ISAIAH DEVOTIONAL:
REFLECTIONS ON ISAIAH
2009
by Howard Morrison
(Copyright - Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985, D. Min., Phoenix Seminary, 1997)
(Comments, Questions: howardmorrison@morrisonranch.com)

God, grant me wisdom, perspective and understand in the good times, in the successes, after the answered prayers… that I might avoid the pitfall of arrogance and selfishness and also avoid the consequences that can come my way as well as to those around me.

Our family once again followed a family tradition and watched Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (a musical) the week before Christmas. I was struck in the last dream sequence that Scrooge is finally overwhelmed by the consequences of his stinginess and pleads with the ghost of Jacob Marley, “Speak comfort to me, Jacob”. He can no longer rest. He can’t stand the message of truth. He can’t live with the consequences of his behavior. He cries out for relief.

All of us desperately seek comfort when we are caught in our sin. We all need relief that comes from outside our selves.

The God (of Jacob, pardon the pun) declares in the first verse of chapter 40, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” He delivers EXACTLY what our soul longs for. Comfort. Not to comfort away circumstances, but genuine soul-rest in the midst of those circumstances.

(More from chapter 40 soon.)

Ruling arms and gentle arms

Deals out both recompense and reward (and accurately knows the difference)

Knows His flock

Wants us close to His heart. (I don’t want to stretch this too far, but note that He is the One who brings us close…not the other way around.)

He rules, yet He leads gently

Viewing Him only as our Creator, Maker, Sovereign God isn’t enough.

Viewing Him as our best friend, similarly falls short.

He is all powerful AND our shepherd! He commands all of the universe that is so far off AND He brings us close to Him.

I know this may be a strange reaction, but I don’t even know what all of this means and I STILL long for it to be true for me. Isn’t that the way Scripture works sometimes? There is no way that we can understand all the depth of God’s truth, but when we read it, it resonates with our soul. The Holy Spirit speaks to our spirit…and we call out Abba, Father.

He is everlasting…I think I understand His eternality in a technical sense, but I long to be in His presence forever to gain a deeper understanding.

He is Creator…got that one nailed, too, except for all those times that I want to take over and be in control. Yuck.

He will not grow weary…Wait a minute. I thought WE won’t grow weary. Guess I’ve rushed through this text before.

His understanding no one can fathom….Isaiah has that right. Reminds me of Romans 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

He gives strength to the weary….Praise God! What we all desperately need. I can relate to the weariness of life. I’m hesitant to say I know what it is to be weak. I enjoy far too many blessings this world has to offer to say I know what it is to be weak. But so many around the world testify to His power in their weak situation.

Even youths grow tired and weary…yes, that’s us!

Young men stumble and fall….it doesn’t take many days of life to fall (sorry for the pun) into this category.

But those who hope in the Lord….count me in.

Will renew their strength…that must be coming directly from the LORD because I can’t overcome my weaknesses much less drum up strength for the need of the moment.

They….must mean the last people referred to… ”those who hope in the Lord”

Soar on wings like eagles….many a preacher has waxed eloquently about this, but in the end I still don’t truly understand this.

They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint…Isn’t this the part that we all identify with; we long for this to be true; we plead to God to provide this at any given moment. To me this is a picture of stamina, grace for the moment, strength in my weakness.

This all reminds me of “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Implied in that statement is “with Me you can do all things”. More clearly stated, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

Isa 44:6-7, "This is what the Lord says — Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. 7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come — yes, let him foretell what will come. “

Isa 44:24, "This is what the Lord says —your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,…”

Isa 45:3-7,”I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.”

Isa 45:18, “For this is what the Lord says — he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited — he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other. “

Isa 45:22, “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”

Isa 46:4, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I carry you; will sustain you and I will rescue you. “

Isa 46:9, “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.”

Isa 48:12-13, "Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last. 13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.”

Isa 48:17, “This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

Isa 49:23, “…Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed."

Isa 51:12-16, “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, 13 that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor….15 For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar — the LORD Almighty is his name. 16 I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand — I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.'"

· “I am your God”--over you.

· “I am with you”--by your side.

· “I will strengthen you”--from inside of you.

· “I will help you”--all around you from wherever the enemy comes.

· “I will uphold you”--from underneath you.

· Over you, by you, inside you, around you, underneath you (surrounded).

One of the exhortations for those who are chosen is that we are not to be afraid. Right along side of this exhortation is our Creator’s commitment to help us.

I find great comfort in knowing that the Creator, God of the Universe, draws us close to Him because it delights Him to do so.

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

This has been on God’s heart for all the ages…to reach us in our sinful state when we were totally incapable of helping ourselves.

“He who blots out your transgressions” as well as “and remembers your sins no more”. Forgiven and forgotten.

A fortress.
Isa 26:4, “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.“

Eternal.

Isa 30:29, ”And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.”

The Rock of Israel.

Isa 51:1, "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;”

Our source; our Creator.

Isa 28:16, “So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.”

A stone. Tested. Precious. The Cornerstone. A Sure foundation.

