Silence

O. T. #1681  "Silence"
April 30, 2020
Isaiah 53-Part 6
He was taken from prison and judgment: and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off our of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken.

LET IT GLOW

In the prophecies of Isaiah the Servant of the Lord represents both all Israel, as well as an individual Messiah who ministers to Israel and who atones for the sins of the Gentiles. (Falwell)

Don't we too often open our mouth when we should keep it shut? Do we have the tendency to defend our actions or words when we should let it go? We learned that Jesus open not His mouth before His accusers. Continue reading to find what else He endured and suffered.

Isaiah described with accuracy and precision the events which would relate to the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus Christ in our key verse:

• He was taken from prison. Restrained as a prisoner, Jesus did not resist the solders in the Garden. He knew it was time for Calvary. Matthew 26 gives us details of these events.
• He was taken from judgment, justice. The trials of Christ were held in the middle of the night by the Sanhedrin. He was led up a steep hill to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. We visited that place while in Israel.  Then Jesus was led in the early morning to Pilate, the Roman official.
• He was cut off out of the land of the living. Christ willingly laid down His life. He did not resist all that happened to Him, for He knew that He was in the will of God.
• He was stricken (a blow, stripe, stroke, wound, violently killed) for the transgression of God's people, the nation of Israel and believing Gentiles.

Did you notice that I left out the question, Who shall declare His generation?
Jesus rose to die no more; death had no more dominion over Him. He that was dead is alive, and lives for evermore; He is advanced to this eternal life. We shall not fall under the curse of the law if we submit to the grace of the gospel.  (Matthew Henry)

Christian, are we will to share this grace of the gospel which we have experienced?
This amazing grace should be shared. Can we ever get over what Jesus did for us personally-provided salvation for us?

Did you recall that this verse was read to an Ethiopian eunuch, which is found in Acts 8:31-35?
Phillip used this passage to tell the good news about Jesus. As a result, the man got saved and was baptized. I think he went back home and shared what happened to him. Phillip was faithful to share the redemption story.

LET IT GROW

And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death: because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. (verse 9)

What do we learn from this verse about Jesus Christ?

• He made His grave with the wicked refers to Jesus being hung between two thieves, criminal,  on the cross;
• and with the rich in His death. They were not rich criminals, but Jesus was buried in a rich man's tomb, which was borrowed. It was owned by Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57).
• This happened because Jesus did no violence. The gospels tell of the good deeds and miracles Jesus did. (Books could not contain all of them.)
• No deceit (in the sense of deceiving; false; guile; treachery) was in His mouth. Jesus proclaimed that He was the Truth John 143:6). When the high priest told Jesus to tell them if He was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus answered, Thou hast said. (Matthew 26:63-64).

Who do you say that Jesus Christ is? Is He the Son of God, the Suffering Servant Savior, the Risen Lord to you?

LET IT GO

Jesus, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God.
To me, You are my Savior, Messiah, Redeemer.
Thank You for enduring the cross in order to take my punishment for my sins.
You are the only way to God and to heaven.
Help me keep my mouth silent when my accusers are accusing me, but to speak when the gospel is needing shared.
Jesus, Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me. Your love is never ending.

Wandering Sheep

O. T. #1680 "Wandering Sheep"
April 29, 2020
Isaiah 53-Part 5
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (verse 6)


LET IT GLOW

For the first time the reader learns that the Servant suffered on behalf of others. Even so, people did not recognize it, and He was rejected as One struck down by God for His own supposed sins. (Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary)

Some people may not aware of how sheep are. They are prone to wander off with little or no sense of direction and cannot find their own way home. Thus, they need a shepherd to keep them with the flock. Also, that way they do not wander into danger, such as wild animals who want to devour them for lunch. What an appropriate illustration. Lost and sinful humanity cannot come to the Savior without divine assistance.

Christ is the Good Shepherd (Matthew 9:36), who leaves the 99 sheep and seeks the one who went astray. Sometimes we are bent to backsliding away from our God. We tend to turn aside to our own way, doing our own will. We stubbornly and willfully turn toward our corrupt appetites and passions. We want to be our own master, to do our own will and have what we want, instead of doing God's will. Eventually grace and mercy find their way to us. And we repent and turn around, walking toward God.


