S – If only you would tear the heavens open and come down, so that mountains would quake at your presence—² just as fire kindles brushwood, and fire boils water—to make your name known to your enemies, so that nations would tremble at your presence!

Isaiah 64:1–2 CSB

O – Commentary:

Realizing their uncleanness (64:5–7), they would ask God to smite their enemies (vv. 1–4). They would pray that the Lord would rend the heavens (the sky is pictured as a piece of cloth He would tear), come down (vv. 1–2; cf. “look down,” 63:15), and execute judgment on the nations. Fire and boiling water picture judgment

 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), 1118.

A – Interesting commentary – “Realizing their uncleanness, they ask God to smite their enemies.”  Said differently – “I am unclean so destroy those against me.”  We need to search our own hearts and ask God to deal with us first.  When we are open and transparent with God, he shows us our own sin and iniquity.  In doing that work, we also see his mercy and compassion he has for us.  Hopefully, that same grace helps us view others in our lives with mercy and compassion.  We don’t call for their judgement; we ask for their salvation.

R – Heavenly Father, you are merciful and just.  You have been so good to us by giving us mercy, grace and forgiveness when we did not deserve it.  Empower us to demonstrate this with others today.

S – The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners

Isaiah 61:1 CSB

O – Commentary:

Three factors indicate that Me refers to the Messiah: (1) The association of the Holy Spirit with the anointing points to Jesus Christ. After being anointed with oil, Israel’s first two kings, Saul and David, were blessed with the Spirit’s ministry (1 Sam. 10:1, 10; 16:13). Similarly Christ was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16–17) to be Israel’s King. The Hebrew word for Messiah (māšîaḥ) means “the Anointed One,” and Christ (christos, from chriō, “to anoint”) is the Greek equivalent of māšîaḥ. (2) Part of this passage (Isa. 61:1–2a) was read by Jesus (Luke 4:18–19) in reference to Himself. (3) The mission of this Anointed One was Jesus’ ministry: to preach good news, to heal and free (Isa. 61:1; cf. 42:7), to proclaim … favor and … vengeance (61:2), and to comfort (vv. 2–3). When Jesus read from this passage He stopped in the middle of the sentence, after the word “favor” (Luke 4:18–19). By doing this He was showing that His work would be divided into two advents. In His First Advent He did the things mentioned in Isaiah 61:1–2a; in His Second Advent He will do the things in verses 2b–3. When He returns He will bring judgment on unbelievers 

 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), 1116.

A – Isaiah’s words were shared for generations until the arrival of Jesus.  He read them and asserted that he was the promised messiah. This is our mission as well.  Walk with the spirit daily, share the gospel, be a conduit of healing physically, spiritually and emotionally and show the way to freedom in all areas of our lives.  We can do this.

R – Heavenly Father, you are our messiah and savior.  Empower us to walk in the same ministry that Jesus did.  Help us to see the value in others to share the good news with them and help them face life’s challenges.  We have the presence and power of God in us, we can do this.

S – Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save, and his ear is not too deaf to hear. ² But your iniquities are separating you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you 

so that he does not listen

Isaiah 59:1–2 CSB

O – Commentary:

iniquities have been barriers Sin strains Israel’s relationship with God to the point of total separation. Israel’s actions required the separation—it was not what God wanted.

have hidden his face Symbolizes a break in communication and a denial of physical presence. People hid their faces from the Servant in Isa 53:3 as a sign of rejection. Here, Yahweh is forced to turn His face away from them because He cannot look on sin (Hab 1:13

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Is 59:2.

A – This depicts the challenge God faces with mankind.  He created each of them and knows them intimately before birth with all the opportunity to walk in relationship with Him.  Yet, their choice of sin and iniquity keeps distance between them because God is constrained by his own righteousness.  Our best move is to accept Christ and eliminate the barrier between us and God, walking with him daily.

R – Heavenly Father, you are righteous and just.  Empower us to eliminate any barrier between us and you.  Show us our sin and iniquities so we can ask forgiveness and align ourselves with you.  We want relationship today.

S – For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 

“I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, 

to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 57:15 ESV

O – The God who has no limits, creator of all and Holy sees those who are crushed and bring life to them spiritually and physically.

