Isaiah – Page 19 – Be Still…

Isaiah 14:28-32 – Find Refuge

Don’t let the reference to Ahaz’s death fool you. It appears its purpose is simply to set a date context for us. It is not talking about King Ahaz’s son when it says, “For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born, a fiery serpent to destroy you!” Like Israel, Philistia had also been ravaged by the king of Assyria. That king also died near the time of the death of Ahaz.

This little snippet of Scripture points to a great doom yet to fall. Could it be Isaiah again is referring to the rise of Babylon? Is it Babylon who will be the “powerful army [that] comes like smoke from the north.” With the placement of this oracle in proximity to both Babylon and Assyria, I just wonder. I’m not a Bible scholar but have taken a look at a couple different commentaries. If the people thought Assyria was ruthless, the rise of the Babylonians will be worse.

Isaiah 14:1-27 – A Taunt for Babylon’s King

Read Isaiah 14:1-27

What does it mean to taunt? I always thought it was like teasing. So, I looked it up and according to Dictionary.com, the noun taunt is “an insulting gibe or sarcasm; scornful reproach or challenge.” I’m not sure this helps or not, but we know from these words that God is going to win this challenge. There is no question, God is ruler of all, and no mighty king has a chance against the power of God.

Our text starts with another promise. “But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel.” We’re seeing in this section a glimpse into what God will do against Israel’s surrounding nations. It is God’s overall intention to include people from many different nations as “his” people. The day is coming when “Israel will rule over its enemies.” But before that can happen, there will be hardships, discipline, growing pains.

Isaiah 13:1-22 – Watch Out, Babylon!

Read Isaiah 13:1-22

We start a new section with Chapter 13. Isaiah will be telling of God’s plans against the heathen nations. God’s people were surrounded by nations who did not know God. These are the same nations who infiltrated and brought their own religions, beliefs, and traditions which contributed to God’s chosen ones going astray. Of course, it makes sense that God would want to do away with these nations. He wanted to rid his people of their temptations to worship other gods.

When we find ourselves tempted by sin, we are wise if we put distance between ourselves and that which tempts us. While the Bible promises we will never be tempted beyond what we can handle, we are still prone to sin. Being mindful of our triggers is a wise way to live. So, what we see God doing to these heathen nations is the result of the people not being able to walk away from their temptations.

Isaiah 12:1-6 – Praise the Lord

Read Isaiah 12:1-6

What a beautiful passage to lift us up today. Verse 12 seems to close out the first section of oracles presented by Isaiah. We have already read about the destruction of Israel and Judah and how God was going to use the Assyrian power to do his dirty work. But there were also shreds of hope thrown into the message. What was missing was the people’s response.

It’s good to see how the people, the remnant, respond to God’s truth. They knew what God was going to do, and they stayed the course. They witnessed with their own eyes the horror. Now they say, “I will praise you, O Lord! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me.” God did exactly what he said he would and came for them.

Isaiah 11:1-16 – The Shoot of Jesse

Read Isaiah 11:1-16

There are so many beautiful images of peace in today’s reading. Did you have a favorite? Again, Isaiah’s prophecy is pointing toward the Messiah. “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” The “Branch” will be Jesus fulfilling the promise that our eternal king is from the line of David.

While our text translation doesn’t say “Jesse” directly, Jesse was David’s father, and I have seen other references to the stump of Jesse. In fact, when I was Children’s Ministry Director, we had a family event during Advent called “Jesse’s Tree.” It was designed for families to set aside intentional time during Advent (the preparation before Christmas in our tradition) to decorate a small tree with ornaments. Each ornament was chosen to tell a part of God’s story. This included prophecies of Jesus as well as symbols of the birth like a star, a shepherd, etc. There was a devotional guide that families would use as they placed each ornament on the tree. It was great fun setting up for the event, and then using the tokens to help prepare our hearts for Christmas each year thereafter.