Hosea: Unfaithfulness (I)

An Excruciating Assignment (1:1-11)

Neal Pollard

Perhaps no book in the Bible begins more startlingly than Hosea. Truly, this headliner of the section known as the Minor Prophets is difficult both in its message and its method. Linguists who approach this book rank it with Job as the most difficult to translate due to writing style and the number of unique and rare words making up Hosea. Yet, it is a fascinating book that draws heavily on people, places, and events from the Pentateuch (Gen.-Deut.). Those books are cited as evidence against the sins of the people in Hosea’s day. The prophet takes a jolting turn from the historical situation, his marriage to a prostitute and fathering three children with her, to the spiritual application for Israel. Yet, as Duane Garrett says, “It is as startling in its presentation of sin as it is surprising in its stubborn certainty of grace. It is as blunt as it is enigmatic. It is a book to be experienced, and the experience is with God” (NAC, 21). 

Dating the book is fairly straightforward from the very first verse, during the days of four kings in the southern kingdom and one king, Jeroboam II, in the northern kingdom. There is a strong clue in this that what Hosea wrote to warn Israel (northern kingdom) about happened. Unfaithful Israel faced a dire future if she did not repent. Since Hezekiah, the last king of Judah mentioned, saw the fall of Samaria (Isa. 36-39), we can date the book of Hosea to cover the last half of the 8th Century B.C. (760-710 B.C.). We do not know why Hosea is unconcerned with the reigns of the six kings of Israel who succeeded Jeroboam II, but the mention of the southern kings imply that he ignores them. 

Hosea’s task is extremely difficult. God tells the prophet, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord” (2). This heartsick-making imperative symbolizes the covenant situation with Israel from God’s perspective.  God was a faithful husband, loving and caring for the nation. Israel jilted God to pursue heathen nations, heathen gods, and horrific, sinful practices. As the result of her whoring, she gave birth to no hope and no identity! This is symbolized by the naming of the three children born to Hosea, the prophet, and Gomer, the harlot. 

The first child, a son, is named Jezreel. The name means “God sows.” It was not a common name for a person, but he seems to be named for the town and valley of Jezreel north of Samaria in the region of Galilee. The significance of that area is implied with Hosea’s talk of the “bloodshed” of Jezreel. It was the home of Naboth, who Jezebel had brutally murdered so Ahab could gain his vineyard (1 Ki. 21:1ff). Consequently, it was the place where Jezebel would die violently with bloodshed (1 Ki. 21:23). King Joram was violently killed by Jehu there (2 Ki. 9:15ff). Jehu killed all the remnant of Ahab’s house there (2 Ki. 10:12). On and on the bloody history of Jezreel was written. God used Jehu to judge Ahab’s house for sin, but now Jehu’s house would be judged for their own idolatry and wickedness (4-5). With the end of that dynasty, Israel would limp and totter until ultimately God crushes them with the Assyrians. 

The name of the second child, Lo-ruhamah, meant “no compassion” and “no forgiveness” (6). This symbolism was very straightforward. There would be no compassion or forgiveness for stubborn and impenitent Israel (6), but there would be for Judah (7a). Yet, the deliverance for Judah would be by God’s power rather than man’s strength (7b). 

Thirdly, Gomer conceives and bears a third child, a son, whom Hosea is to name Lo-ammi. The name means “not my people.” God explains that, more fully, the name represents the idea that Israel is not His people and He is not their God (9). What a startling turnaround for a people who claimed Abraham as their father and basked in centuries of favored status as his descendants. Hosea alludes to this promise with an equally surprising follow-up statement in verses 10-11. As severe and costly as their coming punishment would be, God’s relentless love would cause Him to revive and survive led by one leader (11). Opinions differ, but it seems to me that the most logical fulfillment of this promise is Christ. It does not seem to refer to a return from physical captivity. It would also fit with the idea of the Messiah being a root and a tender plant, as Hosea ends the chapter referring again to Jezreel (God sows). God would plant the solution that would fulfill His undying love for His people, giving them hope and restoration.

It truly is a startling, amazing book, a love story of a husband who would not give up on a perpetually unfaithful wife. It is a love we must relentlessly embrace, not recklessly reject! 

No “Regerts”

Carl Pollard

“It is better to suffer the pain of discipline than the pain of regret.” You remember that Snickers commercial of the guy getting a tattoo? He and his buddy are getting pumped up and yelling, the tattoo artist finishes the tattoo, and it says “no regerts.” 

The point of the commercial? Well, he regretted it. With regret comes an awful weight. What could’ve been, what you should’ve done, what you could have changed. 

Back in 2016 a buddy I went to school with told me about a new thing called bitcoin. He told me I could buy one for $318 dollars. 

I was hesitant because I had no idea what cryptocurrency was so I said thanks but no thanks. As a broke college student there were a million other things I could buy with 318 dollars. As of this week, 1 single bitcoin is worth almost $100,000. I regret not buying one for $318. In just 8 years I could’ve made $99,700. But I can still sleep like a baby at night. Yeah I wish I would’ve listened to my friend, but life goes on. In May, 2010, an early crypto enthusiast was hungry and broke and decided to trade 10,000 bitcoins for two papa John’s pizzas. At the time that was about 42 dollars, but today that’s worth $900,000,000. I bet he regrets buying two pizzas for almost a billion dollars. 

