These verses describe the same situation in the *Old Testament. There
are many *Israelites who would consider themselves to be the ‘people
of God’. But their daily behaviour does not agree with their words
(see Jeremiah 35:15; Ezekiel 33:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS
GOD’S PROMISES TO HIS SPECIAL PEOPLE
ISAIAH CHAPTER S 58 TO 66
_NORMAN HILLYER_
CHAPTER 65
CHAPTER S 65-66 refer to subjects in CHAPTER S 1-4.
• In chapter 2:1-4, the *Lord promises to raise *Zion to be the
greatest mountain.
• In chapter 66:1-24, *Zion becom... [ Continue Reading ]
The people are not content merely to leave God out of their lives.
They are boldly insulting God on purpose. They say that they do not
need God. They are self-sufficient (in other words, they depend only
on themselves).
• They *worship their home-made *idols. The people know that their
action is ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Those who proudly pretend to be ‘holier’ than other people make
God very angry. Such people proudly consider that they do not need
God. The picture language of ‘smoke up the nose’ describes what
God’s feels about such a vain opinion.... [ Continue Reading ]
The only real judge of what makes a person ‘holy’ is the holy God
himself. A holy person obeys God at all times (see Exodus 19:5-6). Any
person who carries out evil behaviour is clearly not truly holy.
In this and the next verse, God uses the picture language of a debt.
Punishment is due for the pe... [ Continue Reading ]
God warned people long ago that their guilty lives will affect later
*descendants (see Exodus 20:5-6). This means that later *descendants
will copy the bad behaviour. Therefore they too will receive
punishment.
GOD’S LOYAL PEOPLE ARE SPECIAL
V8 ‘But I will not *destroy all the people,’ says the *... [ Continue Reading ]
The plain called Sharon is the level land that is south of the
mountain called Carmel. The valley called Achor was famous for the
great trouble that happened there (see Joshua 7:24-26). The whole
region has very good soil for agriculture. Now the area will provide
peace and plenty, both for God’s lo... [ Continue Reading ]
False gods cannot decide the future of people who *worship them. The
*Lord will make that decision. He alone is in complete control. And
the *Lord’s judgement will be severe against those that deny his
authority.
• Some people are loyal to God. But other people refuse to give him
honour. And there... [ Continue Reading ]
The form of God’s punishment is the result of the bad people’s own
choice.
It is God who creates all things. When bad people cut off their
relation with God, they cut off the source of their food. God’s
loyal people have the opposite attitude. They obey God. So they
benefit from all that God create... [ Continue Reading ]
For another example of the use of a name as a *curse, see Jeremiah
29:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘God whose name is Truth’ means ‘the *Lord is always true to
his promises’. His people can trust him completely at all times. In
the original language, the word ‘Truth’ is ‘Amen’ (see 2
Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 3:14).
• The ‘troubles’ of these people are what they had suffered
because of pr... [ Continue Reading ]
At the present time, the people can see nothing but the great damage
that enemies have done. Those enemies ruined both the *Temple and the
city. But this situation will not continue. The *Lord is making his
preparations for new heavens and a new earth. That will include a new
*Jerusalem.
• When God... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Lord has prepared everything, even before his people pray.... [ Continue Reading ]
The present natural habits of animals will also completely change (see
Isaiah 11:6-9).
LORD ~ God’s name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s
names mean ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’.
ZION ~ the mountain in Jerusalem where God’s holy Temple was.
JERUSALEM ~ at the time of David and Solo... [ Continue Reading ]