Day 211: Isaiah 54-58

I wonder how the Jews felt during the Holocaust and other times of persecution after reading 54:9-10.  God makes a covenant with them to never rebuke them or be angry towards them.  I'm sure that is what the Holocaust must have felt like.

I am struck in these verses how loving and compassionate God is to his people.  Isaiah could have used just a few words to say that God was going to draw his people back to himself, but instead he uses a bunch of chapters to show how crazy God is about people and how he will show that love.

Chapter 58 gives some really great points on true worship and true fasting.

Day 210: Isaiah 49-53

How awesome is it to have your "resume" written 100's of years before you were born, like Christ's was in the first 7 verses of chapter 49!

These chapters today are filled with so much hope and must have been such good news at the time they were first heard.  And in the same way, they are such a comfort to hear today.  No matter what kind of evil exists in our personal lives or in the world as a whole, we have such awesome hope with a God who is there, even when we withdraw.

After reading chapter 53, I have trouble seeing how Jews thought that the Messiah was going to be nothing but a powerful king, coming to save them....

Day 209: 2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalms 46, 80, 135

In the Bible it is very clear that certain things are the consequences of disobedience.  It flat out tells us that "this happened because they had not obeyed the Lord their God, but had violated his covenant."  I wonder if our stories were written down like this, which things that happen in my life are actually consequences for disobedience.

I am reminded in today's reading that God is just not the God of individual lives, but he is the God of nations.  Countries and kingdoms only come to power and are conquered because it is his perfect will.

Day 208: Isaiah 44-48

Well, I am back from vacation and still one day behind.  With the lack of a routine in summer, sometimes I find it difficult.  Sorry.....I'll get there.

I like the images in 44:5 of being proud of belonging to God.  Are we?

The description of wooden idols can be eye-opening.  That sounds so ridiculous to bow down to a hunk of wood.  Really the idols that we have in our lives are just as stupid, although we don't see it....just like the wood craftsman.

The claims God makes in these chapters today are so amazingly great and just what I needed to read this morning!!

Day 207: Isaiah 40-43

These chapters focus on God's greatness, His love for His chosen people, and the saving of His people through Jesus. There are lots of good verses in here, the popular "run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint" is in these section. But what stuck out to me was at least three times, God told the people not to look back at the past, but to look forward to the "new thing" that He was going to do. We need to remember this too. I tend to get stuck sometimes in the past so much that I don't allow God to be present in my today and the future and what He wants to do in my life. We all have stuff in the past that we need to let go of and not take with us into our future because those things will hold us in the past.

I also saw in several places that God talks about how He reveals Himself to the people. That He does not hide and even through creation we should see and worship God. Worship the creator, not the creation.

And with that, Beth takes back over the wonderful job she has been doing in the blog. Thanks for letting me ramble this last week.

Day 206: Isaiah 37-39; Psalm 76

What struck me in these chapters was that when Hezekiah received distressing news or wasn't sure what to do, he went to the temple and prayed to God. And God responded to Hezekiah's faith and protected Jerusalem. My study notes say at this point that only Jerusalem remained unconquered. This was God protecting His remnant and He continued to do so against the Assyrian armies. Hezekiah was informed that his death was coming soon and because of his prayers, God extended his life for another 15 years. I have thought about this story before and I am not sure if I would want to know that the of my life was that close, but then to know that you got an extra 15 years, how would you live those days? I wonder if we will hear more about Hezekiah and what he did in those 15 years. I am sure the right answer is that we don't know the day or hour and should live each moment like tomorrow isn't guranteed but that is easier said than done, at least for me....some times I count on tomorrow to correct the mistakes of today.

Psalm 76, according to my notes was believed to have been written during the time the Assyrian army tired to come against Jerusalem and the 180,000 soliders "mysteriously" died.

Day 205: Isaiah 35-36

Today is a short read, I had to double check and make sure I didn't misread! I guess we needed a little break after all that we have been reading and trying to absorb.

I like the title that is in the NIV under Chapter 35, "The Lord Will Set His People Free." What an awesome summary statement of the whole Bible, not just Isaiah. Chapter 35 is just filled then with the imagery of what it will look like when God sets His people free, and what an encouragement it should have been to the people. It is a place of healing, of every need being met, of joy and of worship. Great chapter after so much of the destruction stuff we have been reading.

