Isaiah – Page 11 – Be Still…

Isaiah 48:1-22 – Freedom

What does freedom mean to you? There are many people around the world who have never experienced freedom. Unfortunately, we often take it for granted. And as we’re seeing in the world right now, people are so focused on how their freedoms or rights are being violated they are forgetting the importance of their own responsibility. They go hand in hand. We need to take responsibility for our actions and be grateful for the blessing of freedom.

In God’s rant here, he is calling out the people of Israel as being stubborn. They are taking God for granted, and that is not pleasing to God. He warned them ahead of time what was going to happen so they wouldn’t be shocked or taken by surprise. I’m sure many chose not to believe because it sounded absurd. God is trying to get their attention in both instances where he uses this phrase, “Listen to me, O family of Jacob.” If you’re a parent, you know how frustrating it is when your children don’t listen!

Isaiah 47:1-15 – Babylon Who?

Read Isaiah 47:1-15

Exactly! What happened to them? We know that Babylon doesn’t exist today. Its ruins lay in present day Iraq. But from our Biblical accounts, we understand that Babylon was once a bustling center of activity, had prominent status in the ancient world, and had taken the Israelites hostage for more than half a century. Babylon exists now as only a memory.

Today’s reading personifies Babylon into a beautiful woman. Imagine the Israelites hearing these prophetic words. What were they thinking? It’s like they were overhearing a conversation between God and Babylon. “Come down, virgin daughter of Babylon, and sit in the dust. For your days of sitting on a throne have ended. O daughter of Babylonia, never again will you be the lovely princess, tender and delicate.” For the oppression God’s people had endured, seeing Babylon described as tender and delicate seems odd, doesn’t it?

Isaiah 46:1-13 – My God Carries Me!

Read Isaiah 46:1-13

I’m not sure I would want a god that I had to carry around. That doesn’t sound all that appealing. Certainly not very powerful! Our God, on the other hand, is powerful and very much involved in our lives. “I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age.”

I think, too, of the beautiful image created in the poem “Footprints.” If you’re not familiar with that, imagine your life as a stroll on the beach. You see two sets of footprints in the sand as you are walking with God. Then, during the challenging times of your life, you see only one set of footprints and wonder why God would abandon you. He was carrying you, the one set of footprints belonged to the Lord. That’s the kind of God I want!

Isaiah 45:14-25 – Boast in the Lord

Read Isaiah 45:14-25

“The Lord works in mysterious ways.” Have you ever uttered these words? I didn’t realize I was quoting Scripture when I did! It’s true that God does many amazing things every day. I just love it when I discover just one more truth as it is revealed in God’s word. It’s not that we haven’t heard some of these things before. We have. But when you read a passage you’ve read before and it speaks to you differently than it did the last time, that’s like an “a-ha moment!”

When we actually think about what God has done for us, and it dawns on us how he has been doing this for others for a long time, it’s just mind-boggling. How can we not want to boast in the Lord?

Isaiah 45:1-13 – Who God Empowers

Read Isaiah 45:1-13

When God wants something done, he knows exactly what he is looking for in the one he will equip. We can look back through Biblical history and find common, everyday people whom God chose for some focused purpose. Did they ever feel prepared? Probably not! Were they stronger with God? Absolutely!

In today’s reading, God’s chosen one is Cyrus, King of Persia. God knew well in advance who he would employ to bring his people back from exile in Babylon. Interesting to note, this is the only place in the Bible where a Gentile ruler is said to be “anointed.”