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

CHAPTER 23

1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

Leaving the vision of Jerusalem laid waste and the inhabitants made to be servants and many carried off into captivity, Isaiah turns to "The burden of Tyre." Tyre was one of the most famous cities. It was a sea-side city and commanded much shipping trade.

Tarshish was perhaps a smelting place for metals in Tyre. At any rate, "The burden of Tyre" was that it would be destroyed.

The city was famous also for the fact that the daughter of the king married Ahab who was king of Israel (nothern 10 tribes). Nebuchadnezzar came and turned the city upside down in 664BC and Alexander completely destroyed it in 332BC.

2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. 3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. 4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. 5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. 6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. 7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. 8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? 9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. 10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. 11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. 12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

Merchant ships from far and wide had "replenished" Tyre several times after disasters (verse 2). But no more. The city would be demolished, and the merchant ships from other countries would "howl" for the loss (verse 6).

This was accomplished by the "LORD of hosts" which was known by them to be Jehovah of the Israelites (verse 9).

Tyre was famous for merchandise and trading. It was known among the great trade cities of the world as the "merchant city" (verse 11). But God had "stretched out" His hand and upset all the status quo of the nations. And Tyre would be destroyed. No longer would there be a NEED for this great merchant trading city.

13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. 14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. 15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. 16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. 17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. 18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

The "Chaldeans" had been given power by God to ruin the city of Tyre. As mentioned above, Nebuchadnezzar took many captives from Tyre, and caused them to be servants to him for 70 years (see verse 17).

The city gained a little of its importance back for a while during the Persian empire; but then Alexander totally dismantled the city and all the harbors.

God does things in His own time. Tyre had long been associated with God from Joshuah's day (Joshuah 19:29) and through David and Solomon (2Samuel 5:11, and 2Chronicles 2:3). They had HEARD the Word of God, but refused to worship Him. They thought more of trade and business than God.

LISTEN UP AMERICA!!

CHAPTER 24

From here through Isaiah 27:13, there is a description of the destructive times of the tribulation and the millenial kingdom.

1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.

First, the Lord "hath spoken this word" (verse 3), that the earth will undergo a tremendous time of upheaval. All who dwell on the earth at that time will endure the trouble! NO ONE will be exempt!

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

The REASON for the destructive time of the tribulation period is because the people of the world have "transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant" (verse 5).

Very few people will be left after this terrible destruction (verse 6).

7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. 8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. 10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. 11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.

During this tribulation period, all JOY will be GONE! People will be so concerned with destruction and the aftermath of it, that their joy "ceaseth" (verse 8).

Those who have found solace in wine and strong drink will find it to be "bitter" instead (verse 9). People will hide in their houses (or what's left of them) (verse 10).

13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. 14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. 15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. 16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

But there will be a FEW left who will praise God! They will be like the olives which are left on the tree after harvest, or the grapes left on the vine after harvest. They will be FEW. But they will BE THERE! And they will sing praises to GOD!

Their praises will include showing the CAUSE for the tribulation: "...the treacherous dealers have delt very treacherously" (verse 16).

17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. 19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

There will be NO ESCAPE from the destruction. There will be no dignity left to people. God will open the "windows from on high" and bring such destruction that NO ONE will be able to escape (verse 18).

21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

God will bring punishment especially upon the "high ones" (or rulers) of the earth who have caused people to be led into sin.

Then, just as it seems the earth is going to be totally demolished, the Son of God will appear for the second time upon the earth. Notice that He is called "the LORD of hosts," and that He will set up a kingdom in Jerusalem.

When He comes the second time, the brilliance and radiance of Christ will cause the sun and the moon to pale! (verse 23)

Again, may I say, God does things in His own time! When God decides, this tribulation period shall certainly come upon the earth!

This should bring us to realize the need to surrender to God TODAY! Let us not WAIT! For no man knows the day or the hour when Jesus will come again (see Matthew 24:36-43).

Are YOU ready?

PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.