At times, the way Christians speak about issues, and sadly the experience some have had of pastoral care suggest at best a carelessness to the most fragile and hurting amongst us. It’s not mant to be like that. Read Isaiah 42 God points to one coming and encourages the people to “behold”, see or watch… Continue reading Servant
Tag: Lent
comforter
Can we really depend upon God and trust him. Is it really true that we do not have to be worried and anxious about our circumstances? Isaiah 40 looks forward beyond the judgement coming upon Judah to a day when sin will be forgiven and the fortunes of God’s people restored bringing peace and comfort.… Continue reading comforter
Deliverer
Could things have turned out different for Judah? Well, a major turning point seems to hinge on the life of one king, Hezekiah. He was in the main, godly, seeking the Lord, wise and successful. However, the events in chapters 36-39 sum up his life, what he got right and where pride and complacency became… Continue reading Deliverer
When the desert blooms
We are now coming to the end of the first part of the book. Isaiah 35 is like the big song at the end of the first half. There will be a kind of interlude, an interruption to tell some of the story of what is going on in Isaiah’s day through the next few… Continue reading When the desert blooms
Judgement Day
How do we react to what Scripture has to say about judgement, not just the historic judgement of Israel or even the discipline we go through but also what Scripture has to say about God’s judgement on sin and evil, what it has to say about eternal judgement and hell. Read Isaiah 34 It’s judgement… Continue reading Judgement Day
Destroyer
Isaiah as prophet speaks for God to the people but the prophets would also often speak to God for the people, this is especially true when their role aligned with that of priest as Isaiah’s did. Much of the poetic literature takes the form of poetry or song and so you’ll see close parallels with… Continue reading Destroyer
The promised king and the promised Spirit
How would God’s people know that the promises were coming true and that they no longer needed to fear judgement. Isaiah makes it clear that there were two crucial people who would come to confirm that hope had arrived. There was the promised king and the promised Holy Spirit. Read Isaiah 32 God promises that… Continue reading The promised king and the promised Spirit
You can go your own way
Our temptation is consistently to wander away from God and to look elsewhere for help. This is particularly true when we sense danger, like nervous sheep we seek to get away from the threat but this often means running away from the shepherd who can protect us and further into different danger. Read Isaiah 30-31… Continue reading You can go your own way
In that day
Throughout the theme of gloom and judgement, Isaiah weaves a different thread that brings light and hope. He speaks of a future day when there will be vindication for God’s people, when his enemies will be judged and defeated, when God will restore the land. Quite often, it seems that God has in mind more… Continue reading In that day
Cheating death
When we get difficult or bad news, we often try to negotiate with the bad news, to find a way around it. This kind of denial is a common part of the grieving process. One of the greatest human temptations is to believe that somehow, given enough knowledge, resources and time we’ll be able to… Continue reading Cheating death
Faithroots 