S – But a noble person plans noble things; he stands up for noble causes.
Isaiah 32:8 CSB
O – The noble ( generous, free, liberal) person is known by those actions and he cares for others.
A – In all that Isaiah about judgement, this verse illustrates one who pleases God. We must continue to grow in our generosity and care for others. When we see people and the value they have in God’s eyes, we can slow down and do things that allow them to see how valuable they are to God.
R- Heavenly Father, you are the Lord of all. Empower us today to see people through your eyes. Each of us are created by you with gifts, talents, a message and a purpose. We want to value others like you do.
S – Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him
Isaiah 30:18 CSB
O – Commentary:
A faithful God would restore righteous order to the world by punishing the wicked and rescuing his people from them (see 1:27; see Ps 96:10–12). • God blesses those who wait; faithful people do not rush ahead of him to solve their own problems but instead rely on his power and goodness.
A – We continue to learn the principle of waiting on God. That requires patience, perseverance and faith. When we get ahead of God’s will, we are saying we have a better plan than Him. It may even look good for a season. In the end, we will be glad we allowed God to work in his timing.
R – Heavenly Father, you are outside all the boundaries of time and hold it for us. Empower our faith today to be patient and invite you into the process. We can trust in your perfect will and timing.
S – therefore thus says the Lord God, “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:
Isaiah 28:16 ESV
O – Commentary:
The Lord himself is the reliable foundationstone in Jerusalem (Hebrew in Zion), a precious cornerstone of the true city of God. There would be real hope in Jerusalem if the leaders and the people would only turn to him. If they would trust in God, they would be secure in the most terrible storm or the most devastating earthquake
A – The cornerstone is part of the foundation that is important to the strength and support of the rest of the building. Jesus is the foundation and part of the building of God’s people. He was tested as a man and victorious over death while remaining to be God.
R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you today. Thank you for Jesus who is foundational to our relationship with you. He is our Savior and cornerstone today.
A – When we put our whole mind and trust in God, he protects us and gives us safety. The responsibility is on us to put our minds in a place of surrender and faith in Him.
R – Heavenly Father, you are faithful and true. Empower us today to put our whole mind in your protection. We can trust you to lead and direct us.
S – On that day the Lord will punish the army of the heights in the heights and the kings of the ground on the ground. 22 They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit. They will be confined to dungeon; after many days they will be punished. 23 The moon will be put to shame
and the sun disgraced, because the Lord of Armies will reign as king on Mount Zion in Jerusalem,
and he will display his glory in the presence of his elders.
Is 24:21–23.CSB
O – Commentary:
Isaiah again (cf. v. 1) stated that the coming judgment will be God’s direct intervention: the Lord willpunish. Natural disasters will occur only because the Lord will cause them to happen. The powers in the heavens may refer to spiritual forces opposed to God (cf. Rev. 19:20; 20:2). The kings on the earth below undoubtedly refer to political forces that will be banished. Those powers in the heavens and on the earth will become like cattle when the Lord herds them together and places them like prisoners … in a dungeon. Their punishment after many days refers to the great white throne judgment after the Millennium when all the unrighteous will have to stand before God and be judged for their evil deeds and lack of faith in Him (Rev. 20:11–15). When this judgment takes place the Lord, the Messiah, will be reigning on Mount Zion (Isa. 24:23; see comments on 1:8) and in Jerusalem. He will reign gloriously, that is, His glory will be manifest (cf. 24:15–16). In the 1,000-year kingdom the Messiah will reign as King over the earth (Zech. 14:9) from Jerusalem, God’s “centerpiece
John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1072–1073.
A – Truly remarkable that Isaiah spoke 700 years before Christ and his words align perfectly with the book of Revelation. There is a day of judgement coming. I encourage all of us to live today in a solid relationship with Christ. We shouldn’t focus on when the day of judgement is. Instead, how can I maximize today to make that a day of victory for ourselves and those in our lives.
R – Heavenly Father, you are the ultimate Judge. We thank you for the relationship we can have with you that transforms judgement into relationship. Help us to maximize that today in our lives.
S – The Lord of Armies has directly revealed to me: “This iniquity will not be wiped out for you people as long as you live.”, The Lord God of Armies has spoken.
