Is a great difference between the covenants exemplified by circumcision of the heart? Is lying all too common today? Let’s look at Jeremiah 9.
Did Jeremiah want to weep for his people? Were they treacherous lying adulterers?
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men. They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord. (Jer 9:1-3 ESV)
Could anybody trust anyone else to tell the truth? Is deception far too prevalent in our land?
Everyone has to be on guard against his friend. Don’t trust any brother, for every brother will certainly deceive, and every friend spread slander. Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to speak lies; they wear themselves out doing wrong. You live in a world of deception. In their deception they refuse to know Me. This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 9:4-6 HCSB)
Should God test and punish a nation that lies and sets traps for each other?
Therefore, this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “Look, I’m about to refine and test them. Because they’re my people, what else can I do? Their tongue is a deadly arrow that speaks deceit. With his mouth a person says, ‘Peace,’ to his friend, but inwardly he sets a trap for him. Should I not punish them for these things?” asks the Lord, “and should I not avenge myself on a nation like this?” (Jer 9:7-9 ISV)
What kind of punishment will God send to a nation filled with lies and deception?
For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone. And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. (Jer 9:10-11 KJV)
Had the nation also ignored God’s voice and engaged in idol worship?
Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of Yahweh has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished, turned into ruin like a desert, so that no one passes through? Yahweh said, “Because they have forsaken My law, which I set before them, and have not listened to My voice nor walked according to it, but have walked after the stubbornness of their heart and after the Baals, as their fathers taught them,” therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink. I will scatter them among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them until I have consumed them.” (Jer 9:12-16 LSB)
Was the nation put to great shame? Would corpses of people fall like dung?
This is what the Lord of armies says: “Consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come; And send for the skillful women, that they may come! Have them hurry and take up a wailing for us, So that our eyes may shed tears, And our eyelids flow with water. For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! We are put to great shame, For we have abandoned the land Because they have torn down our homes.’”
Now hear the word of the Lord, you women, And let your ears receive the word of His mouth; Teach your daughters wailing, And have every woman teach her neighbor a song of mourning. For death has come up through our windows; It has entered our palaces To eliminate the children from the streets, The young men from the public squares. Speak, “This is what the Lord says: ‘The corpses of people will fall like dung on the open field, And like the sheaf after the reaper, But no one will gather them.’” (Jer 9:17-22 NASB)
What does the Lord say about national boasting, kindness, justice and righteousness?
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. (Jer 9:23-24 NIV)
What does God say about circumcision of the flesh without circumcision of the heart? Is this also emphasized in the new covenant?
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh—Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.” (Jer 9:25-26 NIV)
What does Paul say about being a Jew inwardly and circumcision of the heart?
but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. (Rom 2:29 NKJV)
Is a great difference between the covenants exemplified by circumcision of the heart? Is lying all too common today? You decide!
Weeping for the Nation (Jeremiah 8)
How foolish was it for ancient Judah to ignore God’s message? How foolish is it for us? Let’s look at Jeremiah 8.
Will even the bones of deceased leaders of Judah be dishonored because of their idolatry?
“At that time,” declares the Lord, “they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its leaders, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves. They will spread them out to the sun, the moon, and to all the heavenly lights, which they have loved, which they have served, which they have followed, which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered nor buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground. And death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them,” declares the Lord of armies. (Jer 8:1-3 NASB)
Why do people fall away from God? What do they cling to instead of repenting?
“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return? Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle. Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord. (Jer 8:4-7 NIV)
Is covetous materialism a form of idolatry? Do they even know how to blush? Do the people proclaim peace when there is none?
“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; So what wisdom do they have? Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed, Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; In the time of their punishment They shall be cast down,” says the Lord. (Jer 8:8-12 NKJV)
What happens to the blessings God gave to a people who became unfaithful?
I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the Lord, have spoken!’
“Then the people will say, ‘Why should we wait here to die? Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there. For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction and has given us a cup of poison to drink because we sinned against the Lord. We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.’ ” (Jer 8:13-15 NLT)
Do the people in the north begin to hear the snorting of enemy battle horses, an impending punishment of the Lord?
“The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein. For, behold, I will send serpents, adders among you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says Yahweh. (Jer 8:16-17 WEB)
Because of their sins, worshiping useless foreign idols, will healing come or only grief?
No healing, only grief; my heart is broken. Listen to the weeping of my people all across the land: “Isn’t the Lord in Zion? Is her king no longer there?” Why then did they anger me with their images, with pointless foreign gods? “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, yet we aren’t saved.” Because my people are crushed, I am crushed; darkness and despair overwhelm me. (Jer 8:18-21 CEB)
Do both God and His prophet mourn over the nation’s wound, and lack of a healing balm?
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored? (Jer 8:22 ESV)
Is God’s message still spurned by moderns as it was in ancient Judah?
The message about the cross doesn't make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God's power at work. As God says in the Scriptures, “I will destroy the wisdom of all who claim to be wise. I will confuse those who think they know so much.” What happened to those wise people? What happened to those experts in the Scriptures? What happened to the ones who think they have all the answers? Didn't God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish? (1 Cor 1:18-20 CEV)
How foolish was it for ancient Judah to ignore God’s message? How foolish is it for us? You decide!
Will even the bones of deceased leaders of Judah be dishonored because of their idolatry?
“At that time,” declares the Lord, “they will bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its leaders, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves. They will spread them out to the sun, the moon, and to all the heavenly lights, which they have loved, which they have served, which they have followed, which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered nor buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground. And death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them,” declares the Lord of armies. (Jer 8:1-3 NASB)
Why do people fall away from God? What do they cling to instead of repenting?
“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return? Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle. Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord. (Jer 8:4-7 NIV)
Is covetous materialism a form of idolatry? Do they even know how to blush? Do the people proclaim peace when there is none?
“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; So what wisdom do they have? Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed, Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; In the time of their punishment They shall be cast down,” says the Lord. (Jer 8:8-12 NKJV)
What happens to the blessings God gave to a people who became unfaithful?
I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the Lord, have spoken!’
“Then the people will say, ‘Why should we wait here to die? Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there. For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction and has given us a cup of poison to drink because we sinned against the Lord. We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.’ ” (Jer 8:13-15 NLT)
Do the people in the north begin to hear the snorting of enemy battle horses, an impending punishment of the Lord?
“The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein. For, behold, I will send serpents, adders among you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says Yahweh. (Jer 8:16-17 WEB)
Because of their sins, worshiping useless foreign idols, will healing come or only grief?
No healing, only grief; my heart is broken. Listen to the weeping of my people all across the land: “Isn’t the Lord in Zion? Is her king no longer there?” Why then did they anger me with their images, with pointless foreign gods? “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, yet we aren’t saved.” Because my people are crushed, I am crushed; darkness and despair overwhelm me. (Jer 8:18-21 CEB)
Do both God and His prophet mourn over the nation’s wound, and lack of a healing balm?
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored? (Jer 8:22 ESV)
Is God’s message still spurned by moderns as it was in ancient Judah?
The message about the cross doesn't make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God's power at work. As God says in the Scriptures, “I will destroy the wisdom of all who claim to be wise. I will confuse those who think they know so much.” What happened to those wise people? What happened to those experts in the Scriptures? What happened to the ones who think they have all the answers? Didn't God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish? (1 Cor 1:18-20 CEV)
How foolish was it for ancient Judah to ignore God’s message? How foolish is it for us? You decide!
Lying Religion (Jeremiah 7)
How many lies that are not found in the Bible do we believe? Let’s look at Jeremiah 7.
Was the worship of the Lord being misused to defend absolute lies?
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord!’ ” Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’ (Jer 7:1-4 NKJV)
What did God really want to see change in people’s thoughts and deeds?
But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. (Jer 7:5-7 NLT)
Is any part of our personal beliefs based upon lies, things that neither Jesus nor the apostles taught?
Behold, you trust in lying words that can’t profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered,’ that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it,” says Yahweh. (Jer 7:8-11 WEB)
Did God tolerate sin and corruption among His people in the past?
Just go to my sanctuary in Shiloh, where I let my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. And now, because you have done all these things, declares the Lord, because you haven’t listened when I spoke to you again and again or responded when I called you, I will do to this temple that bears my name and on which you rely, the place that I gave to you and your ancestors, just as I did to Shiloh. I will cast you out of my sight, just as I cast out the rest of your family, all the people of Ephraim. (Jer 7:12-15 CEB)
Specifically, did God tolerate the worship of foreign gods or was He angry?
Jeremiah, don't pray for these people! I, the Lord, would refuse to listen. Do you see what the people of Judah are doing in their towns and in the streets of Jerusalem? Children gather firewood, their fathers build fires, and their mothers mix dough to bake bread for the goddess they call the Queen of Heaven. They even offer wine sacrifices to other gods, just to insult me. But they are not only insulting me; they are also harming themselves by doing these shameful things.
And now, I, the Lord All-Powerful, will flood Judah with my fiery anger until nothing is left—no people or animals, no trees or crops. (Jer 7:16-20 CEV)
Had each successive generation only gotten worse in the nation? What would God say about our current generations?
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. (Jer 7:21-26 ESV)
Will our current generation listen to a preacher of God’s word any better than that generation?
When you speak all these things to them, they will not listen to you. When you call to them, they will not answer you. You must therefore declare to them: This is the nation that would not listen to the voice of the Lord their God and would not accept discipline. Truth has perished—it has disappeared from their mouths. Cut off the hair of your sacred vow and throw it away. Raise up a dirge on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned the generation under His wrath. (Jer 7:27-29 HCSB)
What had Judah done in the house of God, the Temple in Jerusalem? What abominable things were they doing with their own children?
“For the people of Judah have done evil in my eyes,” declares the Lord. “They have put their detestable idols in the house that is called by my name in order to defile it. They have built high places at Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I didn’t command this, and it never entered my mind! (Jer 7:30-31 ISV)
What punishment will God bring to Jerusalem because they sacrificed their children to pagan gods?
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. (Jer 7:32-34 KJV)
Did Jesus also speak against another later misuse of the Temple in Jerusalem?
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” (Mark 11:17 LSB)
How many lies that are not found in the Bible do we believe? You decide!
Was the worship of the Lord being misused to defend absolute lies?
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord!’ ” Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.’ (Jer 7:1-4 NKJV)
What did God really want to see change in people’s thoughts and deeds?
