Day 210 – Reading – Isaiah 49 – 53.
Read today’s Scriptures.
Isaiah 49.
“Listen to me, O coastlands…” Who are the coastlands? As Isaiah says, they are “peoples from afar.” Coastlands most likely refers to Gentiles in the unknown regions of Isaiah’s day. Think: the coasts of the countries that circle the Mediterranean Sea. In the prophets’ time, Tarshish, or Spain, was really, really far away. Gentiles, is another way to think of “coastlands.” And these might include the lands that at that time were not yet even discovered.
So America… head’s up! Isaiah is going to tell you about Jesus, the LORD’s “Suffering Servant.” It is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who was slain to redeem God’s elect from every nation.
- “I will make you as a light for the nations (Gentile), that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
But, no, God has not forsaken Israel for the Gentiles!
- “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that I should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even THESE may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…”
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Isaiah 50.
Verses 4-11 of this chapter picture Jesus Christ, “the suffering servant.”
- “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out my beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.”
And a call to the unconverted to believe and be saved.
- “Let him who walks in darkness and has no light … trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.”
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Isaiah 51.
In this chapter, God comforts and encourages both Jew and Gentile.
- “Look to Abraham, your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but ONE when I called him, that I might bless him and MULTIPLY him.
- “For the Lord comforts Zion … joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
- “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
And…
- “My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the COASTLANDS hope for me, and for my arm they wait.
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Isaiah 52.
Again Isaiah foretells a time of Israel being restored to their land and to glory when their Redeemer comes to rule.
- “You were sold for nothing (in the countries of the world), and you shall be redeemed without money.”
And after that time messengers will go throughout the mountains around Jerusalem, to spread the good news that redeemed Israel has returned. (Paul later picks this up to show the spread of the Gospel, in Romans 10)
- How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Then Isaiah gives a summary and preview of the humiliation and exultation of the “Servant.” (The details will be given in the following chapter.)
- “Behold, my servant shall act wisely; He shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you — his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of mankind — so shall He sprinkle (with his own blood) many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of Him;”
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Isaiah 53.
And then that great chapter that describes the excruciating death of Jesus for our sins and our redemption. (Many Jews call this the “forbidden chapter.” Sometimes it is even omitted from their scriptures.)
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground:
He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him,
and no beauty that we should desire Him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet, we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for OUR transgressions;
He was crushed for OUR iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought US peace,
and with His stripes WE are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned -- every one -- to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and He was afflicted,
yet He opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so He opened not His mouth.
By oppression and judgment, He was taken away;
and as for His generation, who considered
that He was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made His grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although He had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in His mouth.
Yet, it was the will of the LORD to crush Him,
He has put Him to grief;
when His soul makes an offering for guilt,
He shall see His offspring;
He shall prolong His days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
Out of the anguish of His soul
He shall see and be satisfied;
by His knowledge shall the righteous One, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the many,
and He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because He poured out His soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet, He bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
**** Thank You, LORD, for your sending Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus did that by sacrificing His own life, taking our sin, and dying as the punishment we deserved. Oh, God! How great a salvation you planned!
Day 364, Part B – Revelation 12 – 18 (Woman & dragon, Satan cast down, the Beast, 3 visions, 7 plagues, 7 bowls of wrath, 666, Babylon falls, Yay!)
Morning Meditations 