Isaiah 12-14
In Isaiah, it seems like everyday we bump into a familiar, important passage of Scripture, and today is no exception. Hang on to your hat. The chapters we’ll read today get interpreted differently by different men, so I’ll suggest something that makes sense to me and seems to be in the mainstream.
Isaiah 12
This is the celebration of God’s salvation. When you think of how the Lord prunes us or disciplines us, it is all for the purpose of our good. As a result of listening to Him and waiting on Him, He puts praise and testimony in our mouth and hearts. We don’t have to “formulate” joy. He gives it in a memorable, real way.
I’m sure it was the joy in Jerusalem as God wasted the Assyrian army. It will also be the joy in Jerusalem as Jesus returns in that crucial moment at the end of the tribulation and establishes His kingdom on the earth. It is built into His eternal plan that He returns to Jerusalem, Zion. It is no accident that the nations will hate this city.
Notice that “In that day,” divides the chapter in two parts. So what is the difference in these sections?
Notice that there is a witness to the world in what happens here. God never loses sight that all this is being done for the salvation of people.
V. 6 is a key verse. Two important things are mentioned here. First, Zion is focused upon. That will be important in the chapters that follow. Second, Zion is great only because of the presence of God in it. You might know the song, “Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion city of our God.” Although the people of Jerusalem and Judah abused this reality, thinking they could sin and God would still protect them because He claimed Jerusalem as His city, Zion was still and still is, the city of God. Woe to the nation that threatens or destroys Zion. We have already seen what happened to Assyria when they threatened Jerusalem. Now we’ll see what happens to another nation.
Isaiah 13
It gives some commentators fits because Babylon is mentioned here. I would suggest that although the events were still future, Babylon is mentioned here because they are the ones who finally destroy Jerusalem.
Vs. 2-13 This description of the coming judgment of God begins with God’s future, end times, wrath against the nations that come to destroy Jerusalem at the battle of Armageddon. Look for all the images that are very last day. You’ll be surprised what you find. You would think you were reading the Olivet Discourse or the book of Revelation. The seven years of “the day of the Lord” will make any distress we’re experiencing on earth now look like a picnic. Financial worries? As the Larry Norman song says, “A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold.” Wars, and natural disasters will seem small when the very physics of the earth and universe are shaken.
V. 12 According to the book of Revelation, at least two thirds of the earth’s population will be lost in all of the judgments. Today we have 7 billion people. It is hard to say that people would be rare if there were still two billion, but that might be a high estimate of how many are left when the Lord returns. We only know of how many people die in a given catastrophic event, not in the aftermath.
Vs. 14-16 seem to be aiming lower at Babylon itself. One important reference here that shows that this is the nation of Babylon that destroyed Jerusalem, and not some earlier version of Babylon that the Assyrians destroyed, is the reference to dashing the infants in pieces. This punishment is foretold in Psalm 137:8-9, which at this point in Israel’s history, is also still future.
Vs. 17-22 The Medes took ownership of the palace and city of Babylon. After Daniel chapter 6, you seldom hear of the city. The Medes let it die and it became a desert ruin, as it is today. It didn’t happen immediately, but God’s punishment on the city Babylon came true. It was poetic justice. They destroyed Jerusalem and the city of Babylon boasted having one of the seven wonders of the world. Jerusalem still exists today; Babylon doesn’t. One interesting note is to look at what Nebuchadnezzar was saying when God temporarily took the image of God from him.
V. 19 When it says that Babylon is the glory of kingdoms, we tend to pass that off as an idle boast. When you read the prophesy of the nations in Daniel 2, God Himself says that Nebuchadnezzar was the golden head and that all the empires that come after Babylon were inferior to it (until you get to the Rock). God Himself thought highly of Babylon. (He also used Babylon greatly for His purposes.) It might be that of all these empires, God saves His people in Babylon. (Egypt also had a special place with God because they hosted Israel.) And, of all the rulers we get to know, it appears possible that Nebuchadnezzar might have become a worshipper of Yahweh.
Isaiah 14
Here we go.
Vs. 1-4 give the people hope for their future exile and enslavement in Babylon. This is one of the purposes of prophesy, allowing the people to know that the same God who ordains their punishment is promising their restoration.