But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. (Jer 7:5-7 NLT)
Is any part of our personal beliefs based upon lies, things that neither Jesus nor the apostles taught?
Behold, you trust in lying words that can’t profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered,’ that you may do all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it,” says Yahweh. (Jer 7:8-11 WEB)
Did God tolerate sin and corruption among His people in the past?
Just go to my sanctuary in Shiloh, where I let my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. And now, because you have done all these things, declares the Lord, because you haven’t listened when I spoke to you again and again or responded when I called you, I will do to this temple that bears my name and on which you rely, the place that I gave to you and your ancestors, just as I did to Shiloh. I will cast you out of my sight, just as I cast out the rest of your family, all the people of Ephraim. (Jer 7:12-15 CEB)
Specifically, did God tolerate the worship of foreign gods or was He angry?
Jeremiah, don't pray for these people! I, the Lord, would refuse to listen. Do you see what the people of Judah are doing in their towns and in the streets of Jerusalem? Children gather firewood, their fathers build fires, and their mothers mix dough to bake bread for the goddess they call the Queen of Heaven. They even offer wine sacrifices to other gods, just to insult me. But they are not only insulting me; they are also harming themselves by doing these shameful things.
And now, I, the Lord All-Powerful, will flood Judah with my fiery anger until nothing is left—no people or animals, no trees or crops. (Jer 7:16-20 CEV)
Had each successive generation only gotten worse in the nation? What would God say about our current generations?
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. (Jer 7:21-26 ESV)
Will our current generation listen to a preacher of God’s word any better than that generation?
When you speak all these things to them, they will not listen to you. When you call to them, they will not answer you. You must therefore declare to them: This is the nation that would not listen to the voice of the Lord their God and would not accept discipline. Truth has perished—it has disappeared from their mouths. Cut off the hair of your sacred vow and throw it away. Raise up a dirge on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned the generation under His wrath. (Jer 7:27-29 HCSB)
What had Judah done in the house of God, the Temple in Jerusalem? What abominable things were they doing with their own children?
“For the people of Judah have done evil in my eyes,” declares the Lord. “They have put their detestable idols in the house that is called by my name in order to defile it. They have built high places at Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I didn’t command this, and it never entered my mind! (Jer 7:30-31 ISV)
What punishment will God bring to Jerusalem because they sacrificed their children to pagan gods?
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. (Jer 7:32-34 KJV)
Did Jesus also speak against another later misuse of the Temple in Jerusalem?
And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” (Mark 11:17 LSB)
How many lies that are not found in the Bible do we believe? You decide!
A Warning Ignored (Jeremiah 6)
How frustrating must it have been for a prophet to be just laughed at instead of taken seriously? Does the world still ignore the warnings in the Bible? Let’s look at Jeremiah 6.
What warning about Jerusalem and nearby localities did Jeremiah give?
Run for your lives, people of Benjamin. Get out of Jerusalem. Sound a trumpet in Tekoa and light a signal fire in Beth-Haccherem. Soon you will be struck by disaster from the north. Jerusalem is a lovely pasture, but shepherds will surround it and divided up, then let their flocks eat all the grass. Kings will tell their troops, “If we reach Jerusalem in the morning, we'll attack at noon. But if we arrive later, we'll attack after dark and destroy its fortresses.” (Jer 6:1-5 CEV)
Why was God disgusted with Jerusalem as a city that must be punished?
For thus says the Lord of hosts: “Cut down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her. As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her evil; violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are ever before me. Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.” (Jer 6:6-8 ESV)
Would the people listen to such a warning? Would we listen today?
This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine. Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer over the branches. Who can I speak to and give such a warning that they will listen? Look, their ear is uncircumcised, so they cannot pay attention. See, the word of the Lord has become contemptible to them—they find no pleasure in it. But I am full of the Lord’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. Pour it out on the children in the street, on the gang of young men as well. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old with the very old. Their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well, for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land. This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 6:9-12 HCSB)
What are some of the specific faults of the inhabitants of Jerusalem?
“Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they’re all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully. They treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace. Were they ashamed because they did what was repugnant to God? They were not ashamed at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore they’ll fall with those who fall. When I punish them, they’ll be brought down,” says the Lord. (Jer 6:13-15 ISV)
Are religious sacrifices without a change of heart useless?
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. (Jer 6:16-21 KJV)
Because of their sins, was a foreign invasion from the north predicted?
Thus says Yahweh, “Behold, a people is coming from the land of the north, And a great nation will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth. They take hold of bow and spear; They are cruel and have no compassion; Their voice roars like the sea, And they ride on horses, Arranged as a man for the battle Against you, O daughter of Zion!” We have heard the report of it; Our hands are limp. Distress has taken hold of us, Pain as of a woman in childbirth.
Do not go out into the field And do not walk on the road, For the enemy has a sword; Terror is on every side. O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us. (Jer 6:22-26 LSB)
Like an assayer of metal being refined, does Jeremiah reject the quality of his own nation?
“I have made you an assayer and an examiner among My people, So that you may know and put their way to the test.” All of them are stubbornly rebellious, Going about as a slanderer; They are bronze and iron. They are, all of them, corrupt. The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed by the fire; In vain the refining goes on, But the wicked are not separated. They call them rejected silver, Because the Lord has rejected them. (Jer 6:27-30 NASB)
Did Jesus echo verse 16 by promising rest for our souls in Him? Because Jesus gave no Sabbath command, is this a transformation of that law into the Spirit of the law?
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Mat 11:29 NIV)
How frustrating must it have been for a prophet to be just laughed at instead of taken seriously? Does the world still ignore the warnings in the Bible? You decide!
What warning about Jerusalem and nearby localities did Jeremiah give?
Run for your lives, people of Benjamin. Get out of Jerusalem. Sound a trumpet in Tekoa and light a signal fire in Beth-Haccherem. Soon you will be struck by disaster from the north. Jerusalem is a lovely pasture, but shepherds will surround it and divided up, then let their flocks eat all the grass. Kings will tell their troops, “If we reach Jerusalem in the morning, we'll attack at noon. But if we arrive later, we'll attack after dark and destroy its fortresses.” (Jer 6:1-5 CEV)
Why was God disgusted with Jerusalem as a city that must be punished?
For thus says the Lord of hosts: “Cut down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her. As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her evil; violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are ever before me. Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.” (Jer 6:6-8 ESV)
Would the people listen to such a warning? Would we listen today?
This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine. Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer over the branches. Who can I speak to and give such a warning that they will listen? Look, their ear is uncircumcised, so they cannot pay attention. See, the word of the Lord has become contemptible to them—they find no pleasure in it. But I am full of the Lord’s wrath; I am tired of holding it back. Pour it out on the children in the street, on the gang of young men as well. For both husband and wife will be captured, the old with the very old. Their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and wives as well, for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land. This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 6:9-12 HCSB)
What are some of the specific faults of the inhabitants of Jerusalem?
“Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they’re all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully. They treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace. Were they ashamed because they did what was repugnant to God? They were not ashamed at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore they’ll fall with those who fall. When I punish them, they’ll be brought down,” says the Lord. (Jer 6:13-15 ISV)
Are religious sacrifices without a change of heart useless?
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. (Jer 6:16-21 KJV)
Because of their sins, was a foreign invasion from the north predicted?
Thus says Yahweh, “Behold, a people is coming from the land of the north, And a great nation will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth. They take hold of bow and spear; They are cruel and have no compassion; Their voice roars like the sea, And they ride on horses, Arranged as a man for the battle Against you, O daughter of Zion!” We have heard the report of it; Our hands are limp. Distress has taken hold of us, Pain as of a woman in childbirth.
Do not go out into the field And do not walk on the road, For the enemy has a sword; Terror is on every side. O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us. (Jer 6:22-26 LSB)
Like an assayer of metal being refined, does Jeremiah reject the quality of his own nation?
“I have made you an assayer and an examiner among My people, So that you may know and put their way to the test.” All of them are stubbornly rebellious, Going about as a slanderer; They are bronze and iron. They are, all of them, corrupt. The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed by the fire; In vain the refining goes on, But the wicked are not separated. They call them rejected silver, Because the Lord has rejected them. (Jer 6:27-30 NASB)
Did Jesus echo verse 16 by promising rest for our souls in Him? Because Jesus gave no Sabbath command, is this a transformation of that law into the Spirit of the law?
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Mat 11:29 NIV)
How frustrating must it have been for a prophet to be just laughed at instead of taken seriously? Does the world still ignore the warnings in the Bible? You decide!
Search for Justice (Jeremiah 5)
Why is justice so hard to find in our world? Let’s look at Jeremiah 5.
What kind of person was God looking for in the streets of Jerusalem?
“Wander through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and investigate; search through her squares and see whether you find anyone—even one person there—doing justice and seeking truth. Then I’ll forgive them. Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.” (Jer 5:1-2 ISV)
Did God realize that some people refused to receive any correction from Him?
O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. (Jer 5:3-5 KJV)
Will God just sit by while people have forsaken Him and not punish them?
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down; A wolf of the deserts will devastate them; A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces Because their transgressions are many; Their acts of faithlessness are mighty. “Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods. I had satisfied them to the full, Then they committed adultery And trooped to the harlot’s house. They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife. Shall I not punish these people,” declares Yahweh, “And on a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself? (Jer 5:6-9 LSB)
Have the house of Israel and the house of Judah both dealt very treacherously with the Lord?
“Go up through her vine rows and destroy, But do not execute a complete destruction; Strip away her branches, For they are not the Lord’s. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord. They have lied about the Lord And said, “Not He; Misfortune will not come upon us, Nor will we see sword or famine. The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. So it will be done to them!” (Jer 5:10-13 NASB)
Would God bring a distant nation against Israel to devour and destroy?
Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says: “Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes. People of Israel,” declares the Lord, “I am bringing a distant nation against you—an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand. Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors. They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust. (Jer 5:14-17 NIV)
As they served foreign gods at home, would they serve foreigners in another land?
“Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not make a complete end of you. And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’ (Jer 5:18-19 NKJV)
What did God explain to Israel and Judah was the cause of their punishments?
“Make this announcement to Israel, and say this to Judah: Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear. Have you no respect for me? Why don’t you tremble in my presence? I, the Lord, define the ocean’s sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set. But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’ Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things. (Jer 5:20-25 NLT)
Are wicked and deceitful men found among God’s people who have grown rich? Are even the prophets and priests crooks?
