Isaiah 7 "Ahaz's Refusal"

“‘Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.’ But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!'” (vv.11-12)

God made an amazing offer through Isaiah to the wayward King Ahaz, He was basically saying, “Name it Ahaz! Anything you need to help you believe.” Ahaz’s response may seem polite at first reading; but when read carefully, we find that it is really an obstinate, headstrong refusal to make any agreement with God.

This chapter is a sharp, abrupt contrast between the disobedience of Ahaz, as he refused to submit to God, and the quick obedience of Isaiah in the preceding chapter. When the Lord called to Isaiah, he was instantly compliant saying, “Here am I! Send me” (Isa. 6:8). But King Ahaz was stubborn and refused to even respond to God’s offer. 

The point is that our heavenly Father is so gracious He was willing to be tested by an unbelieving king so He could reveal Himself to the king personally. God seeks a personal, intimate relationship with each of us in His creation. King Ahaz’s most famous ancestor, King David, wrote this about knowing God: “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man that trusts in Him!” (Ps. 34:8).

God invites each of us into an ever-growing, closer personal relationship with Him. We need only to humbly submit to His gracious offer through David to, "taste and see that the LORD is good,” and ask Him to show Himself to us in a personal way that we will understand.

"Here I am LORD, send me." (Isaiah 6:8)

Isaiah 6 “Woe Is Me”

“Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (v.5)

Here in chapter 6, Isaiah was given a vision of the God in heaven that few others have ever experienced. The prophet’s attention was immediately drawn to the throne where God rules in awe-inspiring majesty and holiness. He saw the angels surrounding the throne who eternally call out the reality of God’s holiness. In fact, over 600 years after Isaiah lived, John heard the same testimony in heaven: “Holy, holy, holy is the Last ord God Almighty” (Rev. 4:8)

Like Job, who was stunned by God’s awesome presence and responded; “Now that my eyes have seen you, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6), Isaiah was just as overwhelmed by his own sin and imperfections in the presence of a holy God. He felt unworthy both as an individual and as an Israelite in the sight of God.

But God showed mercy to Isaiah. And instead of consuming him with fire, He sent an angel to him with a live coal from the altar, which was before the LORD. The angel then touched Isaiah’s mouth with the burning coal to purify his unclean lips, that Isaiah might be cleansed of his sin and become a mouthpiece (prophet) of God to His people.

Confronted with such a vision, Isaiah saw without delusion his own sinfulness and unworthiness. All pride and pretense were stripped away. “Woe is me!” he cried out. “I am ruined!” And we all would be too, were it not for the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses a man from all sin. Hallelujah!

The Truth: “And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Isaiah 5 “The Vineyard”

“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; For righteousness, but found, a cry of distress.” (v.7)

Here in Isaiah 5 (and again in Ezekiel 15), we find Israel likened to a vineyard; the Lord is the gardener and caretaker. Consider the care of which God lavished on His vineyard, “His delight.” He chose a fertile hillside, rich in good soil; He cleared away stones and planted the best vines. Anticipating a good crop, He built a winepress to catch the grape juice and a watchtower to guard the harvest. But what was the harvest He gained for all His love and care? “Bad fruit” (v. 2).

What kind of fruit was the LORD expecting from His chosen people? “He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress” (v.7). In other words, Israel had been equipped to produce justice and righteousness: it had been chosen by God, delivered from oppression by His hand, given the law, and blessed with the tabernacle of God’s presence. But instead, Israel produced fruit that defied His careful cultivation. What a disappointment.

The application here is easy to see. We who are Christians have also been chosen by God, He has cleared away the stones and weeds in our lives, planted us in rich soil, watered us with His Word, and anticipates a good harvest from our lives. I pray that we do not disappoint.