Isaiah speaks of Israel straying from God and compares them to wandering sheep. Yet God would send the Messiah to bring them back into the fold. Lest we point fingers at Israel, the word all includes all of us. You are I are wandering sheep who have the tendency to go our own way. We see the desperate condition of mankind. Because of our spiritual blindness and our lack of a shepherd for our souls, we sinners have the tendency to go astray, turn astray.

Are we straying from the fold of God? Jesus loves His sheep. He will take care of us.

LET IT GROW

Throughout His earthly ministry Jesus was verbally assaulted, particularly by the Pharisees. He was rejected and ignored. When that didn't stop Him, they plotted against Him. Even while Jesus was on trial, the same men who found "no fault in Him" had Him scourged and crucified. Yet, at every turn, Jesus, resisted the temptation to retaliate, to hold a grudge, to be defensive or resentful or bitter, to lash out in anger or revenge. (Five Meaningful Minutes a Day, by Charles Swindoll)

The LORD laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. It means to punish by violence, or to strike violently.
The wrath of God should violently strike us, but the fact is, it has struck our Lord Jesus instead. We deserve the entire penalty and punishment for our sins, however, we have been set free by God's grace when we become a Christian. Do we realize that the spiritual agony of bearing our sins was greater than the physical torture Christ endured. Because Jesus willingly was oppressed, He did away from oppression (9:4)

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, ye He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. (verse 7)

Jesus voluntarily was afflicted, beaten. Also, He did not say a word in His defense; He was silent. The Lamb of God laid down His life for sinners.

When John saw Jesus coming, twice he said, Behold the Lamb of God!
It is found in John 1:29 and 36. He added,  which taketh away the sin of the world, the first time.

Is Jesus your Lamb which takes away your sins? He sacrificed Himself to take our punishment for our sins.

LET IT GO
I am your sheep, Jesus; Your are my Good Shepherd.
Keep me in Your will, on Your path for my life.

Healing is Available

O. T. #1679  "Healing is Available"
April 28, 2020
Isaiah 53-Part 4
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. (verse 5)

LET IT GLOW

Previously we learned that Jesus went through emotional pains, and today we will discuss His physical pains. The suffering Servant Savior endured it all for you and me. He who was guiltless and sinless bore the guilt and punishment due us for our sins. Jesus Christ was our substitute. Probably we all know this and recognize it. He loves us so much that He willingly endured it all for us. Why would Jesus go through the beatings and pain of hanging on a cross?

1 Peter 2:24 explains: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:21: For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Before we break down the 4 phrases in our key verse, shall we look at the meanings of the words?

• wounded (to bore; pierced through)
• transgressions (sins; rebellion; a revolt (national, moral, or religious)
• bruised (to be crushed; beat to pieces; humble)
• iniquities (more evil or fault; sin)
• chastisement (correction or discipline; reproof, warning, or instruction)
• peace (rest; happy; well; safety)
• stripes (bruises or wounds; bound with stripes)
• healed (to mend; to cure; repair; made whole)

Putting this verse into our day's wording, we note the price that Christ paid for us. How did Jesus physically suffer?
He was pierced by nails, used to hang Him on the cross, then a sword was run through His side to make sure Jesus was dead; that is how He was wounded. The weight of our sins and those of the world crushed Him. He was punished as though He had broken the law, in this case with stripes from the scourging.


LET IT GROW

How did Jesus Christ suffer spiritually on the cross?
He bore our transgressions, our rebellious and deliberate breaking of God's Law; our iniquities, the crookedness of our nature; and our griefs and sorrows, our calamities and unhappy results of our sins. We are sinner by birth and by choice. Christ died for our sins- the very heart of the Gospel. (Wiersbe)

Besides the emotional, physical, and spiritual sufferings, Jesus experienced separation from His Father before He died. (Mark 15:34) It was for our benefit that Jesus suffered all of that.

I like the double parallel emphasis which Liberty Bible Commentary make in reference to this verse:

His Action                                                                                Our Need
wounded                                                                                    transgressions
bruised                                                                                       iniquities
chastisement                                                                               peace
stripes                                                                                         healed

It is the atonement of Christ that heals us spiritually. By His stripes we are forgiven. He is the only Way.
Do we ever have so much to be thankful for and a reason to praise our Suffering Savior!
Listen, we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Only Jesus can heal our sin sick soul.

Friend, if you do not know Jesus as your Savior, you can right now. Ask Him to forgive your sins, believe that He is the only Savior, and ask Jesus to be your personal Savior. He will, dear one.