For wicked men are found among my people. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich. They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t defend the rights of the needy. “Shouldn’t I punish for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? “An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it? (Jer 5:26-31 WEB)
Because Israel refused to listen to God, what kind of spirit and eyes did He give them?
As it is written, God gave them a dull spirit, so that their eyes would not see and their ears not hear, right up until the present day. (Rom 11:8 CEB)
Why is justice so hard to find in our world? You decide!
What kind of person was God looking for in the streets of Jerusalem?
“Wander through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and investigate; search through her squares and see whether you find anyone—even one person there—doing justice and seeking truth. Then I’ll forgive them. Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.” (Jer 5:1-2 ISV)
Did God realize that some people refused to receive any correction from Him?
O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. (Jer 5:3-5 KJV)
Will God just sit by while people have forsaken Him and not punish them?
Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down; A wolf of the deserts will devastate them; A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces Because their transgressions are many; Their acts of faithlessness are mighty. “Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods. I had satisfied them to the full, Then they committed adultery And trooped to the harlot’s house. They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife. Shall I not punish these people,” declares Yahweh, “And on a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself? (Jer 5:6-9 LSB)
Have the house of Israel and the house of Judah both dealt very treacherously with the Lord?
“Go up through her vine rows and destroy, But do not execute a complete destruction; Strip away her branches, For they are not the Lord’s. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord. They have lied about the Lord And said, “Not He; Misfortune will not come upon us, Nor will we see sword or famine. The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. So it will be done to them!” (Jer 5:10-13 NASB)
Would God bring a distant nation against Israel to devour and destroy?
Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says: “Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes. People of Israel,” declares the Lord, “I am bringing a distant nation against you—an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand. Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors. They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust. (Jer 5:14-17 NIV)
As they served foreign gods at home, would they serve foreigners in another land?
“Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not make a complete end of you. And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’ (Jer 5:18-19 NKJV)
What did God explain to Israel and Judah was the cause of their punishments?
“Make this announcement to Israel, and say this to Judah: Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear. Have you no respect for me? Why don’t you tremble in my presence? I, the Lord, define the ocean’s sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set. But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’ Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things. (Jer 5:20-25 NLT)
Are wicked and deceitful men found among God’s people who have grown rich? Are even the prophets and priests crooks?
For wicked men are found among my people. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich. They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t defend the rights of the needy. “Shouldn’t I punish for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? “An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it? (Jer 5:26-31 WEB)
Because Israel refused to listen to God, what kind of spirit and eyes did He give them?
As it is written, God gave them a dull spirit, so that their eyes would not see and their ears not hear, right up until the present day. (Rom 11:8 CEB)
Why is justice so hard to find in our world? You decide!
A Lament (Jeremiah 4)
Does God lament the sins of every nation? Let’s look at Jeremiah 4.
Does God ask of every nation the same as Israel, for truth, justice and righteousness?
“If you will return, Israel,” declares the Lord, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detestable things from My presence, And will not waver, And if you will swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ In truth, in justice, and in righteousness; Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they will boast.” (Jer 4:1-2 NASB)
Does God ask of every nation the same as Judah, circumcision of the heart?
This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it. (Jer 4:3-4 NIV)
What punishment would come from the north for their many sins?
Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry, ‘Gather together,’ And say, ‘Assemble yourselves, And let us go into the fortified cities.’ Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction.”
The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant. For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the Lord Has not turned back from us. (Jer 4:5-8 NKJV)
Did the people not realize that God’s promise of peace was conditional upon faithfulness? Does judgment come upon any nation that will not repent of evils?
“In that day,” says the Lord, “the king and the officials will tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be appalled.” Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!”
The time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, “My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain. It is a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!” (Jer 4:9-12 NLT)
Is God’s request to wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved, applicable to all nations?
Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined. Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you? For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim: “Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah. As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says Yahweh. “Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.” (Jer 4:13-18 WEB)
How long can a nation allow sin to flourish before disaster follows disaster?
Oh, my suffering, my suffering! My pain is unbearable; my heart is in turmoil; it throbs nonstop. I can’t be silent, because I hear the blast of the trumpet and the roar of the battle cry! Disaster follows disaster; the whole land is ruined. Suddenly, my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment. How long must I see the battle flags and hear the blast of the trumpet? (Jer 4:19-21 CEB)
What happens to people that foolishly ignore God? Is all they know how to sin?
I heard the Lord say, “My people ignore me. They are foolish children who do not understand that they will be punished. All they know is how to sin.” After this, I looked around. The earth was barren, with no form of life. The sun, moon, and stars had disappeared. The mountains were shaking; no people could be seen, and all the birds had flown away. Farmland had become a desert, and towns were in ruins. The Lord's fierce anger had done all of this. (Jer 4:22-26 CEV)
Why is the whole land desolate, forsaken, fainting before murderers?
For thus says the Lord, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”
At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them. And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.” (Jer 4:27-31 ESV)
Does the New Testament also indicate a circumcision of the heart? Does this point to a transformation of the law under the new covenant?
On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That man’s praise is not from men but from God. (Rom 2:29 HCSB)
Does God lament the sins of every nation? You decide!
Does God ask of every nation the same as Israel, for truth, justice and righteousness?
“If you will return, Israel,” declares the Lord, “Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away your detestable things from My presence, And will not waver, And if you will swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ In truth, in justice, and in righteousness; Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they will boast.” (Jer 4:1-2 NASB)
Does God ask of every nation the same as Judah, circumcision of the heart?
This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it. (Jer 4:3-4 NIV)
What punishment would come from the north for their many sins?
Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry, ‘Gather together,’ And say, ‘Assemble yourselves, And let us go into the fortified cities.’ Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction.”
The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant. For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the Lord Has not turned back from us. (Jer 4:5-8 NKJV)
Did the people not realize that God’s promise of peace was conditional upon faithfulness? Does judgment come upon any nation that will not repent of evils?
“In that day,” says the Lord, “the king and the officials will tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be appalled.” Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!”
The time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, “My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain. It is a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!” (Jer 4:9-12 NLT)
Is God’s request to wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved, applicable to all nations?
Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined. Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you? For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim: “Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah. As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says Yahweh. “Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.” (Jer 4:13-18 WEB)
How long can a nation allow sin to flourish before disaster follows disaster?
Oh, my suffering, my suffering! My pain is unbearable; my heart is in turmoil; it throbs nonstop. I can’t be silent, because I hear the blast of the trumpet and the roar of the battle cry! Disaster follows disaster; the whole land is ruined. Suddenly, my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment. How long must I see the battle flags and hear the blast of the trumpet? (Jer 4:19-21 CEB)
What happens to people that foolishly ignore God? Is all they know how to sin?
I heard the Lord say, “My people ignore me. They are foolish children who do not understand that they will be punished. All they know is how to sin.” After this, I looked around. The earth was barren, with no form of life. The sun, moon, and stars had disappeared. The mountains were shaking; no people could be seen, and all the birds had flown away. Farmland had become a desert, and towns were in ruins. The Lord's fierce anger had done all of this. (Jer 4:22-26 CEV)
Why is the whole land desolate, forsaken, fainting before murderers?
For thus says the Lord, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”
At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them. And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.” (Jer 4:27-31 ESV)
Does the New Testament also indicate a circumcision of the heart? Does this point to a transformation of the law under the new covenant?
On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That man’s praise is not from men but from God. (Rom 2:29 HCSB)
Does God lament the sins of every nation? You decide!
World Repentance (Jeremiah 3)
Does God’s plan include the repentance of people from Israel, Judah and all nations? Let’s look at Jeremiah 3.
What use was Israel asking God for mercy without repentance?
If a man divorces his wife, and after she leaves him marries another, can he return to her again? Wouldn’t such an act completely corrupt the land? Yet you have prostituted yourself with many lovers. Would you return to me? declares the Lord. Look to the well-traveled paths and see! Where haven’t you committed adultery? On the roadsides you sit in wait for lovers, like a nomad in the wilderness. You have corrupted the land with your cheap and reckless behavior. That’s why the showers have failed and the spring rains have ceased. Still you act like a brazen prostitute who refuses to blush. At the same time you say to me, “My father, my friend since youth, will you stay angry forever? Will you continue to be furious?” This is what you say while you do as much evil as you possibly can. (Jer 3:1-5 CEB)
Did God lament the unfaithfulness of both Israel and Judah?
When Josiah was king, the Lord said: Jeremiah, the kingdom of Israel was like an unfaithful wife who became a prostitute on the hilltops and in the shade of large trees. I knew that the kingdom of Israel had been unfaithful and committed many sins, yet I still hoped she might come back to me. But she didn't, so I divorced her and sent her away.
Her sister, the kingdom of Judah, saw what happened, but she wasn't worried in the least, and I watched her become unfaithful like her sister. The kingdom of Judah wasn't sorry for being a prostitute, and she didn't care that she had made both herself and the land unclean by worshiping idols of stone and wood. And worst of all, the people of Judah pretended to come back to me. (Jer 3:6-10 CEV)
What does God declare to the northern ten tribes of Israel about returning to Him?
And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. (Jer 3:11-14 ESV)
What does God predict about the ark of the covenant, Jerusalem and all nations?
“I will give you shepherds who are loyal to Me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. When you multiply and increase in the land, in those days”—the Lord’s declaration—“no one will say any longer, ‘The ark of the Lord’s covenant.’ It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. It will never again be made. At that time Jerusalem will be called, Yahweh’s Throne, and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh in Jerusalem. They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit.” (Jer 3:15-18 HCSB)
How does God speak to them about His heart’s true desire? What is His appeal?
“I said, ‘How I wanted to treat you like children, and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of the nations.’ I said, ‘You will call me, my father, and won’t turn back from following me.’ Instead, like an unfaithful wife leaves her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, house of Israel,” declares the Lord. A voice is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the children of Israel because they have perverted their way. They have forgotten the Lord their God. “Turn back, unfaithful people, and I’ll heal your unfaithfulness.” (Jer 3:19-22a ISV)
What does God predict the nation will say in repentance, as they return to God?
Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. (Jer 3:22b-25 KJV)
Will all the nations eventually be gathered to the name of God and adopted?
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15 LSB)
Does God’s plan include the repentance of people from Israel, Judah and all nations? You decide!
What use was Israel asking God for mercy without repentance?