Chapter 36, we get back to the story with King Hezekiah. The king of Assyria is tempting the people and challenging their faith in the one true God. He wants to control them and mocks their faith that God will save and protect them. It is interesting that the Assyrian's wanted the people on the wall to hear, but that they did not respond because Hezekiah had told them not to. What confidence they had in Hezekiah then not to respond and just trust in him and in God. I am sure there is more to this story in the coming days....can't wait to see God's faithfulness!

Day 204: Isaiah 31-34

I just don't understand how the people can keep hearing about all the destruction that is going to come their way if they keep sinning and going against God and not be changed! How many times does Isaiah have to give the same message from God for people to change! We see more and more destruction that is going to come and I just wonder if the people didn't believe it, didn't care, weren't listening, or what their deal was!

In Chapter 32, we hear about the King who will do right. I am not reading from my study Bible today so I am assuming that they are referring to Jesus, but was also wondering if it was also a reference to a king that was coming to rule them in the near furture, like Hezekiah since he was during this time. Guess I will have to look that one up.

I like verse 32:17: "Doing what is right will bring peace and rest. When my people do that, they will stay calm and trust in the Lord forever." There is an answer to what to do with the stress of life, the difficult decisions, etc. I think I need to make this a memory verse to remind myself of this over and over.

I found 34:16-17 interesting. The land was going to be given to the animals? Was this something that was going to happen if the people didn't return to God or did this happen? Guess I really do need my Study Bible when I am trying to read these prophets! May be Beth will help me out with this one from her study on the Beach!

Day 203: Isaiah 28-30

I know that reading the OT can be tough at times and the book of Isaiah has a lot of great stuff in it but it is also a challenge for me to read and put it all together. I am trying to change my focus and apply the principles and ideas from back then into our lives today and it is making it a little easier to follow. These passage in particular I saw in a new light as I was reading and continuing to see how much God cares and longs for His people but they keep doing their own thing and thinking they know best.

Twice the people respond that God is only telling them "Do this and do that. Do that and do this." I can hear the attitude and resentment. The people don't recognize that it is for their own good and protection that God has given them these rules and think back to the time of coming into the promised land how many times we read about the prophets and leaders reminding the people to keep the laws in their hearts and obey the commands God had given them. The people want to keep all the prophets now and those who are trying to rebuke and correct quiet. They aren't listening to the warning of those around them. They are drinking too much and again we see the pride of the heart surface where they focus on their abilities and strengthes, not on God.

In 29:13, we hear again about the worship of the people and how it isn't genuine. They just do the motions, say the words, but it isn't in their hearts. We all need to be more aware of our tendency to just say the right words and not live it out or believe it in our hearts. God makes it very clear in these passages that he does know the peoples' hearts and they can't hide their deeds from Him.

Also I like in 30:13, where the visual is very clear about sin being like cracks in a high wall and eventually it makes the wall fall down into little peices that are useless. Think about your sins in this way, it challenged me.

But ending on a positive note in 30:19, God reminds the people that as soon as they cry out to Him for help, He will answer. God always answers our cries for help.

Day 202: Hosea 8-14

8:7 They will sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.

What a thought! How easily and quickly things can go downhill in our lives when we compromise and seek idols. It can get us into bigger trouble quickly and this same thing was happening to Israel.

11:6 Therefore, return to your God. Observe kindness and jusitce. And wait for your God continually.

Simple direction and advice for us when we don't know what to do. We want to make things complicated once we have sinned and instead of returning to God, we want to make excuses and justify our actions. However, this is all we need to do and God is waiting there for us, just as He was with Israel.

13: 6 ....And being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me (God)

Israel's downfall in this instance was their pride. God had provided blessings and all they needed to be successful but they forgot that these things were from God. They made themselves the gods and looked to themselves instead of the true source of these blessings. Let us maintain the attitude of worship and thankfulness because all that we have received is a gift from God.

Day 201: Hosea 1-7

Yeah Day 200! Congratulations for making it this far!

Some notes from my Study Bible that I found interesting....The meaning of Hosea is "salvation," which is the same meaning as Joshua and Jesus, Hosea and Jonah were the only writing prophets who were from the Northern kingdom of Israel and the theme of the book is the loyal love of God for the people of Israel despite their idolatry.

The wife Gomer is symbolic of the people of Israel who continue to stray from the one who loves her. Originally there was love and faithfulness between Hosea and Gomer, but then Gomer thought the "other side" looked appealing as men were offering her riches, food, and freedoms. Hosea's love for Gomer never fades or sways, which is just amazing to me and a reminder to us today that God still loves us that intently and there is nothing that we can even do today to make Him change His mind about how much He loves us.

