Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 25 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "The Servant, Israel's Hope"
Today's Blog Scripture: Isaiah 50:1-11
Today's Blog Key Verse: Isaiah 50:10 "Who among you fears the LORD?  Who obeys the voice of His Servant?  Who walks in darkness, and has no light?  Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and rely upon God."

This Chapter begins with an emphasizes on the Lord's unbreakable commitment of marriage to His people Judah.  The question "Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement?" is rhetorical, and the implied answer is that there is done.  This should be viewed in contrast with Jeremiah 3:8, where the Lord states that He divorced Israel and threatens Judah with the same.

In spite of their sins, He never severed Himself from the Davidic line.  This Chapter also includes a prophecy of Christ's suffering.  "I gave my back to the smiters" is referred to in Matthew 27:26 in relation to the scourging that Christ received.  "My cheeks to them that plucked of the hair" refers to the plucking of His beard.  The reference to "spitting" is verified in Matthew 26:27.  The Servant is again seen as an individual suffering for the sins of the people.

Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for the Bible Verse from John 5:30. 

Jesus Reigns!!!  May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with all of you."

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi  

Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus for 23 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "The Servant, the Light, to the Gentiles"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Isaiah 49:1-26
Today's Bog Key Verse: Isaiah 49:13 "Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted."

The "servant" is a person who shall come forth from the Servant-Nation Israel.  He is the Messiah who was "formed...from the womb to be his servant" and to "bring Jacob again to him."  He is further commissioned to be a "light to the Gentiles" (quoted in Acts 13, as being fulfilled in Jesus Christ).  The reference to the "covenant of the people" is the New Covenant (Testament) by which Christ will gather believers "from far."

God promises Israel that His New Covenant with the Gentiles does NOT negate His Old Covenant with Israel.  "I have graven (to curve, cut, engrave) Thee upon the palms of my hands" reveals the eternal security of the salvation of God's people.  They are inseparably united to Him.  Ultimately God will bring both the "Gentiles" and His people together into one people of God.

Click on the link at www.cindidavis.blogspot.com for a Bible Verse from Proverbs 31:26

Jesus Reigns!!!  May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi



  

  

Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 21 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "Israel Refined for God's Glory"
Today's Blog Reading: Isaiah 48:1-22
Today's Blog Key Verse: Isaiah 48:17 "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel; "I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go."

Verses 1-11, are addressed to all Israel and condemns the people for hypocrisy, idolatry, arrogance, and treachery.  At the same time, the people of Israel are promised salvation for the sake of the Lord's name.  This section of chapter 48 has four parts: (1) summoning Israel to hear the address (verses 1-2); (2) a charge that Israel's unbelief is without excuse because the Lord had revealed that is was He who was helping them (verses 3-5); (3) a prediction of future salvation (verses 6-8); and (4) a promise that the Lord will defer judgment for the sake of His Name (verses 9-11).

Verses 12-22, are again directed to Israel and encourages the unrighteous to participate in the Lord's redemption of the nation of Babylon.  The Lord (1) presents Himself as the sovereign Creator (verses 12-13), (2) shows that He alone predicted Israel's salvation through Cyrus (verse 14-15), (3) promises to come to the people in the form of His Servant (verse 16), and (4) promises peace and posterity to those who obey Him (verses 17-19).  Isaiah follows the divine speech with an exhortation to flee Babylon (verse 20) and participate joyfully in the second Exodus (verses 21-22).

"What is best for you" is a vital insight into divine law and morality.  God did not establish moral law to frustrate"natural" human desires.  God sets standards to show us "what is best for us."  Men and Women can be good and happy. But they cannot be bad and happy.  Let's let God direct us in the way we should go, and experience that "peace like a river."  Jesus although despised, will be ultimately "honored by all."

Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for a Bible Verse from James 1:19-20. 

Jesus Reigns!!!  May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

Blog Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 18 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "The Humiliation of Babylon"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Isaiah 47:1-15
Today's Blogs key Verse: Isaiah 47:4 "As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel."