If a man divorces his wife, and after she leaves him marries another, can he return to her again? Wouldn’t such an act completely corrupt the land? Yet you have prostituted yourself with many lovers. Would you return to me? declares the Lord. Look to the well-traveled paths and see! Where haven’t you committed adultery? On the roadsides you sit in wait for lovers, like a nomad in the wilderness. You have corrupted the land with your cheap and reckless behavior. That’s why the showers have failed and the spring rains have ceased. Still you act like a brazen prostitute who refuses to blush. At the same time you say to me, “My father, my friend since youth, will you stay angry forever? Will you continue to be furious?” This is what you say while you do as much evil as you possibly can. (Jer 3:1-5 CEB)
Did God lament the unfaithfulness of both Israel and Judah?
When Josiah was king, the Lord said: Jeremiah, the kingdom of Israel was like an unfaithful wife who became a prostitute on the hilltops and in the shade of large trees. I knew that the kingdom of Israel had been unfaithful and committed many sins, yet I still hoped she might come back to me. But she didn't, so I divorced her and sent her away.
Her sister, the kingdom of Judah, saw what happened, but she wasn't worried in the least, and I watched her become unfaithful like her sister. The kingdom of Judah wasn't sorry for being a prostitute, and she didn't care that she had made both herself and the land unclean by worshiping idols of stone and wood. And worst of all, the people of Judah pretended to come back to me. (Jer 3:6-10 CEV)
What does God declare to the northern ten tribes of Israel about returning to Him?
And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. (Jer 3:11-14 ESV)
What does God predict about the ark of the covenant, Jerusalem and all nations?
“I will give you shepherds who are loyal to Me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. When you multiply and increase in the land, in those days”—the Lord’s declaration—“no one will say any longer, ‘The ark of the Lord’s covenant.’ It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. It will never again be made. At that time Jerusalem will be called, Yahweh’s Throne, and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the name of Yahweh in Jerusalem. They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit.” (Jer 3:15-18 HCSB)
How does God speak to them about His heart’s true desire? What is His appeal?
“I said, ‘How I wanted to treat you like children, and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of the nations.’ I said, ‘You will call me, my father, and won’t turn back from following me.’ Instead, like an unfaithful wife leaves her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, house of Israel,” declares the Lord. A voice is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the children of Israel because they have perverted their way. They have forgotten the Lord their God. “Turn back, unfaithful people, and I’ll heal your unfaithfulness.” (Jer 3:19-22a ISV)
What does God predict the nation will say in repentance, as they return to God?
Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. (Jer 3:22b-25 KJV)
Will all the nations eventually be gathered to the name of God and adopted?
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Rom 8:15 LSB)
Does God’s plan include the repentance of people from Israel, Judah and all nations? You decide!
Broken Cisterns (Jeremiah 2)
Have we forsaken the fountain of living water, and dug broken cisterns that cannot hold water? Let’s look at Jeremiah 2.
Was Israel once devoted to God, and enemies who attempted to devour the nation ended in disaster?
The Lord’s word came to me: Go and proclaim to the people of Jerusalem, The Lord proclaims: I remember your first love, your devotion as a young bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in an unplanted land. Israel was devoted to the Lord, the early produce of the harvest. Whoever ate from it became guilty; disaster overtook them, declares the Lord. (Jer 2:1-3 CEB)
How did the relationship between God and Israel become worthless?
Listen, people of Israel, and I, the Lord, will speak. I was never unfair to your ancestors, but they left me and became worthless by following worthless idols. Your ancestors refused to ask for my help, though I had rescued them from Egypt and led them through a treacherous, barren desert, where no one lives or dares to travel. (Jer 2:4-6 CEV)
Even after entering the land did all of Israel prove unfaithful to God, from the least to the greatest?
And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. (Jer 2:7-8 ESV)
Had Israel exchanged the one true God for an array of useless man-made idols? What have we exchanged for God?
Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will bring a case against your children’s children. Cross over to Cyprus and take a look. Send someone to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this: Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (But they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. Be horrified at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled. This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 2:9-12 HCSB)
Does the analogy of the broken cisterns in any way apply to us?
“Indeed, my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jer 2:13 ISV)
Did Israel learn anything from their Egyptian and Assyrian slavery? Will their own sins bring self-inflicted punishment?
Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled? The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes [Egyptian cities] have broken the crown of thy head. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way? And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor [blackness of the Nile]? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river [Euphrates]? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. (Jer 2:14-19 KJV)
How did Israel act like a harlot who loved strangers instead of being faithful?
“For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your bonds; But you said, ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a harlot. Yet I planted you a choice vine, A completely true seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine? Although you wash yourself with lye And use much soap, The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.
“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not walked after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel entangling her ways, A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her. Keep your feet from being barefoot And your throat from thirst; But you said, ‘It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.’ ” (Jer 2:20-25 LSB)
How had Israel acted like a thief whose crimes are exposed? Is worshipping idols made of stone and trees in any way realistic?
“Like the shame of a thief when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their leaders, Their priests, and their prophets, Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me, And not their faces; But in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise and save us!’ But where are your gods Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you In the time of your trouble! For as many as the number of your cities Are your gods, Judah.” (Jer 2:26-28 NASB)
Has punishment brought about national repentance in Israel? Will we repent?
“Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the Lord. “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.” (Jer 2:29-30 NIV)
Why did Israel live in the delusion of self-mastery and forget God? Have we?
“O generation, see the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’? Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.” (Jer 2:31-32 NKJV)
How well did foreign alliances work out for Israel? Do we put too much trust in foreign alliances, especially with nations that spurn Christian values?
“How you plot and scheme to win your lovers. Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you! Your clothing is stained with the blood of the innocent and the poor, though you didn’t catch them breaking into your houses! And yet you say, ‘I have done nothing wrong. Surely God isn’t angry with me!’ But now I will punish you severely because you claim you have not sinned.
First here, then there—you flit from one ally to another asking for help. But your new friends in Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria did before. In despair, you will be led into exile with your hands on your heads, for the Lord has rejected the nations you trust. They will not help you at all.” (Jer 2:33-37 NLT)
Did Jesus also allude to coming to Him, the fountain of living water?
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38 WEB)
Have we forsaken the fountain of living water, and dug broken cisterns that cannot hold water? You decide!
Was Israel once devoted to God, and enemies who attempted to devour the nation ended in disaster?
The Lord’s word came to me: Go and proclaim to the people of Jerusalem, The Lord proclaims: I remember your first love, your devotion as a young bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in an unplanted land. Israel was devoted to the Lord, the early produce of the harvest. Whoever ate from it became guilty; disaster overtook them, declares the Lord. (Jer 2:1-3 CEB)
How did the relationship between God and Israel become worthless?
Listen, people of Israel, and I, the Lord, will speak. I was never unfair to your ancestors, but they left me and became worthless by following worthless idols. Your ancestors refused to ask for my help, though I had rescued them from Egypt and led them through a treacherous, barren desert, where no one lives or dares to travel. (Jer 2:4-6 CEV)
Even after entering the land did all of Israel prove unfaithful to God, from the least to the greatest?
And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. (Jer 2:7-8 ESV)
Had Israel exchanged the one true God for an array of useless man-made idols? What have we exchanged for God?
Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will bring a case against your children’s children. Cross over to Cyprus and take a look. Send someone to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this: Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (But they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. Be horrified at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled. This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 2:9-12 HCSB)
Does the analogy of the broken cisterns in any way apply to us?
“Indeed, my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jer 2:13 ISV)
Did Israel learn anything from their Egyptian and Assyrian slavery? Will their own sins bring self-inflicted punishment?
Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled? The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes [Egyptian cities] have broken the crown of thy head. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way? And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor [blackness of the Nile]? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river [Euphrates]? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. (Jer 2:14-19 KJV)
How did Israel act like a harlot who loved strangers instead of being faithful?
“For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your bonds; But you said, ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a harlot. Yet I planted you a choice vine, A completely true seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine? Although you wash yourself with lye And use much soap, The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.
“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not walked after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel entangling her ways, A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her. Keep your feet from being barefoot And your throat from thirst; But you said, ‘It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.’ ” (Jer 2:20-25 LSB)
How had Israel acted like a thief whose crimes are exposed? Is worshipping idols made of stone and trees in any way realistic?
“Like the shame of a thief when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their leaders, Their priests, and their prophets, Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me, And not their faces; But in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise and save us!’ But where are your gods Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you In the time of your trouble! For as many as the number of your cities Are your gods, Judah.” (Jer 2:26-28 NASB)
Has punishment brought about national repentance in Israel? Will we repent?
“Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the Lord. “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.” (Jer 2:29-30 NIV)
Why did Israel live in the delusion of self-mastery and forget God? Have we?
“O generation, see the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’? Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.” (Jer 2:31-32 NKJV)
How well did foreign alliances work out for Israel? Do we put too much trust in foreign alliances, especially with nations that spurn Christian values?
“How you plot and scheme to win your lovers. Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you! Your clothing is stained with the blood of the innocent and the poor, though you didn’t catch them breaking into your houses! And yet you say, ‘I have done nothing wrong. Surely God isn’t angry with me!’ But now I will punish you severely because you claim you have not sinned.
First here, then there—you flit from one ally to another asking for help. But your new friends in Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria did before. In despair, you will be led into exile with your hands on your heads, for the Lord has rejected the nations you trust. They will not help you at all.” (Jer 2:33-37 NLT)
Did Jesus also allude to coming to Him, the fountain of living water?
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38 WEB)
Have we forsaken the fountain of living water, and dug broken cisterns that cannot hold water? You decide!
Set Apart (Jeremiah 1)
Were Jeremiah and Paul both set apart by God from their mother’s womb for a mission whereby kings, officials, priests, and people would fight against them? Let’s look at Jeremiah 1.
Was Jeremiah a priest in part of Judah, commissioned as a prophet during the last days of Judah, the southern tribes of Israel?
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. (Jer 1:1-3 KJV)
What did the Lord, Yahweh in this translation, say as He commissioned Jeremiah a prophet?
Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the innermost parts I knew you, And before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I have given you as a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I do not know how to speak Because I am a youth.” But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh. (Jer 1:4-8 LSB)
Though he was worried about being too young, what did God do to Jeremiah to encourage him in his appointment?
Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to tear down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.” (Jer 1:9-10 NASB)
Did Jeremiah see a common tree in that area? Similar to the Hebrew word watchful, does the watchful almond tree symbolize God watching over us?
The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” (Jer 1:11-12 NIV)
In this second vision did God reveal Judah’s threat from Babylon? Have all nations worshipped the works of their own hands instead of God?