In chapter 4, we see that God is justified and has cause to turn his back on the people of Israel. There is "no faitfulness, no kindness, or knowledge of God in the land." v 1. I like the beginning of Chapter 6, where the people say "let us return to God for He has torn us, but He will heal us, He has wounded us, but He will bandage us." The people knew that God was in control and that they had gone against Him, but that He would take care of them if they returned to Him. I just think of a mom picking up their child when they have hurt themselves from doing something wrong and how mom still loves and cares for the wounds of the child.

Day 200: 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31; Psalms 48

We are back to having a good king. The Bible says great things about Hezekiah. In the first month of his reign, as a 25 year old King, his first task is to reopen the temple of God for worship. In chapter 29, we see that he calls the priests and Levites to return to their work in the temple, they had obviously gotten away from their responsibilities in caring for the temple. The people responded with such excitement and worship in returning to God and I can't imagine how great the celebration was when they had the first passover they had had in years and years. We don't fully appreciate our freedom and ability to worship until it is taken from us.

It is sad that the priests had gotten so far off track it took a while to get them re-consecrated for God's service. There were so many people who wanted to worship but not enough priests to take their sacrifices! The prayer of Hezekiah and God's response in 30:18-20 shows us that God is more concerned with the condition of a heart and the desire to worship than being perfect and getting it all right all the time.

Day 199: Isaiah 23-27

(Well let me start with a disclaimer that the views in this and the posts that will follow this week do not necessarily contain the views, opinions, ideas, etc of Beth and in no way should be interpreted as a reflection of her. Beth is on a much deserved Blogging vacation and I will do my best to do her proud, but don't blame her for whatever gets posted here!)

We are doing two posts today to get us caught up and since these verses in Isaiah go hand in hand with the ones Beth posted about earlier, I will go ahead and finish this section. In these chapters we finish up hearing about the neighboring countries that will eventually experience the judgement of God. Then in chapters 24-27 we begin to hear about what the day of judgement will look like. Even nations and people that don't believe in God will be faced with His judgement and the consequences of their actions. What does this do to our desire to evangelize to those nations who don't know God or believe?

The day of judgement will be a good thing for Israel and the remenant of people and we have to remember that salvation can come only after sin is eliminated from the earth. So we see celebration and the desire from the nation of Israel for this day to come quickly. Chapter 27 is the plea from Israel for God to come and save them through judging those countries around them. However, we know that there will be many more ups and downs for Israel before that time of salvation will come.

Day 198: Isaiah 18-22

Okay, since I am leaving on vacation in a few hours AND I can't sleep AND I am a day behind anyway....might as well do a reading!  After this I am turning it over to the worthy Jenn for a week.  Will try and keep up though!

My notes point out that although the Israelites had every reason to hate Egypt, Judah was still considering an alliance with them!  19:20 speaks again of Jesus and that he will be coming for EVERYONE, even their enemies.  I'm sure they were not always thrilled to hear this.

22:13 speaks to the people giving up hope.  Obviously they believe the "doom prophecy" to an extent, but yet they still don't have any reliance on God or the hope that if they repent, God will still rescue them.  I think people still reach that point today.  They just think they are too far gone.

Day 197: Isaiah 13-17

Today we begin the next section of Isaiah, chapters 13-23, which are judgement on other nations.

At the end of chapter 13 when Isaiah tells what the future holds for the powerful and mighty Babylon, they must have laughed at him.  But now Babylon lies in ruin, buried under mounds of dirt and sign in present day Iraq.

Just an observation.....the layout on the page in my Bible looks the same as the poetry sections of the Bible (Psalms).  I guess it is because it is not just reporting an event like other sections of scripture.  I looked ahead to Revelation and it does not look like Isaiah.

My footnotes for most every section in today's reading tell of how these prophecies came true since they were written.  To me this adds even more credibility to Isaiah's prophecies of the Messiah.

A long reading....and I am still a day behind!!!

Day 196: 2 Chronicles 28, 2 Kings 16-17

So we had Jotham who was a good king......then Ahaz hits.  My notes point out that we are appalled at him sacrificing his children to gods.  However even today the practice hasn't' abated.  The sacrifice of children to the harsh gods of convenience, economy and whim continues in sterile medical facilities in numbers that would astound the wicked Ahaz.  If we are to allow our children to come to Christ, we must first allow them to come into the world!

