Today the psalmists tell us to sing to the Lord and why we should sing praises:

Sing -“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1). 

Why – “For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands” (Psalm 92:4). We sing praises to the Lord because it is by the works of His hands that we have victory, not by our own doing.

Sing – “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms” (Psalm 95:1-2).

Why – “For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95:3-5). We sing praises to the Lord because He is the only God, the God of Creation, who is sovereign over all.

Sing – “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples” (Psalm 96:1-2).

Why – “For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary” (Psalm 96:4-6). We sing praises to the Lord not only because He is the only God, the God of Creation, but also because strength and beauty are in His sanctuary, here on earth and in heaven. The Bible explains that the tabernacle built by Moses and the priesthood established from Aaron’s descendants in the wilderness were a shadow of the heavenly sanctuary and the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:5). The glory of the heavenly sanctuary is far greater than the earthly sanctuary. The church, which consists of those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, is heavenly people with a heavenly inheritance (Hebrews 9:15); and for this we sing praises to the Lord! 

We see worship of the Lord through songs throughout the Bible. The first song recorded in Scripture is in the Exodus Era after the Lord parted the Red Sea and brought the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt. They sang the Song of Moses, a praise song, while Miriam led the women in dance (Exodus 15).

In the wilderness, the Israelites sang a song of joy when the Lord provided water (Numbers 21). And when Moses passed his leadership off to Joshua right before the Conquest Era, Moses and Joshua taught the Israelites a song of remembrance (Deuteronomy 32).

In the Judges Era, Deborah and Barak sang a victory song after Jael drove a tent peg through Sisera’s head (Judges 5).

In the Kingdom Era, the women sang a victory song for Saul’s and David’s battle success (1 Samuel 18). After the death of Saul and Jonathan, David sang a song of lament (2 Samuel 1). David also sang a song of lament after the murder of Abner (2 Samuel 3). Plus, there are three song books in the Bible: Psalms, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations.

The prophets also use songs during the Divided Kingdom Era to warn the people and to mourn the Israelites’ rebellion and destruction.

Singing is a powerful tool of expression. Songs are used to worship, praise, remember, celebrate victories, mourn, and give thanks. At the end of our reading today, the psalmist speaks about the day that Jesus will return to judge the world – “For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth” (Psalm 96:13). And when Jesus, the Lamb of God, does return to execute His judgment, those in the heavenly sanctuary will sing to the Lord: 

• “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth’” (Revelation 5:9-10).
• “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!’” (Revelation 15:3).

Keep reading. (Psalms 92-97)

In Psalm 1, the psalmist contrasts the godly versus the ungodly. He says blessed is the godly who delight in the law of the Lord for whatever he does shall prosper. However, this is not so with the ungodly. “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). 

In today’s psalms, the psalmists describes several deeds of the ungodly:

1) his pride persecutes the poor

2) he boasts of his heart’s desires 

3) he blesses the greedy and renounces the poor

4) he is too proud to seek God

5) his mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression

6) he secretly murders the innocent 

7) he preys on the helpless and the poor

The psalmist says in Psalm 10 that the ungodly perform their wicked deeds assuming that the Lord does not see – “He has said in his heart, ‘God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see’… Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, ‘You will not require an account’” (Psalm 10:11,13). 

The ungodly are wrong. The Lord sees all:

• “For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees his every step” (Job 34:21). 
• “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

And the Lord will require an account: 

• “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
• “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). 
• “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
• “For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

The man the Lord appointed to judge the world is Jesus Christ, our Savior. Later in the story, Paul will tell the Christians that there will be a day when the Lord will serve justice to the ungodly and reward the godly – “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The judgment seat of Christ is not something that Christians need to fear because “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Jesus is coming later in this story to live a life we can’t live and to die a death that we deserve by taking on the sins of the world so that His perfect righteousness is credited to anyone who believes in Him. The psalmist says that the Lord will judge each person individually, but the righteous, the ones who trust in Him, do not need to fear as their salvation is secure:

• “The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works… Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You” (Psalm 33:13-22).
• “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16).

