Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” is a metaphor that uses the image of prisoners in a dark cavern to illustrate the relationship between reality and our interpretation of it. The allegory is a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon, and it’s arguably a key passage in his work, The Republic. It’s been used as a metaphor by philosophers for thousands of years in order to explain a truth that’s been known in the subconscious human mind since the inception of man.
Cultures with different backgrounds perceive reality and their own histories in a variety of ways but they seem to only have fragments of the truth. Hundreds of ancient mythologies have been preserved on mediums like clay, stone, papyrus, and oral tradition and they perfectly illustrate the shadows on the wall in Plato’s allegory.
The question is, what’s casting the shadow that many myths exemplify? A thoughtful study will produce an undeniable reality which the hardened skeptic shouldn’t ignore. The truth is that the Bible is the original shadow-caster.
By piecing together the myths and the legends of floods, serpents, and heavenly battles one further elucidates a singular, supernatural, and immortal narrative. God’s Word is the only book written through His direct influence— what other work commands that level of Authority?
“Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Isaiah continues to look to the future, as is noted by the verb tenses. 19 times, God speaks of what He “will” do or what “will” happen. Repeatedly, there are promises ushered “for Zion’s sake” (1). In this brief chapter, we note three of those promises.
A New Name (1-5). God’s people would be distinguished by specific characteristics like righteousness (1,2), salvation (1,11), glory (2), and a royal crown (3). They would be distinguished by a new relationship with God, described as His delight and His bride (4-5). God would rejoice over them. The common tie between these characteristics and this relationship is the new name which God Himself would designate. As one investigates the rest of Scripture, there seems to be one clear fulfillment to this promise. We first read it in Acts 11;26, then again in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. It is a name that honors the Messiah–“Christian.”
Blessed Assurance (6-9). Isaiah speaks not only of what God would call His people with honor, but He also speaks of how He would take care of them. He appointed watchmen, guarding day and night (6). This symbolizes the everlasting vigilance of the God who never sleeps (40:28-31). He would not rest until He fulfilled His Word to His people (7-8). No longer would His people be prey or plunder, but praise instead.
Salvation (10-12). Homer Hailey writes, “Isaiah urged the citizens of Zion to go out through the gates and prepare the way for the nations to enter” (A Commentary on Isaiah. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1985. 499; cf. 11:10; 49:22). God would send a Savior who would offer salvation “to the end of the earth” (11). He would offer salvation, reward, and recompense. The saved would be called “holy” (1 Pet. 2:9) and “redeemed” (Ti. 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18). They would not be forsaken (Heb. 13:5-6).
We have the benefit of hindsight which Isaiah’s audience could only dimly, at best, comprehend. Even the apostles, walking over three years with the Messiah Himself, had great difficulty understanding how Jesus had come to fulfill promises like these in Isaiah 62. Today, reading the New Testament, we have such an advantage. We wear that name, live with blessed assurance, and bask in His salvation. But it is not a secret to be kept to ourselves. God expects us to declare it “to the end of the earth.”
In her fascinating book, The Bloody Bozeman: The Perilous Trail to Montana’s Gold, Dorothy Johnson includes an interesting anecdote as she chronicles life in the territory of Montana in the 1860s. As the population in the territory grew, the people felt a need for a newspaper, more organized law enforcement, a legislature, schools, churches, mail service, stage coaches, and mail service. They also sought forms of entertainment like they enjoyed back east in the United States. On January 2, 1865, Virginia City held a historic prize fight between Hugh O’Neil and Con Orem. O’Neil was 34 years old, 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall and 190 pounds. Orem, a tee-totaling saloon keeper, was 29 years old, 5 feet, 6.5 inches tall and 138 pounds. Johnson summarizes it with incredible understatement: “The fight went 185 rounds, lasted three hours and five minutes, and was declared a tie. It was stopped by mutual consent of the backers” (149). Both men wore snug buckskin gloves without padding and pounded on each other round after round. Neither would give up!
I’m not sure what you make of that curiosity, but it struck me. The Bible depicts our individual lives as a spiritual fight. Especially Paul illustrates life in this world as a battle. We are in a fight with the devil. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul, having said that we must “stand firm” against the “schemes” of the devil, says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…” The word he uses there means “engagement in a challenging contest” (BDAG, 752). The Greeks used the word originally to describe wrestling, then all fights and battles (ibid.). Zodhiates adds that it was “a wrestling, struggle or hand-to-hand combat. It was used of the wrestling of athletes and of the hand-to-hand combat of soldiers both of which required deftness and speed. It denoted the struggle between individual combatants in distinction from an entire military campaign” (np).
The devil’s positions, principles, and pursuits are in direct conflict with God’s. As His followers, we must fight the devil. We are not in physical combat with people, as Paul points out. But we are to “resist” and “stand firm” (Eph. 6:11,13,14). We cannot yield or forfeit that fight.
But there is another fight we are in, and Paul describes this one as equally formidable. The opponent is our own flesh. Every day, we go to battle against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Paul depicts this graphically in Romans 7:14-25). As James points out, we can get “carried away and enticed by our own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (1:14b-15).
Yet, it is a far from a foregone conclusion that we are doomed to lose! Not at all. Paul tells us that we are spiritual prizefighters. We must be prepared to go, not 185 rounds, but round after round, day after day, moment after moment. Here is Paul’s analogy in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27. He says, “I box (“fight with the fist,” Swanson, np.) in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” Your opponent, be it the devil or your own flesh, will land some punches. At times, you may even hit the deck. Through His Word, God is cheering you on and calling, “Get back up! Keep fighting! Don’t give up!” He believes in you. He is in your corner, giving you perfect instructions for defeating your bigger and stronger opponent named “sin.” Even if your lying on the floor, you can get back up. Through God’s help, you can win the fight. Remember that with this battle, eternity is in the balance. You can go the distance!