In this chapter, Isaiah now pictures "Babylon as a deposed queen who can do no more than sit in the dust."  In spite of its splendor, ancient Babylon was built upon the dust of the desert of Shinar.

The "Chaldean's" were the elite ruling class of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.  In this passage Babylon is pictured as a naked slave girl reduced to sitting in the dust.  She is no longer "the lady (mistress) of kingdoms."  The same imagery is found in Revelation, where Babylon is called the "great whore" (Revelation 17:1; 19:2; 18:3).

The humiliation and exile of Babylon's gods, left the Babylon inhabitants exposed to the same fate.  Isaiah predicted Babylon's fall in a mocking funeral song aimed at discouraging Babylon and encouraging Israel.  The poem had four stanzas (1) verses 1-4 (2) verses 5-7 (3) verses 8-11 and (4) verses 12-15).

Click on the link at www.cindi-Davis.blogspot.com for Scripture Reading from Galatians 4:6.

Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

    

Today's Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus for 16 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "Dead Idols and the Living God"
Today's Blog Scripture: Isaiah 46:1-13
Today's Blogs Key Verse: Isaiah 46:9 "Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other: I am God,  and there is none like Me."

"Bel" and "Nebo" were two of the most prominent Babylonian deities.  The name "Bel" is derived from Baal and refers to Marduk, the patron deity of Babylon. "Nebo" or "Nabu" was viewed as the son of Bel (Marduk).  His name is found in the name of "Nebuchadnezzar" of Babylon. 

The idea in this passage is that the Babylonian deities will one day fall before the Lord.  The rhetorical question "To whom will you liken me?" implies the obvious answer,  "NO ONE."  "I am God and there is none like me." 

Yahweh is the unique and incomprehensible God.  His uniqueness is found in His "declaring the end from the beginning."  His singular distinctiveness is His ability to predict the future with complete accuracy.  Since he alone knows the future, the "salvation" of the Lord "shall not tarry."  In the timetable of God, all things are proceeding on schedule.

"Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for a Bible Verses from Romans 8:28-29.

 Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with all of you.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 14 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "Cyrus, God's Instrument"
Today's Blogs Scripture Reading: Isaiah 45:1-25
Today's Blogs Key Verse: Isaiah 45:18: "For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create in in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other."

Isaiah in this chapter, continues to emphasize the origin of his message, stating, "Thus saith the Lord."  Yahweh Himself has set an open door of conquest before Cyrus.  The Persian king is called by the designation "anointed" (messiah).  This is the only place in Scripture where a Gentile is so designated.  The term originated with the Israelite custom of anointing kings and leaders.  Cyrus is given this title only in the sense that he will deliver the Jews from Babylonian bondage.  "I have called thee by name" indicates that Cyrus has been deliberately named in advance to reassure the Jews that the "God of Israel" indeed is still in control of human events.

The phrase "I...created evil" refers to physical evil or calamity rather than moral evil.   God is no way pictured in Scripture as the author of sin.  "Drop down, ye heavens...pour down righteousness" is a prayer for God to intervene in human history.  Thus righteousness is pictured as coming down from above and springing up from beneath simultaneously.

Cyrus, in verses 13-19, is again addressed as the one who has "raised...up in righteousness, and who shall build my city," and shall "let go my captives."  This does imply that Cyrus himself was a true believer but rather that God providentially raised him up as an act of His righteousness to Israel.  History in fact records that Cyrus did fulfill this prophecy by subsidizing the reconstruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

God calls His people to "assemble" themselves from among the "nations" (Gentiles) and return to Him because He is both "a just God" and a "Savior" to those who will come to Him.  "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth" is a glorious invitation to all to come to the Lord.  This invitation is similar to the one given by Jesus when he said, "Come unto me all ye that labor...and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).  This invitation is followed by the absolute statement that "unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess"  ( Philippians 2:10).  This chapter ends with the sweeping affirmation, "In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified," which is quoted by Paul in Romans 11:26. 