We are all going to stand before the Lord one day. The ungodly, those who do not know Jesus Christ as their savior, will face judgment and be forever separated from the Lord – “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7). But the righteous, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, will be saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and receive rewards for deeds performed here on earth (Ephesians 6:8). “In other words, salvation is by faith, and rewards are by faith, but the evidence of invisible faith in the judgment hall of Christ will be a transformed life. Our deeds are not the basis of our salvation, they are the evidence of our salvation. They are not foundation, they are demonstration.” ~ John Piper. 

More psalms tomorrow, so keep reading. (Psalms 1-2, Psalm 10, Psalm 33, Psalm 71, Psalm 91)

Today we read the last of the psalms by the sons of Korah. In psalm 49, the psalmist has a word for all people, both rich and poor. The psalmist shares wisdom on trusting in wealth or envying the wealthy – “Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him – For the redemption of their souls is costly, and it shall cease forever – that he shall continue to live eternally, and not see the Pit” (Psalm 49:6-9). 

So there is something money can’t buy, and that is salvation. No amount of material wealth will be enough to redeem a soul. We are redeemed by God’s atoning sacrifice, which comes at a cost much higher than any material wealth. Our sins are atoned for through the shedding of the blood of the innocent on behalf of the guilty. After Adam and Eve listened to the wrong voice in the Garden of Eden and disobeyed the Lord resulting in the fall, God made a promise that He would send a Savior to redeem them (Genesis 3:15). Then the Lord sacrificed an innocent animal and covered Adam and Eve with its skin (Genesis 3:21). This was a picture of the Savior who is coming to shed His innocent blood as the final Sacrifice for the sins of the world (Hebrews 10:12). Those who trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ will not see hell; they will live eternally in heaven with the Lord. 

The psalmist explains that although the rich will receive honor and praise here on earth from men, they will have nothing at the end of their life if their trust is in their wealth and not in Christ – “Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; for when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lives he blesses himself (for men will praise you when you do well for yourself), he shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light” (Psalm 49:16-19).

When Jesus arrives on the scene, He will also warn the rich:

• “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24).
• “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24-25).

And Paul will later say, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

The Bible is not saying rich people can’t go to heaven. We have seen examples throughout the story. Abraham and David are two examples of men who were wealthy, but they did not put their trust in their wealth — they trusted in the Lord. The Scriptures are warning that riches can be a spiritual stumbling block. Therefore, the rich should guard themselves from the distractions that can come with being wealthy. But there are also spiritual stumbling blocks that come with being poor. That is why the Psalmist, Agur, asked in Proverbs 30 not to make him rich or poor. He knew the struggles that come with both. 

The Lord uses both the wealthy and the poor to accomplish His purposes. His blessings are not found in the abundance or lack of material riches. His blessings are found through a relationship with Him. Therefore, we can not place our hope in anything or anyone in this world, only the Lord. 

Tomorrow the Lord has a word for the wicked. Keep reading. (Psalms 47-49, Psalms 84-85, 87)

Today we read the psalms written by the sons of Korah who were priests assigned to guard the entrance of the tabernacle and later the temple. They became musicians during the time of King David and King Solomon. Through the reading of today’s psalms we see that our help is in the Lord. He is the One who leads and guides us with His truth, and He is sending His righteous Son to redeem His people.   

In psalm 42 the psalmist says – “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalms 42:5). In the midst of feeling discouraged and depressed, the psalmist remembers where his hope is found. Then he sets his mind on the Lord, which leads him to praising God who has been faithful in the past and will continue to be faithful in the present. The psalmist knows that his help does not come from within; it comes from the Lord. God is the One to revive our spirits and give us peace in time of distress, just as Aaron said through his blessing the Israelites in the wilderness – “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

In psalm 43, the psalmist says – “Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God” (Psalm 43:3-4). The psalmist is aware of his limitations and lack of wisdom. Therefore He needs wisdom from the Lord to lead and guide him. And once again we see that when the psalmist has his gaze upon the Lord asking Him for help and guidance, he is driven to a place of worship which brings about joy in his life. 

The Lord knows that we need His truth and His light. That is why He is sending His Son Jesus Christ to be the light of the world. When Jesus arrives on the scene, He will make this declaration – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). 

Psalm 45 is a beautiful prophecy of the coming light of the world, the Messiah – “You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; the peoples fall under You. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions” (Psalm 45:2-7).