I regret missing out on opportunities like this, but there are other things I have said and done that I regret. Things worse than missing out on bitcoin. I’m sure you’ve found yourself in the same boat. Tossing and turning in bed, regretting how you handled a certain situation, or how you spoke to a loved one. Regret is an awful feeling. 

“It is better to suffer the pain of discipline than the pain of regret.” All we need is discipline, and we would never feel regret. But there’s a reason so many people struggle with regret: discipline is hard. Being disciplined takes mental energy, and we’ve got to be focused constantly. There’s a million temptations to avoid and habits that we have engrained into our very being. We are easily distracted, constantly wanting instant gratification. Self-discipline is hard because it requires long-term focus. So we know the answer to our problem, but implementing it is the struggle. 

Matthew 5:27-30

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

Jesus said these words in His sermon on the mount.This is a sermon on righteousness, a sermon of contrasts. Over and over Jesus says, “you have heard it said, but I say…” He speaks with authority, He speaks as the Son of God. Listen to every word because Jesus tells us exactly how to be approved of God. He contrasts the teachings of the day with His new teachings from God. 

Jesus tells us to Focus On The Heart. At the core of these four verses Jesus is telling us to examine our hearts. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 

You want to guess what the pharisees at the time of Jesus were teaching? The exact opposite. They taught that you could look and fantasize all you wanted as long as you didn’t touch. Their law made provision for lust! Jesus instead call us to a higher level of righteousness. “You have heard it said, but I say…focus on the heart.” Jesus shifts the focus from external actions to internal desires. True morality isn’t just about avoiding sinful behavior, it is cultivating a heart that aligns with God’s will. The pain of discipline is the transforming of the heart, changing from within so that our behavior is disciplined. 

In doing so we avoid the pain of regret. In scripture, the heart is the source from which action flows. It represents our innermost thoughts, intentions, and emotions. If you can change the heart, the body will change. If you win the internal battle, the external battle will be won. If you can win the battle against lust, you will never commit adultery. This is how God expects us to live in following His will. 

Prioritize the spiritual state of your heart, and you will develop discipline in every aspect of life.

Does Consciousness Continue After Death?

Gary Pollard

One of the commonly asked questions on my list is, “Does consciousness continue after death?” I was fairly confident in what I believed about this one until 3:00 PM today (11.19). Carl dropped the problem of the Transfiguration on me: How are Moses and Elijah present with Jesus before the resurrection? The purpose of this article is to sort out the Gnostic and the scriptural, but also to hopefully put more minds on this question. It’s been bothering me for several hours now. 

The overwhelming weight of scripture seems to be in favor of death being (from our perspective) an instantaneous transition to Jesus’s return and the resurrection. There are some teachings that potentially complicate this view (like the Rich man and Lazarus, thief on the cross, saints under the altar), but the concept of a “place of waiting” made no sense to me in light of the rest of scripture. What’s the point of dividing the sheep and the goats if they’ve been tortured/resting for the last umpteen years? And why are the “goats” surprised at their fate if they’ve already been punished for however long? And how/why is poor Abraham dealing with the pained cries of the rich man in torment? There is, after all, a wide abyss separating the two places (maybe the acoustics are really good). It makes the most sense that Jesus was using an image they would’ve been familiar with (from I Enoch 22, 51) to illustrate the importance of viewing money appropriately. Paul clearly says that we’re given life only when Jesus returns (cf. I Thess 4.14ff), and that Jesus being brought back to life was a visible example of what will happen to all of us too (I Cor 15.20-24). Our hope for consciousness after this life is solely in God’s promise to bring us back when his son returns. 

William Tyndale (1484-1536) said, “By putting the departed souls in Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, you have destroyed the arguments that Christ and Paul used to prove the resurrection. … What’s the point of resurrection, then? And what’s the point of judgment? … The true faith affirms the resurrection, which is what we’re told to always watch for. Pagan philosophers deny this and claim that the soul is immortal. The Pope combined the spiritual doctrine of Christ and the fleshly doctrine of philosophers, things so dissonant that they’re totally incompatible. And because the fleshly-minded Pope is okay with pagan doctrine, he has no problem corrupting the scripture to establish the doctrine [of Heaven]. If the soul is in Heaven, tell me what the point of resurrection is?” The doctrine of “heaven” widely adopted by our culture is unsupported by scripture and has far more in common with Gnostic and Egyptian beliefs (i.e. Pleroma and Duat). 

So is there an intermediate place where departed souls go to experience the beta version of eternity? I didn’t think so. I’m pretty confident that our culture’s concept of heaven is wrong — on linguistic (ουρανος means “sky” or the place above the sky, which we call “space” today), scriptural (our new life comes when Jesus returns), and historical-cultural grounds (the early, pre-Catholic Christians believed that we would get life in a new body on a new/renewed earth when Jesus returns). 

