September 18, Reading Notes

Isaiah 28:14-30:11

Isaiah 28:14-29

Vs. 14-22 Now the "woe" from yesterday is directed to the leaders of Jerusalem who scoffed at Isaiah. Notice that verses 14 and 22 both have "scoffing" in them, showing this is a unit of thought.

V. 15 In their arrogance, some leaders quipped that Jerusalem was impervious to attack because they had made an agreement with death. This was somewhat pagan and totally dumb.

V. 16 In contrast, God pronounces His power and His future blessing on Zion. They should have been hoping in Him. Just to show you how quickly God moves Isaiah to talk about the future, Paul quotes this verse twice in Romans, at the end of chapter 9 and in Romans 10:11, one referring to the future blessing of Israel in Christ and the other talking about faith in Christ. So guess who that cornerstone is. Isn't it interesting to read the actual context in which some of these things said about Jesus were first mentioned?

V. 17 This is clearly talking about the future under the Messiah.

Vs. 18-22 This shows God's judgment on these leaders.

Vs. 23-29 After judgment will come restoration and blessing. Notice in verse 23 how insistent God is that they hear. It made me think of the charge against the people in Isaiah, "having ears they do not hear…" And then Isaiah 53 begins, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"

V. 28 means there will be a remnant that will be preserved.

V. 29 sounds like Paul speaking about the same subject in Romans 11:33, "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"

Isaiah 29

Vs. 1-8 The "Ah" is really "Woe." Ariel is another word for Jerusalem or Zion. The gist here is that in the near future for the readers, and in the distant future, Jerusalem will be hopelessly confronted by foes and then, like a bad dream, they will be gone. This happened when the Assyrians came against Jerusalem. The next morning they were gone. At the end of the tribulation, the nations will invade Israel and Jerusalem will be ready to be destroyed when suddenly, "hey did you see that strange lightening, and that cloud, and what's that coming down from the cloud?" And it will all be over, that quickly.

Vs. 9-16 This passage is full of references used in the NT regarding Israel's blindness and the illustration with the potter. They have blinded themselves through disobedience and rebellion and so then God laid upon them a spirit of stupor, reminiscent of Romans 1:24. This is all in Romans 9-11. These verses look like Romans 11:8-10.

Notice the progression from verse 11-16. They say they are blind, then the reason is given. First it is seen in their heart toward God and then in their actions. In verse 15 the desire they were hiding was to seek help from Egypt rather than from the Lord.

Vs. 17-24 Here comes hope and restoration again. Notice "in that day" in verse 18 and opened eyes.

Isaiah 30

Vs. 1-5 "Ah" is really, "Woe." This is their lack of trust in the Lord and going to Egypt for help. Remember Isaiah 21 and what his nakedness symbolized?

Vs. 6-7 In order to get from Jerusalem to Egypt you had to go through the southern desert, the Negeb. This is basically saying it is useless to get help from Egypt. Rahab is a "monster" that rivaled the Leviathan. In Job, this would have been the behemoth. Now, a thousand years later, this "monster" is not that variety of super hippo, but from the description of its inactivity, a run-of-the-mill-float-in-the-water-and-do-nothing hippo.

Vs. 8-11 Again, this is Jerusalem, seeking their own will rather than the Lord's. Notice the words of Jerusalem in verses 10 and 11. I don't know if these were actual words and / or an attitude of heart, but the Lord heard this and He definitely wasn't happy.

Galatians 3:23-4:31

The Galatians were not Jews, they were Gentiles. When these Jewish Christians came to them they had no way to refute what must have sounded like a very smooth connection between rites from the law of Moses and following Christ. In this section, Paul (and the Spirit) calls on all of his creativity to show the Galatians that the law and faith in Christ do not mix.

