“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”” Isaiah 63:1 ESV Reflection: what is the difference between love and fear?  They seem like such opposites, fear and love, that it is hard for us to understand how they can be connected, in a way. John writes “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment,...

“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.” Isaiah 62:6-7 ESV Reflection: what is your role in the building of the new Jerusalem?  We learn from the focus verses today, that the Lord is actively building the new Jerusalem, stone upon stone, until it is completed. It is not a physical city, but...

“You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” Isaiah 62:3 ESV Reflection: how can you know if you are being deceived?  One of the points that was so important for Jesus to get across to His followers was “not to be deceived”. In fact, when the disciples asked Him about the end times, that was the first point He raised. Why was that? It must of course indicate that the deception will be so prevalent and difficult to spot in the end times,...

“They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.” Isaiah 61:4 ESV Reflection: why does God want believers to keep all His commandments?  I was listening to an interview yesterday, where the topic of church and state came up. And the person being interviewed made a thought provoking statement, saying “I would live under a government where just the Ten Commandments were the foundational...

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,” Isaiah 61:1-2a ESV Reflection: what do you say when you share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others?  If you look up the word “Evangelism”, you’ll probably find a definition like “the act of sharing the Christian...

“Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the Lord; in its time I will hasten it.” Isaiah 60:21-22 ESV Reflection: why did God “call” you?  This thought of being “called” by God is a bit strange, but totally amazing, when you start thinking about it. That the Author, the Creator of the universe...

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”Isaiah 60:1 ESV Reflection: what do you know about “the new Jerusalem”?  As we have looked at before, it can be quite confusing to figure out how to apply certain names that have significant and multiple meanings in biblical context, such as Israel, Jerusalem and Zion. And, sadly, there seems to be at best ignorance from the pulpit, possibly even willful ignorance, mixing current day politics and events, with...

“He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” Isaiah 59:17 ESV Reflection: why are we in a war?  It is so easy to lose focus. I mean, lose focus on what actually matters. We are overwhelmed with so much information on a daily basis, as it seems like so many want to get your attention. Get a bit of your time, through your phone, through the television and so on. There are...

“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. Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.” Isaiah 59:8-9 ESV Reflection: how can the sins of others impact us?  There are a number of nations around the world where Christians have to be in hiding. They cannot openly express their...

“Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:8 ESV Reflection: since Jesus has atoned for our sins, does it matter how we live our lives?  Yesterday we looked at hypocrisy, of seeking God and His ways, but never really having an intention of doing anything about it, of actually walking in His ways. And we saw that He clearly defined some of His ways...