It was a Saturday in Nazareth and Jesus was about thirty years of age (Luke 3:23). He was in the synagogue “as was His custom…and He stood up to read” (Luke 4:16). The scroll of Isaiah was handed to Him, He opened it and “found the place where” what we know as Isaiah 61:1-2 was written (Luke 4:17). He read it (Luke 4:18-19), then reported, as “the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him” (Luke 4:20), “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Much more happened on this occasion, but Jesus indisputably makes the claim that Isaiah 61 is about Him. His mission is to give His people at least five indispensable resources.
Redemption (1-3). Isaiah describes the seven-fold mission of the Messiah. It was a mixture of message and mercy, preaching and preserving. He would bind up and comfort the needy, but He would also preach, proclaim, and announce. Shame would be replaced with honor and strength. From early in His ministry, Jesus shows His intention to do both. In Mark 1:31-34, He was healing the people of Capernaum from sun-up to sun-down. The next day, when the apostles found Him praying in seclusion and told Him everyone was looking for them, He replied, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for” (Mark 1:38). The healing was to build faith in the heralding. Ultimately, His mission led Him to the cross where He would redeem believers (Mark 16:16) by dying for them (1 Peter 1:18-19). Yet, it started with this seven-fold mission.
Purpose (4-7). He came to do more than rescue mankind from sin. He came to give those of every nation a true sense of their intended identity. There would be a reversal of fortune. They would go from ruin, devastation, and desolation to priests and ministers filled with everlasting joy. But the priesthood would not be confined to the house of Levi or even only the Jews. Strangers and foreigners (Gentiles) would fill their ranks, too. The double portion is the inheritance of the firstborn (Deut. 21:17). Combined with verse 8, this shows the reward for the work as the universal priesthood of believers (1 Pet. 2:5,9).
Blessing (8). The Messiah would “faithfully give them their recompense.” He would establish an “everlasting covenant” with them (2 Cor. 3:6; Heb. 13:20), often also called a “better covenant” (Heb. 7:22; 8:6) and a “new covenant” (Heb. 9:15; 12:24). Recompense is reward. It is hard for me to read this verse without thinking of promises like Ephesians 1:3. The Messiah came to bring all spiritual blessings to those in Him (cf. Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27).
Honor (9-10). These “blessed” ones (10) would be known and recognized as His people. It would not be for their own glory, but it would allow them to glorify the Messiah. They would be salt and light who glorified God by their good works (Matt. 5:13-16). All would see them dressed distinctly in “garments of salvation” and “robes of righteousness,” like a groom or bride whose clothes reflect the joy of matrimony. John is going to draw on that latter imagery as he reveals the church glorified and ready for eternal honor (Rev. 21:2).
Fruitfulness (11). The Messiah’s followers are lastly depicted as fruitful produce, “as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up.” The produce would be righteousness and praise. Where would this come from? The produce of His vineyard. We are fruit, but we are also workers in His vineyard who produce more fruit (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:15).
As Isaiah brings his epic prophecy to a close, he rivets his attention to the unprecedented and glorious work of the Messiah. The world had not seen nor could it have hoped for what He came to bring. But, ultimately, the message of the mission of the Messiah would spread to the whole world (Col. 1:23). Praise God, since that means that you and I have heard. Who do you know who needs to hear it?
At the end of the book of Revelation (21:25; 22:5), John borrows the imagery we see in Isaiah 59 and 60, that of an everlasting light and the end of darkness and night. In both places, it is the Lord who provides the inextinguishable light and the endless reign. Here in Isaiah 60, the prophet points to a future glory which would be seen in Zion. While Christ is not specific mentioned in this chapter, Isaiah anticipates the divine work that would usher in the glory. Indeed, Isaiah speaks of a coming Redeemer (16). God’s faithful would bask in the glory of the Lord, which would be seen in the coming of God the Son into the world.
The appearance of glory (1-2). The prophet anticipates the defeat of darkness over all the earth, dispelled by the glory of the Lord upon His chosen people. All who saw them would glorify God.
The restoration of glory (3-4). Isaiah mentions other nations, without calling any names. Certainly, Babylon would come to mind. Perhaps the Medes and Persians are part of this. Isaiah calls his lowly brethren to anticipate kings and nations being amazed at God’s ability to bring His sons and daughters back from afar. Ultimately, this glory would be seen as Jesus appears (cf. John 12:41).
The measuring of glory (5-9). Isaiah uses monetary imagery to depict this glory. Notice the financial terms–“abundance” (5), “wealth” (5), “multitude of camels” (6), “gold and frankincense” (6; cf. Matt. 2:11), “flocks” (7), and “silver and gold” (9). The prophet depicts a glory which was apparent to all who look on. While this appears to be figurative, it reveals glory in a way men appreciate. The idea is that they would see the glory of the Lord, appreciate the spiritual riches He brought, and they would serve and worship Him (cf. Acts 13:46-48; Paul quotes Isaiah 42:6; 49:6).
The recognition of glory (10-14). What Isaiah saw was a turning of the tables. Judah was presently a weak and vulnerable nation. They would, for centuries to come, be subjugated to world powers. Isaiah foresaw a spiritual kingdom that would transcend earthly power. It would be embodied in the Kingdom of Christ. The prophet depicts this as foreigners aiding God’s people, bringing their treasures to them, rebuilding the sanctuary and repenting of their abuse of them. While that may have a more immediate reference to Judah’s return from exile, Isaiah appears to point to something grander and more enduring. The nations would have a part in helping to build the spiritual kingdom.