And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.” Then the Lord said to me: “Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord; “They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah. I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands. (Jer 1:13-16 NKJV)
Was Jeremiah’s job to tell people everything from God? Do we modern preachers leave the difficult parts of God’s word out, afraid of the inevitable fight?
“Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them. For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land—the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Jer 1:17-19 NLT)
Was Paul also set apart from his mother’s womb and called by God’s grace?
But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, (Gal 1:15-16 WEB)
Were Jeremiah and Paul both set apart by God from their mother’s womb for a mission whereby kings, officials, priests, and people would fight against them? You decide!
Was Jeremiah a priest in part of Judah, commissioned as a prophet during the last days of Judah, the southern tribes of Israel?
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. (Jer 1:1-3 KJV)
What did the Lord, Yahweh in this translation, say as He commissioned Jeremiah a prophet?
Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the innermost parts I knew you, And before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I have given you as a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I do not know how to speak Because I am a youth.” But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh. (Jer 1:4-8 LSB)
Though he was worried about being too young, what did God do to Jeremiah to encourage him in his appointment?
Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to tear down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.” (Jer 1:9-10 NASB)
Did Jeremiah see a common tree in that area? Similar to the Hebrew word watchful, does the watchful almond tree symbolize God watching over us?
The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” (Jer 1:11-12 NIV)
In this second vision did God reveal Judah’s threat from Babylon? Have all nations worshipped the works of their own hands instead of God?
And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.” Then the Lord said to me: “Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land. For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord; “They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah. I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands. (Jer 1:13-16 NKJV)
Was Jeremiah’s job to tell people everything from God? Do we modern preachers leave the difficult parts of God’s word out, afraid of the inevitable fight?
“Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them. For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land—the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Jer 1:17-19 NLT)
Was Paul also set apart from his mother’s womb and called by God’s grace?
But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, (Gal 1:15-16 WEB)
Were Jeremiah and Paul both set apart by God from their mother’s womb for a mission whereby kings, officials, priests, and people would fight against them? You decide!
Judgment & Restoration (Isaiah 66)
Do the 66 books of the Protestant Bible parallel the 66 chapters of Isaiah in many ways? Let’s conclude Isaiah in chapter 66.
Where can God be found and to whom will He gladly look?
The Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. So where could you build a house for me, and where could my resting place be? My hand made all these things and brought them into being, says the Lord. But here is where I will look: to the humble and contrite in spirit, who tremble at my word. (Isa 66:1-2 CEB)
Do people still mix worship of God with idolatry? Do people still knowingly do what is wrong?
You sacrifice oxen to me, and you commit murder; you sacrifice lambs to me and dogs to other gods; you offer grain to me and pigs' blood to idols; you burn incense to me and praise your idols. You have made your own choice to do these disgusting things that you enjoy so much. You refused to answer when I called out; you paid no attention to my instructions. Instead, you did what I hated, knowing it was wrong. Now I will punish you in a way you dread the most. (Isa 66:3-4 CEV)
Will those who tremble at the Lord’s word be hated by others? Is God’s plan to eventually bring justice to all?
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name's sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!” (Isa 66:5-6 ESV)
Will Jerusalem’s salvation be like a woman suddenly giving birth without pain?
Before Zion was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her sons. “Will I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?” says the Lord; “or will I who deliver, close the womb?” says your God. Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her, all who love her. Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her—so that you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast and drink deeply and delight yourselves from her glorious breasts. (Isa 66:7-11 HCSB)
Will Jerusalem eventually be comforted by God? Will nations be punished?
This is what the Lord says: “See, I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; and you will nurse, and you will be carried on her hip, and bounced upon her knees. Like a child whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem. And when you look, your hearts will rejoice and your bodies will flourish like grass; and it will be made known that the Lord’s hand is with his servants, but his fury is with his enemies.
“Take notice! The Lord will come with fire, and his chariot will be like a whirlwind, to pay back his anger—yes, his anger!— in fury, and his menacing rebukes in flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the Lord will proceed to judgment on all humanity, and those slain by the Lord will be many.” (Isa 66:13-16 ISV)
Will God approve of those who believe in abominations?
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isa 66:17-18 KJV)
Did Isaiah prophesy the future work of Christian missionaries?
I will set a sign among them and will send those who have escaped from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My report nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. Then they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as a grain offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says Yahweh, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of Yahweh. I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says Yahweh. (Isa 66:19-21 LSB)
Will all humanity eventually bow down to God? What will happen to those who rebel?
“For just as the new heavens and the new earth, Which I make, will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “So will your descendants and your name endure. And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from Sabbath to Sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord. “Then they will go out and look At the corpses of the people Who have rebelled against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be extinguished; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.” (Isa 66:22-24 NASB)
Did Stephen quote this chapter of Isaiah, that God is not limited to a house of worship?
However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’ (Acts 7:48-50 NIV)
Do the 66 books of the Protestant Bible parallel the 66 chapters of Isaiah in many ways? You decide!
Where can God be found and to whom will He gladly look?
The Lord says: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. So where could you build a house for me, and where could my resting place be? My hand made all these things and brought them into being, says the Lord. But here is where I will look: to the humble and contrite in spirit, who tremble at my word. (Isa 66:1-2 CEB)
Do people still mix worship of God with idolatry? Do people still knowingly do what is wrong?
You sacrifice oxen to me, and you commit murder; you sacrifice lambs to me and dogs to other gods; you offer grain to me and pigs' blood to idols; you burn incense to me and praise your idols. You have made your own choice to do these disgusting things that you enjoy so much. You refused to answer when I called out; you paid no attention to my instructions. Instead, you did what I hated, knowing it was wrong. Now I will punish you in a way you dread the most. (Isa 66:3-4 CEV)
Will those who tremble at the Lord’s word be hated by others? Is God’s plan to eventually bring justice to all?
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name's sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies!” (Isa 66:5-6 ESV)
Will Jerusalem’s salvation be like a woman suddenly giving birth without pain?
Before Zion was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her sons. “Will I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?” says the Lord; “or will I who deliver, close the womb?” says your God. Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her, all who love her. Rejoice greatly with her, all who mourn over her—so that you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast and drink deeply and delight yourselves from her glorious breasts. (Isa 66:7-11 HCSB)
Will Jerusalem eventually be comforted by God? Will nations be punished?
This is what the Lord says: “See, I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; and you will nurse, and you will be carried on her hip, and bounced upon her knees. Like a child whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem. And when you look, your hearts will rejoice and your bodies will flourish like grass; and it will be made known that the Lord’s hand is with his servants, but his fury is with his enemies.
“Take notice! The Lord will come with fire, and his chariot will be like a whirlwind, to pay back his anger—yes, his anger!— in fury, and his menacing rebukes in flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the Lord will proceed to judgment on all humanity, and those slain by the Lord will be many.” (Isa 66:13-16 ISV)
Will God approve of those who believe in abominations?
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isa 66:17-18 KJV)
Did Isaiah prophesy the future work of Christian missionaries?
I will set a sign among them and will send those who have escaped from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My report nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. Then they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as a grain offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says Yahweh, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of Yahweh. I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says Yahweh. (Isa 66:19-21 LSB)
Will all humanity eventually bow down to God? What will happen to those who rebel?
“For just as the new heavens and the new earth, Which I make, will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “So will your descendants and your name endure. And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from Sabbath to Sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord. “Then they will go out and look At the corpses of the people Who have rebelled against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be extinguished; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.” (Isa 66:22-24 NASB)
Did Stephen quote this chapter of Isaiah, that God is not limited to a house of worship?
However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’ (Acts 7:48-50 NIV)
Do the 66 books of the Protestant Bible parallel the 66 chapters of Isaiah in many ways? You decide!
New Heaven & Earth (Isaiah 65)
Will there be a new heaven and a new earth? Let’s look in Isaiah 65.
Did people who never sought God find Him while most in Israel sacrificed in pagan gardens, telling God to stay away? Do some people still think that they are holier than God?
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. (Isa 65:1-5 KJV)
Will God keep silent forever? Will the sins of generations come back upon us too?
“Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will even repay into their bosom, Both their own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says Yahweh. “Because they have burned incense on the mountains And reproached Me on the hills, Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.” (Isa 65:6-7 LSB)
Who does God choose? Do we choose that in which God delights?
This is what the Lord says: “Just as the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’ So I will act in behalf of My servants In order not to destroy all of them. I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, And an heir of My mountains from Judah; My chosen ones shall inherit it, And My servants will live there. Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, And the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, For My people who seek Me. But as for you who abandon the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain, Who set a table for Fortune, And fill a jug of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, And all of you will bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen. Instead, you did evil in My sight And chose that in which I did not delight.” (Isa 65:8-12 NASB)
Will God provide food and rejoicing for His servants? Will they sing joyfully?
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. You will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes. (Isa 65:13-16 NIV)
Will there be a new heavens and a new earth? Will there be no more crying there?
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.” (Isa 65:17-19 NKJV)
Will people plant vineyards there? Will the nature of wild animals be tamed? Will no one be hurt or destroyed there?
“No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Isa 65:20-25 NLT)
Was the apostle John also given a vision of the new heaven and new earth? Will there be no more death or mourning or crying or pain?
I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.” (Rev 21:1-4 WEB)
Will there be a new heaven and a new earth? You decide!
Did people who never sought God find Him while most in Israel sacrificed in pagan gardens, telling God to stay away? Do some people still think that they are holier than God?
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. (Isa 65:1-5 KJV)
Will God keep silent forever? Will the sins of generations come back upon us too?
“Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will even repay into their bosom, Both their own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says Yahweh. “Because they have burned incense on the mountains And reproached Me on the hills, Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.” (Isa 65:6-7 LSB)
Who does God choose? Do we choose that in which God delights?
This is what the Lord says: “Just as the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’ So I will act in behalf of My servants In order not to destroy all of them. I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, And an heir of My mountains from Judah; My chosen ones shall inherit it, And My servants will live there. Sharon will be a pasture land for flocks, And the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, For My people who seek Me. But as for you who abandon the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain, Who set a table for Fortune, And fill a jug of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, And all of you will bow down to the slaughter. Because I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen. Instead, you did evil in My sight And chose that in which I did not delight.” (Isa 65:8-12 NASB)
Will God provide food and rejoicing for His servants? Will they sing joyfully?
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. You will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes. (Isa 65:13-16 NIV)
Will there be a new heavens and a new earth? Will there be no more crying there?
