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
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
CHAPTER 41
1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. 2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. 3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.
God is willing to "come near" and be answerable for His Almighty Rulership over the earth (verse 1). He is willing to enter into "reasoning" with mankind about His righteousness and the manner in which He orders all things throughout history. For God is TRUE, and He knows that every man is a LIAR (Romans 3:4).
During the prophetic ministry of Isaiah, we must realize that the "man from the east" is Cyrus, the king of Persia. He will come and literally SAVE the people of Judah. He will deliver them out of the bondage to which they will be subjected under the Babylonian empire. In 2Chronicles 36:22-23, the Bible records Cyrus's profession of faith in Jehovah God. That's why God calls him a "righteous man" here in Isaiah 41:2.
He is called righteous who professes that God is the Author of the true prophetic Word, and the Saviour of all mankind. ((See also 2Corinthians 5:21))
It was because of GOD that Cyrus became king of the world. It was because of GOD that Cyrus was able to conquer the Babylonians. It was because of GOD that Cyrus believed. And it was because of GOD that the Hebrew people would be delivered from their captivity and given the privilege of returning to their land under Cyrus's leadership.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he. 5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. 6 They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. 7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. 8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. 9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
God has been in control from the "beginning", and He will still be in control at the "last."
We should take note of this fact, and even though at times we are afraid, we should "draw near" to God and "help" one another (verses 5-6).
God chose Abraham, whom He called His "friend." God chose Jacob, and all the "chief men" who led up to and followed Jesus Christ, the "seed of Abraham." Truly God has not "left Himself without witness" (Acts 14:17) in every generation.
Though we may at times be confused by the things that happen in the world; and though we may be weak, God will "strengthen," "help," and "uphold" those who belong to Him (verse 10).
Let us be assured, for He IS in control!
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
The majority of the world has always persecuted those who profess that surrender to God is the ONLY WAY of eternal life. The world, as a whole, does NOT DESIRE being convicted of sin, convinced of the need for a Saviour, and conformed to His righteousness.
Therefore, the world as a whole has always been at "war" with believers in Christ.
But friends, we know that God has ALREADY WON THE WAR!! He has defeated sin and the consequences of sin -- death! He arose from the tomb and STILL REIGNS Almighty in glory!
Is He holding your "right hand" and leading you? Then "fear not!"
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. 15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
Whom shall we fear when we are in the mighty grip of God's right hand? The God of the Old Testament is the Saviour-Redeemer! The Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament! He is the Creator, the Redeemer and the "Holy One of Israel."
This "Redeemer," is Christ our Lord. And He is the "new sharp thresing instrument having teeth." At His first coming He threw down the "mountains" of Pharasaic legalism and destroyed the "hills" of idolatry. He proved that He is the ONLY SAVIOUR by willingly accepting the punishment of death for our sins and rising from the grave victorious.
REJOICE!! Rejoice in the "LORD," and exalt "the Holy One of Israel."
17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
When a man is physically poor and needs help, he may be forsaken by other men. But when a man is spiritually poor and needs the "water of life," God will NEVER FORSAKE him!!
God provides a "river" of Life in the Person of Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, makes an oasis in the desert of life.
Hear and see and KNOW that this God is the "LORD" (Jehovah), Who is also the "Holy One of Israel" -- the physically born Jesus, the "seed of the woman." (See Genesis 3:15)
21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. 23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. 24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
Let all who trust in idols come and "produce" their cause. Let all who trust in the vain imaginations of man come and "produce" their cause. Let all who trust only in self come and "produce" their cause.
Can any of these tell the "end" from the "beginning?" No! Only God can. And God HAS. His Bible is filled with absolute truth. No one has ever proven any part of God's Word to be untrue!
Any who choose "another way" besides Jesus Christ is an "abomination" to God!
25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay. 26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. 27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.
God promised through Isaiah, 150 years before it happened, that this "righteous man" (verse 2) would come "from the north" and deliver the people of God. God said, through Isaiah, that it WOULD happen. And it DID happen.
Indeed, God gave to "Jerusalem" a man who brought "good tidings." Cyrus allowed them to leave captivity and return to their beloved home.
Jesus is the One with "good tidings" today. He allows us to leave the throes of sin and return home to holy living with God!
28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counseller, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. 29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.
Now, after God has invited man to "reason" with Him, He has proven that HIS WAY is the ONLY WAY! There has NEVER been a person who could answer all of God's prophetic statements of the Bible which have proven true!
ALL idolatry is "vanity." Idolatry is ANYTHING other than surrender to Christ.
See the commentary tomorrow about God's "SERVANT" (Isaiah 42:1).
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.