The Lord is sending His Son as the final sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. Jesus will be inflicted with many pains and sorrows while on earth, but He will complete His works of righteousness and ascend to heaven where He will sit at the right hand of God. And one day Jesus will return as the righteous King who will judge the nations and put a final end to the wickedness that He hates. Therefore the psalmist can confidently tell us to “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:10-11). Keep reading. (Psalms 42-46)

Included in Hezekiah’s collection of Proverbs were writings by Agur and King Lemuel. “The proverbs of Agur, son of Jakeh, and those of King Lemuel appear to have existed independently before they became part of the biblical book. Most commentators assume they were of Arabian descent, a theory supported by a slight textual variant. Neither Agur nor Lemuel is known outside these biblical references, and their origins remain in doubt.” – (Encountering the Old Testament by Arnold and Beyer)

Agur begins by confessing his lack of knowledge and elevating the word of the Lord – “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” Since “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17), the Lord gives His pure word to His people, so that by hearing and understanding His word they may put their faith and trust in Him as their shield and protector. 

Agur asks the Lord for two things: 1) to make him a man who speaks the truth and 2) to give him neither riches nor poverty. Agur knows that either being rich or being poor would be stumbling blocks in his life – “Lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” Agur is a man who does not put his trust in his own knowledge or resources which will lead to pride — He trusts in the Lord.

Agur rebukes a generation that curses their parents, is pure and lofty in their own sight, and devours others. This type of generation — one that does not recognize their own personal sin, does not seek to walk in the ways of the Lord, and does not recognize their need for a Savior — will wreak havoc in their personal lives, in their communities and on the nations. Therefore, the Lord will not be their shield and protection because the Lord resists the proud – “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).

Proverbs 31 (vs 1-9) is wise advice given to King Lemuel from his mom. She says not to give yourself over to sexual appetites and to intoxicating drinks, as both would dull the senses and distract the king from his mission of faithfully leading the people. She tells her son to judge righteously and protect the poor and the needy who do not have a voice in the community. Her desire for her son is that he use his position of power to help others and not to indulge himself with women and wine.

In the remaining verses of Proverbs 31 (10-31), Lemuel’s mother describes the attributes and deeds of a woman who would be a godly wife to her son. This woman is one who is trustworthy, kind, wise, faithful, hard working, considerate of the poor, good to her spouse, respected in the home and outside of the home, resourceful, but most importantly… she fears the Lord— “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.” External beauty fades, but internal beauty will last forever. A woman who walks with the Lord will shine His goodness through her life and be a blessing to those around her. Her deeds may go unnoticed by the world but not by the Lord. He sees her, and He will reward her faithfulness.

That concludes the Book of Proverbs. Tomorrow we begin day 1 of 12 days reading the remaining psalms, so keep reading! (Proverbs 30:1-31:31)

Today we begin reading Solomon’s proverbs collected by Hezekiah, as well as the undated proverbs and psalms. The proverbs are full of advice for wise living, which includes being humble, honest, and a hard worker. The wisdom writers also say that a wise person controls his emotions and his tongue. 

Solomon writes, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” So someone who does not control his passions, desires, pride, arrogance, and anger is someone exposed to the enemy, Satan. Then Solomon says, “Hell and Destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Just like hell is never full of lost souls, whom Satan loves to devour, the eyes of humans are always wanting more. The flesh is never satisfied. The works of the flesh include “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like” (Galatians 5:19-21). If left to ourselves we would act on every human impulse and never be content.

The Lord knows we are weak in the flesh. That is why He is sending His Son to live a life we can’t live and to die a death that we deserve – “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit… For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:3-8). Therefore, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Lord sends the Holy Spirit to dwell within us as our teacher, comforter, guide, and the seal of our salvation. By His power we are able to overcome the flesh and live lives pleasing to the Lord. If we walk in the Spirit, our lives will exhibit “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:22-26). 

However, our battle isn’t only with the flesh. We also have a real enemy out there, Satan, whose whole purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. In order to protect ourselves from the evil forces, we must daily put on the armor of the Lord – ”Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:14-18).

We, as Christians, have to be alert at all times! So to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh and for the renewal of our minds, we must pray, immerse ourselves in the word, and surround ourselves with fellow Christ followers who will encourage and pray for us because the battle is real and it isn’t easy. However, we can trust that the Lord will act on behalf of those who trust Him. 

