July 26, 2012 … Refiner’s fire!

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 208 

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Isaiah, Chapter 44-48 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 44: 6; 9-11; : [NIV] … 6 "This is what the Lord says — Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. … 9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. 10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? 11 People who do that will be put to shame such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame. … 21 "Remember these things, Jacob for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. 22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." … 28 who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid."' 
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 45: 1-4; 18-19; 22-23 : [NIV] … 1 "This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 2 I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.” … 18 For this is what the Lord says — he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited — he says: "I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. … 22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 46: 12-13 : [NIV] … 12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. 13 I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 47: 5-8 : [NIV] … 5 "Sit in silence, go into darkness, queen city of the Babylonians; no more will you be called queen of kingdoms. 6 I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke. 7 You said, 'I am forever — the eternal queen!' But you did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen. 8 "Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children.'  
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 48: 1-4; 9-11 : [NIV] … 1 "Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness—2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel — the Lord Almighty is his name: 3 I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. 4 For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze. … 9 For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely. 10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another. 

My Journal for Today: I’ve copied (above) significant passages from each of these five chapters from Isaiah; and to me I’ve always been blown away by this section of scripture as spoken by God through His Prophet. I’m blown away because Isaiah’s prophesies about Babylon – so long before the actual historical events occurred – illustrate God’s truth in His canonized word and are so powerful in their accuracy.

And in today’s study, God almost brags about how He allows – under His sovereignty – for Cyrus to become God’s agent in the rebuilding of God’s temple many years hence, which we read about being documented by scripture, much later chronologically, in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. How could anyone read these prophesies and not be impressed with God’s predictions, as well as doubly taken away by God’s love and mercy with his disobedient Israelite children? It is wondrous, i.e., His love, … isn’t it?

I’m not going to say very much today. Just take in these powerful chapters – or at least meditate on the highlighted portions above – and stop to PRAISE GOD [!!], as I am in my consciousness this morning, knowing that we, who have responded to God’s ultimate prophesy and His ultimate mercy, by believing in and receiving His ultimate love through our Messiah, Jesus, the Christ, have been saved from our own disobedience to be able to spend eternity in God’s ultimate promised-land, the New Jerusalem.

So, join me in shouting aloud in our spirit … Hallelujah!!

My Prayer Today: … Again I say, HALLELUJAH!!! Amen