Day 212—We are in the seventh month of Bible reading, with more in Isaiah.

    Day 212 – Isaiah 59 – 63. (Israel’s evil ways & repentance, future glory of Israel, the LORD’s favor & salvation, the Day of the LORD)

Isaiah 59 talks about how Israel’s sin has separated them from their God. “your sins have hidden His face from you so that he does not hear.”  Their bloody hands, lying lips, unjust lawsuits, and feet that run to evil, as well as sinful thoughts, all condemn them.

Israel, like us, knows her sins and confesses, “For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities; transgressing and denying the LORD, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.”  

God saw all this and “wondered” that there was no man to intercede. “Then His own arm brought Him salvation, and His righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head.”   “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.

 

Isaiah 60 tells of the light that will shine forth from Israel “in that day.”  

“Arise, shine, for your LIGHT has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.”   “the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light.”

“The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”

 

Isaiah 61. The beginning of this chapter is familiar to those who study the life of Jesus because He read this portion of scripture in the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth to begin His ministry. And….. the Jews rejected Him, saying, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son??” They even tried to murder Him. (Luke 4:16-30) 

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring GOOD NEWS to the poor;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." 

Verse 10 echoes the heart of any who WILL believe and receive Jesus.  “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” (See 2 Corinthians 5:21)

 

Isaiah 62 speaks of the glory of Zion’s coming salvation.  

“Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth; say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with him, and his recompense before Him.’ And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.”

 

Isaiah 63 speaks of “the LORD’s Day of Vengeance….” 

“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments…”?

“Why is your apparel red and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?”

“I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood splattered on my garments and stained all my apparel.  For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.”

It also tells of “the LORD’s Mercy….”

“I will recount the steadfast LOVE OF THE LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the GREAT GOODNESS to the house of Israel that He has granted them according to HIS COMPASSION, according to the ABUNDANCE OF HIS GREAT LOVE. 

For He said, Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.”

And He became their Savior.” 

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