My Rock. There is no other!

 “…And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. 22 Turn to me and be saved, all you; for I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:21c-22

“no God apart from me”; “none but me”; “no other” ….well, He certainly is clear on that point!

An invitation is extended to the nations, to the ends of the earth. This is an open invitation to all people, in every age, to be saved. Unbelievable.

Isn’t it amazing that our Father can be both a righteous God AND a Savior? Our human response would be that a righteous God has to dispense judgment and a Savior has to disregard our offenses. No, no!

Paul, too, knew we would struggle with that issues. He probably struggled himself. Nevertheless, he wrote in Romans 3:23-26, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Charles Spurgeon documents that it was Isaiah 45:22 and a simple sermon that God used to open His heart to salvation. Paul reached back and quoted this in Romans 14:11. Many have been drawn to Christ because God’s Spirit used Isaiah’s appeal in their life.

Our part is to turn to Him. To look. Remember the bronze serpent Israel was to look upon for their deliverance. It foreshadows the only One that saves, God’s provision. Our part is still as it was before, to turn and look upon Him.

Have you turned from your sin? Have you looked upon Him who is both righteous and our Savior?

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4

Age is a funny thing. It is so relative.

When you are a child it seems like time goes by so slowly. Over the decades we find ourselves saying more and more often, “Where does the time go?”

I’m at the age (51 )that when I start doing subtraction (to find out how many years ago such-and-such happened) I’m discouraged (or at least surprised) with the results of the math! “It can’t be THAT many years ago, can it?”

I was talking to my physical fitness trainer yesterday about the up-and-coming winter Olympics. After much dialogue about the various events he brought up hockey and the Lake Placid Olympics where the “miracle on ice” happened. I mentioned I watched that game. He responded, “Oh, you SAW it?” Then I did the math. He wasn’t even BORN when that occurred and I was already 24 way back then. Ugh.

Through all those years we search for our grounding. Unfortunately we tend to look within ourselves. Search as we might, it won’t be found there. We can only be sustained by Someone outside ourselves. God declares “I am He”, “I am He who will sustain you”, “I will carry you”, “I will sustain you”, “I will rescue you”

“Even to your old age and gray hairs”. Thanks a lot, Isaiah! I tell people I’m at the age that I just hope it turns gray before it falls out!

Yes, age is relative, but God’s sustaining power is NOT!

“Do not fear for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“Our Redeemer – the LORD Almighty is His name – is the Holy One of Israel.” 47:4

Redeemer, LORD Almighty, Holy One of Israel

I wrote not too long ago about the use of Redeemer in Isaiah. Excerpts are repeated here.

The title of Redeemer is most often tied close to other titles for God, the most common being “the Holy One of Israel” (6 times). It is also tied to other names (King, Lord Almighty; Mighty One of Jacob; Lord; Father; King).

Here are a few examples:

Isa 47:4, “Our Redeemer — the Lord Almighty is his name — is the Holy One of Israel.”

Isa 54:5, “For your Maker is your husband — the Lord Almighty is his name — the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.”

Isa 49:26b, “…Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

In the most direct language available, God specifically, directly, and personally declares “I have redeemed you” (44:22; 43:1; 48:20).

These words are warm and soothing to our soul. Isa 43:1, “But now, this is what the Lord says — he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

I’ve been learning a bit lately about listening to God. I don’t do it enough. I don’t do it very well. I believe I’m scared to do so. Down deep I’m probably scared of what He’ll ask me to do. That is a lack of faith on my part. It is selfish. I’m pretty comfortable with the way things are. I don’t want too many things to change.

Look at the following list: God wanting to speak to us and His call for us to listen…all in this one chapter!

“Listen to this, O house of Jacob…” 48:1

“…I told you these things long ago…” 48:5a

“…I announced them to you…” 48:5b

“You have heard these things; look at them all…” 48:6a

“From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.” 48:6b

“You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ear has not been open.” 48:8a

“Listen to Me, O Jacob…” 48:12a

“Come together, all of you, and listen…” 48:14a

“I, even I, have spoken…” 48:15a

“Come near me and listen to this:…” 48:16

“From the first announcement I have not spoken in secre:…” 47:16b

If only you had paid attention to My commands…”48:18a

“This is what the LORD says….’I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.’” Isaiah 48:17

What would happen if I listened more? This last passage says if I listened more I would actually be in tune (in alignment) with what is best for me. And, I would receive direction in “the way”. Dr. Max Anders used to (maybe still does) teach a seminar called “The Ways of God”. Jeremiah reminds us that they are not OUR ways.

I operate far too often on the assumption that I know what is best for me. “No need to bother God. No need to check in with Him. I’ve got this one covered.”

What do I do once I’ve listened to God?

Psalm 95:7b-8a says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts...”

This is repeated in Hebrews 3:15 and again in Hebrews 4:7. Must be important!

The Israelites are highlighted as an example of what NOT to do. “…the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith….those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:2b; 6b)

It appears I have much work to do.

I am to listen to God. For me that means to slow down, stop and listen.