The resilience of glory (15-18). Isaiah depicts something “everlasting” (15,19). He says that violence, devastation or destruction would “not be heard again in your land” (18). Instead, there would be salvation and praise. Such a transformation of fortune! To what end? “Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob” (16).
The reason for glory (19-22). All of this was designed to help the people of God finally and forever recognize the glory (19), light (20), transformation (21), and ability (22) of God. Ending with the light and glory imagery he began with, Isaiah sets the table for the righteous to anticipate the Messianic age to come.
How faith-affirming it is to look at Isaiah from this side of the cross. We appreciate how what Isaiah so clearly foresaw, Jesus came and fulfilled. We are among those of the nations who glorify God and serve in the kingdom of Christ. Truly, we bask in the glory of the Lord!
The issue for not only this chapter but for all of human history since Eden in Genesis three is the tension between the sinfulness of man and the salvation of our Maker. Isaiah leads out with the greatest challenge to resolving this tension with his initial statement: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (1-2). This statement highlights God’s unhindered ability (to save), humanity’s unabashed immorality (to sin), and a potential unresolved inability (to be forgiven). The more entrenched man becomes in sin, the greater the spiritual danger until it is finally too late!
Isaiah Describes Man’s Sinful State (3-8). The people knew from their devotional literature how damaging sin was to their relationship with God. The psalmist had said as much (Psa. 66:18) and so had Solomon (Prov. 28:9). Isaiah had thoroughly discussed the same matter already (1:15; 50:1; 58:4). Here, he adds vivid details. What had Judah done?
They were guilty of bloodshed (3; 1:21).
Their fingers were tainted with iniquity (3).
Their lips were stained with deceit (3; 28:15).
Their tongues muttered wickedness (3).
They were unrighteous and dishonest (4; 5:7).
They conceived and gave birth to mischief (4; cf. 33:11).
Their feet run to evil, speeding to shed innocent blood (7).
Their thoughts were depraved (7; 65:2).
Their path was full of devastation and destruction (7).
Their way of life was crooked and perverse (8).
He compares the nation’s figurative offspring (their sins) to adders and spiders, both deadly and unfruitful (5-6). Sin is a fruitless, unfulfilling business. It promises what it cannot deliver, and delivers what it would never promise.
Isaiah Discusses The Universal Problem Of Sin (9-15). Suddenly, the prophet does the unanticipated. He lumps himself in with the nation, much as the righteous apostle John lumps himself in with sinners in 1 John 1:8-10). You will notice the shift in pronouns in the middle part of this chapter. He speaks in the first person plural (we, us, our) 17 times in these few verses. Much of that is to describe how everyone may suffer due to the sin and rebellion of wicked men (9-11). Yet, he says more than that. Notice verse 12: “For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And we know our iniquities.” He elaborates on the absolute guiltiness of everyone, including himself (13-15). The result of their sin, described in verses 14-15, is an amplification of his words in the first two verses. Our sin cuts us off from good and God!
Isaiah Discloses God’s Promise Of Salvation (15-21). These verses are a microcosm of the theme of the entire Bible. Humanity alienates itself from God, unable to restore the breach. God sees and is moved to act. He promises salvation to those willing to accept His gracious, reasonable terms. So it is here.
God sees (15). God feels (15). God springs into action (15). He arms and clothes Himself in battle array to fight for us (17). He punishes evil (18). The anticipated result of this, in His great long-suffering, is man’s fear and praise (19). He promises redemption and covenant (20), His Spirit and His perfect Word (21). God, the violated party, must–in accordance with His flawless nature–offer a way back to Him. He is not indebted to us to do so. He has done nothing wrong. Yet, He is driven by His love and mercy to give grace.
That anyone would ever choose to serve sin and spurn salvation is mind-boggling. But, too many times in my life, I have chosen the path of sin to my own hurt (and to the hurt of others). All the time, a Redeemer waits to heal and restore me. Why would I reject that when nothing else satisfies?
It is possible to worship God according to His Word and God still reject it and even be repulsed by it. Such is the situation in Isaiah 58. The chapter begins with God charging Isaiah with the mission of crying out to the people, “declare to My people their transgression And to the house of Jacob their sins” (1). The sins have to do with their worship, but it was not that they were engaged in idolatry or violating the law of Moses concerning the acts. They plead their case that they sought Him, delighted in His ways, ask for just decisions, and delight in His nearness (2). They actually contend with God, wanting to know why He wasn’t seeing their fasting or noticing their humbling (3a). Somehow, they had numbed their consciences and have fooled themselves into thinking God watched their worship but ignored their lifestyles. Why was God so displeased with their fasts and their worship?
Their mistreatment of each other (3-5). From the very beginning (Gen. 4:6-8), God ties acceptable worship to loving and properly treating our brethren (see 1 John 3:12). On the very day of their fast, they sought their own desire, drove their workers hard, and fought and even resorted to violence with one another. They were not humbling themselves or showing remorse for sin when they fasted (5). They were blind to their inconsistency. How clearly God ties the two together! Through John, He also says, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).
Their neglect of their daily duty (6-7). God tells them the fast He chooses, endorses, and accepts. It is one that leads to repudiating their wickedness (6) by a drive to stop oppressing their brethren (6), be benevolent and practice true religion with the less fortunate (7), and not avoid those in need (7). To hold up a pleading hand to God while slapping away a pleading hand of a brother is the height of hypocrisy. James says, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (1:27).
Their disconnect between heart and action (8-12). God holds forth the promise of what could be if! By reigniting their heart and true devotion to God, they would find His positive response to their worship and their affliction of soul. He promises to bless and guide them if they would do the right thing driven by the right reasons. God wanted to rebuild for them and satisfy them, but He wanted them to “want” to do right driven by right motives.
