Day 211 – Reading – Isaiah 54 – 58.

Read today’s Scriptures.  

Isaiah 54.

Yesterday, we read that grand chapter about Jesus purchasing our salvation by giving His own life.

Today’s chapters begin with joy.

• Sing, O barren one, you who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor, for the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married, says the LORD.
• For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.

Israel has been in exile and dispersion. They are destitute and disgraced as a childless woman.   But Isaiah calls for singing because of the LORD’s promise of future fruitfulness. 

• O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold…”   “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.  In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.

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Isaiah 55.

This chapter is full of the compassion of the LORD towards Israel and “everyone.”

• Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
• Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy?
• LISTEN diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.  INCLINE YOUR EAR, and come to me; HEAR, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,”

And this clear invitation to salvation.

• Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
• For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are you ways my ways, declares the LORD.
• For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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Isaiah 56.

This chapter gives hope to the outcasts, foreigners, and eunuchs in the future kingdom.  (Remember the Babylonians made eunuchs of many young men who would serve in their palaces, and the Mosaic law forbade them to enter into worship.  Now God was opening His arms.)

Those outside Israel, acceptance.

• Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely separate me from His people.”   
• The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to Him, to love the Name of the LORD, and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it and holds fast my covenant — these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my alter; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

And hope for those made eunuchs.

• Let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
• For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name that shall not be cut off.”

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Isaiah 57.

And yet God’s own Israel had strayed away from Him and into idolatry, including immorality, debauchery, and child sacrifice.

• But you, draw near, you sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.
• Whom did you dread and fear that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart?  Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me.
• When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!  
• But…. he who takes refuge in Me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain.

Again hope from the Almighty God.

• For thus says, the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy;  “I dwell in the high and holy place, and ALSO with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.  For I will not contend forever, nor will I always  be angry!”

Praise God!  Thank You, LORD.

• “Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the LORD, “and I will heal him.
• But the wicked…. “There is no peace” says my God, “for the wicked.”

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Isaiah 58.

The LORD tells Isaiah that he has two things against His people, Israel: the way they FAST, and the way they treat THE SABBATH.  God says, “Lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression.”

 Israel “sought God daily,” “delighted to know His ways,” “did righteousness,” “asked God for righteous judgments,” and “delighted to draw near to Him.”  So WHY, they asked, does the Lord not notice their fasting and humility?

WHY???  (And this is such a good lesson for us as well.  What are our MOTIVES in serving and worshipping God?

• “Because,” says the LORD. “In the day of your fast, you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.  You fast only to quarrel and fight and hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours will not make your voice to be heard on high.
• “IS NOT THIS THE FAST THAT I CHOOSE;  to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
• IS IT NOT TO share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

And what happens when the heart is right with God when it fasts?

• THEN shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
• THEN you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry and He will say, “Here I am.”

(Read here the other promises of God for those who deny themselves and pour themselves out for the hungry and afflicted.)

As for keeping the Sabbath…

• If you turn back from doing YOUR pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly,
• THEN I will make you ride on the heights of the earth. And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob, your father.

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Doesn’t your heart swell with all the promises of God, if we would only turn to Him in love and humility!  Our God is so good and kind. His heart is FOR us!  O LORD, please help me to “deny my self” and set my face and desire on YOU.