Its been ages since I posted, but Ive just finished my study on the book of Isaiah, and I wanted to blog about what Ive learned. Much thanks and accolades go to the Holy Spirit, Bible Study Fellowship, Marnie Meeks and my amazing discussion group who opened my eyes to the Scripture and taught me so much about this wonderful and complex book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 1
Isaiah's prophesy from God jumps right into how God feels about His people. And in those moments, He is not pleased. The people are in the promised land, post-Moses and Joshua. They have "conquered" the Promised Land (though not completely like God asked them to) and have settled there. Many kings have lived, ruled, died, some that honored God and others that spread and endorsed idol worship. Isaiah prophesies during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Of those kings, Hezekiah was the only that honored God.
Here is what God says through Isaiah about his people:
“I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.” Isaiah 1:2b-3
God has given His people everything they need, yet they rebel against Him. In chapter 5, Isaiah uses the analogy of a vineyard to explain God's provision and Israel's shortcoming:
My loved one [Isaiah speaking of God] had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad? Isaiah 5:1b-4
God planted a vineyard. He cleared the land, turned over the soil, and planted top notch vines. He built a watchtower so that someone would be watching over the vineyard at all times - protecting it from foxes who might ruin the vineyard (SoS 2:15), intruders who might steal or ruin the grapes, frost or fire that might destroy the grapes. It makes me think of that movie with Keanu Reeves "Walk in the Clouds" where a family owns a vineyard, and give their lives to protecting that vineyard. A bell tolls at night waking the family up telling them that there is frost. They stay up all night warming the grapes. Another night there is a fire, and they give everything they have to protect the vineyard.
So it is with God. He says, "What more could have been done for my vineyard...? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?"
The question we have to ask is this: Are we following God with all our might, or are we rebelling against Him? Has He provided everything we need, yet we are still bad grapes? Do we produce sweet, fragrant, abundant fruit, or is our produce sour, withered, weak?
Where do you see God tending your vineyard? Open your eyes to see Him and His provision. Then give your life to Him completely. Give over every area; fully surrender. Then experience the LOVE of the attentive Gardener who tills your soil and watches your fruit constantly because He LOVES you.
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Friday, December 17, 2010
Isaiah 28-33
This week in BSF we looked at Isaiah 28-33. The verses that blessed me the most were:
In repentence and rest is your salvation.
in quietness and trust is your strength... Isa 30:15 and
The fruit of righteousness wil be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isa 32:17
These passages reminded me of Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength,
and ever-present help in trouble...
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth. Psa 46:1, 10
This week was anything but a restful week for me. I worked hard at home, and for some reason, God prevented me from going out and doing some of the fun things I had planned, like MOPS, places where I saw as rest for me.
Yesterday, as I drove home from BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to show me what He has been trying to teach me this week. Let me start by sharing my lecture notes, and it will all come together.
In Isaiah 28-33, there are a series of "woes" that Isaiah gives to the people of Isreal/Judah. These woes are warnings to the people, warnings that their behavior does not please Him, and needs to change. But God in His amazing grace, tells the people what to do instead. He has a response to the woe. He tells them that they need to change their ways, but he also tells them how.
What a good God we serve.
Isa. 28
woe - pride
drunkenness, self-indulgence, living for their own comfort, living for self instead of living to please the Lord
This was the first one that hit me between the eyes. I did obey God this week. When He said stay home, I stayed home. But I was angry about it. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. My heart was resentful towards God. I was more interested in my own comfort than pleasing Him. I wanted to find rest in my friends and social events. I didnt run to the Lord for my rest.
In repentence and rest is your salvation...
I saw that I had placed idols before my Lord. The Holy Spirit also showed me that I didnt trust in God's goodness. When God asked me to do something that I didnt want to do, I was angry. That wasnt my plan. I didnt trust Him, that when He asked obedience of me, it was for my own good. God had good planned, and I didnt trust Him in it.
in quietness and trust is your strength...
This is what grieved me the most. I want to know and believe the character of God, so that when He asks me to obey Him, I do with total trust in the goodness of His character, as well as the good He has planned for me.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Lord, help me to trust you. Help me to trust in the goodness of your character and in the good you have planned for my life.
reponse - repent and return to God
Isa 29:13
woe - a 2nd hand relationship with God. The people were relying on others to teach them, show them, lead them, and not going to God individually. They were hearing the Word, but not applying it.