Their failure to truly put God above themselves in worship (13-14). They were more concerned in the beginning of the chapter about why their fasting did not benefit them rather than how God felt about it. The prophet exhorts them to be solely motivated His pleasure (13) and truly taking delight in Him (14). Then, and only then, would He pour out His blessings on them. Desisting from our own ways (13) is so difficult, but it is imperative to unlocking heaven’s genuine delight.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus would comment of vain worship during His ministry, citing the book of Isaiah? In Matthew 15:8-9, He says, “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” This is quoting from Isaiah 29, and it discusses a different issue. But the principle is the same. Worship and lifestyle are inseparably joined. Our lips and mouths must be attuned to hearts driven to do the right things for the right reasons.
H.G. Wells, an English writer, was never particularly religious, but after he had studied the history of the human race and had observed human life, he came to an interesting conclusion. He said, “Religion is the first thing and the last thing, and until a man has found God and been found by God, he begins at no beginning, he works to no end. He may have his friendships, his partial loyalties, his scraps of honor. But all these things fall into place and life falls into place only with God.”
I am thankful there is a God. That He exists, that He is in control, and that He offers eternal life. My life would be nothing if it wasn’t for His grace and love. There are a million different ways one could go about describing God the Father. Kind, loving, merciful, jealous, powerful, etc. Knowing God requires revelation. All that we know about Him is revealed in scripture. He chose to tell us who He is and what He has done for us.
To dwell on the revealed knowledge of God is one of life’s highest pursuits. There is no better way to spend your time than to learn of the God who created, restored, and saved us. In scripture we read of His perfect attributes, His unfathomable love, His gift of salvation. If we took every writer, philosopher, poet, Christian, and put them to work describing the nature of the Father, the book would be added to until the end of time. As finite humans, it is impossible for us to comprehend the infinite. Our limits will forever keep us from fully knowing God.
To know God completely and totally we would have to be God.
Of all the places in scripture we could look, there is one that stands out. It’s not John 3:16, Eph. 2:8, Rom. 1:16, 1 John 4:8, 2 Peter 3:9. This perfect description for God isn’t found in 10,000 words, it is found in one.
One single, Hebrew word incapsulates all of scripture, the theme of the Bible, and the attributes of God.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them. He created with His words, the very world we see today. However, the world we are in now isn’t exactly what it used to be.
God made man in His image, His likeness is found in us. He created Adam first, then Eve.
We ruled the earth, God’s prize possession.
He created us to love, to tend to the garden, to be with Him in perfect harmony. That is exactly what we see in Genesis 1-2, but things fundamentally changed in chapter three. The God who lovingly created the world, the garden for Adam and Eve, gave one single command. Don’t eat from the tree of knowledge.
This command gave His special creation a choice. A choice to love, or a choice to disobey. True love is a choice, it is never forced. Sadly as we are familiar with, Eve listened to the serpent and ate of tree. She then turned to her husband and He ate. It is at this moment they realize they are naked and made clothes for themselves. And then…nothing happens. No lighting bolt, no death, no thundering voice from God condemning them to hell forever. The Lord himself comes out to Adam, and notice how he comes. He comes walking. He wasn’t in a hurry to strike the offender. walking in the garden. “In the cool of the day”—not in the dead of night when things are all the more scary.
God is longsuffering, slow to anger, and of great mercy; and so He came walking, in the cool of the evening, when the sun was setting on the last day of Eden. Adam runs and tries to avoid the very God he had once met with confidence, the One he had the sweetest fellowship, talking with him as a man talks with his friend.
Gen. 3:9 The Lord God called to the man, and said one word, “ayyekkah” which is translated, “where are you?” Imagine hearing the voice of God as He cries, “Adam, where are you? This question reveals more than we have time to discuss. It showed that Adam was lost, or God would not have needed to ask him where he was.
Until we have lost something, we do not need to enquire about it. God’s first words after the fall, a question posed to His creation. In this one Hebrew word is compressed a whole theology. In this ONE word, we find the nature of God. Understand these are God’s first words to the FIRST sinner. In asking this question we learn that
God Pursues The Lost Sinner.
What Adam and Eve did was wrong.
They knew it, and so did God. God was very clear on what would happen if they ate of the fruit. “In that day you will surely die” are the exact words God used. When Adam and Eve heard God walking they chose to hide.
Why? Man had sinned against God. Notice the alienation of the heart that sin causes in the sinner. Adam should have sought out his Maker. He should have been running through the garden crying out for God,
“My God, my God, I have sinned against you. Where are you?” Adam should have fallen in humility at the feet of the Father.
He had a closer relationship with God than anyone in today. HE LIVED IN THE PRESENCE OF God. He should have called out to God, ran to His feet, and fallen on his face begging for mercy. But instead, Adam flees from God. The sinner does not come to God; God comes to him. It is not “My God, where are you?” but the first voice that broke the silence after the fall is the voice of grace, “Sinner where are you?” God comes to man; man does not seek his God.
Isn’t this how it has always been? From this one Hebrew Word, we read of a God who reaches out to us, even when we have done our best to hide ourselves from Him. “But God shows His love to us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:8).” While we spit on the body of Christ, God is crying out, “where are you, sinner?” In this one word, a love like mankind has never experienced is displayed. When God asked, “where are you?” We learn of a God who pursues the sinner.
Today He continues to call, hoping that we will come to Him.
A “satan” (σαταν) is an enemy or an obstacle of some kind. A “devil” (διαβολος) is one who puts down another person’s character or accuses them. Both describe a similar goal: to make someone less favorable in the eyes of another and prevent their acceptance. Our enemies did this in God’s presence (cf. Job 1 & 2 and at least one non-canonical source), but this is no longer the case thanks to Jesus’s sacrifice! He defeated them for good (Col 1 and 2), so “who is there to condemn when God is the one who justifies?” (Rom 8.33-34).