In 2 Kings they didn't go worship in their high places, but replaced the Lord's alter with another one to worship their gods.  God must be so much more angry when we distort Christian worship than when people do something else all together.  It has always really bugged me when groups use the Bible AND something else as the basis for their church.  (the Mormon's for example).

the same thing is happening in 17:27-29.  They are just adding God to their list of gods.  "The worshipped God to appease Him rather than to please him."  Good observation.

Day 195: Micah

"Hear, O people, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it."  Right from the beginning, I get the feeling that this message was for Israel, Judah and US.

"For her wound is incurable." (1:9)  People do all kinds of things to cover up sin and think that they can solve the problem themselves.  He is not called the great healer and physician for nothing!

Based on different things that Micah said, his hearers were not listening to him.  I wonder how many times I already have my mind made up about things and no matter what words someone uses, it doesn't really phase me.

I like the way chapter 6 is laid out like a trial.

Day 194: 2 Chronicles 27, Isaiah 9-12

So Jotham was still regarded as good, even though his people were doing bad things.  I guess the take-away is that ultimately we are responsible for our own obedience, and in the end that is how we will be judged...just like Jotham.

As I read Isaiah, I try to think of those who were hearing it at the time.  I think that those who were seeking after God must have been filled with such hope!  Here were all these people around them, snubbing their noses at God and doing nothing but evil.  But Isaiah brings such great promises of hope to them!  On the other hand, those not seeking God probably didn't hear anything or just laughed at it.

Day 193: Amos 6-9

The first part of Chapter 6 speaks really loudly to me about complacency and comfort.  There is no doubt about it.....I have so much stuff that I don't need.  This has been pecking at my brain for awhile now.  I'm just not sure yet what I am supposed to do.

The plumb line in chapter 7 reminds me that there are absolutes and there are black and white to situations.  God is clear, and any deviation is sin.  Pure and simple.

What do you think about the concept of the Lord sending a famine from God's word (chapter 8)?  

Another reminder from God of his covenant with Israel in 9:8  Yet I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob."

At the beginning of Amos, he seemed like all doom and gloom to me, but he definitely ends on a positive note!  Praise God!!

Day 192 Amos 1-5

I wonder how much attention people paid to Amos since he was a shepherd and a fig farmer.  He definitely had a bold message and it was definitely very doom and gloom.

I like 4:13.  "He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth--the Lord God Almighty is his name."

Day 191: Isaiah 5-8

My notes point out in Chap. 2 that a the word seraph (the angels at God's throne) is derived from the word 'burn', perhaps indicating their purity as God's ministers.  This emphasized holiness in a time when moral and spiritual decay had peaked among God's people.  How fitting that Isaiah's immediate response to this is acknowledging his own sin and 'uncleanness.'

Interesting notes on the double meaning of 7:14 (the virgin giving birth to a son, Immanuel)

1. a young woman from the house of Ahaz who was not married would marry and have a son.  Before 3 years passed, the 2 invading kings would be destroyed.
2. Mary who would bear Christ.

Day 190: Isaiah 1-4

I find myself reading this with 2 ears.  One is hearing Isaiah as he talks to Judah and Israel based on everything they were going through at the time.  The other is hearing him as he talks to our world as it exists today.  Sadly, it perfectly fits both.

I am reminded again in 1:10-14 how much God hates false worship.  What does he think as he watches us on Sunday morning?

3:9 says that 'they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.'  I see this more and more, just in my lifetime.  What was totally taboo when I was a kid and hidden as secret, is now accepted and even celebrated!

3:14 causes me to think about the excess that so many of us have.  "the plunder from the poor is in your houses."  We might not have walked in and stolen things from people, but just by having so much and others having so little, does this verse apply to us?

3: 16-26 definitely seems to speak to our self-centeredness and obsession with our outward appearances over concern for others.  Ouch.

I like the pattern of conviction and hope that Isaiah uses.  I think I am going to really enjoy this book.

Day 189: 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26

Okay, I am just casually reading along until I get to the sentence about ripping open all the pregnant women!  Wow.

I am reading about kings who were 'basically' good, except that they did not tear down the alters and high places.  To me this is huge and I am surprised they still get the epitaph "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord."  If you can't get the most important thing (who you worship) right, are you still considered a success?  I guess there are still consequences (like leprosy, etc.).

