THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:

Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik

HERE

Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.

ISAIAH

INTRODUCTION

To turn the page from The Song of Solomon to Isaiah is, some say, to keep rowing in the same boat. The Song is beautiful and rich in poetic symbolism. Isaiah is written in beauty and symmetry.

Traditionally, Isaiah is thought to have been a cousin to King Uzziah. There is no doubt that he exerted quite an impact upon the court of the king, and that his prophecies were well accepted as truth from God (see 2Kings 19 and 20, 2Chronicles 26 and 32).

Isaiah is the prophet most quoted in the New Testament. See Matthew 3:3, 12:17-21, Luke 3:4-6, John 12:38-41, Acts 8:28, Romans 10:16, 20.

The book is most noted for Messianic prophecy. Isaiah 7:14 prophecies of the virgin birth of Messiah. Isaiah 9:6 speaks of Messiah's eternal position in the God-head, telling us that His Name shall be "Emmanuel," or God with us. Isaiah 43:10-11 and 44:6 tell us that Jehovah God and Messiah are one and the same. Isaiah 53 speaks of the suffering of Messiah for the sins of humanity, and also predicts His resurrection from the grave. Isaiah 60 tells of the millenial kingdom, and Isaiah 61 was quoted by Jesus (Luke 4:18-19).

Isaiah is sometimes referred to as "the little Bible" because it is composed of 66 chapters, one for each book of the Bible.

In recent history, some have claimed that the book of Isaiah was not completely written by the prophet himself. Some say there is a section of the book which should be attributed to a "Deutero-Isaiah" who lived around 540BC (after the Babylonian captivity). Others say a "trito-Isaiah" wrote chapters 56-66.

Any person can read the book of Isaiah and see that there are enough verbal similarities in the entirety of the book to attribute it to ONE author. To say less is to diminish the Holy Spirit authority of prophetic Scripture (2Peter 1:21).

Isaiah speaks of the:
sins of man,
goodness of God,
salvation offered through suffering,
and an eternal kingdom where the saved live forever without sin.

CHAPTER 1

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The "vision" Isaiah received from God primarily concerned the kingdom of Judah and the capitol city - Jerusalem. The "vision" seems to have been received in parts over the period of four different rulers. Perhaps the most significant vision, of God Himself, was "in the year that King Uzziah died" (Isaiah 6:1).

Tradition holds that Isaiah became a court official in the kingdom of Uzziah, and was still an advisor when Manasseh succeeded Hezekiah. It is said that Isiah is the prophet spoken of in Hebrews 11:37; and, that he was caused to be sawn in half by Manasseh.

Isaiah's prophetic life spanned some 60 to 70 years!

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Verses 2-23 are actually an indictment of the nation of Judah for treason against God.

What Isaiah has heard, he proclaims to the whole world. The nation of Judah has become SINFUL.

The use of the "ox" and the "ass" is symbolic of the natural sensitivity that man should have of God. The animal KNOWS the owner! Man KNOWS also. But he REBELS!

The "vision" includes hearing God speak and declaring what God said. God has "raised up" a nation of people, and they have been rebellious. They are described as "sinful," "laden with iniquity," "evildoers," "corrupters" (verse 4).

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

God, as a faithful and loving Father, has chastised the nation for their sins. But they remain rebellious (verse 5). Even though God has chastised them severely (verses 6-7), He is unable to pour out grace to them because they BLOCK it with sinfulness (verse 8).

God's grace is an inexhaustible well. He desires to pour it out continually, but sin BLOCKS His Divine Favor. Chastisement is intended to bring us to repentance and submission.

9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Even though the nation as a whole is rebellious and "stiff-necked," there IS a "remnant" who believe, trust and follow God's leadership. Were it not for THOSE, the whole nation would have been DESTROYED!

In whatever nation you live, it is because God is able to pour out grace on a few that the nation is saved!

God doesn't demand that EVERYONE repent in order for grace to be shown to a nation. He only demands that those who are HIS be submissive to His will. ((See 2Chronicles 7:14))

10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Notice that the condemnation is upon the "rulers." The leaders of the nation are making a SHOW of religion, but their "hands are full of blood" (verse 15).

Friends, God sees right through people's showy religious activities down to the heart! A showy religion without purity of heart is sickening to God (verse 13).

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The REMEDY for sin is REPENTANCE toward God! The ONLY way to be WASHED and CLEAN (verse 16) is to "COME" (verse 18) to God and be "obedient" (verse 19).

The eternal grace of God which provides salvation is continually poured out to all mankind. God never tires of pouring out that grace. It is positional grace, given to man because he NEEDS it, even though he doesn't deserve it. This grace for salvation shall be continually given until the FINAL DAY.

The grace which provides righteous leadership to nations depends upon the obedience of God's people in that nation. It is conditional grace. Any nation which has unrighteous leaders is more apt to be "devoured" than to be blessed!

21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

Now the attention of the prophet is turned to the city of Jerusalem. It is called the "faithful city." But it has become a "harlot."

The city of Jerusalem is where God chose to put His temple and His priests. It was there that the Word of God went continually from the temple to the people. But now the leaders of the temple have turned to bribery (verse 23) and corrupted the TRUTHS of God (verse 22).

Friends, pastors should be paid (1Timothy 5:18). But pastors should not love being paid more than they love being true to the principals of truth in the Word of God. When a pastor loves his paycheck enough to compromise the Word of God, he has let the "silver become dross!" When a pastor fears being fired more than he fears speaking God's truths when needed, then he "followeth after rewards" and corrupts the church.

And when a nation, city or church has a leader that is insensitive to God's Word, then the sensitivity to the "fatherless" and the "widow" is also lost. Compassion fails, and greed takes over.

24 Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: 25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: 26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. 27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. 30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

When leaders corrupt the Word of God, they become "enemies" and "adversaries" of God!

The rulers of the city had begun to mix idol worship with God's worship! They worshipped idols made out of "oaks." They went to "gardens" where they could participate in sensual worship of idols (verse 29).

But God has a plan for REDEMPTION. That plan includes DESTRUCTION of all His "enemies" and "adversaries!" See verse 28.

Friends, those who would CORRUPT the worship of God with disobedient hearts have no real intimacy with Him. They will one day join all others who refuse God's authority in their lives "burn together" with them for eternity. For the Word says here, "none shall quench them" (verse 31).

God's grace for salvation is offered to all. See verse 18. This call is to ANY and ALL people, including those who have a SHOW of worship, but have no real intimacy with God.

Let's REASON! Is God not the Creator of all that there is? Is God not the power and authority for all that exists, including man? Can He not determine what our relationship with Him should be? The answer to all of those is YES! YES! YES!

If that is indeed the case, then let us COME TO HIM! Let us surrender who we are, and ask Him to make us what He wants us to be. Let us have a heart of true REPENTANCE:
CONTRITE for sin,
CONVICTED of eternal damnation,
CONVINCED of a Savior,
COMMITTED to His authority in our lives.

God has promised that all who come in this way will be washed and made clean! (verse 18)

PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.