Isaiah warns that trouble is brewing. The prosperous capital of Samaria – perched high above a fertile valley in Israel’s northern kingdom – will soon “dry up and wilt.” Enemies will march through its streets and topple its walls. Why? Samaria’s leaders are corrupt, and its people have grown deaf to God.
Read More foundation, trustworthy, faithful, cornerstoneGod’s people aren’t acting very godly. In fact, they’re blatantly disobedient. “This is the LORD’s message for his rebellious people,” Isaiah writes in verse 30:1. “You follow your own plans instead of mine; you make treaties without asking me, and you keep on sinning.”
Rebellious, deceitful, unwilling to listen to God’s instructions.
Read More God’s patience, rebellious, sin, grace
God is calling his people. He is urging them to listen and to respond. It seems to be the same story over and over again. God shows his power and wisdom on Israel’s behalf, but they quickly forget. They see the impossible task ahead of them and feel lost and vulnerable. They look to each other, and their leaders, to protect them. But Isaiah stands in the gap as he speaks the words of God in an effort to keep them from harm.
Read More justice, faith, peace, listen, our own understandingThe southern kingdom of Judah is on shaky ground. With the fall of Samaria and the northern empire all but gone, King Hezekiah’s vast territory is now in the crosshairs of an Assyrian threat.
So Hezekiah – at the advice of his royal counselors – concocts a preemptive strike.
Read More trust, surrender, military allianceIsaiah reminds us that the world’s pain and suffering is temporary. One day in the not so distant future, wounded hearts will be healed … tears wiped away. The Lord is returning!
“Here is a message for all who are weak, trembling, and worried,” the prophet shares in 35:3-6.
Read More [God’s Sacred Highway?], suffering, hope, joyThe commander of the Assyrian army stands just outside Jerusalem and addresses anyone who will listen. “I have a message for Hezekiah from the great king of Assyria,” he shouts. “Ask Hezekiah why he feels so sure of himself. Does he think he can plan and win a war with nothing but words?” (verses 4-5).
The king’s officials had asked him to speak in Aramaic, which they understood, but which was not well understood by the ordinary people.
Read More God’s truth, false claims, verbal assaultEver since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, we have been a broken people. We make mistakes and bad decisions. But that shouldn’t keep us from seeking God and growing in our desire to live for him. King Hezekiah was no exception. He didn’t live a perfect life.
Read More God’s sovereignty, one true GodKing Hezekiah falls seriously ill, so Isaiah encourages him to get his affairs in order. Filled with grief, the prophet turns toward the wall (perhaps the nearby temple) and pleads with God to save his ailing friend. The Lord answers Isaiah’s prayer and promises to give Hezekiah another fifteen years of life. The king is jubilant.
Read More sin, consequences, pride“Clear a path in the desert! Make a straight road for the Lord our God” (verse 3). If these words sound familiar, that’s because John the Baptist is recorded speaking them in the New Testament (Matthew 3:3 and John 1:23). And the message is clear through the ages: “The Lord is coming, so repent and prepare!”
Read More renewal, new birth