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 25

1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. 2 For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. 3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. 4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Isaiah begins to praise God for what he has heard. The term "O LORD" refers to Jehovah and identifies Whom Isaiah calls "God." His commitment is to Jehovah as God alone.

It is THIS God, Jehovah, Who guides history. It is He Who determines the perfection of how men SHOULD live, and He enforces the holiness of HIS law upon all mankind (verse 2-3). Those people who surrender to Him will be saved, and those who do not will be torn down.

God is also the "strength" of the poor and the needy, if they will call upon him in faith and trust.

5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low. 6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. 7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

God will, in His time, destroy the nations which do not trust in Him (verse 5), and He will exalt "this mountain" (Jerusalem- verse 6) by coming to reign there during the millenium.

The people who trust in God will be saved and have the best given to them (verse 6). There, in Jerusalem, God will remove the "veil" that has covered the hearts of all men (verse 7). This veil is UNBELIEF. When Jesus comes the second time to set up His kingdom on earth for a thousand years, all people will KNOW He is God!

Paul quotes verse 8 in 1Corinthians 15:54, and John quotes it in Revelation 21:4. Whatever sequence of events a person may believe, God WILL remove reasons for crying because sin will be removed from God's people.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. 11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. 12 And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

In the day that this happens, Jesus will be SHOWN as Jehovah God. He is the "LORD," JEHOVAH GOD!

And He will set up His kingdom in Jerusalem (verse 10), destroying all nations of pride who have refused to believe in Him, and bringing them under His authority as He rules over the entire earth (verses 11-12).

CHAPTER 26

1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Also, "In that day" when the Millenial kingdom is set up, the people of God will sing a song of praise for redemption.

Notice that this song states that "salvation" is all a person NEEDS in order to enter God's "strong city." The love, mercy, grace, protection and provision of God are given through SALVATION!

2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

The "gates" of God's "strong city" are open ONLY to those who surrender to Christ and are compelled by His Holy Spirit to live according to His desires (verse 2).

But those who determine to surrender to Christ, are given "perfect peace." That peace comes from having their hearts and minds set on trusting Him, and constantly striving to do His will in the earth.

Friend, YOU can have that perfect peace TODAY! It is given simply by surrender of trust to Jesus as Jehovah God Who purchased our redemption by His own blood on Calvary's cross. LOOK At verse 4. HE IS "everlasting strength!"

5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. 6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. 7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

Let me say that there are TWO ways in which the proud sinners of the world may be brought DOWN. The FIRST way is that when Christ comes He will SHOW that He is the ONLY means of salvation, and it will be too late for those who have constantly refused Him.

The second way is that people BELIEVE and SURRENDER to Christ today. Through humbling themselves and begging His forgiveness, they are brought "low." Yet they are given eternal salvation.

I choose the SECOND WAY!

The way of those who choose Christ today is to live FOR Christ (verse 7). God will help them in their faith, because He weighs "the path of the just." He gives believers sure footing by His perfect WORD (Bible).

8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

It is by study of the WORD of God (Bible) that people learn to live the way God wants them to live. Our "desire" should be to study God's "judgments" which are given in the Bible and live accordingly (verse 9).

10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. 11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

Even though "favor" is shown to those who refuse to believe (the "wicked"), they will "not learn righteousness." The Bible is trampled under foot of non-believers today. The justness of its precepts and laws are made a mockery by those who refuse Christ.

But, when Christ comes, "they will not see: but they shall see." They will NOT see His salvation, but they SHALL see He is the ONLY LORD! The "fire" (of God's wrath) shall destroy them in eternal condemnation.

12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. 13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

But God will give "peace" to those who have trusted Him. It is God's Holy Spirit working IN believers which causes them to do things that are right (verse 12).

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

There have been many "lords" and "kings" who have led people into idolatrous worship of imagined gods. There have been many lords and kings who have declared that they themselves are god (verse 13).

But Jesus Christ is the ONLY One Who is Jehovah God come in the flesh. And He is the ONLY One Whom God has truly given the power of His kingdom.

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11)

15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. 16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Life on this earth is indeed a troubling journey because of so much sin in the world. Sin causes heartache and difficulty. God brings "chastening" even upon believers for sin.

But when we have "visited" God in prayer, confessing sin, begging forgiveness, and seeking His help, He has ALWAYS been there to forgive, comfort and help!

Even though the trouble we face may be as painful as child delivery to a woman, our solace is in Christ our Lord (verses 17-18).

And Christ Himself calls to us with the greatest promise of all: ETERNAL LIFE!

HIS "dead body" was RISEN from the tomb!! And He calls all believers to arise WITH Him to immortal and incorruptible life! (verse 19)

20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

Here, along with Revelation 3:20, is one of the greatest invitations to salvation in the Bible! God is calling people to enter the closet of prayer and seek Him!

And He promises that to the believer, life will seem only "a little moment" and then the "indignation" of sin will be PASSED!!!

God will come! He will come to acquit those who have trusted in Him. And He will come to judge guilty those who have refused Him.

The call here is to COME TODAY and give your life to Jesus!

PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.