But the original question was, “Is there consciousness after death?” From a biblical point of view, I believe (until the Transfiguration Conundrum is sorted anyways) the answer is yes and no. From the perspective of the dead, the transition between death and resurrection is instantaneous. I was comatose for about a week several years ago and couldn’t believe I’d been out for that long. Now, that’s not dead — but it at least proves a point. If you aren’t conscious you aren’t aware of time passing. So the “blink of an eye” statement in I Corinthians 15 makes perfect sense! But the bible does suggest that the dead are not conscious, though this is contested (cf. Ecc 9.5, Dan 12.2, Ps 115.17, 146.4 I Thess 4.14-17, and the 50+ times the bible describes death as “sleep”). Regardless of which answer is correct, what we can all agree on is this: 

Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those who have died. We don’t want you to be sad like other people — those who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died, but we also believe that he rose again. So we believe that God will raise to life through Jesus any who have died and bring them together with him when he comes (I Thess 4.13-14). 1

Magic Dinosaur Bones

Dale Pollard

 I’m trying to convince my wife (Janelle) that she needs to make a podcast/Youtube series that would provide a nurses perspective on the many kinds of medicines used in the Bible as well as the medical practices of ancient cultures mentioned in the Bible. Would their medical practices actually work or make things worse? If you think that would be interesting as well, please send her a message and let’s all annoy nurse Janelle until she makes it happen. 

On a similar note, this article was written after researching a few of these bizarre medical practices.  

DID YOU KNOW…

The use of dragon bones in medicine is a fascinating aspect of ancient beliefs, particularly if you view these “dragons” as possible examples of humans and dinosaurs co-existing. However, what’s really  strange is the fact that various societies around the world all decided to use the bones in such a unique way— medicine. 

For example, in medieval Europe, people sometimes discovered large bones and  believed them to hold magical properties. Powders made from these bones were used as talismans or medicinal remedies.

During the Middle Ages, alchemists often incorporated “dragon” substances in their potions and elixirs. They believed that dragon bones could enhance the efficacy of their concoctions or serve as some sort of protective charm.

Some Mesoamerican civilizations had legends about dragon-like creatures, and they used the large fossilized bones in rituals and their medicinal practices because they believed the remains held mysterious power. 

An article in the Associated Press in 2007 had this to say about the ancient Chinese: 

“Villagers in central China spent decades digging up bones they believed belonged to flying dragons and using them in traditional medicines. Turns out the bones belonged to dinosaurs…

The calcium-rich bones were sometimes boiled with other ingredients and fed to children to treat dizziness and leg cramps.”

The Bible has an interesting account about “magic” bones in 2 Kings 13:20-21. This passage recounts the power of God working through the prophet Elijah— even after his death.

Here’s a brief summary for those who might be unfamiliar with this incredible account: 

The prophet Elijah made a significant impact (perhaps the most significant) in Israel. Even after his death his prophetic legacy was admired by the people, but Elijah would perform one last miracle from beyond the grave. Some men were burying a man when they saw a raiding party coming. In haste, they threw the deceased man into the tomb where Elijah’s bones lay and when the dead man touched the bones of Elijah he came back to life and stood on his feet. 

While there may or may not be anything to the medicinal benefits of dinosaur bones as claimed by ancient cultures, there’s no need to speculate where the power was coming from in our biblical account. It’s obvious that it was God’s hand at work and not the prophet’s bones. The same can be said of baptism or even our Bibles. The power isn’t in water found in a baptistery or words on a page because we know the source is actually our Savior. The cure to the world’s greatest disease isn’t some secret recipe that utilizes dragon bones. What we need is what we already have and it’s widely available. 

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” 

Proverbs 3.7-8

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LX)

God’s Final Word To His People (66:1-24)

Neal Pollard

It seems to me that, as chapters 63-64 formulate the prayer of God’s people, chapters 65-66 form God’s answer to their lament. This final chapter also serves as a powerful summary and overview of the entire book. God addresses multiple audiences as He looks ahead one final time to the coming of the Messiah. Let’s notice the grand close to this often-regarded magnum opus of all the Old Testament prophetic works. 

A word to the humble (1-5). Isaiah at least alludes to, if not quotes, the Spirit-led David (2 Sam. 7:5-7) and Solomon (1 Ki. 8:27) at the former’s resolve to build the temple and the latter’s dedication of the temple. He expresses how He cannot be confined or contained in the worship structures built by man, even His own people’s sanctioned efforts. Perhaps Paul also has Isaiah 66 in the background of his thoughts as he preaches, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:24-26a; cf. 1-2). He declares that He dwells not in literal structures, buildings, but in the right kinds of hearts. Specifically, He is to be found in humble, contrite, and trembling hearts. Could this be a three step process? Humility is affliction of heart, the poor in spirit (Mat. 5:3). Contrite is the crippling effect, the penitent in heart. Trembling is fear or terror at the power of God. If I’m convicted, experience godly sorrow, and then am filled with the dread of not having my sins forgiven, God knows that this is my best hope of doing what pleases Him. Verses 3-5 contrast this tenderness of heart, as He depicts those who choose their own way, delight in their abominations, refuse to listen, and prefer what God hates. These wicked ones may hate the humble of heart, but the arrogant will finally be put to shame. What a needed reminder for us, if we are trying to serve God in humility. We may be viewed contemptibly who are living by the gospel according to self, but God will humble the proud (Psa. 138:6; Prov. 3:34; Mat. 23:12; etc.). 

