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Isaiah 24-27
Perfect Plan
and Perfect Peace
Psalm 75:1-10 God Exalts the Righteous
1.“We give thanks to you, God. We give thanks, for your Name is near. Men tell about your wondrous works.2.(You say:) When I choose the appointed time, I will judge blamelessly.3.The earth and all its inhabitants quake. I firmly hold its pillars. Selah.4.I said to the fools, "Don’t boast!" I said to the wicked, "Don’t lift up the horn.5.Don’t lift up your horn on high. Don’t speak with a stiff neck."6.For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation/promotion.7.But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.8.For in the hand of Yahweh there is a cup, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours it out. Indeed the wicked of the earth drink and drink it to its very dregs.9.But I will declare this forever: I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.10.(Who says:) I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”Observations
75:1-3.Asaph gives us three reasons to thank and praise God: His name/power is near to the needs of His people, as shown by the testimonies to how He's worked in their lives; He will judge perfectly, at the perfect time; He is the one who maintains and sustains our existence.
75:4-10.
The future judgment of God gives Asaph confidence and hope: confidence to rebuke the wicked who trust in their strength (horn) for exaltation, since God's coming judgment will make them stagger like drunks; and hope in the exaltation of the righteous, since those are the ones God exalts.
Application
In unjust times caused by wicked fools, trust and praise God who will sustain, judge/vindicate and exalt/promote you.
Prayer
God, You are the judge who squashes the wicked and strength.
Proverbs 19:13-14 Prince Charming Gets Sleeping Beauty
13.“A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.14.House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a wise wife is from Yahweh.“Observation
19:13-14. The first of these proverbs is a good incentive to work late and find a hobby that takes up all your weekends. A husband and father who doesn't follow God's instructions will reap fools for offspring, and a nagging headache of a wife. You may or may not get a house and riches as an inheritance, but if you want a wise and wonderful wife, God needs to entrust her to you. And to whom would God entrust a Sleeping Beauty (praiseworthy woman Pr 31)? Only to a Prince Charming, who has the characteristics of the praiseworthy man (Ps 112).Application
Check out the resources for being a Biblical spouse and/or parent on Truthbase.net, and reap the blessings God intends.
Prayer
Lord, guide me in Your principles so I can have the kind of home life You intended for me. Thanks. Amen.
Isaiah 24-27 Perfect Plan and Perfect Peace
The book of Isaiah opened with God's judgment upon Israel for its sin (and promised future restoration); then in the previous section, God's judgment upon Israel's neighbors was described (with glimpses of God's return to rule); and in this section, God's judgment upon the whole earth is predicted, with promises of God's future redemption and just rule. Apparently Isaiah did not see the world getting better and better before the Messiah ruled, but so bad, that He had to overthrow it before a righteous and just rule could be established. Isaiah gives a poetic picture of a number of end time events, including evidence for the resurrection, and the regathering, revival, and fruitfulness of the nation of Israel under the Messiah.
Isaiah 24 Tribulation and Second Coming
1.Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.3.The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.4.The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.5.The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.6.Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.10.The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.11.The mirth of the land is gone.12.The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.13.For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.14.These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea.15.Therefore glorify Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!16.From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, "I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!" The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.17.Fear, the pit, and the snare19.The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.20.The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.21.It shall happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.22.They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.23.Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.Observations
24:1-10.The good figs are those who would choose to go to Babylon as God directed. The bad are those who wouldn't go, and would be destroyed. God will bring His people back to never again be uprooted. This hasn't happened yet, for the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, invalidates any claim to fulfillment. It will also be necessary for the Messiah to return and reign in justice and righteousness (this also hasn't happened). The new covenant (coming up in Jeremiah 31) with regathered Israel also hasn't happened, for Israel has not sought God wholeheartedly. Beware of false teachers who say otherwise.
24:5-20.
The tribulation that is poured out on the earth is similar to that in the Book of Revelation; mirth and merriment is replaced by mourning. A remnant of Israel will praise God despite experiencing discipline.
24:21-23.
In that Day, God will punish both the host of heaven (fallen angels) and the kings of earth (their puppets) confining them in a pit for a while (cf. Revelation 20). The sun and moon will be darkened (cf. Revelation 6:12 8:12), Yahweh will take up residence on Mount Zion, in Jerusalem, and display His glory/rule before the elders (cf. Revelation 19:4 et. al.)
Application
God will justly judge the wicked, but the righteous will rejoice when He returns to rule. Let's be in the righteous camp.
Prayer
God, You always keep Your promises, both terrible and terrific. May I live so that I enjoy the mirth and merriment of Your faithful ones. Amen.
Isaiah 25 Perfect Plan
1.Yahweh, you are my God. I will exalt you! I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago, in complete faithfulness and truth.2.For you have made a city into a heap, a fortified city into a ruin, a palace of strangers to be no city. It will never be built.3.Therefore a strong people will glorify you. A city of awesome nations will fear you.4.For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat, when the blast of the dreaded ones is like a storm against the wall.5.As the heat in a dry place will you bring down the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shade of a cloud, the song of the dreaded ones will be brought low6.In this mountain, Yahweh of Hosts will make all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of choice wines, of fat things full of marrow, of well refined choice wines.7.He will destroy in this mountain the surface of the covering that covers all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations.8.He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken it.9.It shall be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God! We have waited for him, and he will save us! This is Yahweh! We have waited for him. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation!"10.For in this mountain the hand of Yahweh will rest. Moab will be trodden down in his place, even like straw is trodden down in the water of the dunghill.11.He will spread out his hands in its midst, like one who swims spreads out hands to swim, but his pride will be humbled together with the craft of his hands.12.He has brought the high fortress of your walls down, laid low, and brought to the ground, even to the dust.Observations
25:1-7.God is to be exalted and praised for His perfect plan done in faithfulness (commonly linked hesed) and truth (therefore trustworthy). He plans to display His awesome power in destroying the evil powers, so they too will glorify Him.