My point is this: there is one leader of the satans, but there are many who accuse and put down. Perhaps this is why we’re told to avoid even entertaining an accusation against elders if there aren’t multiple witnesses (I Tim 5.19). We often absolutely deserve these accusations — we’re human, we fail all the time. That’s not the way God sees our relationship with him, though! Look at Rom 8.1ff, Jn 3.18, I Jn 1.9, and all of Hb 8. Provided we believe in him and aim higher than our physical bodies, he gives life and not condemnation.
I’m writing this shortly after noon on Election Day 2024. I’ve not kept up with the details of the presidential race, and have mostly unplugged from the rhetoric. This is not out of self-righteousness or some other holier-than-thou attitude. To put it bluntly, I don’t need another reason to view others in a negative light! It’s way too easy to become a satan/devil when all I choose to be exposed to is the weakness of others. Everyone sins, everyone fails to live up to God’s intrinsic perfection (Rom 3.23). Even we who believe have to fight our sinful selves for as long as we’re in our current bodies (cf. Rom 7-8). I have to think that those who shove only the evil of other humans down our throats 24/7 are motivated by the same spirit as those who accuse(d) us before God. It’s much harder (for me anyways) to be “perfected in love” if all I see is the worst of humanity.
In a roundabout way, this article is about how we decide to live after God puts a leader in charge of this country (cf. Dan 2.21). We all have a sense — rightfully so — that this election will determine the viability of our great country in the short and long term. We will likely either lose our national identity and freedoms and security, or we’ll push that decline further into the future. Will we get who we deserve or will God spare us for a few more years? I don’t know. But we beg God to give us the power to love other people and live like Jesus — whether he gives us Trump or Harris, economic prosperity or decline, national security or devastation, freedom of speech or censorship, etc.
“When the assembly of the godly will appear and sinners will be judged for their sins and driven from the face of the Earth, when the Righteous One will appear before the eyes of the righteous whose chosen works hang on the Lord of armies, light will appear to the righteous and chosen who live on the Earth. Where will the sinners live then? Where will those who denied the Lord of armies find shelter? It would be better for them if they had not been born: when the secrets of the righteous will be revealed, the sinners are judged, and the godless are driven from the presence of the righteous and chosen, those who possess the Earth will no longer be powerful and exalted. They will be unable to see the faces of the holy ones because the Lord of armies will cause his light to appear on the faces of the holy, righteous, and chosen. Then the kings and the mighty will perish and will be given into the hands of the righteous and holy. None of them will seek mercy for themselves from the Lord of armies, for their lives will have ended”(I En 38; non-canonical book, for comparison).
Praise God’s name forever and ever! Power and wisdom belong to him. He changes the times and seasons. He gives power to kings, and he takes their power away (Dan 2).
Lord, you are a great and awesome God. You keep your agreement of love and kindness with people who love you. You keep your agreement with the people who obey your commands. But we have sinned. We have done wrong, we have done evil things. We turned against you. We turned away from your commands and good decisions. The prophets were your servants. They spoke for you to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and to the common people of this country. But we did not listen to them. Lord, you are innocent, and the shame belongs to us, even now. Shame belongs to the people from Judah and Jerusalem, and to the people of Israel, and to everyone who lives near and far in many nations across the Earth. They should all be ashamed because of the evil things they did against you. Lord, we should all be ashamed. All of our kings and leaders should be ashamed. Our ancestors should be ashamed, because we sinned against you. But Lord our God, you are kind and forgiving, even though we rebelled against you. … All of these terrible things have happened to us, … but we still have not asked the Lord our God for help. We still have not stopped sinning. We still do not pay attention to your truth, Lord. … Now, our God, hear your servant’s prayer. Listen to my prayer for mercy. For your own sake, do good things for your holy place. My God, listen to me! Open your eyes and see all the terrible things that have happened to us. See what has happened to the city that is called by your name. I am not saying that we are good people. That is not why I am asking these things. I am asking these things because I know you are kind. Lord, listen to me! Forgive us! Lord, pay attention, and then do something! Don’t wait! Do something now! Do it for your own good! My God, do something now for your city and your people who are called by your name (Dan 9.4-19).
Lord, I have heard the news about you. I am amazed, Lord, at the powerful things you did in the past. Now I pray that you will do great things in our time. Please make these things happen in our own days. But in your anger, remember to show mercy to us.
Figs may not grow on the fig tree, and grapes may not grow on the vine. Olives may not grow on the olive trees, and food might not grow in the fields. There might not be any sheep in the pens or cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad in the Lord and rejoice in God who saves me. The Lord God gives me my strength (Hab 3.1-2, 17-19).
Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. Can anything separate us from his love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love? … But through all of these troubles, we have complete victory through God who has shown his love for us. Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love — not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us — nothing in the whole created world — will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our master” (Rom 8.34-39).
Jesus is the one who says that all of this is true. Now he says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” I agree completely — come back to us, Jesus our master” (Rv 22.20).
Judah’s leaders (ch. 56) were thoroughly ungodly and blind to the danger their unrighteousness was leading them toward. It would come in the form of oppression from foreign nations (56:9). The righteous would be prematurely taken from among them (1-2), giving them peace and rest while leaving the wicked to face God’s judgement. Sometimes, God’s mercy is seen in delivering His faithful from the dark times in which they live. From verses 3-21, we read of God’s response to the wicked. He summons them, saying, “But come here, you son of a sorceress, offspring of an adulteress and a prostitute” (3). With such a wicked one before Him, He lays out His case with the charges to the idolatrous nation of Judah.