We will read the last of the proverbs tomorrow, so keep reading. (Proverbs 25:1-29:27)

Today Hezekiah, king of Judah, informs the people that the wrath of the Lord has been upon Judah and Jerusalem because their fathers have turned their backs on the Lord. Hezekiah says, “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.” Then he commands the Levites to clean the temple. Afterwards, he gathers the leaders from the city to bring offerings to the temple for the Levites to sacrifice to the Lord to atone for all of Israel.

While the Levites are giving the offerings to the Lord, the entire assembly worships with songs and music written by King David and Asaph. Then Hezekiah asks for personal offerings to be brought to the Lord by the entire assembly. “So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.” The number of offerings brought forward by the people was so overwhelming that the priests asked the Levites to help them until the work was complete. “So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order. Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.”

Hezekiah also brings back the Passover “since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.” Remember that the Passover is a celebration the Israelites were to have once a year to celebrate the Lord’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt during the Exodus Era. Therefore, Hezekiah sends runners throughout both Israel and Judah with this word: “Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. And do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see. Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”

Most of the people in the remnant of Israel laugh at the runners, but some humble themselves and go to Jerusalem with all of Judah. “Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.” However, the multitude of people who came to worship were ignorant of how to prepare themselves for the Passover. “But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ‘May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.’ And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.”

Then all who are in Jerusalem celebrate the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for double the normal seven day celebration. “So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.”

In addition, Hezekiah 1) purged sacred pillars, wooden images, high places and altars from the land 2) appoints the priests and Levites to tasks according to his service, 3) establishes a tithing system from the people to support the priests and Levites, and 4) builds a storeroom for all of the offerings, tithes, and dedicated things which are distributed to the priests and Levites and their families. “Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.”

Tomorrow we begin reading some of Hezekiah’s favorite proverbs he collected, so keep reading. (2 Chronicles 29:3-31:21)

Today Isaiah gives warnings to four nations, starting with Babylon.

1) Currently Assyria is the most powerful nation, but soon the Babylonians will rule the ancient world. God is going to use Babylon to bring judgment against Judah for a set period of time, but then the Lord will restore His people to their land and judge wicked Babylon. Isaiah says that the Lord will raise up the Medes to defeat Babylon and compares the destruction to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, the Lord will have mercy on His people – “For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land.” God is still working His plan of salvation through His people. Isaiah says when Israel is home and has rest they will sing a taunt against Babylon, where Babylon is likened to Lucifer, Satan. They will sing, “Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming”. 

2) The Lord uses the Assyrians to bring judgment against Israel, but then the Lord will judge the wicked Assyrians to accomplish His purposes. “This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” God has the whole world in His hand, and He is accomplishing His purposes, even today. There is nothing that will stop His plans and purposes.

3) The Philistines rejoiced when the Lord humbled Israel and Judah by the hand of their enemies. However, the Lord tells them not to rejoice because a greater judgment is coming upon them. And when that judgment comes, the only place for refuge will be the Lord. 

4) The Lord declares the destruction of Moab, Lot’s descendants, because “of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath.” Pride leads many souls to ruin, but there is mercy to be found for those who humble themselves. Out of mercy, the Lord is sending His Son to restore us to Him. Isaiah speaks of the coming King, Jesus Christ, who will reign in righteousness – “In mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.“ 

The day will come when we all will stand before the Lord, and on that day all that will matter is whether or not Jesus is standing in your place as your Savior. Those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will not be condemned because He bore our sins for us on the cross – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:13-15).

Tomorrow King Hezekiah reopens the temple in Jerusalem. Keep reading. (2 Kings 16:19-20, 2 Chronicles 28:26-27, Isaiah 13:1-16:14)

The once faithful Jerusalem has become like a harlot with their idolatry, corruption, and lack of justice. As a result, the Lord will turn His hand against them to refine and purify them. The Lord promises that one day He will restore Judah and Jerusalem – “Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” 

Isaiah speaks of what “shall come to pass in the latter days.” He says the day is coming where people from all nations will come to worship the Lord, and there will be peace. This day will come through the Messiah, who will first come to die for the sins of the world but then return to put an end to all war and conflict and establish peace under His righteous reign. Therefore, Isaiah calls for Judah to walk in the light in anticipation of the coming Messiah – “O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” 

The Lord desired for Israel to be a light to the nations around them, drawing others into fellowship with the Lord. Instead, they turned from the Lord and His ways and allowed the foreign nations to influence them with their pagan worship. In addition, the people became prideful because of their wealth and the work of their own hands which led to corruption. Therefore, judgment is upon Judah. 