A word to the faithful (6-14). Isaiah engages in intimacy imagery to discuss the future rebirth of God’s people, likened to a mother giving birth to a child. He follows the metaphor from conception to the resulting child’s maturity. Restoration and return from captivity will happen as if the conception and birth occurred on the same day (7), even though there were birth pangs in between. Birth is an occasion for rejoicing (10). The mother-child relationship, with its intimacy and closeness (11-13) is the perfect picture of divine comfort (13). Don’t miss the connection of Isaiah’s Son (7:14; 9:6) and Servant (49:1) to be born and the “nation” (1 Pet. 2:5,9) that would come soon thereafter. Peace and glory would be seen and known to all who would become part of this privileged people. The New Testament shows the glorious fulfillment of this starting in Acts two. 

A word to the unrighteous (15-21). The language in this next to last paragraph is of judgment, a recurring theme throughout this entire book. Fire is an often-used symbol of judgment, from Mt. Sinai onward. This paragraph is full of the language of divine punishment– “render His anger with fury” (16), “His rebuke with flames of fire” (16), and “gather all nations” (18). God depicts Himself as all-knowing (18). In the wake of judgment, there will be restoration of true worship and faithful service (20-21). While the end for the wicked is depicted in darkest colors, there is hope for as long as there is still time. Remarkably, God extends a promise of forgiveness and restoration until the end of all things! Even when promising retribution, He offsets it with His perfect grace. 

A word to the whole world (22-24). Isaiah implies an eternal picture as He closes. His language of “new heavens and new earth” (22) will be taken by Peter (2 Pet. 3:13) and John (Rev. 21:1) and given eschatological (eternal) meaning. The eternal aspect is also embedded in the idea of the place and the people enduring (22). The picture of perpetuity is also seen in verse 23. Jesus takes the word picture in verse 24 and applies it to hell (Mark 9:48). Because of the successful work of Messiah, spiritual life and torment are co-eternal (Mat. 25:46). 

James Smith writes, “While gold and silver depict the glories of Zion, so fire and worms depict the fate of the wicked” (OT Survey Series, 171). Through this dramatic imagery, Isaiah points his readers ahead to more than return from a foreign, physical land. There is return from the figurative wilderness of sin. The Messiah will bring this about, and those who humble their hearts and faithfully follow Him will enjoy all He has to offer in the eternal fellowship and all His perfect home contains. This is a glory and hope for all nations! All because it comes from the heart and hand of a holy God. 

Everyone is someone in His kingdom…

#47- Joyful Hearts

Calls From The Low Dungeon

Neal Pollard

All he said was what was true. For prophesying that Judah would he devastated by Babylon, Jeremiah was cast into the dungeon of the king’s son (Jer. 38:1-6). He was suspended by cords which surely cut into his armpits. He soaked in unsanitary mire. He was left there to starve to death. Were it not for the compassionate heart of Ebedmelech, Jeremiah likely would have died.

The book of Lamentations, written by Jeremiah, is entirely filled with his sorrowful cries because of God’s punished people. The book can be seen as five, distinct mournful poems. Each poem reflects a different facet of the common sorrow [chapter one, the physical suffering of Judah; chapter two, God’s scolding of Judah; chapter three, Jeremiah’s spiritual suffering because of Judah’s sins; chapter four, the spiritual suffering of Judah because of their sins; chapter five, Jeremiah’s supplications for contrite Judah] (F.D. Hemenway., 454).

In Lamentations 3:55, the weeping prophet tells the Lord, “I called on Your name, O Lord, from the lowest pit.” This image is identical to the words of the psalmist, who says in Psalm 88:6, “You have laid me in the lowest pit, In darkness, in the depths.”  Heman seems to complain that he has been placed there because of injustice and not because of his iniquity. Our minds are called back to Dothan, where jealous brothers cast Joseph into an empty pit. The sins of Joseph’s brothers caused him to look up from his pit.

But, no doubt or question arises about why Judah is in this figurative pit from which Jeremiah cries. Though Jeremiah has lived godly and has not deserved suffering , he realized he stood among a nation of people who failed to obey Jehovah. So, from the low dungeon of despair, Jeremiah says several things.

“You Heard Me When I Cried” (Lamentations 3:56). From this statement we see that THE LORD RECOGNIZES HIS PEOPLE! David knew this (Psalm 6:8; 18:3-6; 66:19), as he often exclaimed that “God has heard me.” Paul’s inspired conviction of hope was “the Lord knows them that are His ” (2 Tim. 2:19). To the Corinthian brethren, Paul said, “But if any man love God, the same is known of God” (1 Cor. 8:3). In verse 56, Jeremiah finds comfort in calamitous times. He also makes an impassioned plea that God not turn away from His crying, Because Jeremiah was a child of God, he was assured that God would, in some way, answer him.

“You Drew Near When I Called” (Lamentations 3:57). THE LORD RESPONDS TO HIS PEOPLE! Jeremiah recognized the “Shepherd” aspect of the Lord. One can clearly envision the cradling Arms of the Almighty, scooping up His lambs injured by their own choices and giving them comfort in their repentance (cf. Psalm 23). James would teach us that God draws near to us if we draw near unto Him (James 4:8).

