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SEPTEMBER 22
Today we are beginning Ephesians and entering into the second part of
Isaiah. This part of Isaiah is filled with some amazing verses and, of course,
great chapters like Isaiah 53 and 55; both of which are worth memorizing. In
fact, Ephesians 1-3 are good memorization material too.
Isaiah 39-41:16
Isaiah 39
I believe these guys came after the humbling of Assyria. We have seen
that Hezekiah showed them everything. There might be a thought that Hezekiah
should have had nothing to show them; because he had sent tons of gold, silver,
and anything that wasn't nailed down, to Assyria to keep them from attacking.
Of course that didn’t work, and God told them it wouldn't. But after God
destroyed the Assyrian army, their camp was full of loot they had taken from
everyone else, and there would have been tons of precious metals there too. I'm
sure Hezekiah got some of that. In essence, what Hezekiah was showing them had
been a gift from God. It was nothing that Hezekiah had earned or had reason to
glory in. But he did.
Vs. 5-7 There is no expressed condemnation of Hezekiah, but it is
implied.
V. 8 This does not have a complimentary ring to it. This judgment was
about 100 years away, so why get so worked up? We could understand Hezekiah.
Would you get worked up about something that will happen in 100 years from now?
But because of this attitude, Hezekiah had a hand in bringing the nation under
that judgment.
Here is the view of what Hezekiah did from God's perspective:
2 Chronicles 32:24-25
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed
to the LORD, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25But Hezekiah did not make return according
to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon
him and Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 32:31 And
so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to
him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him
to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.
All of the kings faltered when they found success, but the way they
faltered was specifically unique to each king. They showed a weakness and
unwillingness to fully trust God in some area of their lives. With Hezekiah, I
have to believe that it began when he thought he was going to die. The attack
by the Assyrians was bad, but Hezekiah stood. Hezekiah got sick and he wept
bitterly. After this, even with God saving him, his heart was not fully the
Lord's. Hey, nothing would happen for 100 years. Hezekiah would be long gone.
But in those extra 15 years that God gave him, Hezekiah had a son, Manasseh,
who was the worst and most godless king of Israel, and who is credited by
tradition, for putting Isaiah to death.
For us the warning here is obvious. Some of us are like a rock in some
areas; but it is our anger, or worry, or our sexual needs, or our need to be
secure or to be liked, to be financially comfortable, that can shred our faith
and get us irrationally focused on ourselves. Some unexpected scare or
attraction or frustration can enter our lives, and suddenly we're faced with a
temptation that could erase all the faith and devotion for God we have shown
over the past years. This story is a warning to us from God.
We need to be in the Word every day, washing ourselves, refreshing our
faith and trust. More specifically, the Word focuses us on our Lord, our
mission, and our life of following Him through this harvest, glorifying the
Father until we are home. This world is not our home, and neither is this
particular body.
Isaiah 40
Now with chapters 38 & 39, particularly 39, we have the Babylonian
exile clearly stated. Exile meant the extermination of a people. People were
forced to worship other gods, speak another language, take new names; and they
were removed from their land and culture. Most nations taken into exile never
recovered. Judah would not only survive, but thrive because of God. So now, in
the shadow of this dark threat of death to the nation, God breaks out with some
of the brightest and most magnificent declarations of hope and restoration ever
given to man. Isaiah 53, located in the middle of these 27 chapters, is stirring,
and something every disciple should memorize. I wish I had done this sooner.
Get ready to meet some very well-known verses.
Vs. 1-2 The strength of this declaration is in proportion to what
Israel has suffered on this planet since the time God formed them. Israel has
been an object lesson and they have represented mankind.
Notice that Jerusalem is mentioned.
Vs. 3-5 The context here is the same in the NT regarding John the
Baptist. The Deliverer and King was coming.
Vs. 6-8 A warning to all mankind. And our hope: The Word of our God will stand forever. Amen. It is vital to know
the Word of the Lord and let it wash you daily.
Vs. 9-11 The King is coming in His kingdom. If you look at the gospel
that John, Jesus and the Twelve preached, this is it.
Vs. 12-20 This section is about this king and is organized around the
question of who He is.
V. 13 Paul quotes this in Romans 11.
Vs. 19-20 We will see this description of making an idol repeated. The
process itself, dependent on man, shows how insane it is to worship an idol of
any kind. Particularly funny is the need to nail it down so it won't fall.
Vs. 21-26 Here, in the 3rd and 1st person, God declares who He is.
Vs. 27-31 In light of who God is, Jacob-Israel (the unified people of
Israel) can trust that the Lord will deliver and restore them. He will give
them strength as they wait to return from Babylon and as they wait for the
Messiah during the Tribulation.
Vs. 29-31 are some amazing verses and, if you have time, they are worth
memorizing.
Isaiah 41:1-16
Vs. 1-7 are a warning to the nations that nothing will stand in God's
way or stop His predetermined plan.
V. 4 This is what Jesus says three times in the book of Revelation.
Linking this declaration with v. 2, the world should understand that they are
defenseless in their rebellion to stop the Lord. The proper response would be
to turn to the Lord and submit.
Vs. 8-16 In these verses you get an idea of how God has used Israel as
a servant, and how He will use them in the future. Their failure has been an
example to all of mankind, and as they represent the redemptive purpose of God
in the world, they have been the object of human and spiritual hatred. These
are absolutely great verses.