Gal. 3:23-29

Vs. 23-25 The law was a strict guardian. Even though people couldn't be saved by it (although many found salvation through faith in it), it protected those who followed it from the paganism of the surrounding world. When we read of the very sexually oriented worship of Baal and Asherah in the OT and the worship of Molech, it shows what God was trying to protect the people from. It will get worse when we get into Ezekiel and see what the leaders were worshiping. This protection was a part of the purpose of the law and that didn't even work in the OT. This guardian was there until the coming of salvation through faith in Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Vs. 26-29 This would have been a major problem for these Jewish Christians. The baptism in the Holy Spirit creates an equality before God that destroys earthly designations. We still have these differences on earth, but not before God as He sees us in Christ.

Gal. 4:1-31

Vs. 1-10 This illustration is a little different than the one above. As before, until the heir "comes of age," it must be ruled by a guardian (the law). The elementary principles, we'll see, have to do with following religious practice by rote.

Vs. 4-7 These verses have freed a lot of people. Paul says in Romans 2&3 that all of humanity is under the law, even written on their hearts. That the Gentiles could be equal sons of God, was hard for these Jewish Christian teachers to swallow.

Vs. 8-11 Paul comes out of the illustration into the present situation. The elementary spirits mentioned in verse 9 are defined in verse 10. Notice that the Galatians were beginning to follow Jewish holy days.

Vs. 12-20 This is a very personal section.

V. 12 Paul had been freed from the law as a Jew, so he could reach the Gentiles. Paul became like them. Now Paul is asking the Galatians to become like him, free from the law and alive to Christ.

V. 15 Some think that the thorn in the flesh was some degree of blindness.

Vs. 21-31 This allegory stays very close to the physical circumstances and compares the two wives and the two sons.

V. 23 Hagar's son was naturally conceived and not according to the promise. Sarah's son was a miracle from conception to birth, all according to the promise.

V. 25 Hagar represents Mt. Sinai where the law was given. Sarah represents the future Jerusalem. Since we're reading Isaiah, we're hearing of the promises that are aimed at Zion that have yet to be fulfilled.

Vs. 28-31 Paul is telling them to get rid of the influence of the law, just as Abraham and Sarah had to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael because of Ishmael's animosity and ridicule of Isaac.

To think, this book helped launch the Reformation. What did this letter really do? It accomplished its purpose. It brought freedom for generations of people who were in bondage to sin and to religion and made them alive to Christ. As you read this, remember, it's all about freedom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY38STrAt4g

Psalm 62

As you read this, your heart will latch onto the verses that speak to you.

Verses 1 & 5, that mention silence before God, mean something to me. When we hope on the Lord in very hard situations, we cannot defend faith in following. We simply follow regardless of what others think. We set our hope on God and wait and trust Him and hide in Him. Read Isaiah 30:15.

Vs. 9-11 seem to say that being of high or low estate come from the God of power. Those who pursued David might have been seeking his former position, or they wanted favor and position by lying and political posturing.

V. 12 David's sight, in all of this suffering and confusion, was set on God, His steadfast love and His justice.

This song on Psalm 62 is written by Aaron Keyes, but rather than his performance of it, I found this simpler version. Sometimes I think a single guitar trumps a band, a choir and a smoke machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQmdQGhERcU&feature=BFa&list=PL8F3FC504C539471B&lf=BFp

Proverbs 23:19-21

On the one hand, you might look at this and say that anyone who has their eating under control and doesn't get drunk is in good shape. But I think the idea here is that the comforts of life can put you to sleep. There are plenty of things here that could also be put into these verses like TV and computers, social networking, games, shopping, etc….

V. 19 says to direct your heart in the way. That sounds like being intentional, being focused, knowing what you are supposed to be doing and where you are going. It also seems like the "way" is important and plays an important role.

For us as disciples in the harvest, following Christ in this world, we can still enjoy what the Lord gives us, but we know why we need to live intentionally and to stay alert. We know "the way."

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. Send any feedback or comments to dgkachikis@gmail.com.