“You Have Pled The Causes Of My Soul” (Lamentations 3:58). Truly , THE LORD REPRESENTS HIS PEOPLE! David prayed that God would plead his cause and deliver him (Psa. 119:154). The prophet Micah patiently waited for the representation of the Lord on his behalf. He said, “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me” (Micah 7:9). He who, in the flesh, experienced humanity represents man before God as mediator (1 Tim. 2:5).

“You Have Redeemed My Life ” (Lamentations 3:58). THE LORD REDEEMS HIS PEOPLE! A suffering Job rejoiced, ” I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand upon the earth at the latter day” (Job 19:25). Jeremiah, knowing the mercy of the Lord, confidently spoke of how God had preserved his life in times past. In a greater sense, Christ is the means of mankind’s redemption from eternal condemnation. That prolific passage, Titus 2:11-14, proclaims that God’s saving grace has appeared to all men in the person of Christ, “that he might redeem us from all iniquity.” Christ’s incorruptible blood redeems the faithful obedient one (cf. 1 Pet. 1:18). Part of the enchanting song sung by the adorers of Christ includes the words “…For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). 

“You Have Seen My Wrong” (Lamentations 3:59). Additionally, we learn that THE LORD REPRIMANDS HIS PEOPLE! God sees all that we do, though many think that God only sees the good we do. Others think that God only sees other people’s wrongs, and still others think that God only sees non-Christians’ sins. God sees everything everyone does every instant everywhere and every time. How wonderful and reassuring this is to those who walk in the light. How fearful this is for those who walk in darkness. God, in His justice, will punish all whose wrongs are not covered by Christ’s precious blood.

Obviously, God’s people had sown iniquity. Jeremiah rebukes his brethren throughout the book of Jeremiah because of their idolatry, hypocrisy, failings in the home, materialism, and stubborn wills. Through the Babylonians, Judah reaped the captivity. But, as Jeremiah prophesied, Judah would not be captive forever (Jer. 30-35). God heard the cries of Jeremiah from the low dungeon of despair.

Christians have the confidence that God will deliver them from the Pits of Persecution, the Dungeons of Despair, and the Cells of Sin. What hope!

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LIX)

The Lord’s Answer To The Prayer (65:1-25)

Neal Pollard

God not only answers the prayer of chapters 63 and 64, His response is the consistent message of the whole book. He loved them, but they had turned other places and disregarded their covenant relationship with Him. This resulted in the judgment of Assyria (seen in chapters 1-37) and Babylon (chapters 38-66). In this chapter, there are at least four answers God gives to the prayer.

There will be judgment for the unrighteous (1-7).  Up front, God offers His grace to all who are willing to receive it (1-2). Paul quotes these verses in speaking of the mission of gospel preaching under Christ (Rom. 10:21). But, despite His pleading, the unrighteous rebelliously ignore Him. As in Romans, so here the Gentiles found a God who they did not seek while the Jews rejected a God who sought them! In these verses, we find the first of multiple lists. God lines out His people’s sins one by one: (1) unlawful sacrifices (v. 3), (2) unlawful offering of incense (v. 3), (3) practicing necromancy (v. 4), (4) violating the dietary laws of the Law of Moses (vs. 4), and (5) arrogant self-righteousness (vs. 5). How God hates willful disobedience! It’s like smoke in His nostrils (5), and He vows to repay their sin (6-7). He had seen this unrighteous pass from father to son, year after year. He has had enough!

There will be salvation for the remnant (8-12). God’s reply includes a promise of One from among the righteous remnant (9). He sees a righteous minority among the faithless majority, and He will bless them as surely as He will punish the other. He promises rest for those who seek Him (10; cf. Mat. 11:28-30). But that preservation is contrasted with the certain judgment of all those who ignore Him and choose sin instead (11-12). 

There will be consequences for both (13-16). There are contrasting destinies laid out for both groups. The list in these verses are reminiscent both of Jesus’ sermon on the plains, recorded by Luke in Luke 6:20-26, and Jesus’ final parable of preparation in Matthew 25:31-46. James Smith neatly charts the contrast:

CONTRASTING DESTINIES Isaiah 65:13–15
God’s ServantsThe Wicked
1. Shall eat. 2. Shall drink. 3. Shall rejoice. 4. Sing for joy of heart. 5. Called by a new name.1. Shall be hungry. 2. Shall be thirsty. 3. Put to shame. 4. Cry for sorrow of heart. 5. Leave their name as a curse.

(OT Survey Series, 168). 

Once again, along with provision and joy, the righteous obedient will be blessed by having a new name (62:2; Acts 11:26). Each paragraph reaffirms that Isaiah is looking ahead to the Christian Age, to what the Messiah would usher in at His coming to earth. 

There will be reward for the people of God (17-25). At the end of the chapter, God’s focus is solely on the blessings enjoyed by the faithful. When will these promises be fulfilled? First, let us notice what the promises are.

1) New heavens and new earth (17).

2) Gladness and rejoicing (18-19).

3) Longevity (20).

4) Prosperity (21-23).

5) Answered prayer (24).

6) Safety and unity (25).

