Isaiah 23-27 Psalm 114

God is a stronghold to the poor. All the laws protecting the poor. All the injunctions to help the poor. It’s almost as God views poverty as a ‘neighborhood’ problem. In the midst of dramatic victory, defeating death, glorious imagery, there’s this line about the poor! God is mercy. God attends to the least of … Continue reading Isaiah 23-27 Psalm 114 →

Isaiah 18-22 Psalm 113

Three years naked? Isaiah spent three years naked to make a point? Really? That seems really extreme, doesn’t it? That God would make his loyal servant suffer that level of indignity? Would you be able to follow those instructions? I’m serious. If God demanded something that extreme, that public, that humiliating, would you be able … Continue reading Isaiah 18-22 Psalm 113 →

Isaiah 13-17 Psalm 112

Sometimes I wonder what life was like for Isaiah. Were his prophecies all received within a few years of ministry? If so, what filled the rest of his life? “Ordinary” service? I could look this up. I’m sure there are scholars that have at least addressed these questions, but I’m more curious what it was … Continue reading Isaiah 13-17 Psalm 112 →

Isaiah 9-12 Psalm 111

So this passage has some of the most beautiful prophecies concerning Christ, both his advent and I’m pretty sure his second coming as well. After all, the curse wasn’t lifted from the predators of the Earth during Christ’s ministry. I can’t say I’m an expert by any stretch of the imagination. The language in these … Continue reading Isaiah 9-12 Psalm 111 →

Isaiah 5-8 Psalm 110

So this passage has a prophecy about a child born to a virgin and called Immanuel. It’s kinda famous. Hears the thing, though. With our account of Christ’s coming and ministry, it’s easy to read Isaiah and go “oh! I know who that’s about!” Did they, though? The recipients of the prophecy? Did Isaiah even … Continue reading Isaiah 5-8 Psalm 110 →

Isaiah 1-4 Psalm 109

So I can’t really imagine being Isaiah. He had a job, and that job was to tell kings with the power to have him killed that they were wrong and that their kingdoms were doomed. That’s it. I mean, yes, he also got to deliver the promise of hope, but that hope was WAY WAY … Continue reading Isaiah 1-4 Psalm 109 →