A good question here is the identity of this king of Babylon. There was a judgment against Nebuchadnezzar. God judged him for seven years. Belshazzar was the king of Babylon who was severely humbled and judged in Daniel 5. But standing behind the pride and arrogance of this human government is another government and a being who says that human nations have all been delivered to him. So in the descriptions that follow, when the height of arrogance is described, Satan is described. What we are reading then will have an application to the human and spiritual kings of Babylon.
Vs. 5-11 I would say that these verses could and probably do apply to the earthly and spiritual rulers of Babylon. If so, this would also remove the misconception that Satan will rule in hell. He will be punished and helpless just like those he worked to corrupt.
Vs. 12-17 I think this is exclusively Satan. Although the description in verses 12-14 is poetic, many people believe this is a description of Satan’s actions and pride that brought him into rebellion and judgment. Having been ordained to serve mankind, Lucifer saw himself as a ruler, wanting to be to mankind, what God is to the realm of the angels. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul says conceit brought Satan into condemnation.
Vs. 18-21 This seems to say that this ruler will have a very “abnormal” reception into living death. The deceiver will be gloated at in his helplessness.
Vs. 22-26 Here, God declares that His wrath against Babylon and Assyria is totally certain.
Vs. 28-32 The neighbors of Jerusalem would rejoice at the death of king Ahaz as they would over the destruction of Jerusalem later. But God will pronounce judgment against the neighbors and raise up Jerusalem from the rubble and bring His people back. Zion is still God’s possession.
2 Corinthians 13
Our last day in 2 Corinthians.
Vs. 1-4 It appears that Paul is coming to Corinth to hold court. You sort of get the idea that some of the problems mentioned in 1 Corinthians were not yet taken care of.
V. 1 He reminds them that 2 or 3 witnesses are required to back up a charge against someone.
V. 3 “He is not weak in dealing with you,” was evidenced by God actually removing people who violated the Lord’s supper in 1 Cor. 11. Paul knew that if he needed to show spiritual power he could do it.
Vs. 5-10 Paul asks them to honestly search their own hearts. This testing was also mentioned in 1 Cor. 11, regarding Christians who were desecrating the Lord’s Supper.
V. 9 At this point, restoration was still necessary in Corinth between the people and God.
The good news is that it seems that the Corinthians, for a time, pulled things together. Paul wrote Romans on this future visit to Corinth some time before Acts 21.
So, thinking about 2 Corinthians, what things come to mind when you think of Paul as a disciple. How does 2 Corinthians help refine and focus what it means for you to follow Christ in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples who make disciples? One thing that hits me is that Paul’s trials benefited himself, the Corinthians and us. It made me think of the following song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axVvyZYXXfM
Psalm 57
This looks like it would have been a beautiful song.
David was on the run. Notice the references to taking refuge in God and also the mentions of God’s steadfast love.
V. 2 In all of this trial, David understood God had a purpose for him. That’s a good thing to remember when you are faced with very dark times for a long time.
Vs. 4-5 Notice how David mentions the threat and then suddenly he mentions how high and exalted God is.
Vs. 6-11 This is the same kind of pattern as 4-5. Verse 6 is the challenge, but the rest of the verses are a declaration of David’s faith, ending with a repeating of verse five.
V. 9 In light of God’s salvation, it is our privilege and duty to proclaim His deliverance. The word “nations” is the same word that means peoples or Gentiles. In any case, there is a redemptive message here, and a redemptive purpose in God putting David through all of this.
How much more should we, who know Christ, share the good news of His salvation with others.
Psalm 40:9 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; lo, I have not restrained my lips, as thou knowest, O LORD. 10 I have not hid thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness from the great congregation.
But as David learned over and over, God kept him in his distress, giving him small deliverances over the 10 years he ran from Saul. The storm went on, but God taught David to praise Him in the storm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHlQ6sBEO9A
Proverbs 23:9-11
These are two separate “words” of wisdom.
V. 9 This is either trying to debate with a fool or casting your pearls before swine, or any degree in between.
Vs. 10-11 Moving a landmark was the same as stealing land and it looks like this specific act of stealing was toward a poor person, a widow or orphans.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
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