Second, let us notice when those promises would be. Christ would definitely bring about the establishment of all these blessings with His coming, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Much of the New Testament is devoted to these promises for those in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3). Yet, none of these are restricted only to the Christian Age, but find their ultimate fulfillment in eternity following the general resurrection (John 5:28-29) and universal judgment (Matt. 25:31-34). The perfection of these promises will be enjoyed for those who inherit eternal life.  There will ultimately be “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1). There will be a permanent end to sorrow (Rev. 21:4). There will be an end to death (Rev. 21:4). There will be an eternal inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4). There will be an end to the fears and threats always possible in this life (Rev. 21:8).

The readers should anticipate the first coming of the Messiah, but they should also live with anticipation of His second coming (Heb. 9:27-28). The same hope brought by His successful mission of salvation would sustain them as they anticipated His final mission of judgment. 

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LVIII)

The Contents Of A Fervent Prayer (64:1-12)

Neal Pollard

Chapter 63 sets the stage for the obviously heartfelt, intense prayer of God’s people. Truly, “The one praying believes that the people who are called the ‘people of Yahweh’ should receive special attention and divine intervention from their God. The problem, of course, is that God cannot deal with them compassionately as long as they continue in their sins and do not confess them or turn from them” (Gary Smith, NAC, 684). Willful, habitual sin is a stubborn obstruction to effective prayer (1:15; 59:2). Yet, when we look at the heart of the one presenting prayer in this context, we see one who has turned a spiritual corner. The prayer here is of one totally transparent and humble as he calls on God in prayer. Notice the specific contents of this powerful prayer.

He calls for God to personally appear (1-2). The confidence of this praying one is that the evident action of God will be unmistakable in the eyes of his enemies (cf. Psa. 23:5). Those enemies will tremble when they see God in action. 

He pleads for God to duplicate His deeds of the past (3-4). This petitioner draws on his history and heritage, when God unexpected, awesome things. He has faith in a God who acts, who makes mountains tremble and who does what human eyes and ears cannot anticipate. 

He longs for fellowship with God (5). As fearsome as God’s power is, He meets with the one who rejoices in doing righteousness. Those who walk in the light need not fear or hesitate to commune with God (1 John 1:7). 

He asks for God to be merciful (5b). There is never a question of the flawlessness of God’s character, as perfectly balanced as a holy God would be. Why was God angry with them? They had sinned–for a long time! Could they hope for salvation while so stubbornly sinful?

He acknowledges weakness, sin, and inadequacy (6-7). How does God feel when one falls unpretentiously before Him? Jesus illustrates it well in a parable, when a tax collector could not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his chest, “saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13). Jesus’ startling conclusion? “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). The praying one in Isaiah 64 confesses to spiritual uncleanness, with even “righteous deeds” being like filthy garments, withered by sinfulness and gnarled by self-sufficiency. Honest prayers have heaven’s rapt attention. 

He claims heritage and identity (8-9). Only in the wake of full confession does he dare to appeal to his spiritual family ties. He calls Him Father, Potter, and Lord. He claims to simply be the work of God’s hands and part of the people of God. On that basis, he hopes for mercy and compassion. 

He requests for God to restore (10-11). The present looks both grim and dim. The nation is decimated. The temple is gutted by fire. Its contents are now ruins. Only divine intervention can change the state of things. 

He prays for God to act on their behalf (12). The summary petition of this fervent prayer is brief, but intense: “Will You restrain Yourself at these things, O Lord? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?” As do others in Scripture (some 61 times from Exodus to Revelation), Isaiah is essentially asking, “How long?” In the throes of suffering, sorrow, and sin, we most acutely sense our need of God’s rescue. That’s where the prophet and the people are. It is where we regularly find ourselves. We never grow beyond the need of God’s gracious intervention. With such a sense, won’t we stay glued to the practice of fervent prayer (Jas. 5:16)? 

Turning To God In Ups And Downs

Caden Hammer

In our Christian walk, we will have high moments and low moments. And learning to persevere through those low moments will get more and more important as we go through life.

I think it’s important to remember that even through difficulties, God is still with us and working in our lives. Roman’s 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

When we are unsure of our situation or facing unknowns in life, we know that God already knows, sees what we don’t see, and already has it all figured out.

When we face these low points in life, it’s important to rely on God and his unchanging truths.

Verses like James 1:12, which says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

Also 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, which says, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

So when we are faced with discouragement, we have to lean into our faith, hope, and trust in God. But our ability to have that to fall back on is dependent on us doing the work in the good times, of building our faith and building our trust. If you wait until your low times, it’s too late.

So what are the things that we can do to build our faith and trust in God?
Making sure that you have good habits already is very important. Good Bible study habits, prayer habits, and good disciplines.


Also look for how God answers our prayers or the prayers of others.
‭‭Witnessing how other people cope with their own difficult situations helps us.
Another way is looking back on ways that God has taken care of you in other times in your life.

Through the rest of our lives we will be faced with a lot of ups and downs, and God wants to be there for us and to carry us through. But we have to do our part in seeking him.

Well, What Now?

