Isaiah 29; 14-24….God’s Blessing!

14 therefore, behold, I will againdo wonderful things with this people,with wonder upon wonder;and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”15 Ah, you who hide deep from the LORD your counsel,whose deeds are in the dark,and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”16 YouContinue reading “Isaiah 29; 14-24….God’s Blessing!”

Isaiah 29: 11-16….God speaks to the Residents of Jerusalem.

Introduction: Language wise, in English, I’m comfortable. Trying to learn a couple of other languages, at school, Latin and French and, in my work. Amharic, I note that sentence order varies. Reading the Bible I find the same. In translations they seem to follow the original sentence pattern. In reading the Bible we sometimes haveContinue reading “Isaiah 29: 11-16….God speaks to the Residents of Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 29: 1-10….The prophet – a Master of Imagery!

Introduction: As you probably know -el at the end of Jewish words ‘means God’. Thus Daniel means God judges, Gabriel means God’s Strong Man. Here we have Ariel tying together the two words for lion and God. Used as a name for Jerusalem in this prophecy it refers to Jerusalem because of the Power ofContinue reading “Isaiah 29: 1-10….The prophet – a Master of Imagery!”

Isaiah 28: 23-29….Do city kids know where milk comes from?

23 Give ear, and hear my voice;give attention, and hear my speech.24 Does he who plows for sowing plow continually?Does he continually open and harrow his ground?25 When he has leveled its surface,does he not scatter dill, sow cumin,and put in wheat in rowsand barley in its proper place,and emmer as the border? – EmmerContinue reading “Isaiah 28: 23-29….Do city kids know where milk comes from?”

Isaiah 28: 16-23….Better Listen when God Speaks!

16 “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,a stone, a tested stone,a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ – What does ‘not be in haste’ mean? Other translations translate this as meaning ‘to make the wrong decision ie be confused; or be ashamedContinue reading “Isaiah 28: 16-23….Better Listen when God Speaks!”

Isaiah 28: 9-18….How do you read poetry?

9 “To whom will he teach knowledge,and to whom will he explain the message?Those who are weaned from the milk,those taken from the breast?10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,line upon line, line upon line,here a little, there a little.”11 For by people of strange lipsand with a foreign tonguethe LORD willContinue reading “Isaiah 28: 9-18….How do you read poetry?”

Isaiah 28: 1-8….A review

Introduction: Before I began a series of run up to Easter and Easter devotionals I wrote about this passage. Because it is the start of a long prophecy I repeat it and add a bit more comment! In all languages the same word is used in different contexts to mean different things. Ephraim, although theContinue reading “Isaiah 28: 1-8….A review”

Isaiah 28: 1-8….Do we think of Discipline as negative or positive?

Introduction: In all languages the same word is used in different contexts to mean slightly and sometime more major different things. Ephraim, although the name of one of the sons of Joseph, in this instance is used as the name of the separated northern part of Israel when at Solomon’s death Israel became a dividedContinue reading “Isaiah 28: 1-8….Do we think of Discipline as negative or positive?”

Isaiah 27: 1-13….An index of a book -giving only a brief summary of chapters?

Introduction: My introduction for the very first episode of my devotionals more than 5 years ago read, ‘According to the English proverb a rider can take a horse to water, but cannot make it drink. According to the Ethiopian proverb a horse can take a soldier to war but cannot make him fight. Thinking ofContinue reading “Isaiah 27: 1-13….An index of a book -giving only a brief summary of chapters?”

Isaiah 26: 11-21….A Promised Future.

11 O LORD, your hand is lifted up,but they do not see it.Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed.Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.12 O LORD, you will ordain peace for us,for you have indeed done for us all our works.13 O LORD our God,other lords besides you haveContinue reading “Isaiah 26: 11-21….A Promised Future.”