The Truth: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48)

Isaiah 4 “The Branch”

“In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped.” (v.2)

The “day” referred to here in Isaiah’s prophecy is, the time of Jehovah’s judgments. The “Branch of the LORD,” or the growth of the LORD, is the first reference to a personal Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. He will come as the ornament and glory of His people. The “fruit of the earth” (Jesus – through death, burial, and resurrection), shall be excellent and desired by those who survived (the remnant) the great day, and become citizens of the restored Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

I pray that the eyes of many will be opened before the time of Jehovah's judgment. For He is a great and might God in whom their is no darkness, with whom sin has no quarter, justice and righteousness are with Him, and He will execute them with no partiality or mercy in that day.  

The Truth: “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. And in His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

Isaiah 3 “Abuse of Leadership”

"It is you who have ruined My vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.“  (vv.14-15)

Here the prophet Isaiah speaks the word of the LORD to the leadership of both Jerusalem and Judah. The leaders had turned away from the Law and obedience. They had become corrupt and led the people poorly. His main accusation is their lack of attention to the poor and the oppressed among them. The ways in which they had beaten them, and crushed their faces into the ground.

So, what will God do about these wicked leaders? “The Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; the elders and prominent men are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray” (Isaiah 9:14-16).

God is certainly disappointed in this kind of leadership and plans on judging it severely. Unfortunately for those in authority, they were about to find out themselves what being under oppression was all about, as they would soon be invaded by the Assyrian army (vv. 25-26). There is an old saying, "what goes around comes around." And if God's people are led astray, wow to the leadership.

Fortunately for us as Christians, we have an ultimate Ruler, a King, to whom possess all wisdom, power, and truth. One that guides us, and never leads us astray. The faithful and righteous, King of kings, The LORD Almighty! Amen.

The Truth: "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” (Isaiah 44:6)

Isaiah 2 "God's Universal Reign"

“The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it will come about that in the last days The mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains.” (vv.1-2)

After the indictment of the nation contained in the first chapter, there follows a prediction of the “ideal conditions” which will come to pass "in the latter days," that is, in the established Messianic Kingdom. This prophecy concerns the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem, which must be rebuilt before Jesus comes back to rule and reign there. At that time all nations of the world will flow into the city (v.2), there will be peace in Jerusalem (vv.2-3), weapons of war will be made into implements of peace (v.4b), and all shall enjoy the light and love of the LORD (v.5).

However, immediately after this appeal, the prophecy returns to a denunciation of the sad conditions existing at that time (vv.6-11). Then it continues with a declaration that in order to end them, and bring in the true order, "there shall be a day of Jehovah," a day of “reckoning," that will make the earth tremble (vv.12-21). Finally, at the end of this chapter, the prophet Isaiah warns the people (and us as well), at that time “Do not look to man, for why should he be esteemed?” Instead, look to the LORD, the King of kings and LORD of lords for His peace.

My prayer for each of you is, that you look to Jesus as your LORD and Savior before the wrath of His Father comes down upon a world that did not accept His Son. 

The Truth: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that day his plans perish.” (Psalm 146:3-4) 

Isaiah 1 "Let Us Reason"

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” (v.18)

Isaiah, whose name means “the Lord saves,” began his prophetic ministry in 740 B.C. Isaiah 1–39 of the book that bears his name was probably written around 701 B.C., with the remaining chapters finished in his later years. Its themes are numerous and include judgment, exile, rebellion, pride, salvation, holiness, justice, mercy, hope, the Messiah, and God’s sovereignty and kingdom. And, the New Testament quotes Isaiah more than all the other prophets combined!

The book opens with a charge of covenant-breaking against Israel. Like a child who rebels against a parent, the people—in particular the leaders—had forsaken the Lord. Though they followed the rituals of worship, their prayers and sacrifices were empty and meaningless.

Even so, the “Holy One of Israel”—a signature phrase of Isaiah—offered another chance for them to repent, to be forgiven, and avoid judgment and discipline (Isaiah 1:18, 27–28). To underline this hope, Isaiah also imparted a future vision of the entire world at peace under God’s rule (Isaiah 2:1–5).

