Isaiah 40 (résumé): Comfort for God's people

Isaiah 40 brings a total shift in emphasis, from now on to the end of the book, focusing on comfort and blessing rather than judgement and difficulties. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God", says Isaiah at the start. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem". (This chapter again reminds me of Handel's Messiah) "Every valley shall be raised up... the glory of the Lord will be revealed... the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever... the Sovereign Lord comes with power... he tends his flock like a shepherd... the nations are like a drop in a bucket... to whom will you compare God?... He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth... lift your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these?... do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God... he gives strength to the weary... those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength... they will walk and not faint"!

Isaiah 39 (résumé): Envoys from Babylon

 Isaiah 39 and 2 Kings 20:12-19 are virtually identical telling the story of Hezekiah receiving envoys from Babylon to whom he unwisely showed off all his treasures in his storehouses. Isaiah rebuked this telling him that one day everything he had showed off would be "carried off to Babylon"! Hezekiah was relieved that this would not occur during his lifetime.

Isaiah 38 (résumé): Hezekiah's illness

Isaiah 38 has parallels in 2 Kings 20 and 2 Chronicles 32. Some people incorrectly presume that the Book of Isaiah is situated on a timescale after 2 Kings/2 Chronicles owing to its position in the Bible, but this is not the case. The chapter tells the same story seen in Kings/Chronicles of King Hezekiah's terminal illness with a divine extension of 15 years given in answer to his prayer. This 15 year healing is confirmed by the solar sign: "The sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone". Hezekiah's response to his illness and recovery was: "In the prime of my life must I die?... like a weaver I have rolled up my life... my eyes grew weak... I am troubled Lord so please come to my aid... You restored me to health and let me live... for death cannot sing your praise... the living they praise you".

One decision

Last night's Men's Fellowship street service in São Mamede was led by school teacher Claudivan with Pastor Rafael preaching. At the end one man made a commitment to Christ. PTL!

Isaiah 37 (résumé): Jerusalem's deliverance foretold

 Isaiah 37 tells us about how King Hezekiah seeking God's help through the prophet Isaiah after the King of Assyria had lashed out "to ridicule the living God". Isaiah told Hezekiah not to fear the blasphemy because God had things under control and that the king of Assyria would go home and there be killed. Hezekiah placed Sennacherib's insulting letter before God and prayed: "O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God"! Then Isaiah spoke the words of the Lord: "You have lifted your eyes in pride against the Holy One of Israel... you have heaped insults on the Lord... you rage against me but I will put my hook in your nose... for out of Jerusalem will come a remnant... he (Sennacherib) will not enter this city... then the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrians... and when Sennacherib was in the temple of his god his sons came and killed him".

Isaiah 36 (résumé): Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem

 Isaiah 36 registers the invasion of Judah by king Sennacherib of Assyria in 701 BC. Sennacherib "attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them", and his field commander challenges King Hezekiah of Judah questioning his and Jerusalem's "strategy and military strength" as well as questioning Jerusalem's dependance on Egyptian support which he ridicules as being like a "splintered reed of a staff" which you certainly can't lean on! Then the field commander jests that Sennacherib's army is on a divine mission to defeat Judah and that Judah's god doesn't stand a chance! Then in a clear scare mongering tactic the commander speaks loudly in the language of the people banding about the Assyrian threats and humiliation. "Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you!... don't listen to Hezekiah... make peace with me... how can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?" And Hezekiah's leaders despaired! 

Half-way there!

I have completed the first half of the Book of Isaiah covering the first 33 chapters of its 66 total. This means I have now written the résumé of 60% of the Bible. The Book of Isaiah, the largest prophetic book in the Bible, is a collection of prophetic sayings about a variety of topics such as divine judgement, messianic hope and the holiness of God.