ISAIAH 40-44: DAY 55 JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
February 24, 2023
ISAIAH 40-44
DAY 55 JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
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Focus Verses For Today: Isaiah 40:27-31
Today, our journey continues through the prophetic book of Isaiah, contrasting faith in God against idol worship.
Take a few minutes to ask God to guide you through our journey of Isaiah 40-44 today. While you are talking with God share what’s on your mind. Pray for a friend. Pray for issues plaguing our society. Ask God for His direction. Now read Isaiah 40-44. Let’s journey together.
Isaiah 40-44: 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 of 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 sins. He forgets our sins. 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. (Isaiah 40:1-44:28)
Today’s focus verses:
27Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:27-31, NIV)
Jacob complains that God is not hearing him. God responds that you (Jacob) do not understand My (God’s) ways. God reminds Jacob that He, God, is the creator of everything and that those who grow weary, who keep their hope in Lord, will be restored by the Lord. It is important to know the character of God. When life frustrates us to the point of wondering where God is; that is the time to ask ourselves where we are. In today’s world, our time is competed for greatly. What is competing for your time? How much time is spent at work each week? How much time is spent on recreational activities? How much time is spent with your family? Your spouse? Your children? Developing a relationship with God? How much time do you spend in prayer? Did you seek God’s counsel in the decisions you make? Do you have an idol problem?
Godspeace!
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