(A Post-Election Perspective)

Gary Pollard

  1. We love our enemies and show kindness to people who hate us. 
  2. We focus on the transcendent — I know some Christians who are upset about the election results because it may mean their families never get into the country. As an American, I wholly disagree with that mentality — immigration is not a right but a privilege, and must be done legally. That said, I understand their frustration. Our immigration system has become insanely corrupt. It usually takes years, an enormous amount of money, lots of traveling, and miles of paperwork to do it legally. Our ancestors didn’t face anywhere near the same bureaucratic challenges that are in place today. Yes, they came here with nothing but a good work ethic and a desire to contribute, which is arguably not present today. I’m saying all of this because many — understandably — become defensive when someone says, “Maybe we should be compassionate.” What they hear is, “We should just dissolve our borders and overlook the rampant violent crime it causes.” Nope. But we should be patient with and compassionate toward our foreign-born Christian families. We’ll never win hearts and minds by leaning further into our national identity than we do our transcendent one. 
  3. Be grateful, always. Our hope isn’t in any human being or human administration. The powers that be exist because God put them there! Whatever happens in the coming years, we’re grateful that God is and rules. 
  4. Remember the past. The ancient Israelites met the most trouble when they forgot lessons learned by their predecessors. Repeated mistakes result in repeated outcomes. 
  5. Keep eyes on the ultimate goal, first and foremost. My wife and I are expecting our first child after ten years together. Yes, that changes a lot about how I view the world! Yes, I’m breathing a little easier with the possibility of better economic times ahead. But those issues pale when compared with the responsibility of aiming a conscious mind at God. Nothing matters more than hearing, “Good job,” when our Creator returns. Ideally, my loved ones hear the same thing. We’re in for perhaps brighter days — but that can’t distract from what actually matters. 

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your father who is in the heavens. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your father in the heavens is perfect (Mt 5.43-48). 

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LVII)

The Lovingkindnesses Of The Lord (63:1-19)

Neal Pollard

In explaining this section (63-65), John A. Martin says, “Isaiah was writing for the exiles in Babylon who would view their situation as somewhat hopeless. They would not be able to sense how God could possibly help them in their distress. However, they would remember the way the Lord had helped His people in bringing them out of bondage in Egypt. This would encourage them to pray for release from their bondage” (BKC, Walvoord & Zuck, eds., 1118). Isaiah begins the chapter with the picture of the Lord’s triumphant battle against His enemies, His garments stained red with the blood of His enemies (1-3). His missions are vengeance and redemption (4), and He alone was responsible for the success of both (5-6). Isaiah has not long before says, “The Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save” (59:1). Here, He acts in accordance with His own righteous nature.

He is full of favor (7-9). God’s people sing of the loyal love of God as they look to the past, shown by His goodness and compassion. He felt for them, saved them, lifted them, and carried them by His mercy and love. “All the days of old” (9) shows the retrospective look at the past, full of God’s favor and tenderness toward them. These were His people and He was their God (8).

He is firm (10). Think of times like the wilderness wandering, the period of the judges, or the Babylonian Captivity where the nation turned against God for self, sin, or idolatry. Isaiah classifies such behavior as rebellion, grieving the Holy Spirit. God says He fights against His people when they turn from Him. It is frightening to hear God declare Himself our enemy!

He is fair (11-15). As if waking up from a dream (nightmare?), they “remembered” the days when Moses led them. They recalled deliverance at the Red Sea (11), the Holy Spirit in their midst (11), which Isaiah elaborates on in verses 12-14. They cry out for that fairness as they pray to God for His mercy to be shown to them once more. They feel that He is holding back, and they plead for it to return!

He is Father (16-19). Isaiah exclaims this. “For You are our Father” (16). He says that even when the people forget this, it is still so (17). With oppression and opposition, they feel like one who was never ruled or possessed as His family. They long for that again.

Isaiah represents the nation, praying to God in the midst of abandonment. Their hope is that He will be consistent with His nature and shower them once more with lovingkindness. 

Pillars Of Truth

Carl Pollard

Scripture offers deeper insights into the nature of truth. When you choose to integrate faith into your everyday life, you will find meaning and you will be fulfilled. 

You will find a purpose driven existence that the world longs to have. With God, life has meaning. 

Notice with me 5 biblical truths that shape our worldview. There are many more, but these five have been the fundamentals of our faith. These are the ones that the apostles taught to the world after the ascension of Jesus. I am thankful that God has given to us a framework as Christians, a framework through which we are supposed to interpret the world.

We don’t rely on opinions, or feelings, or traditions, or our families, to tell us these truths. These truths were laid upon us by the Lord of Lords. He tells us these truths so that we would have a lens through which we can interpret the world. Without them we are Velma from Scooby Doo. We NEED these glasses to see the world properly.

Pillar number 1 in the biblical worldview…

We Were Created

How does the world say that we got here? 

In the beginning there was a cosmic boom. 

This is what our children our taught, and what more and more people are believing. 

This is totally contrary to the words of Scripture. We say “In the beginning God created.” The world says, “In the Beginning nothing created.” It takes more faith to believe evolution than it does the first five words of the Bible. Pillar number 1 of a biblical worldview contradicts the very nature of modern historical scientists. 

In the beginning God said, “Let us make man in our own imagine, in our own likeness” Gen. 1:26 

We were created and molded after the Creator. From this first pillar we learn many things. Because we have a Creator we better understand the world God placed us in. 

