listen at minute 40 on  the above recording you will hear verses 6 and following which is the very encouraging and uplifting “Unto us a child is born, a son is given.”  It is very uplifting because it gives us hope and promise.

But then things change dramatically in vs.8ff.  The people do not turn to the Lord.  As a result they will be conquered and things get really, really bad.  Isn’t that interesting how in the chapter that has one of the most iconic Advent/Christmas verses we find later in that chapter one of the most foreboding gloom and doom Scriptures that you can find.  I guess it is that way, though.  We have the promise and the gift but if we do not believe it or open it, it will be useless for us.

Once again the name Immanuel is mentioned in vs. 8.  This comes on the tail end of a prophecy where the prophetess, the wife of Isaiah, bears a son whose name is Maher-shalal-hash-baz.  I don’t believe this name made it to the top 10 names of 2018.  It means literally: “the spoil speeds, the prey hastens.”  This is a symbolic name which depicts the speed with which Assyria will overthrow the land.  Nothing like naming your son a name that signifies the demise of your country.

If you go to vs.19 you will see a strong denunciation against those who would use mediums to help them make their way along in life.  It is interesting that just this past week I had a question about people who did this and they asked what was the danger.  This verse gives just a small indication of the danger.  Anytime we try to mess with the spirit world and try to mess with it to our advantage or for our selfish purposes, then things can only go bad.  Isaiah states that when someone does turn in that direction that only darkness will prevail.  Not something to look forward to.

For background to this chapter you should go to I Kings 16.  There are a lot of historical events that are taking place in this chapter.  But this is also the chapter around which revolves the reason why it is such a powerful Advent book of the Bible.  Look at vs.10-14 and you should be able to settle into the Christmas story pretty comfortably.  Ahaz is the king of Judah, which is one of the two nations which composed what was at one time Israel.  Israel at that time, at least the nation called Israel, had turned completely against the Lord and had allied itself with foreign nations and was looking to attack Judah.  Ahaz, petrified of this new alliance, didn’t know what to do, whether he should ally himself with this new group, who had actively turned against the Lord, or hang in there and stand firm with the Lord.

So the Lord commands Isaiah to go and have a talk with him.  If you doubt, Ahaz, that the Lord is on your side, then ask of Him a sign, any sign you may want.  Hang in there, don’t buckle under the military pressure, know that God is on your side.  But if you doubt, ask for a sign, anything you want.  Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign, so Isaiah provides one for him.

The young girl, one of his wives?, his daughter?, will have a son.  Notice the Hebrew does not say a virgin, but a young girl, but that’s okay because the New Testament does say a virgin to describe Mary.  I have no problem with God performing a real miracle in the birth of Jesus even if Isaiah does say that it is a young girl.  God takes it another step and allows the Holy Spirit to perform a miracle which will define our relationship with him, he takes our lives and turns them for the good, whether we realize it or not.  

The name of the child will be Emmanuel, God with us.  This is what Advent is all about, waiting for this child to come.

So this chapter has this song as a tribute to it.  It is a hymn that brings a tear to all of our eyes.  But why is that?  This chapter is the calling of Isaiah.  Isaiah finds himself in a vision where seraphs (read winged creatures but not angels) are around the Lord who is sitting on a throne and his presence, the hem of his robe, fills the entire temple, which would be his home.  

Isaiah states that he is not worthy to be in the presence of the Lord because his lips are unclean.  Now, as a prophet having unclean lips must lead inevitably to unclean statements.  So having unclean lips as a prophet, or as a pastor, is a terrible situation in which to find oneself.   But God has an answer for that: a hot coal.  This hot coal will clean his lips.  The lips are cleansed and now God has a question for the general public: Who will go for us?  Whom shall I send?

Isaiah realizes that his sin has been blotted out and that he is now prepared to do the work of the Lord, not because he was worthy, but  because he was made worthy by the work of the Lord.  Here I am, send me.  Whenever we hear a song that commands us to go serve the Lord without pretense and without our ability being what dictates our actions, it moves us.  It is a song about the love of God who makes us  ready to go out to let people know about the love of God.  Now, the whole vss.9-13 aren’t so endearing, but they aren’t in the hymn anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

Isaiah gives us a simile with the image of a vineyard.  He tells us about his vineyard and how he cared for it and planted it and did everything he needed to do in order for it to grow, but it only produced wild, bitter grapes.  He then says in vs. 7: “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting.”  The entire chapter is dedicated to the disappointment that the Lord must feel for the people that he had so carefully watched over and yet they did not return the favor.  

There is also an undercurrent of chastising against those who drink too much.  He warns the people that when wine overcomes them, then they are overcome by others in defeat.  It is a simple message, but one that is also good for the ages.  Anytime any substance finds itself in our body and runs our body, then we are no longer able to follow the pursuits  that the Lord would want us to do, rather, we are like a rudderless ship directed by the wind, which is the substance.  It makes the Lord angry, we read, when people do not follow him.  

In this chapter we read  that hell has a special place for them as well.  Look at vs.14 and we read: “Sheol (hell) has enlarged her appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, the nobility of Jerusalem (those who thought they were safe) and her multitude go down.”  This is a real warning for any of us who think we are safe by coasting through our life and not really paying attention to our faith or the relationship that we have with God.  God is always paying attention and wants to be in relationship with us, even when we disregard him.  This chapter states that there might come a day when God has to simply tear down and replant. 

A short little chapter in Isaiah here, but one that has so much meaning and nuance.  The first verse is an indication that there are no longer men left in the town because they have either all been deported, sent to war, or ran away because of the incessant conflict in that area.  All that are left are the women who are looking for someone who would give them a last name otherwise they would be left abandoned for the rest of their lives.  That is the way that it was back then.  The man provided the safety, security, and respect that was needed for the woman.  There are exceptions, of course, such as Deborah, but this tended to be the norm.  I find it fascinating that they say that they do not need to be provided for materially, they will provide their own bread and their own clothes, just remover their disgrace by being alone.

The prophet says that the only ones left in Jerusalem will be called holy.  God will revamp the city and those who are in it and cleanse the city and those who are in it by the power of His hand.  It is a beautiful picture of a rebirth after a time where only desolation is present.