Isaiah 40-44: Day 055: Journey Through the Bible in a Year

February 25, 2022

Isaiah 40-44
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Day 055: Journey Through the Bible in a Year
Focus Verses for Today: Isaiah 44:9-19

Ask God for wisdom and understanding of Isaiah 40-44. When ready, read Isaiah 40-44. Let’s journey!
 
Commentary: Isaiah spends much of today’s reading condemning idolatry, a problem that the world still faces today. But before condemning idolatry, Isaiah begins today’s reading by looking into the far future, rather than the near future, and addressing the survivors of an event that had not yet occurred! Our journey today begins with the prophecy of John the Baptist’s call for the children of Israel to repent of their sin and return to the worship of their God, the only true God. The children of Israel are weary waiting for God’s deliverance and of their continued failure to repent from their sinful ways. God expresses Himself to Isaiah as Israel’s Redeemer, challenging all other nations and their false gods. The false gods are challenged to predict the future and were unable to do so. While the true God, the God of Israel, the Redeemer, delivers them from the hands of their oppressors and their false gods as He opens His arms to the refugees to Israel seeking His peace.
 
God is sending a servant to restore justice to the nations. The servant is Jesus the Christ. God chastised Israel for failing to recognize God for who God is: The only true God! God does not tolerate idol worship, then or now. God tells Israel, through Isaiah, that He is Israel’s only Savior. God asks Israel what He is going to do with them, a spiritually deaf and blind nation. God chooses to save them. God’s love for us, as it is for His people Israel, is incomprehensible. He not only forgives our sin. He forgets our sin. God confirms that Israel is His chosen people Everyone has a choice. Everyone will choose either the Lord or an idol. God then goes into a discourse explaining the source of idols and their powerlessness. In closing this chapter of Isaiah the Lord confirms that Jerusalem shall be restored.
 
Focus Verses: Isaiah 44:9-19 – What are idols today? What are your idols?