V. 10 This is another one that is good to memorize.
V. 16 Just as the Assyrians smashed themselves against Jerusalem - in
the Tribulation, the world will smash themselves, fighting against God's
people. When the Lord returns, Israel will rejoice and glory in their Messiah
and His kingdom.
Ephesians 1
Ephesians is a great letter. After Galatians, where grace was mentioned
as being so important, in Ephesians grace is painted for us in the person of
our Lord. God's love, kindness and delight in those who know Him is described,
so that by the time you get to chapters 4-6, you just know that obeying and
following are the only logical things to do since He loves us with such
reckless abandon. So, let's go. I would suggest reading this slowly and trying
to drink this chapter in. Speaking of which, a good latte wouldn't hurt either.
Vs. 1-2 We often see Paul stating that it was God's fault, I mean His
will, that made Paul an apostle. In some places this came to Paul's defense. In
this letter we'll see that Paul never got over the wonder of being chosen to be
used like this. Apparently it was noted after Paul wrote this letter that it
was sent to Ephesus and the words, To…in Ephesus were added. It was probably
the case that churches had sprung up around Ephesus after Paul's years of
ministry there, and this letter was meant to circulate around this area. It
seems like some of the recipients of this letter hadn't met Paul. This letter
was written from Rome during the time of Acts 28, and before he wrote 1
Timothy.
By the way, vs. 3-14 are all one sentence. Read it slowly and enjoy.
Notice the phrase in the heavenly places.
We'll see this again. Also, see if you can find the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
in this entire process.
Vs. 15-16 For this reason.
What reason? Why is Paul saying this? How does this connect with what he has
just said? This is a hinge verse, swinging from what Paul has just said, and
going into the prayer. Because this is true of them and they have received
this, Paul as a maker of disciples is praying for their deepening in this new
life of blessing and privilege.
Vs. 17-23 is Paul's prayer for them. It is the first of two great
prayers in Ephesians. Think slowly through what Paul is asking for them,
realizing it is what God wants for you too. Notice that this is personal growth
in Christ that is dependent on our following as disciples. Salvation and new
life in Christ is in 3-14, but the next steps of growth are in these verses.
Notice that vs.
20-23 read like Jesus' prelude to the Great Commission. And Jesus came and said to them,
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:18-20).
All of this is not only what God has done for us personally, but there
is a great emphasis on the church. Someone has said that Ephesians is not about
"me and my God," but rather about "us and our God." Those
famous verses in Ephesians 4:12-16 are dependent on all of us growing together
in Christ and working together in the harvest. Paul, in Ephesians, describes
how glorious the church is because of God's plan of redemption and Christ's
blood in saving us to be His church.
Psalm 66
This psalm doesn't say who wrote it, but I did notice a couple things
that reminded me of David. Notice in vs. 17-20 that the writer, himself, cried
out and experienced deliverance. This would lead me to think it was David.
Vs. 1-4 This call
to all nations is very typical of David. Whoever wrote this understood that all
of what God was doing through Israel was meant to bring the world to worship
God. I was reading about Jesus' second cleansing of the temple the week He died
in Mark
11:17, And he was teaching them and saying 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 den of robbers.”
Vs. 5-7 This describes
something the Lord had done, some great deliverance that showed that the
nations were silly to rebel against God. This event could have been the
destruction of the Assyrian army, or it could have been some great victory God
gave to David after he became king of the entire nation. But Israel was always
to have been reviewing and remembering God's deliverance as He led them out of
Egypt. The writer seems to be referring to God's power in making a way through
the Red Sea. The nation should remember that God can do the impossible to
rescue His people.
Vs. 8-12 All nations are called upon to bless God because of His grace
and deliverance. Coming to God, God would extend to them the same salvation.
Yet, as you read this, it was a wild ride until God delivered them. They had to
hang on, hoping in the Lord and waiting for Him.
V. 9 Do you notice how often David talks about God setting our feet
upon a rock and giving us firm footing. In the wilderness, on the side of hills
and mountains, broken rock and dirt made for treacherous footing. David must
have seen instability in walking as a symbol of this time of his life.
Vs. 13-15 Again, this sounds like David. His desire was to live in
God's presence; and once he became king, his only desire was to bring the ark to
Jerusalem, to set it in the tabernacle and to fulfill all that he had spoken to
God in those years of living on the run.
Vs. 16-20 Since this is written in the first person, telling personally
of what God did for him, I really think this is David. Here again is the
testimony to all of God's deliverance and David's claim of knowing the steadfast love of the Lord.
Proverbs 23:25-28
Vs. 25-26 These are God's words to heed your "godly" parents.
They don't have it all wrong.
Vs. 27-28 This is very similar to what Solomon wrote at the beginning
of Proverbs. The pit and the well might have some double meanings,
but the main idea is getting caught and being unable to save yourself.
You wouldn't get any of this advice from evening TV or our movies, but
we still know this reality in our hearts. Even in the secular world,
politicians and leaders who are caught with a prostitute or caught in adultery
are not looked upon graciously. Written in our hearts is still the
manufacturer's design that one man should love one woman in marriage forever.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, 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 (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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