Uzziah was getting so much right.  But then he reached the point where he thought he was above the law.  So easy for people of power.

Day 188: Jonah

Jonah's rebellion is so obvious when he physically heads off in the opposite direction.  Our rebellion is just as real in God's eyes when we disobey Him.  We might not pack up and run away, but it really is no different.

My notes point out that since Jonah was down sleeping below deck, his conscious apparently wasn't bothering him.  Because we can deny reality, we cannot measure obedience by our feelings.  Instead, we must compare what we do with God's standards for living.  Good point!

Did you ever think that God's plan was not only to rescue the people of Ninevah through Jonah, but also to rescue the sailors through Jonah's disobedience?  If he had obeyed and gone straight to Ninevah, there would be no need for a boat.  Those sailors would not have seen God and worshiped like they did.  God even uses our disobedience.  (Not that we should intentionally go that route!)

I am amazed at how easily Ninevah repented!  I think too often we don't share Jesus because we think it is hard and there is no way people are going to just say "Yes!"  Of course I hope I wouldn't be angry at the "yes" like Jonah was.

To me, chapter 4 (one that is often omitted when people share the story of Jonah) speaks loudly of selfishness and bad priorities.

Day 187: 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25

I think the battles that must have saddened God the most were the ones between Israel and Judah, like in this chapter.  Just like Civil War is sad (although sometimes necessary, I guess).

It seems like the first Jeroboam is the benchmark for evil kings, and David is the benchmark for godly kings.  Most of the ones to follow are measured up to them.  Apparently Jeroboam II lived up to his namesake.

If you think about it, what Amaziah did, was pretty stupid.  He conquers the Edomites and then begins worshiping their gods.  Apparently, their gods did not protect them....so what's the point???

Day 186: 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24

23 years and the temple was still not fixed?  Wow!  It sounds like some corrupt things were definitely happening, even among the Levite priests.

It is surprising to me that an evil king (Jehoash) wept over Elisha when he was dying.  But my footnote says that Jehoash feared Elisha's death because he ascribed the nation's well-being to Elisha rather than to God.

Day 185: 2 Kings 9-11

Interesting way to anoint Jehu king!  Pour the oil on his head and then run for the hills!

Jehu was a pretty nasty fellow and killed a lot of people.  To some extent he was following what he was supposed to do, but his ambition took things over the top.  

I have a lot of trouble reading these accounts.  It is hard for me to keep names straight and figure out exactly what is going on.  I think I am getting the basics of what kings and military leaders are doing right and wrong and God's response, but I'm still pretty confused.

Day 184: 2 Kings 5-8

I think chapter 5 teaches some good lessons about money.

It seems like most of the time Elisha is referred to as "the man of God."  It is sad that they seemed to always know who they were talking about, implying that he was about the only good and true prophet at the time.

Elisha was evidently not just a big prophet to the kings.  He was very involved with what seem like common people and helped them to deal with their problems.  

Day 183: 2 Kings 1-4

My apologies for getting behind!  I don't do that very often and somehow I let 2 days slip away.  I plan on doing 2 today and 2 tomorrow to get back on track.  If anyone out there is still reading these, I would love to hear your comments on some readings.  It is getting a little lonely out here in blog-land.  Happy 4th of July!

Here is something interesting to watch for in 2 Kings (from my notes).  Our world is strikingly similar to the world described in 2 Kings.  National and local governments do not seek God, and countries are tormented by war.  Many people follow the false gods of technology, materialism, and war.  True worship of God is rare on earth.

Chap 1: I would hate to be part of the 50 men who kept getting sent to Elijah!  

Chap 2:  I had to read some notes on the jeering youth at the end of chap 2.  It seemed a little harsh for name calling.  Apparently they were not merely teasing Elisha about his baldness, but showing severe disrespect for Elisha's message and God's power.

I like the 4 stories told in Chapter 4.  As God works through Elisha, I think we see his real character amidst all the crazy battles that we read about during this period.

Day 182: Obadiah, Psalms 82-83

Wow!  We have read half of the Bible!  I am so loving this journey.  I am already finding it hard to imagine being finished at the end of the year.  I am toying with the idea of starting over in 2010!  And I am definitely not a 'read that book again' kind of person.

In verse 15, it says the day of the Lord is near for all nations (meaning judgment).  Up to that point it felt like he was just talking to Edom.  But it was a good reminder that the Bible, whether stories or letters or laws or prophecies was written for us as well.  "As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head."

Good reminder: "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."