LET IT GO

Thank You Jesus for Your endurance and love!
By Your wounds we are healed.

Rejection

O. T. #1678 "Rejection"
April 27, 2020
Isaiah 53-Part 3
He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. (verse 3)

LET IT GLOW

Have you ever felt rejected?
Rejection-That is one of  the hardest things for me to endure. When people look the other way as you walk by them or they turn and walk in another direction just avoid you. That is what I am talking about. It is so cold-rejection. It is difficult to continue on walking by faith when others refuse to show you love or forgiveness. Life is hard enough, but when you have to continually endure such treatment, well, enough is enough. We can choose to either resolve the problem they have with you or remove yourself from them. Sometimes you can try to resolve it but they are unwilling. When that is the case, I shake the dust off my feet and walk on in another direction. Life is too short to not surround oneself with loving and caring people. Amen? With that said, take a look at our key verse for today.

Jesus was not a well-built, good-looking man. He was common and ordinary. He did so many good things, so many miracles, and showed so much compassion to the hurting. Not only did Jesus not impress the crowd, but He was also rejected by the world. He didn't just know about suffering; He experienced it first-hand. He was like someone people turned away from. This shows us a deep level of rejection Jesus faced.
We like to think that we don't reject Jesus, but the reality is that we often reject Him every day. When we disobey His commands or instructions, we are rejecting Jesus. When people turn away from Him because He doesn't fit their idea of a savior, that is rejection. The world wants a savior who doesn't require anything from us. However, that is not who Jesus is-and He still suffers rejection because of it.

What does this verse say that Jesus experienced?

• He was despised (scorned);
• rejected (ceasing or destitute; abandoned)  of men;
• a man of sorrow (pain, anguish, affliction);
• acquainted with grief (afflicted, be wounded).
• People turned their back (faces) on Him and looked the other way.
• He was despised (rejected),
• and not esteemed (valued).

Folks, these are emotional sufferings which Jesus endured. It wasn't just for one day, but throughout His ministry.
And aren't we guilty at some time or another of treating Him the same way?
Yet Jesus stills loves us.

LET IT GROW

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken smitten of God, and afflicted. (verse 4)

Not only did Jesus bear His own griefs and sorrows, but also but ours also as He endured the cross.

To bear means to take away. But more than that, it connote the idea of lifting up or carrying. (Falwell)

This passage emphasizes the fact that Christ, who is Himself sinless, is the sin-bearer who varies our weight of sin and, therefore, bears the punishment which that sin deserves.

Isaiah predicts that mankind, especially the Jews, would falsely assume that the Messiah would be plagued and struck and afflicted by God for the punishment of His sins.


There is good news. We are not alone in the world. Jesus knows what it feels like to be rejected, despised, in sorrow and grief because we are wounded by others. Yet, He forgave those and us.
should we not do the same?
In the overall scope of life, Jesus endured so much more than we can ever experience. Right?

LET IT GO
Jesus, Your forgiveness is like sweet honey in our soul.
We need You every hour.
Keep our hear open to Your Spirit's directions so we do not turn away from You.
We love You Jesus!

A Tender Plant

O. T. #1675  "A Tender Plant"
April 24, 2020
Isaiah 53-Part 2
For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.  (verse 2)

LET IT GLOW

A couple of years ago, the electric company came down our country road and chopped down trees that were located under the electric lines. (This was done to prevent any lines breaking under the weight of ice.) Well, this included a peach tree across from our yard. I don't mind telling you that I was upset. However, a small tree has grown back. I didn't pay any attention to it when it was a sprout. This spring that tree had the most beautiful pink blossoms on it. Then I saw it had returned. I hope those men do not return and do the same thing. I doubt they will, since a peach tree does not grow as tall as an oak tree.

As we have already mentioned, this chapter is speaking of the Servant Messiah, Jesus Christ. He was unrecognized by the world, but His Father kept close watch of His Son. Since Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem and grew up in a despised town of Nazareth in a lowly carpenter's family. Such humble beginnings. He didn't wear any spectacular emblems of royalty, revealing His identity to the discerning eye of faith. Jesus looked like an ordinary, common man, yet He was divine.

How was the Savior described by Isaiah?

• a tender plant (a sucker; hence a twig (of a tree felled and sprouting);
• a root (bottom; deep; heel) out of a dry ground;
• no form (figure or appearance; favored; beautiful)  nor comeliness (magnificence, ornament or splendor beauty, glory, honor, majesty;
• when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

Isaiah 11:1 NLT says, Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot-yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.