God lays out the charges (3-10). These charges are representative of the whole of Judah’s iniquity. They all center in some way around idolatry. James Smith sees six in these verses: (1) Drunken revelry of the tree cult, (2) Child sacrifice, (3) Worshiping stone cult, (4) Sexual immorality on the high places, (5) Private deities in their homes, and (6) pilgrimages to worship Molech (5-10)(The Major Prophets, 153). No more serious charge could be levied, violations of the first two of The Ten Commandments (Exo. 20:3-4). They abandoned God for gods, not only foolish but fatal.
God renders His judgment (11-13). Because they did not turn to God before their trouble came (11), He would leave them to their religious alternatives in their time of calamity. They relied on the idols in quieter times. His message is to rely on them now that they cried out, and see how helpful they are. But by contrast, “he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land and will possess My holy mountain” (13).
God provides hope after this case is closed (14-19). That hope was, as just noted, for those who turn to God for help. Isaiah seems to reflect back on chapter 40, referencing the smooth road paved by the Lord (40:3-5). The formerly faithful died and were removed from the nation (1-2). The future faithful are those who are “contrite and lowly in spirit” (15), whom God will reach out to and restore. There is no doubt that the current nation had earned divine punishment, a point Isaiah repeatedly makes in this paragraph. But, the gracious God foretells an end of His anger (16-18) despite their wicked ways. He holds out the prospect of restoration leading to praise, peace, and prescription (19).
God offers no hope to the guilty who show no remorse (20-21). Bluntly, “There is no peace for the wicked” (21). There are some who could not receive enough warnings and judgments to turn their hearts from sin to God. No disaster, no withholding of blessings is sufficient enough to alter the course of the hardhearted. God knows that perfectly well.
The prospect of relief and mercy was apparent and available. Judah could look back to their past and see it. Isaiah points ahead and promises it. Let us think about our day and time, 2,000 years after the Suffering Servant gave Himself to bring hope to the world. If we will keep our hearts contrite and humble, we can have hope in the face of judgment!
The New Testament begins with the book of Matthew which records the life and ministry of Jesus. Mark does nearly the same thing and then Luke will repeat many of the accounts as well. We spot the differences in each of their writing styles and we appreciate the additional details that help to create a more complete picture of some of the events— but there’s something unique about each of them. Consider how Mark pays special attention to the emotions of Jesus.
Mark 1:41
“moved with pity”
No emotion in Matthew 8:2-4 orLuke 5:12-16.
Mark 3:5
“he looked around at them with anger“
No emotion mentioned in Matthew 12:9-14 orLuke 6:6-11.
Mark 3:5
“he was grieved at their hardness of heart”
No emotion mentioned in Matthew 12:9-14 orLuke 6:6-11.
Mark 6:6
“he was amazed at their unbelief’
No emotion mentioned in Matthew 13:35-58,Luke 4:16-30.
Mark 6:34
“he had compassion for them”
Same phrase in Matthew 14:14, no emotion mentioned in Luke 9:12-14
Mark 10:14
“he was indignant“
No emotion mentioned in Matthew 19:13-15 orLuke 18:15-17.
Mark 10:21
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him”
No emotion mentioned in Matthew 19:16-30 orLuke 18:18-30.
Mark 14:34
“I am deeply grieved, even to death”
Same phrase in Matthew 26:28, no emotion in Luke 22:39-45
Chapter 56 begins the last major section of the book of Isaiah. Gary Smith titles this section “the destiny of God’s servants” (NAC, 516). This chapter helps us know who is included in His servants and how they come to be recognized as such. There is one who, like Psalm one, is called the blessed man (2). He is the one who does what God commands. These appear to be the captives from the latter half of the book, anticipating freedom and restoration. What does God expect of them, if they wish to be blessed and joyful?
There Must Be Moral Uprightness (1-2). God promises His salvation and righteousness, but only to those who “preserve justice and do righteousness” (1). He offers to bless those whose worship and conduct align, avoiding evil and good what is right. God never blesses those whose morality or doctrine conflict His revealed will.
There Must Be Confidence In God’s Power (3). This is seen in what God is promising for the future of His people. Included in His family, which would be inaugurated by His Chosen Servant, are the foreigners and eunuchs. These were excluded under the Law of Moses, but they would be included in what was to come.
There Must Be Faithful Worship (4-7). That God wishes to include the outcasts and formerly excluded is seen in His conditional acceptance of them. To those who keep His sabbaths, minister to Him, pray in His house, offer burnt offerings and their sacrifices, God would make better than sons and daughters, His servants, and participants in His covenant. Worship must be coupled with choosing what pleases God and holding fast to His covenant (4). What would be the response of the obedient, hearing that God embraces them? They would be joyful (7). Those who adore God enough to serve Him daily and worship Him faithfully would have a place in His house and an everlasting name (5).
There Must Be Repentance (8-12). Isaiah shifts his focus back to the present disobedience of God’s people. The glorious, future hope was impeded by the unrighteousness of the leadership. The current leadership had learned nothing of God’s power and punishment. John Martin suggests, “The Lord called for the beasts (Gentile powers, probably Babylon) to devour (punish) Israel because she was spiritually insensitive” (BKC, Ed. Walvoord and Zuck, 1112). Those leaders are compared to blind watchmen (10), mute dogs (10), sleeping dreamers (10), greedy dogs (11), ignorant shepherds (11), and foolish drunkards (12). The righteous were frustrated with them and their only hope of peace was to die (57:1-2).