May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

Blog Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 11 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "God's Blessing on Israel"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44:1-28
Today's Blogs key Verse: Isaiah 44:6 "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: Besides Me there is no God."

This chapter contains one of the most amazing prophecies in all of Scripture.  In verse 28 Cyrus, the king of Persia, is named as the coming deliverer of the Jews more than 140 years in advance. The structure of the poem in verses 24-28 is arranged deliberately to end with a definite climax, which introduces Cyrus by name.  A similar prediction can be found in 1 Kings 13:2, where Josiah is named three hundred years ahead of time.  As the passage opens, "Israel" is again identified as "my servant," who has been chosen from the womb to fulfill God's purposes. In verse 6, the prophet emphasizes the oneness of God by stating that "beside me there is no God." Yet, at the same time, the prophet distinguishes between "the LORD the King of Israel" and "his redeemer" the LORD of hosts.  The personal name "Yahweh" is used of both the King and His Redeemer, the one referring to God the Father and the other referring to God the Son.

The expose of idolatry is the most taunting in all of the Bible.  The prophet Isaiah, serving as the spokesman of Yahweh, reveals the utter foolishness of polytheistic pagan idolatry.  The "graven image" (carved idol) is called "vanity" (nothing). "Delectable things" refers to the adornment of idols in the "figure of a man."  He exposes the basic fallacy of idolatry, a god made in the image of man.  Thus the prophet's criticism of one who would worship an idol carved from the same tree that he would use a firewood is that "he feedeth on ashes."

The prophet then turns his attention again to "Israel" to remind them that God has "blotted out" their transgressions and "redeemed" them, and urges them to "return unto me" (repent). "I am the LORD" stands at the beginning of the final section of this poem and is the subject of all that follows.  Nine times in this section the English word "that" is used to identify the activity of the Lord.  The passage follows in perfect meter, leading up to the identification of Cyrus by name.  Thus it is announced that "Jerusalem...shall be inhabited" and that the "cities of Judah...shall be built."  God will raise up a deliverer of his own to accomplish the this astounding deed: "Cyrus." Since this is Cyrus II (554-529 B.C.) his name "Cyrus" was probably an early dynastic throne name. In Persian history he is known as "Cyrus the Great." In 539 B.C. he conquered Babylon and decreed the return of the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem and the "foundation of the temple."  The discovery of the "Cyrus Cylinder" dating from 536 B.C. further verifies this Biblical account.   

Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

Bible Scripture Redaing

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 9 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "The Redeemer of Israel"
Today's Bog Reading: Isaiah 43:1-28
Today's Key Verse: Isaiah 43:21 " This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise."

In spite of Israel's deliberate rejection of the Lord as her rightful king, God reassures them, "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee."  The theme of redemption appears 22 times in the Servant passage of the Book of Isaiah.  It indicates a redemption from physical and spiritual bondage as well as the future redemption yet to come in Jesus Christ.  In addition to redeeming Israel, God also announces that "all nations" (Gentiles) will be gathered to Him for salvation.

Isaiah in verses 14-28 combines the titles "Redeemer" and "Holy One of Israel" as the One who shall overthrow "Babylon...and the Chaldean's."  He predicts that God will judge Babylon after using them to judge Israel.  God announces that He will profane "the sanctuary"  (temple). The use of the imperfect verb construction throughout much of the section clearly indicates that the curse of the Captivity and their subsequent deliverance was yet future at the time of Isaiah's writing.

Back in the day of Isaiah and even now today, Israel will be able to witness to God's greatness revealed in His saving acts.  Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God has remained committed to His people and will continue to meet their needs.  Yet how discouraging to God that His chosen people continue to ignore Him after all that He has done for them.  Despite God's Love and Mercy, Israel has remained ungrateful, refusing to call on or worship Him and burdening the Lord with their sins.  Yet our Loving and Merciful God remains the One "who blots out there transgressions," even while punishing those who persist in their indifference to Him. 