I am to have faith, believing that what God has said is indeed, first of all, true and second, is best for me.

I am to obey. Without acting on what God has said, I’d be hardening my heart out of disobedience (which is actually an absence of faith.)

Pray for me. Join me. Let’s listen to God and then do what He says.

Isa 49:1-7, “Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. 3 He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." 4 But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God."

5 And now the LORD says — he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength — 6 he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

7 This is what the LORD says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

This is the second Servant Song in Isaiah (the first was 42:1-7).

These words remind me of Isaiah 53, which is so famous. These, too (49:1-7), should become equally familiar words to us regarding the coming Messiah.

Bob Lepine says, “Jesus is the polished arrow of God, released at the right time to accomplish its purpose…”

Look at the detailed prophecy…

Come as a man: born, birth, formed in the womb

Set apart from birth, from the foundations of the world

Hidden, concealed, but then used to display God’s splendor!

His reward is with His Father….what intimacy

Mouth like a sharpened sword (Heb. 4:12)

An instrument of victory

Just the right time (Gal. 4:4)

Will bring God glory

He represents all of Israel

Goes beyond Israel (Acts 13:47) to the Gentiles

Servant – governed by God

Will be despised and abhorred

Will not fail

Will face discouragement (weeping, disappointment, rejection?)

First and foremost was to bring Israel back to God in repentance (reconciled relationship)

One day will receive worship by kings and rulers

It is tempting to be critical and say, “How could the Jews miss the Messiah with this kind of detail available to them?” But the answer is found in our own human, birth condition. They COULD NOT understand. Neither could I. Praise God for His opening our eyes, our ears, and providing understanding.

“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true — even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20

Isaiah 54:7-10

7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer. 9 "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. 10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. “

These appear at first to be very harsh words, but after some thought are very hopeful words.

“For a brief moment I abandoned you” - For Israel, their exile (yet to come for those reading this for the first time) had to have felt like an abandonment.

“But with deep compassion I will bring you back” – I wonder if those same exiles read and counted on this to be true for them. God told them specifically that it would only be for 70 years. Did some of them count the days?

“In a surge of anger I hid My face from you” – It is strange to hear God speak of His anger toward us. I’m not sure if this is a synonym of his previous wording of abandonment or if it is a reflection of His genuine wrath.

“But with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you” – This is very action oriented. Yes, He is kind, but He puts it into action.

“So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again” - That is hopeful.

“My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed” – God keeps His promises.

“Says the Lord, who has compassion on you” – OK, OK. We are getting the idea. This is the third time His compassion has been mentioned, along with the mentioning of His kindness and unfailing love.

I understand that a great deal of these details were directed toward Israel, and His covenant was with them specifically. But God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. There are times when it will feel like God has abandoned us, acted in a surge of anger, rebuked us, allowed mountains to shake (think Haiti and Chile right now) and the hills be removed. Our walk with God is not without being susceptible to all of these things.

But, “For a brief moment…for a moment…” From God’s perspective, our experiencing of these trials are but for a moment. These ALWAYS feel longer than they should. I’m amazed that Paul was able to say, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

But in the midst of the circumstances God is kind, is compassion, is a promise keeping God, and displays an unfailing love for His children.

His covenant of peace remains. That is VERY, VERY hopeful.

God then tells them specifically what a changed heart will look like in action:
Loosening the chains of injustice
Untying the cords of slavery
To set the oppressed free
Sharing your food with the hungry
Providing shelter to the wandering poor
Clothing the naked
All rather than pursuing the desires of our own flesh.

Well, I guess a person could try to rationalize these things away and hope someone else is doing them. And, yes, some people do these things in an attempt to save themselves through good works.

But, what is MY response? That’s the real question here.

Some of these are a bit easier to do than others.

Providing food and clothes to a food pantry or clothes closet is pretty easy to do. Am I doing it?

Giving to a homeless shelter is merely a check or website away. Have I done so?

Other actions of a changed heart are a bit more cumbersome:

Do I know someone who has faced an injustice or who is under slavery? Am I in a position to work on their behalf?

Unfortunately, if we don’t see someone within close range we think either it isn’t that big a problem or that someone else will have to do it who is closer to the situation.

Let me recommend involvement with any number of efforts that are rescuing young children from the sex trade. The group I’m getting the most frequently recommended is:

International Justice Mission www.ijm.org
IJM exists to protect people from violent forms of injustice (e.g. sex trafficking) by securing rescue and restoration for victims and accountability for perpetrators, ensuring that public justice systems work for the poor.

Another great resource is:

Equitas Group (focus on Thailand and Cambodia)
Lance Robinson, President/Founder; 2095 Lakeside Centre Way, Suite 101, Knoxville, TN 37922 865.244.3200

Involvement in this area is intimating but nevertheless very important. First of all, it is closer than you think. Second, they desperately need financial resources to continue their work. Third, giving should draw our hearts closer to the situation and thus provide an ample prompter to pray….and, yes, to fast….this time for the good of others rather than to try to impress God.