Likewise, we too can backslide into a meaningless relationship with God. Our hypocritical worship, prayers, and sacrifices, can all be a smoke screen, an act from which we hide our sinful heart. But we too have a loving heavenly Father who desires to forgive us, and save us from our own destruction, if we would just repent of our foolish ways and “reason with Him.”

The Truth: “For the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7b)

John 21 "What Is That to You?"

Jesus said to him, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? Follow you me.” (v.22)

Here Jesus is teaching both Peter and us that our main business is to follow Him. That His disciples should mind their own calling, and not be curious about His future plans for others. So often we get concern about what God may have in store for other people. Even to the point of questioning, why. 

In this case Peter, after being told of the manner of death he would glorify God with, asked the LORD saying, "But LORD, what about him (John)?" In the text our LORD makes it clear that His plan for others should not concern us. And, if we attend to our duty of following Him, we shall find neither heart nor time to question that which does not involve us.

Therefore, keep your eyes on Jesus, give your attention to; His Word, His calling, exhorting and serving others, and exercising the gifts God has given you. For in doing that, you will have all you can handle.  

The Truth: "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:13-16)

John 20 "A Stronger Faith"

“Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (v.29)

Jesus here approves the faith of Thomas, but more highly commends the faith of those who believed without seeing. This blessing, given to those who believe in Him through the “Word” which He had spoken, included both the present and future the Church.  

Peter later says to those who believed, “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9). 

The lesson here for us is, true faith comes from the reliance upon the Word of God, and not on the eyes of man. For trusting in what one sees is not trust at all, it requires no faith. But relying on God's Word, even when we can not see the outcome, is evidence of a much "stronger faith."

The Truth

But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5)

John 19 "It Is Finished"

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (v.30)

Those who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus saw His hours of agony and heard Him cry out in a loud voice, “It is finished!” as He gave up His spirit (John 19:30). His final words from the cross were not a cry of painful defeat but of triumph, because He had accomplished all that the Father sent Him to do. In that deep darkness when God hid His face and could not look upon His Son, the rocks split, the veil ripped and the graves were opened (Matthew 27:51-52) and His work of salvation was complete.

Jesus died that we might live, He suffered that we might rejoice, He took our condemnation that we might have justification. His finished sacrificial work on the cross brought the gift of salvation to all. But His free gift must be accepted. One must believe in His death, burial and resurrection in order to become adoptive sons/daughters, and heirs to His kingdom.

The Truth: He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Revelation 21:6-8)

John 18 "What Is Truth?"

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.” (v.38)

This was the closest Pilate would come to life’s greatest discovery. The Roman politician had asked the right question of the right Person, and his answer was standing before him. But instead of falling to his knees in repentance, confession, and faith, he could only pass off the answer by concluding, “I find no fault in Him.”

Sooner or later, all of us find ourselves in Pilate’s position, where we must decide what to do with the Man who claims what no other can claim—that He is the truth. Millions of people down through the centuries have found Jesus’ life, His words, and His resurrection to be convincing evidence of His credibility. And they have concluded that knowing the truth must begin with a personal relationship with Christ.

Have you found the answer to life’s most important question? If not, consider Jesus’ statement in John 14:6.

The Truth

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

John 17 “A Prayer of Unity”

“I pray for these men. But I am also praying for all people that will believe in me because of the teaching of these men. Father, I pray that all people that believe in me can be one.” (v.20-21)

Here Jesus is not only praying for His disciples but, also for all those who would come to believe in Him through them. That includes you and me. He looked beyond this first generation of believers and saw those whom the gospel would reach around the world. His prayer for them and for us, is that we would be unified as one. That we would believe God sent Jesus to be the Savior of mankind. Not just to the Jews, but the gentiles as well.

Therefore brothers and sisters we are one in Jesus and should be united together in our service to Him in whatever He has called us to do.