Click on the link at www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for Today's Bible Verse from John 3:3.

Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Yours In Christ,
Cindi


  

Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 7 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "The Servant of the Lord"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Isaiah 42:1-25
Today's Key Verse: Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD, that is my name; And my glory I will not give to another, Nor my praise to carved images."

My servant in verse 1 is identified here as a person rather that a personification of the nation of Israel.  With the traits of King, Prophet, and High Priest, He is none other than the Messiah, Jesus Christ Himself.  He is called "mine elect" (set apart for a definite purpose") and the One in whom "I have put my spirit."  The New Testament quotes this prophecy as being fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:18-21).  The ministry of the Servant of the Lord will be to bring forth "judgment" (justice) "to the Gentiles and in the earth."  His kingdom knows no barriers of nationality or race.  Of all the Old Testament prophets, Isaiah saw this fact the most clearly.  While the early ministry of Jesus was to the house of Israel, His ultimate commission extended to the Gentiles as well.

"God the LORD" is pictured as the Creator who "created the heavens" and stretched them out and spread forth the earth.  he also gives both "breath" and "spirit" to His people.  The ministry of the Messiah is described in verse 6 as a covenant to the Jews and a "light" to the Gentiles.  It foreshadows the twofold purpose of Christ ministry to both the Jews and the Gentiles.

The prophecy in verses 18-25 is justification of the Exile as punishment, consists of (1) an address by the Lord to the exiles, accusing them of being blind and deaf to His might acts, and (2) an address by Isaiah accusing the exiles of sin.  The people of Israel were deaf because they would not listen and blind because they would not see.  The Lord turned the exiles implicit accusation that He was deaf and blind against them.  Israel was "robbed and plundered" first by the Assyrians and then by the Babylonians.

Jesus Reigns!!! May God's Love, Peace, Strength and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

Scripture Reading From Isaiah

"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus for 4 May 2012"

Today's Blog Title: "Israel Assured of God's Help"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41:1-29
Today's Blogs Key Verse: Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

"The righteous man from the east" is certainly a reference to Cyrus the Great of Persia (558-529 B.C.), though He is not named until Isaiah 44:28.. He is introduced as the one who is raised up from the East to fulfill the will of God.  It is God who raised up righteousness toward His people in the deliverance, He provided through Cyrus the Great.

"Thou, Israel. art my servant" is the first reference to the Servant of the Lord, here pictured as the believing remnant of Israel.  The designation "servant" means "a slave" or "bondsman," yet in this context it has honorable connotations that indicate the close intimacy between master and servant.  The term is use frequently throughout this section of Isaiah's prophecy and reaches its greatest climax in Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

In view of the judgement that is coming upon Israel, God reminds her, "I am with thee...I am thy God."  The designation "thou worm Jacob" is a reminder to Israel of her frailty and need for God who is pictured as her "redeemer" and the "Holy One of Israel."  The latter designation is Isaiah's favorite expression for God and appears equally throughtout both halves of the book.  the prophet then gives a beautiful picture of God's provision of water to abundantly supply the needs of His people.  God promises them, "rivers, fountains and springs of water."  He will also plant various tress in the wilderness: the "cedar, shittah, myrtle, olive tress, fir, pine and boxwood.  These seven trees, all common to Syria and Israel, would have been especially well known only to an author who lived in that region.  They symbolize the perfection of God's work on behalf of His people.

The Lord challenges the gods of heathen nations to "produce your cause" and to "bring forth your strong reasons."  The heathen gods are challenged to predict the future and to explain their past.  But they can do neither, for they are not gods at all.  Thus the fulfillment of predictive prophecy is shown as proof of divine inspiration.  The law of Moses (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) gives the stipulation of exact fulfilment of predictive prophecy as an evidence of the divine authority and genuineness of the prophets message.  Nonfullfillment is an indication of false prophecy.  Obviously, Isaiah believed his own prophecies were predictive of future events and would be literally fulfilled.

May God's Love, Peace, Strength, and Grace be with you all.

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi