July 27, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Isaiah 44 - This chapter gives us one of the clear evidences of God's prophets being aware of the Holy Spirit.  In verse 3 God promises to "...pour My Spirit on your descendants..."  We know that prophecy came true on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2.  Later in this chapter God speaks of the uselessness of idols and asks, "Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?"  verse 10.  In verse 21 God assures His faithful ones that He will never forget them because He "...paid the price to set you free."  Verse 22 (NLT)

Isaiah 45 - The Lord promises to raise up a king, named Cyrus, who would subdue nations.  God speaks of Himself as the only God and He has the power to "...make peace and create calamity..." verse 7.  The KJV uses the word "evil" and people have wondered if this is teaching that God created evil.  The answer is clearly "NO!"  The word "calamity" speaks of the chaos God will cause when people reject HIs rule and then live in wickedness.

Isaiah 46 - When you read of "Bel bows down, Nebo stoops..." in verse 1 think of the tremendous weight of these manmade idols and then note verse two that speaks of the oxen that have to strain with all their might to pull the carts holding these images!  What an awful picture of the people having to carry their own gods around!  But note how God responds in verses 3,4 where He says He is the One who carries His people!  Then He asks the question in verse 5, "To whom will you like Me, and make My equal and compare Me that we should be alike?" 

Isaiah 47 - God promises judgment on Babylon and will bring about widowhood and loss of children in one day, verse 8,9.  They had relied upon their astrologers and stargazers to predict their future.  God show them what will really happen.

Isaiah 48 - One of the clearest presentations of the Trinity is mentioned in verses 12 and 16.  God is the One speaking in verse 12 and continues speaking in verse 16 where He speaks of "the Lord and His Spirit."  Note how God speaks of His ministry to His people to help them be profitable and show them the way they should go, verse 17.  But God warns the wicked that they will never have peace, verse 22.