The Truth: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

John 16 "Be Of Good Cheer"

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (v.33)

Here, hours before His crucifixion, Jesus has been reminding His disciples of all His previous assurances; His promises of peace, of courage, and victory over all the evil power of this world. Why? that they may find peace. He also reminds them that in this world (controlled by satin) they will have trials and tribulations and will be hated for His sake - persecuted, afflicted and tormented. But, He adds, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus did overcome the prince of this world by his death on the cross (John 12:31), vanquishing the great foe of man, and triumphed over all that would work to our ruin through His sinless life. And one day He is coming again to establish His kingdom here on earth, and His authority over all things as King of kings, and LORD of lords.

Therefore, be of good cheer!

The Truth
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:10-11)

John 15 "I Am The Vine"

“I am the vine, you are the branches: He that stays in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” (v.5)

Simply put Jesus is saying as long as we stay connected to Him (the vine), we (the branches) will remain spiritually nourished and bear fruit. But, break that connection and we will begin to spiritually wither and die, and like a broken branch, we will not blossom - bear fruit.

Staying in Jesus means digging into His Word and filling our hearts and minds with His nourishing truth. This strengthens our inner man and prepares us to share with others (as the spirit leads), feeding them from the fruit we have developed by abiding in Christ.

However, break that connection and we will be as useless as a fig tree without figs, or a grape vine without grapes. We can do nothing for Him because our witness, our testimony, our walk, has become lifeless, withered and unfruitful.

The Truth: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4)

John 14 "I Am The Way"

 “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.” (v.6)

Here Jesus is saying He is the way to heaven and all those who wish to go there, must come through Him. By His sacrifice, He became the way of salvation itself and there is no other name under heaven by which one can enter in.

Jesus is also declaring Himself to be the truth, meaning truth itself. He is the fulfillment of all the prophecies of the savior, the true way to eternal life purchased through His obedience to death, even the death of the cross. Furthermore,  Jesus is life, both the principle source of life, and life in the future world. He is the author and giver of life; natural, spiritual, and eternal.

Finally, He is the only way of access to the Father. There is no coming to God on our own merit or without a mediator. Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and there is no coming to the Father but by Him.

The Truth: "I Am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Mw, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)

John 13 "Love One Another"

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (v.35)

Jesus spoke of love often during His ministry, encouraging all His followers to: 1) "Love the Lord their God with all their heart, all their soul and all their mind" (Matthew 22:31); 2) "Love your neighbor as yourselves" (Matthew 22:39); and even to 3) "Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44).
Now Jesus is giving His disciples a new commandment to, "love one another." Therefore, in light of Jesus's teachings (which His disciples bore witness to), this seems like a very strange command. Why would He feel the need to say this? The first part of our text gives us the answer, "All will know that you are My disciples, IF you have love for one another."

Love is the ID card of the Christian. It is the outward sign to those around us that we identify with Him. The Apostle Paul describes this kind of brotherly love in first letter to the Corinthians, "Love like this suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

This is the type of love which allows us to have peace in the middle of the storms and trials of life. This kind of love binds us together and draws others to it. May your life be marked with His love for others.

The Truth
"For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." (1 John 3:11)

John 12 "Lazarus, Living Proof"

“But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.” (vv.10-11)

The chief priests were for the most part Sadducees (Acts 5:11) Their hostile attitude is shown in that, while no charge is brought against Lazarus, they took counsel on how they might kill him, and watched for their opportunity. Why? because his life was a living witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ and a denial of their own doctrine, that there is no resurrection (Acts 23:8). 

During this time many Jews were coming to Bethany, not only because Jesus was there but, to see the risen Lazarus as well. What a testimony he must have had. The truths he must have spoken giving honor and glory to God. As a result, Christ’s followers were increasing while the priests and Pharisees followers were decreasing. Therefore, they consulted to take the life of Lazarus and Jesus as well, to preserve their positions.

Today there are those who are consulting to kill the Gospel, trying to legislate God out of existence. But your changed life, your resurrected soul, can be a living witness to the power of the gospel. And like Lazarus, you can bring many to Christ by sharing your testimony of what God has done for you. 

The Truth

“For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16)