I tend to think Jesus grew up as a normal boy, yet He knew in the Temple that He must be about His Father's business.  (The mother of Jesus knew He was the Son of God, even before His birth. I think she observed His life as a sinless boy, too.) At age 12, the Jewish boy goes through a special and unique ceremony recognizing him as a man. (We got to observe a couple of them while in Jerusalem.)

Jesus was not a great tree, but a shoot and a tender plant, and just a sprout, yet sprang up out of the kingly line of Israel at a time when it was least expected. As we have read about the sins of David and Solomon, as well as those kings not dedicated to God, we might think their line should have been cut down forever. Although the potential of producing a messianic king is thought to be dried up, it didn't. Even though God had not spoken for 400 years to His people, He still had a plan. God keeps His promises and covenants. He does not forsake His beloved people.


LET IT GROW

In their devotional book, Experiencing God Day-By-Day, Henry and Richard Blackaby say it this way:

The coming of Jesus was like a tender plant in the midst of a parched ground. Parched ground offers little hope for survival; it is dry and too hardened to allow most plants to penetrate its crust. Ye Jesus was prophesied as a tender plant that would break through the hostile soil and overcome the dry and lifeless environment in order to bring life. So hostile had they become to the truth that when God's Son came to the, they killed Him. Nevertheless, despite the enmity of the people, Jesus brought life to all who believed in Him. 

This same Jesus has the ability to bring life to anyone, society, or culture. No matter how hard they have become to the gospel, He can still do it. He can change a bitter heart of a calloused sinner and give them new life. Like a tiny mustard seed, faith can grow strong. Let's keep praying for those we know need Jesus as their Savior.

What will you do with a man called Jesus?

LET IT GO

Use me to love people to Jesus.
Change cold and unresponsive hearts, which only You can do, Jesus.
Create spiritual needs in us.

Have You Heard?

O. T. #1674  "Have You Heard?"
April 23, 2020
Isaiah 53
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? (verse 1)

LET IT GLOW

Have you heard yet? Have you heard that on such and such date we are released from our home quarantine? Do you believe it? That is what we are all waiting for, I am sure. Our governor says May 4, but others are concerned that if we release into society too soon that a second round of the coronavirus will show up. That is not what today's verse refers to, friend.

I grew up attending a Baptist church and Sunday School. I heard about a Savior who came for me and loves me. Yet, it took the death of a classmate and friend in order for me to take the report seriously. I saw that death can come at any age, for he was 16. I knew that I could die any time and was not ready to meet God. I believed that there was a God who created things on earth, hearing about it at church and growing up on a farm, but I didn't know Him personally. Using desperate words and not a specific prayer, Jesus came into my heart because I believed in Him and desired Him to be my Savior. How about you, friend, do you know Jesus as your Savior?

This is the last and most memorable of the four Messiah/Servant Songs (42:1-9; 49:1-13; 49:1-13; 50:4-11) God is the author of this chapter and Jesus fulfilled this messianic prophecy. We know that only a few recognized the Servant when He appeared. Israel didn't welcome Christ at His first coming, nor did they recognize the mighty, incarnate power of God in the person of Jesus, their deliverer. (John MacArthur)

Since this whole chapter is a prophecy about Jesus, the Messiah, we will be taking each verse and looking deeply into it.

The first question in our key verse is actually an explanation. It calls attention to the lack of faith in the world in general. Only a remnant of Israel would come to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah; few would believe and recognized Him, much less regard Jesus as a person of importance or the Son of God. Keep inn mind, 400 years passed after the end of the Old Testament, and 750 years passed by after Isaiah's prophecies. However, God preserved this book of prophecies for us. It is a confirmation that Jesus is who He said He was, as well as who the New Testament said He was.
Because other prophets declared Christ would suffer for the sins of people and would be glorified, the people down through the ages have no excuse in not believing.

The word report, in the Hebrew language, means something heard; an announcement; news; famed; mentioned; doctrine.

The Apostles and Paul carried this report into the world, but few professed to believe this report-Jesus Christ is the expected Messiah, who died on the cross to forgive sin, then arose from the dead to provide eternal life in heaven.

MacRae translates the question like this, "Who would have believed what we have heard?"