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.” (Isa 65:17-19 NKJV)
Will people plant vineyards there? Will the nature of wild animals be tamed? Will no one be hurt or destroyed there?
“No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Isa 65:20-25 NLT)
Was the apostle John also given a vision of the new heaven and new earth? Will there be no more death or mourning or crying or pain?
I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.” (Rev 21:1-4 WEB)
Will there be a new heaven and a new earth? You decide!
Come Down (Isaiah 64)
What kind of prayer would we ask of God in a troubled world? Let’s look at Isaiah 64.
Have we ever felt like asking God to come down and wake the world up?
Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence! (Isa 64:1-2 WEB)
Did God make His presence known in ages past? Does He hide when we do wrong?
When you accomplished wonders beyond all our expectations; when you came down, mountains quaked before you. From ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any god but you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him! You look after those who gladly do right; they will praise you for your ways. But you were angry when we sinned; you hid yourself when we did wrong. (Isa 64:3-5 CEB)
Is any one of us really perfect enough to stand before the one true God?
We are unfit to worship you; each of our good deeds is merely a filthy rag. We dry up like leaves; our sins are storm winds sweeping us away. No one worships in your name or remains faithful. You have turned your back on us and let our sins melt us away. (Isa 64:6-7 CEV)
Do we ask our heavenly Father not to be so terribly angry with us?
But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people. (Isa 64:8-9 ESV)
Are our holiest of places desolate because of neglect and sin? Will God always give us what we deserve or show mercy?
Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins. Lord, after all this, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict severely? (Isa 64:10-12 HCSB)
Are any of us really righteous within ourselves or do we need God’s righteousness?
As it is written, “Not even one person is righteous. No one understands. No one searches for God. All have turned away. They have become completely worthless. No one shows kindness, not even one person! Their throats are open graves. With their tongues they deceive. The venom of poisonous snakes is under their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. They run swiftly to shed blood. Ruin and misery characterize their lives. They have not learned the path to peace. They don’t fear God. (Rom 3:10-18 ISV)
What kind of prayer would we ask of God in a troubled world? You decide!
Have we ever felt like asking God to come down and wake the world up?
Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence! (Isa 64:1-2 WEB)
Did God make His presence known in ages past? Does He hide when we do wrong?
When you accomplished wonders beyond all our expectations; when you came down, mountains quaked before you. From ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any god but you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him! You look after those who gladly do right; they will praise you for your ways. But you were angry when we sinned; you hid yourself when we did wrong. (Isa 64:3-5 CEB)
Is any one of us really perfect enough to stand before the one true God?
We are unfit to worship you; each of our good deeds is merely a filthy rag. We dry up like leaves; our sins are storm winds sweeping us away. No one worships in your name or remains faithful. You have turned your back on us and let our sins melt us away. (Isa 64:6-7 CEV)
Do we ask our heavenly Father not to be so terribly angry with us?
But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people. (Isa 64:8-9 ESV)
Are our holiest of places desolate because of neglect and sin? Will God always give us what we deserve or show mercy?
Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins. Lord, after all this, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict severely? (Isa 64:10-12 HCSB)
Are any of us really righteous within ourselves or do we need God’s righteousness?
As it is written, “Not even one person is righteous. No one understands. No one searches for God. All have turned away. They have become completely worthless. No one shows kindness, not even one person! Their throats are open graves. With their tongues they deceive. The venom of poisonous snakes is under their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. They run swiftly to shed blood. Ruin and misery characterize their lives. They have not learned the path to peace. They don’t fear God. (Rom 3:10-18 ISV)
What kind of prayer would we ask of God in a troubled world? You decide!
Judgment & Restoration (Isaiah 63)
Will there come a day of God’s wrath against the nations for their sins? In His mercy will God restore those loyal to Him? Let’s look at Isaiah 63.
After dealing with Bozrah, the capital of Edom, will God speak to save?
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. (Isa 63:1 KJV)
Why is God’s clothing red like red grapes? Who did God punish for sins against Israel?
Why is Your clothing red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My clothes.
For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished, and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I brought down their lifeblood to the earth.” (Isa 63:2-6 LSB)
Was God merciful to Israel despite their many sins against Him?
I will make mention of the mercies of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has granted us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His compassion And according to the abundance of His mercies. For He said, “Certainly they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely.” So He became their Savior. In all their distress He was distressed, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. (Isa 63:7-9 NASB)
What were some examples of Israel’s rebellion against God?
Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.
Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people—where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble; like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord. This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name. (Isa 63:10-14 NIV)
When God feels far away what should we do? Do we pray that the LORD returns for His inheritance?
Look down from heaven, And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained? Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. O Lord, why have You made us stray from Your ways, And hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants’ sake, The tribes of Your inheritance. Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary. We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, Those who were never called by Your name. (Isa 63:15-19 NKJV)
Will God’s clothing again be red? Who will God then punish for their sins?
He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. (Rev 19:13-15 NLT)
Will there come a day of God’s wrath against the nations for their sins? In His mercy will God restore those loyal to Him? You decide!
After dealing with Bozrah, the capital of Edom, will God speak to save?
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. (Isa 63:1 KJV)
Why is God’s clothing red like red grapes? Who did God punish for sins against Israel?
Why is Your clothing red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My clothes.
For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished, and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I brought down their lifeblood to the earth.” (Isa 63:2-6 LSB)
Was God merciful to Israel despite their many sins against Him?
I will make mention of the mercies of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has granted us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His compassion And according to the abundance of His mercies. For He said, “Certainly they are My people, Sons who will not deal falsely.” So He became their Savior. In all their distress He was distressed, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old. (Isa 63:7-9 NASB)
What were some examples of Israel’s rebellion against God?
Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.
Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people—where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble; like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord. This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name. (Isa 63:10-14 NIV)
When God feels far away what should we do? Do we pray that the LORD returns for His inheritance?
Look down from heaven, And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained? Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name. O Lord, why have You made us stray from Your ways, And hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants’ sake, The tribes of Your inheritance. Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary. We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, Those who were never called by Your name. (Isa 63:15-19 NKJV)
Will God’s clothing again be red? Who will God then punish for their sins?
He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. (Rev 19:13-15 NLT)
Will there come a day of God’s wrath against the nations for their sins? In His mercy will God restore those loyal to Him? You decide!
Hephzibah & Beulah (Isaiah 62)
How will God bless Jerusalem in a prophecy so far only partially fulfilled in history? Do we look forward to the final fulfillment of this? Let’s look at Isaiah 62.
Does God have plans to bless Zion, a hill in Jerusalem, and the city itself?
For Zion’s sake I won’t keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I won’t sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch. Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which the Lord’s own mouth will determine. You will be a splendid garland in the Lord’s hand, a royal turban [crown] in the palm of God’s hand. (Isa 62:1-3 CEB)
Will Jerusalem have some new names which picture a new relationship with God?
Your name will no longer be “Deserted and Childless,” but “Happily Married.” [Hephzibah and Beulah] You will please the Lord; your country will be his bride. Your people will take the land, just as a young man takes a bride. The Lord will be pleased because of you, just as a husband is pleased with his bride. (Isa 62:4-5 CEV)
Will God set watchmen to protect Jerusalem from foreign invaders?
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm:
“I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.” (Isa 62:6-9 ESV)
Is this prophecy just for the return from Babylon or also looking far into the future, when Jesus returns?
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare a way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones! Raise a banner for the peoples. Look, the Lord has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: Look, your salvation is coming, His reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him.” And they will be called the Holy People, the Lord’s Redeemed; and you will be called Cared For, A City Not Deserted. (Isa 62:10-12 HCSB)
Is the theme of being given a new name carried elsewhere in scripture?
‘Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who overcomes.’ I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it. (Rev 2:17 ISV)
How will God bless Jerusalem in a prophecy so far only partially fulfilled in history? Do we look forward to the final fulfillment of this? You decide!
Does God have plans to bless Zion, a hill in Jerusalem, and the city itself?
For Zion’s sake I won’t keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I won’t sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch. Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which the Lord’s own mouth will determine. You will be a splendid garland in the Lord’s hand, a royal turban [crown] in the palm of God’s hand. (Isa 62:1-3 CEB)
Will Jerusalem have some new names which picture a new relationship with God?
Your name will no longer be “Deserted and Childless,” but “Happily Married.” [Hephzibah and Beulah] You will please the Lord; your country will be his bride. Your people will take the land, just as a young man takes a bride. The Lord will be pleased because of you, just as a husband is pleased with his bride. (Isa 62:4-5 CEV)
Will God set watchmen to protect Jerusalem from foreign invaders?
On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm:
“I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.” (Isa 62:6-9 ESV)
Is this prophecy just for the return from Babylon or also looking far into the future, when Jesus returns?
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare a way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones! Raise a banner for the peoples. Look, the Lord has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: Look, your salvation is coming, His reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him.” And they will be called the Holy People, the Lord’s Redeemed; and you will be called Cared For, A City Not Deserted. (Isa 62:10-12 HCSB)
Is the theme of being given a new name carried elsewhere in scripture?
‘Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who overcomes.’ I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it. (Rev 2:17 ISV)
How will God bless Jerusalem in a prophecy so far only partially fulfilled in history? Do we look forward to the final fulfillment of this? You decide!
Release (Isaiah 61)
Will there be a time when all those oppressed in this unjust world will finally be blessed? Let’s look at Isaiah 61.
Will the brokenhearted, the downtrodden poor and needy finally have a day of joy?
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord anointed me To bring good news to the humble; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (Isa 61:1-3 NASB)
Will those formerly oppressed by the world rebuild and be promoted to honor?
They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (Isa 61:4-6 NIV)
What will replace the former shame and confusion among the once poor and needy?
Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant. Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, And their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.” (Isa 61:7-9 NKJV)
Who will give the poor and needy reasons for overwhelming joy?
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere. (Isa 61:10-11 NLT)
What did Jesus say, after He had read part of this passage in the Nazareth synagogue?
He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16–21 WEB)
Will there be a time when all those oppressed in this unjust world will finally be blessed? You decide!
Will the brokenhearted, the downtrodden poor and needy finally have a day of joy?
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord anointed me To bring good news to the humble; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (Isa 61:1-3 NASB)
Will those formerly oppressed by the world rebuild and be promoted to honor?
They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (Isa 61:4-6 NIV)
What will replace the former shame and confusion among the once poor and needy?
Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant. Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, And their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.” (Isa 61:7-9 NKJV)
Who will give the poor and needy reasons for overwhelming joy?
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere. (Isa 61:10-11 NLT)
What did Jesus say, after He had read part of this passage in the Nazareth synagogue?
He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16–21 WEB)
Will there be a time when all those oppressed in this unjust world will finally be blessed? You decide!
Your Light (Isaiah 60)
Are we in a time of spiritual darkness around the world? Will there be a time of spiritual light? Let’s look at Isaiah 60.
What darkness covers the nations? What light has come?
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (Isa 60:1-3 NIV)
Shall all nations look to something glorious in Israel? Will they bring gold and incense?
Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory. (Isa 60:4-7 NKJV)
Will the exiles of Israel return to their land? Will they honor the Lord?
And what do I see flying like clouds to Israel, like doves to their nests? They are ships from the ends of the earth, from lands that trust in me, led by the great ships of Tarshish. They are bringing the people of Israel home from far away, carrying their silver and gold. They will honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has filled you with splendor. (Isa 60:8-9 NLT)
Will foreigners serve in Jerusalem? Will all nations serve God’s kingdom?
Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will serve you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you. Your gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive. For that nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted. (Isa 60:10-12 WEB)
Will even Lebanon serve God’s nation? Will other former enemies honor Israel?
Lebanon’s glory will come upon you, cypress, elm, and pine, to glorify the site of my sanctuary, and I will honor my royal footstool. The children of your tormenters will come bending low to you; all who despised you will bow down at your feet. They will call you The Lord’s City, Zion, of the holy one of Israel. (Isa 60:13-14 CEB)
Was Israel once hated? Will they know that God saved and rescued them?
You were hated and deserted, rejected by everyone. But I will make you beautiful, a city to be proud of for all time to come. You will drain the wealth of kings and foreign nations. You will know that I, the mighty Lord God of Israel, have saved and rescued you. (Isa 60:15-16)
Will wealth accumulate in the kingdom and will peace and righteousness prevail?
Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron. I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. (Isa 60:17-18 ESV)
What will be different about the sun and moon? Will God reside there?
The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not fade; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will be over. Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever; they are the branch I planted, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified. The least will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am Yahweh; I will accomplish it quickly in its time. (Isa 60:19-22 HCSB)
Does this chapter refer to the new heaven and new earth?
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev 21:1-2 ISV)
What further New Testament description seems to match the passage in Isaiah?
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. (Rev 21:23-25 KJV)
How bright will that time be and what will illuminate us?
And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever and ever. (Rev 22:5 LSB)
Are we in a time of spiritual darkness around the world? Will there be a time of spiritual light? You decide!
What darkness covers the nations? What light has come?
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (Isa 60:1-3 NIV)
Shall all nations look to something glorious in Israel? Will they bring gold and incense?
Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory. (Isa 60:4-7 NKJV)
Will the exiles of Israel return to their land? Will they honor the Lord?
And what do I see flying like clouds to Israel, like doves to their nests? They are ships from the ends of the earth, from lands that trust in me, led by the great ships of Tarshish. They are bringing the people of Israel home from far away, carrying their silver and gold. They will honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has filled you with splendor. (Isa 60:8-9 NLT)
Will foreigners serve in Jerusalem? Will all nations serve God’s kingdom?
Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will serve you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you. Your gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings led captive. For that nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted. (Isa 60:10-12 WEB)
Will even Lebanon serve God’s nation? Will other former enemies honor Israel?
Lebanon’s glory will come upon you, cypress, elm, and pine, to glorify the site of my sanctuary, and I will honor my royal footstool. The children of your tormenters will come bending low to you; all who despised you will bow down at your feet. They will call you The Lord’s City, Zion, of the holy one of Israel. (Isa 60:13-14 CEB)
Was Israel once hated? Will they know that God saved and rescued them?
You were hated and deserted, rejected by everyone. But I will make you beautiful, a city to be proud of for all time to come. You will drain the wealth of kings and foreign nations. You will know that I, the mighty Lord God of Israel, have saved and rescued you. (Isa 60:15-16)
Will wealth accumulate in the kingdom and will peace and righteousness prevail?
Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron. I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. (Isa 60:17-18 ESV)
What will be different about the sun and moon? Will God reside there?
The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not fade; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will be over. Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever; they are the branch I planted, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified. The least will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am Yahweh; I will accomplish it quickly in its time. (Isa 60:19-22 HCSB)
Does this chapter refer to the new heaven and new earth?
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev 21:1-2 ISV)
What further New Testament description seems to match the passage in Isaiah?
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. (Rev 21:23-25 KJV)
How bright will that time be and what will illuminate us?
And there will no longer be any night, and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them, and they will reign forever and ever. (Rev 22:5 LSB)
Are we in a time of spiritual darkness around the world? Will there be a time of spiritual light? You decide!
Injustice (Isaiah 59)
Who will protect us from the injustices of a corrupt world? Let’s look at Isaiah 59.
Does God lack power or is He deaf? What would cause Him to ignore our prayers?
Look! The Lord does not lack the power to save, nor are his ears too dull to hear, but your misdeeds have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you so that you aren’t heard. (Isa 59:1-2 CEB)
What kinds of sins did God specifically state that Israel was guilty of?
Your talk is filled with lies and plans for violence; every finger on your hands is covered with blood. You falsely accuse others and tell lies in court; sin and trouble are the names of your children. You eat the deadly eggs of poisonous snakes, and more snakes crawl out from the eggs left to hatch. You weave spider webs, but you can't make clothes with those webs or hide behind them. You're sinful and brutal. (Isaiah 59:3-6 CEV)
How quickly did Israel commit sins? Was there any justice to be found among them?
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace. (Isa 59:7-8 ESV)
What happens to those who choose corruption over doing what’s right?
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we live in the night. We grope along a wall like the blind; we grope like those without eyes. We stumble at noon as though it were twilight; we are like the dead among those who are healthy. We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. (Isa 59:9-11 HCSB)
Can honesty enter a corrupt government? What often happens in a corrupt society to those who choose to turn away from evil?
“For our transgressions before you are many, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we acknowledge them: they’ve rebelled in treachery against the Lord, and are turning away from following our God; and they’ve spoken oppression and revolt, and are conceiving lying words from the heart. I’ll [We] drive back justice, and righteousness stands at a distance; for truth has fallen in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. Truth is missing, and whoever turns away from evil becomes a prey. Then the Lord looked, and it displeased him that there was no justice.” (Isa 59:12-15 ISV)
What will God do to those who cause a nation to suffer under corruption?
And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. (Isa 59:16-20 KJV)
Is there a future hope for Israel, even after all their sins?
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says Yahweh: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your seed, nor from the mouth of your seed’s seed,” says Yahweh, “from now and forever.” (Isa 59:21 LSB)
Was putting on the armor of God also alluded to in the New Testament?
Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:14-17 NASB)
Who will protect us from the injustices of a corrupt world? You decide!
Does God lack power or is He deaf? What would cause Him to ignore our prayers?
Look! The Lord does not lack the power to save, nor are his ears too dull to hear, but your misdeeds have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you so that you aren’t heard. (Isa 59:1-2 CEB)
What kinds of sins did God specifically state that Israel was guilty of?
Your talk is filled with lies and plans for violence; every finger on your hands is covered with blood. You falsely accuse others and tell lies in court; sin and trouble are the names of your children. You eat the deadly eggs of poisonous snakes, and more snakes crawl out from the eggs left to hatch. You weave spider webs, but you can't make clothes with those webs or hide behind them. You're sinful and brutal. (Isaiah 59:3-6 CEV)
How quickly did Israel commit sins? Was there any justice to be found among them?
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace. (Isa 59:7-8 ESV)
What happens to those who choose corruption over doing what’s right?
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we live in the night. We grope along a wall like the blind; we grope like those without eyes. We stumble at noon as though it were twilight; we are like the dead among those who are healthy. We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. (Isa 59:9-11 HCSB)
Can honesty enter a corrupt government? What often happens in a corrupt society to those who choose to turn away from evil?
“For our transgressions before you are many, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we acknowledge them: they’ve rebelled in treachery against the Lord, and are turning away from following our God; and they’ve spoken oppression and revolt, and are conceiving lying words from the heart. I’ll [We] drive back justice, and righteousness stands at a distance; for truth has fallen in the public square, and honesty cannot enter. Truth is missing, and whoever turns away from evil becomes a prey. Then the Lord looked, and it displeased him that there was no justice.” (Isa 59:12-15 ISV)
What will God do to those who cause a nation to suffer under corruption?
And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. (Isa 59:16-20 KJV)
Is there a future hope for Israel, even after all their sins?
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says Yahweh: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your seed, nor from the mouth of your seed’s seed,” says Yahweh, “from now and forever.” (Isa 59:21 LSB)
Was putting on the armor of God also alluded to in the New Testament?
Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:14-17 NASB)
Who will protect us from the injustices of a corrupt world? You decide!
Fasting (Isaiah 58)
What is the purpose of fasting, just a religious duty, or humility and a change of life? Let’s look at Isaiah 58.
Why do people sometimes perform religious actions, but God takes no notice?
Shout aloud! Don’t hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their rebellions, and to the house of Jacob their sins. They seek me day after day, and are eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practices righteousness and has not forsaken the justice of their God. They ask me to reveal just decisions; they are eager to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they ask, ‘but you do not see? ‘Why have we humbled ourselves,’ they ask, ‘but you take no notice?’” “Look! On your fast day you serve your own interest and oppress all your workers.” (Isa 58:1-3 ISV)
Are our motives and actions in line with our professed faith or are we just hypocrites? Is this the kind of fast that impresses God?
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? (Isa 58:4-5 KJV)
What kind of fast does God really want, one that is accompanied by repentance, and helping the needy?
Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To release the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the afflicted homeless into the house; When you see the naked, you cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isa 58:6-7 LSB)
What will happen when we fast with the right motives, repent and change our ways?
Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will spring up quickly; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, And if you offer yourself to the hungry And satisfy the need of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like midday.
And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell. (Isa 58:8-12 NASB)
Was another condition for right fasting Sabbath keeping? How would that apply under the new covenant, which does not require resting in a day, but resting in Jesus?
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isa 58:13-14 NIV)
How did Jesus instruct us to fast? Was it to be done in private?
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Mat 6:16-18 NKJV)
Did Jesus even once command a Sabbath day for the Church? Is our rest now in Jesus rather than a day?