The knowledge of a Creator helps us understand ourselves better since we were made in the image of God. Because we were created we learn of the Creator who shaped us out of dust and breathed life into our bodies. We were created to ENJOY fellowship with our God.

Pillar number 2…

We Fell

In Genesis 3, man rebelled against God and as a result of that, sin entered into the world. This sin caused

  1. Spiritual separation: Adam and Eve and their children were separated from God, both physically and spiritually. They could no longer walk and talk with God face to face. 
  2. Physical changes: Adam and Eve became mortal, and they and their children would experience sickness, pain, and physical death. 
  3. Cursed environment: The ground was cursed in the Garden of Eden and throughout the earth. 
  4. Loss of righteousness: Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness and knew that their former perfection was gone. 
  5. Guilt and shame: Adam and Eve felt guilt and shame they had NEVER felt this before. 
  6. Judgment: Satan was judged with a divine curse. The woman would experience pain in childbirth, and her husband was to rule over her. Man must now labor for his existence on a cursed earth. 

And if that wasn’t enough, Paul says this in Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” From the moment we fell, all people are born into a sinful world, and with a desire to rebel against our God. No matter who you are, you will have sin in your life (Romans 3:23).

There are so many people who don’t believe in God because of the consequences of the fall. They’re angry because there is suffering and death in the world. They think if God exists, why is there so much death and pain? Either He doesn’t exist, is too weak to fix it, or just doesn’t care. In their minds, they don’t believe in God because of these things. Why do so many feel this way? They fail to have a biblical worldview. Otherwise they would realize that all of this death and suffering and sorrow is a direct result of the fall. We recognize through a biblical worldview that we live in a fallen world. 

And because of this, although God is good and He exists, suffering also exists because we live in a SINFUL world. 

Do you see how these worldviews can start changing your attitude? Every tear you’ve ever shed. Every graveside you’ve ever attended. Every hospital you’ve been in. Every NICU a child is taken to. Every war that is fought. Every cancer treatment you take. Every grey hair or lack of hair. Every divorce, every death, every diseases. Every failure, every insecurity, every struggle ALL exists because we LIVE in a fallen world! 

What is the point if there is no God to save us from our sin?

Pillar 3…

We Are Redeemed

We are currently living in the Christian era or dispensation. We exist in a time, after the fall, but before the end. We are in the last times. No newer covenant, this is it. 

God has given His Son, we either accept Him or reject it. What more could God give? 

How else could He prove to His creation that He loves us? He chose us after the fall. 

We are now redeemed through Christ. We are living in a time after the resurrection and before the second coming. God is working on this earth to redeem those whose hearts are soft so that we can escape judgment. 

We are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and God is going to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to respond. 

And that is where we are now. God is redeeming for Himself a people who will spend an eternity with Him. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” This word redeemed literally means, to release from a captive condition, to deliver. What are we being released from? What holds us captive? The SIN we find ourselves in as we are living in a fallen world!

Christ is our redeemer who saves us again and again. God has regained His prize possession through the payment of His Son. 

Not everyone will be saved, only those who have come in contact with the blood of Christ. This is why call Him our redeemer. 

Those who are redeemed will be taken to paradise and saved from the destruction of this world. We live in the era of redemption. 

If you don’t have this biblical worldview, you will see no reason to stop sinful behavior. 

You will be just like those in the days of Noah, MOCKING the ones who are getting in a boat on dry land. This worldview should shape our perspective of life, to its CORE. 

Pillar 4…

We Are A Part of The Kingdom

The Kingdom of God is the reign and rule of God in our lives. We were redeemed to be a new creation in Christ. We are a part of the reign of God in the world. As citizens in this Kingdom, we are called to live in a way that reflects His values and priorities. 

We are called to live out the principles of our King in our daily lives. Jesus came, according to Mark one, preaching the kingdom of God is at hand. 

It’s here now! Our worldview, that is, our jobs, our families, our friends, our words, our thoughts, our actions, our attitude, our perspective, must ALL be shaped by our citizenship. We. Belong. To God. “But our citizenship is above, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:20).

We are here, but don’t belong. Live like you are in God’s Kingdom.

Pillar 5…

We Will Be Restored

This final pillar looks forward to the ultimate restoration of all things. We are promised that God will make everything new, just as it was in the beginning. Pillars 1 and 5 are connected by redemption and a kingdom. 

Through these things we will be restored to God’s original perfection. This is hope greater than any earthly thing. This promise of restoration helps us persevere through this fallen world. This promise helps us live as citizens of the Kingdom. The promise of restoration provides hope for the future. 

It encourages the redeemed to work toward godly love, to show mercy and forgiveness.

The Original Shadow-Caster

Dale Pollard

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.”

   2 Peter 1.20-21 

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LVI)

For Zion’s Sake (62:1-12)

Neal Pollard

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.”

There When We Can’t Be?

#46- Seeing God’s Goodness

Going The Distance

Neal Pollard

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! 

Isaiah: Trusting the Holy One Who Rules the World (LV)

The Mission Of The Messiah (61:1-11)

Neal Pollard

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? 

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LIV)

Basking In The Glory Of The Lord (60:1-22)

Neal Pollard

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!

Isaiah: Trusting The Holy One Who Rules The World (LIII)

Sin And Salvation (59:1-21)

Neal Pollard

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?