Bring it down to our present world. Only a few has and will believe in Jesus as their Savior, in comparison to the population. How sad it is. But then, when you think about it, in order for a person to be saved from the punishment of their sins, they must believe in Someone who is talked about in a Book, Who is not visible. Also, they must admit their good works cannot get them to heaven. What they must do is admit they are a sinner and can never meet the standards required for the forgiveness of sin. Considering those things, I guess it is understandable that only a small amount of people will be saved. That is why it is so very important that we share the good news with our family, the next generation, and those in our little world.

Matthew Henry said it this way, "What a pity is it that such rich grace should be received in vain, that precious souls should perish at the pool's side, because they will not step in and be healed!"

LET IT GROW

The second question is, "To whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"

The praise, "the arm of the LORD" is the emblem of divine power which has already been referred to in 51:9 and 52:10. It is used for the Lord's strength in Jeremiah 17:5. To have believed the report of the prophets and have been the recipient of the revelation of the arm of God is to have surrendered one's self by faith to the person and authority of the Lord God.  (Liberty Bible Commentary)

God rolled up His sleeve in order to deliver Israel from slavery of other nations. His work was powerful, merciful, and gracious.


John quotes this verse 1 in John 12:38. He speaks of the people's doom being sealed because (Isa.6:9) their eyes were blinded and their heart was hardened.

Wiersbe said, "The unbelief of Israel is now announced: they saw Him, heard Him, but would not trust Him (Jesus Christ). There was a three-fold rejection:

1. They rejected His words, report.
2. They rejected His works, the arm of the Lord.
3. They rejected His person (verse 2)."

Jesus was not born in a palace, but in a Bethlehem stable. He grew up in a despised town of Nazareth.
He did not come to be a king in order to overthrow the Roman government. He grew up in the home of a carpenter, not in a royal family. Yet it because of the humble up bringing that Jesus had compassion of the simple folks, the suffering, and can relate to us today in our sorrows and sufferings. What a Savior!

LET IT GO
Pray for those around us who have not heard the good news and those who have rejected Jesus.

What Are You Watching?

O. T. #1673  "What Are You Watching?"
April 22, 2020
Isaiah 52-Part 2
Thy God reigneth! (verse 7e)

LET IT GLOW

Did you notice that our key verse today is the last part of  verse 7? Paul omitted it when he quoted this verse in Romans10:15. Well, we can't skip over it.

Instead of announcing a message of impending judgment or doom, the watchmen shall lift up their voices and sing praises unto the King of Zion who has delivered His people. (Falwell)

This will take place whenever Christ returns to personally reign as King over His kingdom  during the millennium, a thousand year reign. We found more concerning this in 24:23.

Psalm 93:1 says, The LORD reigneth, He is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

Can we trust God that He knows what He is doing?  Is God reigning as King of our life? When a king reigns over people, they obey and follow his directions and commands. His word goes. Although our President is not a king nor dictator, he has our nation's best interest in mind when he makes decrees. so it is with our King Jesus. He knows what is best for us. the thing is, are we following His commands? He knows the future and we do not, so we walk by faith and not by sight.

LET IT GROW

What are you watching? Are we spending countless hours in front of the tv or computer on unimportant entertainment feeding our flesh? Or are you watching preachers of the Word who give us instructions and encouragement from the Bible? When we are not home, we are singing for the Lord during a Facebook Live at my brother in law's church. Previously, we would watch certain local preachers on television during our worship time. We must continue to feed our spirit.

Watchmen means to peer into the distance; to observe; to wait; (keep the ) watch.

What does is this section of scripture (verses 8-15) telling us the watchmen are doing?

• The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem. (NLT verse 8) Are we living joyfully and expecting Jesus to come to us, as watchmen?
• Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted His people. (verse 9) Have we experienced the Lord's comfort recently? Has He protected your family from the coronavirus? Then we should break into a joyful song to Him.
• The LORD has demonstrated His holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God. (verse 10) Only god can defeat this deadly virus. Although some people will not give God credit, we know that He alone is more powerful that it is. Are we giving Him credit?
• Purify yourselves. (verse 11)
• The LORD will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind. (verse 12) Are we trusting Him in our individual lives? I know that I am when I go to the grocery store and our tire shop. People in our area have been coming for new tires throughout this pandemic.

Are we being a watchman, looking for our King Jesus to return?


LET IT GO
Jesus, reign in my life as King.
Help me be faithful in obeying Your commands and Spirit.
May I always be faithfully watching for You in my life and join You in kingdom work, Jesus.