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Mat 11:28 NLT)
What does Hebrews 3-4 tell us about Sabbath rest, rest in the promised land, rest from human efforts, and our eternal rest? If Moses did not give a Sabbath keeping people rest, and Joshua spoke of another day, is there another Sabbathing for the people of God, a rest from our works?
There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his [own] works, as God did from his. (Heb 4:9-10 WEB)
What is the purpose of fasting, just a religious duty, or humility and a change of life? You decide!
Why do people sometimes perform religious actions, but God takes no notice?
Shout aloud! Don’t hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Declare to my people their rebellions, and to the house of Jacob their sins. They seek me day after day, and are eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practices righteousness and has not forsaken the justice of their God. They ask me to reveal just decisions; they are eager to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they ask, ‘but you do not see? ‘Why have we humbled ourselves,’ they ask, ‘but you take no notice?’” “Look! On your fast day you serve your own interest and oppress all your workers.” (Isa 58:1-3 ISV)
Are our motives and actions in line with our professed faith or are we just hypocrites? Is this the kind of fast that impresses God?
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? (Isa 58:4-5 KJV)
What kind of fast does God really want, one that is accompanied by repentance, and helping the needy?
Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To release the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the afflicted homeless into the house; When you see the naked, you cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isa 58:6-7 LSB)
What will happen when we fast with the right motives, repent and change our ways?
Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will spring up quickly; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, And if you offer yourself to the hungry And satisfy the need of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like midday.
And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell. (Isa 58:8-12 NASB)
Was another condition for right fasting Sabbath keeping? How would that apply under the new covenant, which does not require resting in a day, but resting in Jesus?
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isa 58:13-14 NIV)
How did Jesus instruct us to fast? Was it to be done in private?
Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Mat 6:16-18 NKJV)
Did Jesus even once command a Sabbath day for the Church? Is our rest now in Jesus rather than a day?
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Mat 11:28 NLT)
What does Hebrews 3-4 tell us about Sabbath rest, rest in the promised land, rest from human efforts, and our eternal rest? If Moses did not give a Sabbath keeping people rest, and Joshua spoke of another day, is there another Sabbathing for the people of God, a rest from our works?
There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his [own] works, as God did from his. (Heb 4:9-10 WEB)
What is the purpose of fasting, just a religious duty, or humility and a change of life? You decide!
Humility (Isaiah 57)
Is a righteous person sinlessly perfect, or one who is humble and mourns and repents of their sins, with faith in the sacrifice of Christ? Let’s look at Isaiah 57.
When someone seems to die prematurely, do we consider these words?
The righteous person perishes, and no one takes it to heart; And devout people are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous person is taken away from evil, He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way. (Isa 57:1-2 NASB)
What does God think of the sexually immoral who mock God, liars who murder their children as offerings to idols?
But you—come here, you children of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! Who are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars? You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent? (Isa 57:3-6 NIV)
Did Israel worship foreign gods with debased practices that only wearied them?
On a lofty and high mountain You have set your bed; Even there you went up To offer sacrifice. Also behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance; For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me, And have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed, Where you saw their nudity. You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol. You are wearied in the length of your way; Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’ You have found the life of your hand; Therefore you were not grieved. (Isa 57:7-10 NKJV)
What can a fake idol do in comparison to what the one true God can do?
Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me? Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you. Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain. (Isa 57:11-13 NLT)
Will God remove whatever stands in the way between Him and His people? Who will God choose to dwell with?
He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.” For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom I have made. I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. (Isa 57:14-17 WEB)
Will God heal those who mourn their ways, while the unrepentant wicked lack peace?
I have seen their ways, but I will heal them. I will guide them, and reward them with comfort. And for those who mourn, I will create reason for praise: utter prosperity to those far and near, and I will heal them, says the Lord. But the wicked are like the churning sea that can’t keep still. They churn up from their waters muck and mud. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. (Isa 57:18-21 CEB)
Does God choose to dwell with those who have a contrite and humble spirit?
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:3 ESV)
What ultimately counts a person as righteous before God, our sinless perfection or faith in Jesus’ blood?
For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Mat 26:28 HCSB)
Is a righteous person sinlessly perfect, or one who is humble and mourns and repents of their sins, with faith in the sacrifice of Christ? You decide!
When someone seems to die prematurely, do we consider these words?
The righteous person perishes, and no one takes it to heart; And devout people are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous person is taken away from evil, He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way. (Isa 57:1-2 NASB)
What does God think of the sexually immoral who mock God, liars who murder their children as offerings to idols?
But you—come here, you children of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! Who are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars? You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree; you sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags. The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion; indeed, they are your lot. Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings. In view of all this, should I relent? (Isa 57:3-6 NIV)
Did Israel worship foreign gods with debased practices that only wearied them?
On a lofty and high mountain You have set your bed; Even there you went up To offer sacrifice. Also behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance; For you have uncovered yourself to those other than Me, And have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed, Where you saw their nudity. You went to the king with ointment, And increased your perfumes; You sent your messengers far off, And even descended to Sheol. You are wearied in the length of your way; Yet you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’ You have found the life of your hand; Therefore you were not grieved. (Isa 57:7-10 NKJV)
What can a fake idol do in comparison to what the one true God can do?
Are you afraid of these idols? Do they terrify you? Is that why you have lied to me and forgotten me and my words? Is it because of my long silence that you no longer fear me? Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you. Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain. (Isa 57:11-13 NLT)
Will God remove whatever stands in the way between Him and His people? Who will God choose to dwell with?
He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.” For the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, says: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. For I will not contend forever, neither will I always be angry; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls whom I have made. I was angry because of the iniquity of his covetousness and struck him. I hid myself and was angry; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. (Isa 57:14-17 WEB)
Will God heal those who mourn their ways, while the unrepentant wicked lack peace?
I have seen their ways, but I will heal them. I will guide them, and reward them with comfort. And for those who mourn, I will create reason for praise: utter prosperity to those far and near, and I will heal them, says the Lord. But the wicked are like the churning sea that can’t keep still. They churn up from their waters muck and mud. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. (Isa 57:18-21 CEB)
Does God choose to dwell with those who have a contrite and humble spirit?
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:3 ESV)
What ultimately counts a person as righteous before God, our sinless perfection or faith in Jesus’ blood?
For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Mat 26:28 HCSB)
Is a righteous person sinlessly perfect, or one who is humble and mourns and repents of their sins, with faith in the sacrifice of Christ? You decide!
Foreigners Included (Isaiah 56)
Is God’s plan to include people from all nations who may worship Him anywhere? Let’s look at Isaiah 56.
Was Sabbath important under the Old Covenant? Why did Jesus only command us to rest in Him, not Sabbath or Sunday?
Yahweh says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is near and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” (Isa 56:1-2 WEB)
Does God include immigrants and eunuchs or exclude them?
Don’t let the immigrant who has joined with the Lord say, “The Lord will exclude me from the people.” And don’t let the eunuch say, “I’m just a dry tree.” (Isa 56:3 CEB)
If Sabbath was the sign of the Old Covenant, are the Lord’s Supper, Baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit signs of the New Covenant?
To them, I, the Lord, say: Respect the Sabbath, obey me completely, and keep our agreement. Then you will be like monuments in my temple with your names written on them. This will be much better than having children, because these monuments will stand there forever. (Isa 56:4-5 CEV)
What blessings did God guarantee to foreigners who join themselves to Him? How does the New Testament address that?
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” (Isa 56:6-8 ESV)
Who had religious leaders failed, acting more like dogs instead of discerning shepherds?
All you animals of the field and forest, come and eat! Israel’s watchmen are blind, all of them, they know nothing; all of them are mute dogs, they cannot bark; they dream, lie down, and love to sleep. These dogs have fierce appetites; they never have enough. And they are shepherds who have no discernment; all of them turn to their own way, every last one for his own gain. “Come, let me get some wine, let’s guzzle some beer; and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!” (Isa 56:9-12 HCSB)
How did Jesus quote Isaiah regarding the Temple when merchants had abused it?
Then he began to teach them: “It is written, is it not, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you’ve turned it into a hideout for bandits!” (Mark 11:17 ISV)
Though Jesus not once commanded the Sabbath for the new covenant, did He transform it into the Spirit of the law?
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Mat 11:28 KJV)
With the Sabbath transformed, is temple worship in Jerusalem also transformed into worshiping God anywhere?
But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24 LSB)
Is God’s plan to include people from all nations who may worship Him anywhere? You decide!
Was Sabbath important under the Old Covenant? Why did Jesus only command us to rest in Him, not Sabbath or Sunday?
Yahweh says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is near and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” (Isa 56:1-2 WEB)
Does God include immigrants and eunuchs or exclude them?
Don’t let the immigrant who has joined with the Lord say, “The Lord will exclude me from the people.” And don’t let the eunuch say, “I’m just a dry tree.” (Isa 56:3 CEB)
If Sabbath was the sign of the Old Covenant, are the Lord’s Supper, Baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit signs of the New Covenant?
To them, I, the Lord, say: Respect the Sabbath, obey me completely, and keep our agreement. Then you will be like monuments in my temple with your names written on them. This will be much better than having children, because these monuments will stand there forever. (Isa 56:4-5 CEV)
What blessings did God guarantee to foreigners who join themselves to Him? How does the New Testament address that?
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” (Isa 56:6-8 ESV)
Who had religious leaders failed, acting more like dogs instead of discerning shepherds?
All you animals of the field and forest, come and eat! Israel’s watchmen are blind, all of them, they know nothing; all of them are mute dogs, they cannot bark; they dream, lie down, and love to sleep. These dogs have fierce appetites; they never have enough. And they are shepherds who have no discernment; all of them turn to their own way, every last one for his own gain. “Come, let me get some wine, let’s guzzle some beer; and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!” (Isa 56:9-12 HCSB)
How did Jesus quote Isaiah regarding the Temple when merchants had abused it?
Then he began to teach them: “It is written, is it not, ‘My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you’ve turned it into a hideout for bandits!” (Mark 11:17 ISV)
Though Jesus not once commanded the Sabbath for the new covenant, did He transform it into the Spirit of the law?
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Mat 11:28 KJV)
With the Sabbath transformed, is temple worship in Jerusalem also transformed into worshiping God anywhere?
But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24 LSB)
Is God’s plan to include people from all nations who may worship Him anywhere? You decide!
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