A – What an amazing picture!  God who is vast in his power, purity, holiness and essence of love and character sees you and I.  We are not one of many…we are THE one.  Life is challenging and hard.  God wants to be a part of all that we are going through.  He wants to bring life to us physically and emotionally.  He also brings promise to us spiritually by Jesus assuring us salvation and life with him.

R- Heavenly Father, you are God.  You have no rival or equal.  You created all things and hold all things.  Yet, you see us and know us physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We invite your Holy Spirit into every aspect of today.  Empower us to live a life that honors you.

S – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. ⁹  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

O – Commentary:

God’s compassion on those who turn to Him (vv. 6–7) comes because His thoughts and ways are far superior to human thoughts and ways, which in fact are evil (cf. v. 7). God’s plan is something people would have never dreamed of.

 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), 1111.

A – I love what the commentary says – “God’s plan is something people would never dreamed of.”  God’s plan of salvation is so counter intuitive. Yet, not one prophecy is unfulfilled or detailed out of line.  It should give us great confidence and trust in God as we navigate each day with him.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Sometimes, your ways are baffling to us.  Empower our faith and courage to trust you more even when we don’t see it.  We know your ways are best for us.

S – He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 

Isaiah 53:3–7 ESV

Read those verses then read them again slowly…you feel the weight and gravity of what Jesus did.  He left the majesty of a throne and became a sacrifice for mankind.  These word were fulfilled seven hundred years later…wow.

Heavenly Father, you are mercy, grace and power.  Thank you for what Jesus did so we could know you.  

S – How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” 

Isaiah 52:7 ESV

O – Commentary:

See Nah 1:15; Rom 10:15. • The good news goes beyond proclaiming an end to the Exile; it also points to the peace and salvation of the age to come (54:13–14; see 40:9–10; 41:27). • of Israel:

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Is 52:7.

A – This scripture is actually a song I sang as a new Christian growing up.  It is simple yet powerful.  It represents Israel’s return from captivity and the return of the Messiah to rule. For me, the ushering in of peace, happiness and salvation have greater depth and meaning as and adult.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the victorious conqueror.  Thank you for the promise of returning one day.  We experience peace, happiness and salvation today because of your victory on the cross.  It will be amazing to see what it is like in your triumphant return.

S – But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame

Isaiah 50:7 ESV

O – Commentary:

Externally, the servant would be disgraced and put to shame, but within himself he would calmly await God’s vindication (see 29:22; 54:4; 61:7). • set my face like a stone: The servant would be determined to do God’s will (see Luke 9:51).

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Is 50:7.

A – The Lord works on our behalf.  Sometimes, we need to get an “attitude” of determination that we have faith in God, trust his timing and will wait for his fulfillment.  It is not easy but we can do it.

R – Heavenly Father, you are all powerful and your timing is perfect.  Empower us today with an attitude of faith and trust in you.  We know you work on our behalf.  Help us walk that out today.

S – Look, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. ¹¹ I will act for my own sake, indeed, my own, for how can I be defiled? I will not give my glory to another. 

Isaiah 48:10–11 CSB

O – Commentary:

Look! I have refined you The punishment of invasion and exile is compared to the smelting process designed to remove impurities from fine metals like silver. The refining should remove the impurity of their past sins and restore their relationship with God (see Isa 1:22, 25).

48:11 I will not give my glory to another Yahweh alone deserves the credit for the salvation He has planned in vv. 6–7.

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Is 48:10–11.

A – We are all in a “refining” process.  We are born into sin and have a sinful nature.  Accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior eliminates our sins of the past and begins the “refining” journey.  As we grow in our relationship with him, we sin less as we take on his character and heart.

R – Heavenly Father, you are worthy of all glory and honor.  As challenging as it is, thank you for the refining process.  As we become more like you, we walk in victory, strength and peace.

S – I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: my plan will take place, and I will do all my will. 

Isaiah 46:10 CSB

O – Commentary:

God knows the future before it even happens; he has comprehensive control over all events, and all his acts match his words (41:4, 26). He is the First and the Last (44:6; 48:12).

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Is 46:10.

A – We can get caught up in the daily routine and forget that God has a plan that encompasses everything He created…including us.  He created the beginning and is the last.  It is hard to comprehend but He has a purpose in all that happens.  When we align with His will for our lives, we are acknowledging who he is and the character of our relationship.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the End.  Help us to see life through the lens of relationship with you.  You know the past, present and future.  We surrender our wills to you today.