Isaiah 51
COMMENTARY:
: 3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. (8342 “joy” [sason] means welcome, exultation, gladness, mirth, state of happiness or rejoicing.)
DEVOTION: The LORD had established a covenant with the children of Israel. It was a promise to provide for their every need. They were to be obedient to HIS word. They were to come to HIM alone for help. However, we find that the children of Israel counted on themselves or the nations around them for help rather that the LORD.
The LORD is encouraging the people to look to the past and see how HE worked in the lives of Abram and Sarai. Then HE wants them to look for the future. Then they need to look inwardly at what the LORD is doing in their life. Finally, HE expressed their desire to serve HIM with their actions in the near future.
Again HE mentions through Isaiah that they are going through a time of trembling and affliction. However, the LORD is going to encourage them once again. There is future hope expressed in a time when the Messiah will reign on this earth.
Isaiah instructs them of a future when there is going to be a time of rejoicing, gladness, thanksgiving and melody. He mentions a time of great happiness. It will happen in a time when this world will be different. It will be during this time when the deserts will be turned into gardens. It will be a time of comfort. Also it will be a time of mirth. WOW the LORD has a great plan for HIS world.
We have not seen this time come to our world yet. It is still in the future. We are looking forward to a time in which we will have only this in our lives.
Presently we can have rejoicing in serving the LORD while we are here on the earth. There are days when there is not rejoicing but HE will comfort us in those days. The people of Judah went through a time of affliction because of their sin, not because the LORD stopped loving them. There is a day coming when all tears will be gone. It will be a time when the Messiah will reign on this earth.
CHALLENGE: Today we need to be able to express our praise to the LORD for all the benefits HE has given us. What are you thankful for today?
: 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. (2865 “abolished” [chathath] means broken, dismayed, be dashed to pieces, discouraged, wane, or be terrified.)
DEVOTION: Our world was created by God over ten thousand years ago. It is not as old as many in our world think but it is getting worn out. A scientist told me today that every so many years the earth’s magnetic field loses a half life. Each of these time periods cause the earth to wax old. Once it reaches a certain point there will be a need for a New Heaven and a New Earth.
The Bible instructs us in the fact that the LORD is going to create a New Heaven and a New Earth in the future after the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ on this present earth with HIS saints.
So right after the Great White Throne judgment where all those who have rejected the LORD are going to bow their knee to the LORD for the first and final time because they will be sent to the lake of fire where the devil and his angels are going to reside for eternity. Judgment is going to be final. At that point the LORD is going to cause this present world to be purged with fire. It will be a time when the elements will melt with a fervent heat.
Isaiah is told that this change will not affect the salvation the LORD has provided for all those who are follower of Jesus Christ. Salvation is eternal as well. Those who are followers of the LORD will be in the New Heaven and the New Earth.
Also he is told that the righteousness of God will never end as well. HE will never stop being righteous. HE will never stop being holy. That is why those who reject HIM can’t be in HIS presence. They will not repent of their sins.
CHALLENGE: We need to spread the good news of the Gospel to all those around us, so that, they don’t spend eternity in the lake of fire. Hope is still available until they die and then after that the judgment.
: 11 So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: The Lord sometimes work in very similar ways to remind us of His power and ability to accomplish great things for and in us. This portion of Isaiah id proclaiming how the nation of Israel will return from captivity of Babylon. It is very similar to the language that was used to describe the exodus from Egypt. As Israel came up out of the land they rejoiced and gave thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness and exceeding power. As Israel is returning to the land now the exiles are to sing and rejoice over the good things that God is doing for them.
God reminds us of His power and abilities by doing similar works in our lives as well. He may answer prayers and then a few years later answer a similar way for our child or relative. By doing this He brings to mind His power of the past as well as the present. The incidents may be completely different, as the nations of Egypt and Babylon are, but the power of God is the same.
We can only rejoice when we see that majestic presence at work in our circumstances.
CHALLENGE: When difficulties arise in life remember how God has worked in the past and look for Him to work in similar ways. When He does do not be surprised but rejoice as He manifests His power and grace. Then break out in a song of praise to the unchanging God we serve. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Singing in Zionverse 11
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Lawverses 4, 7
Words in the mouth of prophetverse 16
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 3, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22
Righteousverses 5, 6, 8
Salvationverse 5
Judgeverse 5
LORD your MAKERverse 13
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verses 15, 20, 22
LORD thy Godverse 15
Creatorverses 15, 16
LORD of hostsverse 15
Hand of the LORDverse 17
Fury of the LORDverse 20
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master)verse 22
Lord the LORDverse 22
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Reproach of believersverse 7
Revilingverse 7
Forgetting the LORDverse 13
Oppressorverse 13
Drunken (not with wine)verse 21
Afflict God’s peopleverse 23
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Listenverses 1, 4, 7, 21
Righteousnessverses 1, 5, 7
Seek the LORDverse 1
Lookverses 1, 2
Calledverse 2
Blessedverse 2
Increasedverse 2
Comfortverses 3, 12, 19
Joyverses 3, 11
Gladnessverses 3, 11
Thanksgiving verse 3
Voice of melodyverses 3, 11
Lightverse 4
Salvationverses 5, 6, 8
Trustverse 5
Heart is God’s lawverse 7
Fear notverses 7, 12
Awakeverses 9, 17
Strengthverse 9
Ransomedverse 10
Redeemedverse 11
Joyverse 11
Gladnessverse 11
Fear of the LORDverse 13
God’s words in mouthverse 16
Guideverse 18
Rebukeverse 20
Afflictedverse 21
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Abrahamverse 2
Sarahverse 2
Zionverses 3, 11, 16
Eden (garden of the LORD)verse 3
God’s peopleverses 4, 16, 22
Arm of the LORDverse 9
Jerusalemverse 17
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Dieverses 6, 12, 14
Salvation foreververse 6
Righteousness of LORD foreververse 8
Everlasting joyverse 11
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