This morning we are in Isaiah 58 and, like last week, it helps to have a little context.  In Isaiah 55 the Lord invites the people to come to him and be healed. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.” “Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.” “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Then in Chapter 57 he rebukes…

This morning we are looking at Isaiah 53 and the Suffering Servant. Let’s begin at the end of chapter 52: 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—     his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being     and his form marred beyond human likeness— 15 so he will sprinkle many nations,     and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see,     and what they have not heard, they will understand. Chapter 53 Who has believed our message     and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender…

Last week we looked at the character and role of Cyrus who had been anointed and called by God to liberate the Jews from their captivity in Babylon.  He is even referred to in the text as the (lower case) messiah and savior. He was a conqueror and king.  He was a military genius. But he was only a precursor, an opening act, for the real Messiah and Savior.  It is the king and conqueror who sets them free from their temporary exile but it is the Servant who sets them free from their captivity to sin and restores them not only to Jerusalem but also restores the whole world.…

It is safe to say if there were an album titled, “The Best of Isaiah” this chapter would be included. It would be in “The Best of the Old Testament” and even “The Best of All Literature.” While many, if not most, of us recognize it from singing or hearing it performed every Christmas as one of the high points in Handel’s “Messiah” it also contains some of the most quoted and memorable verses in all of Scripture. This is why I am reluctant even to address it this morning in the usual way.  What can anyone say about the incomprehensible – especially the incomprehensible that became flesh and dwelt…

Several weeks ago when we were told what the lessons were for this time I looked up where we would be on the Sunday before the election and uttered a little prayer, “Lord, please make it have nothing to do with the election or with political figures.” I checked out Isaiah 46 and was relieved to know it was all about idols and false gods and how there is only one God. What a relief! But then I knew there had to be some context for Chapter 46 since this is a passage where Isaiah is predicting an event, the deliverance of Judah from Babylon, that would not occur for…

Last week we looked at God’s judgement on nations surrounding Israel – especially the nation of Tyre.  What is the common denominator in their sin and their eventual downfall?  It is pride. Pride expressed as splendor, idolatry, insolence, fame and haughtiness.  What is their punishment? Shame, humiliation, and eventually destruction. Their promise has been perverted by their pride. I have been reading David French’s new book, Divided We Fall, this week and he quotes John Adams speaking to the officers of the Massachusetts Militia in 1798. While our Country remains untainted with the Principles and manners, which are now producing desolation in so many Parts of the World: while she continues…

As we have said, Isaiah is the prophet to Jerusalem and Judea while Micah is the prophet to both Judea and the Northern Kingdom. However, in chapters 13 – 23 Isaiah stretches his vision and issues a whole series of oracles and prophecies against some of the kingdoms of the world.  While the major sin of them all is pride expressed as splendor, idolatry, insolence, fame and haughtiness, it takes different forms. For some it is pride in their military strength, for others it is their economic power, and for others pride in their political systems. In each case the punishment is the same: shame, fear, destruction, devastation, bringing low,…

I love quotes. Sometimes I will Google a book and read through the quotes and excerpts and think I have read the book. That’s part of the challenge in our study of Isaiah.  It’s one of the most quoted books in the Bible and, in fact, is quoted over 100 times in the New Testament. So, we feel like we have read and understood it just by the quotes we’ve seen and read. Or, we take familiar sections and study them out of context and believe we have understood the whole message of the prophet.  It’s not possible. Not even now. It is such a complex book but we only…

For many of us the image of an Old Testament prophet looks like a scraggly homeless person weaving along the street mumbling to himself with no one listening. For others it may be a wild and austere figure like John the Baptist from the desert eating locusts and honey while dressed in camel’s hair with a leather belt shouting about repentance. For some it may be a stomach-acid-washed Jonah kicking and screaming his way to Nineveh or the weeping prophet Jeremiah crying from the pit For others it may be the clearly deranged Ezekiel baking bread over cow manure or laying on his side in the dust for 80 days.…

Love that is as strong as death. Unquenchable love. Burning love.  Love that cannot be bought at any price. That is our text this morning. There are so many definitions of love! We use the word to describe food (I love BBQ) to styles (I love that dress on you) to patriotism (I love America). After time, it loses its meaning. A few years ago I took Carol to my old elementary school in Cincinnati and had her sit on the stone bench in the playground where in the fourth grade Tina Lewis gave me my first kiss.  I remembered that kiss for a week. We call that puppy love.…