God rebukes the leaders for abusing their power by mistreating the people and using their positions for their own personal gain. Then Isaiah turns his attention to the shallow, rich, haughty ladies in Judah who are flaunting their fine clothes, headdresses, jewelry, and perfume. These women are much more concerned with the external than the Lord, and they use their sexuality to control and manipulate men. Therefore, the Lord says He will remove all of those external distractions – “Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. Her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit on the ground.” Then in what will she put her hope?

After foretelling of the coming judgment upon Judah, Isaiah gives a promise of hope. Isaiah says the day is coming when “the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious.” Isaiah is speaking of the coming Messiah, and in that day, the Lord will wash the filth off the ungodly women and the people of Jerusalem and restore them. Then the people will desire to be in His presence, and He will be a place of refuge for those who trust in Him – “And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.”

God refers to His people as a vineyard that He cared for and expected to produce good grapes; instead they produced worthless grapes. “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.” And since Judah was more concerned with building their own wealth, being drunkards, testing the Lord with their sin, exalting themselves, and taking justice away from the righteous, they will be turned over to their enemy. The Lord has seen all of their wickedness, and He will judge them by sending the Babylonians against Judah.

Tomorrow the Lord has a message for the surrounding nations. Keep reading. (Isaiah 1:21-5:30)

Today Isaiah pronounces judgment on the drunken and prideful people of Israel. Even the priests and prophets have erred with intoxicating drinks. However, the people mock Isaiah’s message saying that it is simple and beneath their wise understanding. So Isaiah responds, “But the word of the Lord was to them, ‘precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,’ that they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught.” 

The prophet’s job is faithfully to share the word of the Lord. It is the responsibility of the hearers of the word to respond with repentance. Isaiah says that it is by the word of the Lord that God has laid the foundation for our lives – “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.” This foundation is the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, whom the Lord promised to send back in the Garden of Eden. Later in the story, Peter will explain that Jesus is the foundational cornerstone that gives life to those who believe in Him and is a stumbling block to those who reject Him – “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed” (1 Peter 2:4-8).

Isaiah uses an example of a farmer to illustrate how the Lord works with His people. God knows the right time and the right way to give His people what they need in order to produce the desired outcome. And since the people of Israel will not heed the warnings of the Lord and turn from their wickedness, the Lord turns them over to their enemies. As Isaiah prophesied, Assyria besieges Israel while Hoshea is king of Israel and during Hezekiah’s reign in Judah – “Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away captive to Assyria… because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant and all that Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded; and they would neither hear nor do them.” 

Although the Lord sent prophet after prophet to urge Israel and Judah to repent and turn back to Him, they did not listen. So the Lord removes His protection over Israel and only Judah remains. Isaiah also warns Judah who is acting like a rebellious child – “Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward.” Isaiah says it is only by the grace of God that He hasn’t destroyed Judah like the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God destroyed earlier in the Patriarch Era (Genesis 19).

The Lord knows the people of Judah are performing religious ceremonies with wrong motives. God does not delight in the blood of animals but in the heart of the person bringing the sacrifice, the heart of someone who trusts in Him. Since their motives are wrong, God will no longer accept their offerings or prayers. The Lord calls Judah to repent. An evidence of their repentance will be how they treat one another –  “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” One of Jesus’ disciples, John, will also later say that our love for God is exhibited in our love for one another – “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).

We end the reading with the Lord giving Judah an invitation – “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword’; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 

The Lord offers cleansing and healing through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, who is coming later in this story to take on the stain of sin so that we may be washed clean. The invitation is open to all. Tomorrow we will hear more from Isaiah, so keep reading. (Isaiah 28:1-29, 2 Kings 17:5, 2 Kings 18:9-12, 2 Kings 17:6-41, Isaiah 1:1-20)