25:6-8.
God has a joyful banquet planned for all peoples to celebrate His victory over death. Some see this as the inaugural banquet of the Messiah's kingdom who removes the curse of death that has hung over the world since Adam (Isaiah 53).
25:9-12.
God's enemies, typified by Moab, will be defeated.
Application
God has a perfect plan; if we don't see it, we just need to wait for it.
Prayer
Yahweh, You are the God of faithfulness and truth, who makes possible life everlasting and eternal joy. I praise You and thank You. I will trust in Your perfect plan for my world. Amen.
Isaiah 26 Perfect Peace
1.In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.2.Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.3.You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast/dependent on You in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.4.Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock/Strength.5.For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.6.The foot shall tread it down; Even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy."7.The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.8.Yes, in the way of your judgments, Yahweh, have we waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.9.With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.10.Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see Yahweh’s majesty.11.Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people, and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.12.Yahweh, you will ordain/appoint peace for us, for you have also worked all our works for us.13.Yahweh our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but by you only will we make mention of your name14.The dead shall not live. The deceased shall not rise. Therefore have you visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.15.You have increased the nation, O Yahweh. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land.16.Yahweh, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.17.Like as a woman with child, who draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; so we have been before you, Yahweh.18.We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.19.Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast forth the dead.20.Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.21.For, behold, Yahweh comes forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.Observations
26:1-4.The righteous nation is one that keeps exercising faith. The righteous person is the one who finds peace, because their mind is steadfastly fixed on God as revealed in His word (a characteristic of those who truly trust in God every day).
26:5-11.
The righteous walk uprightly, desire God and His glory, and seek Him. The wicked (those who ignore the word -Ps 50) not only don't do what the righteous do, but they will even fail to recognize and respond to God's favor. They also refuse to see His majesty, but they will eventually recognize His judgment.
26:12-19.
God is the one who gives peace, protection, and prosperity to those who are His people. In contrast to the dead nations, God will resurrect His people when He returns to share in His rule (another clear verse indicating an afterlife in the OT 26:19).
26:20-21.
God will protect and hide His people from the wrath being poured out (Revelation 12). The earth will testify against the wicked, just like the blood of Able cried out to Him from the ground (Genesis 4). Sin cannot be hidden.
Application
For perfect peace, keep your mind in God's word, and your trust in His promises.
Prayer
God of perfect peace, thanks for being my source of help and hope regardless of how dire the circumstances may be. You can protect or resurrect Your people, so I have nothing to fear. Amen.
Isaiah 27 Grapes and Gathering
1.In that day, Yahweh with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.2.In that day, sing to her, "A pleasant vineyard!3.I, Yahweh, am its keeper. I will water it every moment. Lest anyone damage it, I will keep it night and day.4.Wrath is not in me, but if I should find briers and thorns, I would do battle! I would march on them and I would burn them together.5.Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me. Let him make peace with me."6.In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will blossom and bud. They will fill the surface of the world with fruit.7.Has he struck them as he struck those who struck them? Or are they killed like those who killed them were killed?8.In measure, when you send them away, you contend with them. He has removed them with his rough blast in the day of the east wind.9.Therefore, by this the iniquity of Jacob will be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he makes all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are beaten in pieces, so that the Asherim and the incense altars shall rise no more.10.For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness. The calf will feed there, and there he will lie down, and consume its branches.11.When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off. The women will come and set them on fire, for they are a people of no understanding. Therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them, and he who formed them will show them no favor.12.It will happen in that day, that Yahweh will thresh from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, children of Israel.13.It will happen in that day that a great trumpet will be blown; and those who were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and those who were outcasts in the land of Egypt, shall come; and they will worship Yahweh in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.Observations
27:1.In that day, the Lord will punish the evil forces who opposed Israel. Some see Assyria, Babylon and Egypt in the verse, or the powers behind them (which makes more sense since Assyria and Egypt will be worshiping Yahweh with Israel – 19:25). However Isaiah is not giving a strict historical chronology, but rather a poetic picture of events, so it's difficult to know some of the imagery with certainty.
27:2-6.
In that day, God will protect Israel and cause her to take root, increase, and fill the earth. Clearly He will never abandon them.
27:7-13.
God will not strike Israel as He did her (and His) enemies. In fact, He will not only forgive them, and cleanse them, but will regather them, one by one, to worship in Jerusalem.
Application
God forgives and restores so we can grow and yield fruit before Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thanks that You are the God who forgives, and that You want to use me; may I be a fruitful vine under Your care. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God has a perfect plan to punish pride and bring about righteousness upon the earth. He will destroy evil angelic powers and wicked nations, and He will regather and revive the nation of Israel under the righteous rule of the Messiah. God's plan includes the punishment of those who shed innocent blood, the forgiveness of iniquity for those who seek it, and the destruction of death itself. Whatever the world attempts to do will be undone when the Messiah returns, indicating the futility of trying to bring in the kingdom without the King.Us in a nutshell: We can experience the perfect peace of trusting God if we wholeheartedly fix our thoughts on Him. We can be forgiven and cleansed and used for God's purposes in bearing fruit pleasing to Him. We have a future beyond the grave.