Oh, this one spoke to me as well. In BSF, you have 6 pages of notes and questions that you are to read and answer in one week's time about the passages selected. Then, in discussion group, you are invited to contribute if you completed the homework. Otherwise, you have to pass on answering the question. Its a challenge to complete the homework. But I learned how to crank through it so that I could contribute in discussion. Unfortunately, I was learning so little about what I was actually reading in the Scripture. My pride did not allow me to slow down and truly meet God in the Scripture. I was just answering questions, not letting God change me through His word. I was hearing the word, but not applying it.
My response to this woe is to repent of my pride, and approach Isaiah with the intention of meeting God and truly learning from the Holy Spirit. If I dont get the homework done, it will bother me. But how much more important that I meet with my God??? and learn from the Holy Spirit what He would have me learn?
Here is how Isaiah reponded to this woe:
Isa 32:1
response - JESUS. He tore the veil in two with His death. He removed the barrier between me and the Father. His death on the cross and resurrection to life allows me free access to the Holy One of Isreal, not because I myself am holy, but because I am made holy through my belief in Jesus Christ.
...we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10
Lord willing, more to come.
In repentence and rest is your salvation.
in quietness and trust is your strength... Isa 30:15 and
The fruit of righteousness wil be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isa 32:17
These passages reminded me of Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength,
and ever-present help in trouble...
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth. Psa 46:1, 10
This week was anything but a restful week for me. I worked hard at home, and for some reason, God prevented me from going out and doing some of the fun things I had planned, like MOPS, places where I saw as rest for me.
Yesterday, as I drove home from BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to show me what He has been trying to teach me this week. Let me start by sharing my lecture notes, and it will all come together.
In Isaiah 28-33, there are a series of "woes" that Isaiah gives to the people of Isreal/Judah. These woes are warnings to the people, warnings that their behavior does not please Him, and needs to change. But God in His amazing grace, tells the people what to do instead. He has a response to the woe. He tells them that they need to change their ways, but he also tells them how.
What a good God we serve.
Isa. 28
woe - pride
drunkenness, self-indulgence, living for their own comfort, living for self instead of living to please the Lord
This was the first one that hit me between the eyes. I did obey God this week. When He said stay home, I stayed home. But I was angry about it. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. My heart was resentful towards God. I was more interested in my own comfort than pleasing Him. I wanted to find rest in my friends and social events. I didnt run to the Lord for my rest.
In repentence and rest is your salvation...
I saw that I had placed idols before my Lord. The Holy Spirit also showed me that I didnt trust in God's goodness. When God asked me to do something that I didnt want to do, I was angry. That wasnt my plan. I didnt trust Him, that when He asked obedience of me, it was for my own good. God had good planned, and I didnt trust Him in it.
in quietness and trust is your strength...
This is what grieved me the most. I want to know and believe the character of God, so that when He asks me to obey Him, I do with total trust in the goodness of His character, as well as the good He has planned for me.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Lord, help me to trust you. Help me to trust in the goodness of your character and in the good you have planned for my life.
reponse - repent and return to God
Isa 29:13
woe - a 2nd hand relationship with God. The people were relying on others to teach them, show them, lead them, and not going to God individually. They were hearing the Word, but not applying it.
Oh, this one spoke to me as well. In BSF, you have 6 pages of notes and questions that you are to read and answer in one week's time about the passages selected. Then, in discussion group, you are invited to contribute if you completed the homework. Otherwise, you have to pass on answering the question. Its a challenge to complete the homework. But I learned how to crank through it so that I could contribute in discussion. Unfortunately, I was learning so little about what I was actually reading in the Scripture. My pride did not allow me to slow down and truly meet God in the Scripture. I was just answering questions, not letting God change me through His word. I was hearing the word, but not applying it.
My response to this woe is to repent of my pride, and approach Isaiah with the intention of meeting God and truly learning from the Holy Spirit. If I dont get the homework done, it will bother me. But how much more important that I meet with my God??? and learn from the Holy Spirit what He would have me learn?
Here is how Isaiah reponded to this woe:
Isa 32:1
response - JESUS. He tore the veil in two with His death. He removed the barrier between me and the Father. His death on the cross and resurrection to life allows me free access to the Holy One of Isreal, not because I myself am holy, but because I am made holy through my belief in Jesus Christ.
...we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10
Lord willing, more to come.
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