Isaiah 22:14 CSB
O – Commentary:
They did not believe God was powerful enough to save them and to follow through on His promises. Therefore a pronouncement of woe came to the people through Isaiah: this sin of lack of trust in the Lord would not be atoned for.
John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1070.
A – Just like the Israelites, we either believe God and his abilities to lead us or don’t. They could have called on God to help them but instead they “lived up” knowing they would be defeated. How often to do we “resign” ourselves to life’s challenges instead of inviting God to show his love and power? Do we trust in God’s power to fulfill his promises?
R – Heavenly Father, you are all powerful and always present. Empower our faith and trust in you in all situations. We invite your presence and unlimited abilities to intervene in all that we face today. We put our faith and trust in you.
S – It will be a sign and witness to the Lord of Armies in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and leader, and he will rescue them. 21 The Lord will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day. They will offer sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them.
Isaiah 19:20–21 CSB
O – Commentary:
Egypt will be in the same position as Israel, God’s covenant people, for when the Egyptians will ask God for help He will give it to them (v. 20). They will also be involved in the sacrificial worship system (v. 21; cf. Zech. 14:16–19; Mal. 1:11), and God will heal them after they repent and ask for help. This situation was almost unbelievable for the people of Judah in Isaiah’s day. But it will occur. It will take place after the Messiah has returned and established His millennial kingdom.
John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1067.
A – God desires that all men will be saved and know him. Even as these people will come together in agreement, God will gather all men to him. The things we deem as “impossible” will be proven in that time.
R – Heavenly Father, you are the Lord of All. Thank you for loving us and wanting relationship will all mankind. Empower us to interact with each other in the same way where we value and love each other as you do. We are better and stronger in community that is diverse and unified.
S – In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. 8 He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.
Isaiah 17:7–8 ESV
O – Commentary:
When Israel would be invaded by the Assyrians, God’s people would look to their Maker to see the Holy One of Israel (cf. comments on 1:4). When faced with the terror and distress of warfare they would realize the inadequacy of worshiping idols. The altars were those set up to idolatrous gods, not to the true God. The Asherah poles were wooden symbols of Asherah, Canaanite fertility goddess and consort of Baal. In the Northern Kingdom of Israel, widely influenced by Baalism, were many Asherah-worshipers. But when under Assyrian attack, Israel would realize that only the Lord could deliver them.
John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1064.
A – Like the book of Revelation, cities of Israel are being told what awaits their future. They are called out for trusting these other “gods” instead of the true God. In that day, they will look to God himself. Great reminder for us to keep our eyes fixed on the one, true God. Life has many distractions but there is only one God who deserves our faith, trust and love.
R – Heavenly Father, you are the one, True God. Empower us today to see past the distractions to keep our focus on you. We can be confident in what you are doing in our lives. Give us the strength and tenacity to remain strong in our relationship with you.
S – then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.
Isaiah 16:5 ESV
O – Commentary:
God in His love (ḥeseḏ, “loyalty”) will see that the One from the house of David, the Messiah, will sit on David’s throne (2 Sam. 7:16) and judge the world fairly (in justice and righteousness
John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1063.
A – God’s loyalty is expressed in love. God is loyal to us – putting up with our wayward thoughts and actions that draw us away from Him. He never leaves us. Great reminder and challenge to take step towards him today. He is worthy of our loyalty and faith.
R – Heavenly Father, you are loyal and faithful. Empower us to reciprocate your loyalty and love by our thoughts, words and actions. Help us to remain loyal when other things draw us away from you. We choose to take a step towards you today.
S – I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ a But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit
Isaiah 14:14–15 CSB
O – Commentary:
By ascending the mountain above … the clouds, he was seeking to make himself like God, the Most High. (The language used here, of course, is hyperbolical.) Yet he would be brought low to the grave (pit is a synonym for grave). Nothing could save him from death and from decay in the grave.
John A. Martin, “Isaiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1062.
A – There are parallels between the earthly King of Babylon and us today. We can make ourselves bigger than God in certain areas of our lives by not letting him in or retaining control. Others may say, “I will be my own God” and live to please themselves, while never recognizing God. We have a choice – I choose God.
R – Heavenly Father, your are God and I worship and surrender to you. Help me to see the areas where I still struggle to yield control over to you. You are the one, true God and I surrender my life to you today.
Just Add Water . Chris Bonham 