Joy was only a distant hope for the original readers of Isaiah’s words here. Punishment had to come before peace could be legitimately offered. God had something better in store for future generations who believed His plan and obeyed His will. We are living in that better time now. The Servant has completed His work and now reigns in heaven. We get to choose whether or not we want the joy only He can offer us (1 John 1:4; 2 John 12).
Recently, I asked a man about how he and his family got to be so active and faithful in their service to Christ. He said that at one time they were those members who came to church services, spoke to a few people, then left. Attendance was sporadic and they were convinced that they did not know how to elbow their way into the various works going on.
He explained how that changed for them. As their kids got older, they made themselves go to every service regularly, to every church event that was announced, and even took time off to go to Bible camp. He and his wife both started teaching and saying yes to doing things, no matter what. This was intentional. They were not happy just being those people sitting in the pews watching things happen.
At some point, he explained, people started noticing and asked them to do more. The elders started asking them to take on more. Other Christians encouraged them in different ways. Now, being busy is who they are. They could not go back and be happy, just sitting there waiting and not doing anything. Their formula was profoundly simple. Be present and available.
Church leaders have a definite responsibility to equip “the saints for the work of service” (Eph. 4:11-12). The word equipped there means ” to make fully ready” (Zodhiates, WSNTDICT, np). Elders, with the help of preachers and other members, provide ministries and works to accomplish the overall work of the church. Through various ways, they enlist the help of members to get it done. They communicate and even train.
So, what are the saints’ responsibility? Ephesians 4:16 says each individual part must be in “proper working” order. That starts by being present and available, volunteering, and saying yes to things. This family has really drawn a roadmap to involvement. Or, at least they are doing a great job of following God’s inspired roadmap. Let’s be like the very first Christians, who “were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Such a condition is so often contagious!
Chapters 40-55 seem to be one long unit, devoted to the comfort God extends to His people through atonement for sin and deliverance from other nations. The NASB (95) puts Isaiah 55:12-13 in quotation marks, signaling to us that this is a hymn and ends this section. Smith identifies hymns in the book that served the same purpose in 12:1-6, 42: 10-13, 44:23, 49:13, and 52:9-10 (NAC, 493-494). This final chapter tells us that God longs to bless His people, but His people must repent to enjoy them.
The axis point of this chapter is a call to “seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near” (6). It stands between the blessings promised (1-5) and the spiritual change required (7-11). No one accidentally grows close to God or walks obediently to His will by mere chance. Let’s notice how Isaiah highlights this way to transformation and why one would want to pursue it.
Seek the Lord because He provides (1-2). Four items are identified–water, wine, milk, and bread. Listening to God, His people enjoy abundant provision. It is foolish to look to anyone or anything else to give what only He can give.
Seek the Lord because He gives life (3). Listening to Him, one is promised life. While that may include physical life, the implication is eternal life shown through His “everlasting covenant” with His people.
Seek the Lord because He gives identity (3-5). He appeals to their common heritage in David (3), but He offers an even greater identity through His name and what being His people does for them. Through the Lord’s leadership, one is glorified (5). Being a child of God exalts one’s name and purpose, not for our sake but for His (cf. Eph. 3:20-21).
Seek the Lord because He gives forgiveness (6-7). In the middle verses of chapter 55, Isaiah makes a play on the words “thoughts” and “ways.” He begins by calling for the wicked to forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts (6). Why? Because God’s ways and thoughts are not ours, but are more exalted and important (8-9). But by forsaking our own thoughts and ways for His, we can expect to have compassion and abundant pardon!
Seek the Lord because He gives wisdom (8-11). Not only are His thoughts and ways higher than ours, but they are fruitful and productive. He illustrates this with the cyclical nature of moisture and seed production. The rain and snow come from heaven, waters the earth, makes it bear and sprout, drops seed, and ultimately provides bread for the one who sows the seed. Isaiah says that this is how God’s Word works. He sends it, His faithful servants sow it, and it produces results (see how Paul alludes to this idea in 2 Cor. 9:10, as well as Matt. 24:35; Luke 8:11; 1 Pet. 1:23).
Seek the Lord because He gives unexpected joy (12-13). The fruit of God’s wisdom is joy, peace, and fruitfulness. With figurative language and hyperbole, Isaiah illustrates this blessing with mountains and hills celebrating, trees clapping, and cypress and myrtle trees coming forth from the seeds of thorn bushes and nettles. God’s power takes the refuse and contemptible things of life and shows His power through His ability to make it incredibly wonderful. Remember Paul’s words? “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord'” (1 Cor. 1:27-31).
At least six blessings in this brief chapter are attached to seeking the Lord, and Isaiah says that seeking the Lord and changing from our sinful ways are imperative to receiving them. God can take the worst of situations and make them far better than we could imagine. He waits to bless us, but He is waiting for us to come to Him (Matt. 11:28-30).
We are not told when the promises in this chapter would be fulfilled. The details of being forsaken for “a brief moment” (7) seems to fit best with the Assyrian incursion at the time the northern kingdom is taken captive and destroyed in the last part of the eighth century B.C. But in this section that highlights the Redeemer, there are implications of a time centuries after that when Jesus is born. Consider the beautiful promises contained in this chapter.
God promises richness (1-3). It is a reverse of fortune from a time of barrenness, travail, and desolation to a figurative “baby boom” that requires them to enlarge, stretch out, lengthen, strengthen, and spread abroad. Their descendants would expand and conquer.
God promises restoration (4). What had marked their past was shame, humiliation, disgrace, and reproach, from youth to widowhood. God says, “Fear not!” His promise was greater than the scars of their past or their apprehension about the future.
God promises relationship (5-6). The further hope of these promises is the intimacy of God’s relationship with them. Their husband is the Creator and master of everything. Their Redeemer rules the entire planet. Though they were a wife without anything to commend herself, still He desires her.
God promises redemption (7-10). Twice in this chapter, God calls Himself “Redeemer” (5,7). They had earned His rejection, but He likens His response to the way He responded after the flood in Noah’s day. His people deserve wrath and judgment for their iniquities, but He offers “everlasting lovingkindness,” “compassion,” and “peace.” Nothing on this earth can be counted on, but God’s promises can be.
God promises reward (11-13). He illustrates this by mentioning several precious stones by which He will reinforce them. Their dwelling places would be bejeweled with splendor and majesty. John will co-opt this kind of imagery in describing heaven and the church glorified (Rev. 21:19ff). They would have superior knowledge of God’s will (cf. John 6:45), which would lead them to the best life possible (John 10:10).
God promises resilience (14-17). Their foundation would be righteousness (14; Mat. 7:24-27). Since God is in control (15-16) and on their side, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me” (17). We sing that, don’t we? The battle belongs to the Lord! If we are on His side, we will win (1 John 5:4).
In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Paul reminds his readers that, though we live in the world, we don’t fight the same way the world fights; instead, he says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…”
In that spirit, I want to share an argument that I’ve come across somewhat recently that argues against God, and how to counter it.
The argument goes as follows: First, God knows all things; therefore, He knows what He can say or do that would convince any particular person to believe in Him. Second, God can do all things; therefore, He is able to do whatever would convince any particular person to believe in Him no matter how hard it may seem by human standards. Finally, God has stated in the Bible that He wants “all men to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). However, not everyone believes in God; therefore, He either doesn’t know what can convince someone, can’t do what would convince someone, or is lying about His desire for everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth.
At first, it can seem like a strong argument, but there are cracks in its façade. First, it’s true that God does know all things. In fact, He knows more about people than they know about themselves. Richard Dawkins used to say that he would only be convinced that God was real if he ever heard that trumpet call and saw Jesus coming down from heaven with the angels and the resurrected saints on the Day of Judgment. Nowadays, he says that even if he saw that, he would assume he was hallucinating. I saw another prominent atheist, when asked if there were any evidence that could convince him of God’s reality, ultimately responded that even if he were to see the stars in the sky move and arrange themselves to spell out “Believe in me, John,” that he would more likely believe that aliens were messing with him. There are some people who will refuse to believe no matter what evidence is presented, and in those cases, God will allow people who don’t love the truth to exchange it for a lie (Romans 1:25).
Furthermore, God is interested in something far deeper than some mere mental assent. He doesn’t want people to simply believe that He exists or even believe that He is powerful or even good and just leave it at that. Adam and Eve believed that God exists and must have been convinced of His power (He had made the world) and even His goodness (He had given them everything), but did that stop them from sinning? Cain talked with God, but still murdered his brother. The Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai were convinced of God’s existence and power, but they still made a golden calf to stand in for the Lord of heaven and earth (and that against His express command). Even the demons believe in God as James tells us, but God wants more than our acknowledgment. He wants our love and He wants our faith. And He deserves it, too!
Because the second point is that God can do all things, and He has done the unimaginable just to prove how much He really loves us. He became flesh and blood. The infinite God wrapped up in a finite, mortal shell. I can’t understand any better than I could understand turning myself into an ant. And then to sacrifice Himself to save us from our own sins!
The people who demand that God prove His existence to them in some miraculous way are arrogant. It reminds me of the Pharisees who, after Jesus had done numerous miracles, still asked for a sign. God wants everyone to come to the knowledge of the truth, and He has done everything necessary to show that. The ball is now, so to speak, in your court.
According to Scripture, the first people to hear the good news of Jesus’ birth were shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields near Bethlehem. You ever wonder why God told them first?
Luke 2:10-11 says, “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
I wish we could have seen their response.
Shepherds in first-century Middle Eastern culture had a reputation for being thieves and lowlifes. Jews considered shepherds to be ceremonially unclean. Perhaps these shepherds felt unworthy. The way they made a living was considered unclean.
Maybe they felt inadequate? According to Jewish culture they could not testify in court. No one trusted shepherds. People would not buy property from them because it was most likely stolen. Some saw them on the same level as tax collectors and prostitutes. The religious leaders told others not to go near them.
Most of all, these shepherds were not loved by the masses. The temple was strict on cleanliness, they could not enter.
Culturally, no father wanted their daughter to marry a shepherd. And yet we read that God revealed the birth of His Son to THEM.
The outcast, the unloved, the unworthy, the inadequate. Romans 3:22 says, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”
You cannot earn God’s acceptance. But we are all sinners. If you accuse someone and say, “you have sinned against God” you will get push back from many people. They believe they are morally good and don’t appreciate being accused of sin. I watched a video of a preacher named Ray Comfort walk around in public and ask people certain questions. He would ask, “do you consider yourself a good person? Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever lusted before?” If you’re reading this article ask yourself those same questions. Be honest, Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? You ever lusted after someone? If you tell a lie, what does that make you? A liar. If you steal something, what does that make you? A thief. If you’ve ever lusted after another, Jesus says you have committed adultery in your heart (Matt. 5:27-28). If you’ve ever hated someone that is considered the same as murder (1 John 3:15).
So that means you are a lying, thieving, adulterous, murderous person. How does that make you feel?
If you don’t see yourself as a sinner, you won’t see your need for a Savior. And we are made right with God, not by our own works, but by faith in Christ. That is why God told the good news to outcasts in a field and not to the royalty in the city, so that all would know that God wants you to be a part of His family regardless of who you are.
But coming to Christ takes acknowledging the sin in your life. These shepherds were reminded daily that they were outcasts and sinners. I believe we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking we are better than them. Recognize your sin so that you’ll see the need for a Savior.
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