July 28, 2012 … All, Like Sheep, Have Gone Astray

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 210 

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Isaiah, Chapter 49-53 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 49: 1: 7; 14-15 : [NIV] … 1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother's womb he has spoken my name. … 7 This is what the Lord says — the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel — to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." … 14 But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 50: 10-11 : [NIV] … 10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. 11 But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches; go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.
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 Highlight Passage: Isaiah 51: 1-3; 7; 11; 22 : [NIV] … 1 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; 2 look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. 3 The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. … 7 "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults. … 11 Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. … <22 This is what your Sovereign Lord says, your God, who defends his people: "See, I have taken out of your hand the cup that made you stagger; from that cup, the goblet of my wrath, you will never drink again. 
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 52: 1-3: 7; 13-14 : [NIV] … 1 Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. 2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. 3 For this is what the Lord says: "You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed." … 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" … 13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 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— …  
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 53; 6 : [NIV] … Read – Study – Meditate on all of Chapter 53 from the link above! … 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

My Journal for Today: Wow! How does one, who has been drinking in such large quantities of Isaiah’s writings, choose what to journal, especially when I’m led to this particular section of the Prophet’s book, ... i.e., Chapters 49-53, where Isaiah, speaking/writing for God lays out the coming of the “suffering Servant,” the Lamb of God, Who would redeem all mankind from their sins? How does one summarize the wondrous prophesies about the One Who would suffer so ignominiously and be sacrifice beyond recognition; … yet, the One God would honor above all others as His Redeemer.

 Once again I just hope that you take in, as I have this morning, these great prophesies of truth, which speak, over 700 years before Christ would be born as a man, live, and die on a cross, so accurately and specifically of how The Christ would die for our sins, … as the prophet would say, above in verse 6 of Chapter 53; … ”and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

I once questioned a Jewish co-worker how he could read through Chapter 53 of Isaiah’s prophesies and not see that Isaiah was writing about Jesus; and my friend, a very wise and good man by worldly standards, simply dismissed my interpretation by saying that this was not a reference to Jesus. His Rabbi had taught him that the “him” reference in Isaiah 53: 6 was a reference to all of Israel as a nation. No matter how hard and clearly I spoke of all the references to Christ’s suffering on the cross from this and other OT scriptures, my friend (who was actually my superior at work) simply could not see it the way Christian scholars have interpreted these passages since shortly after the foundation of the church when the Bible was canonized into Scripture.

 But, one day, all mankind, especially those who experience the time when the Lamb of God comes as God’s Bridegroom for His bride, the Church, will recognize that Isaiah, when he was led to pen these chapters was speaking about the deliverance of the Israelites from Babylon, for one; but more importantly Isaiah was prophesying the coming of the Messiah and the Son of God, The Christ, delivering mankind from our sins.

And as Jesus said it on the cross, … ”It is finished!”   And so, one day in the future, all mankind will bow and declare that Jesus is LORD!!! [see Phil. 2: 6-11] 

My Prayer Today: … I declare it now, my Jesus, … You are LORD!!! Amen