Isaiah 49 ✒️ Go Forth

May 11, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette

Isaiah 48 ✒️ No Peace for the Wicked

May 10, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette

1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.  2For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.  3I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.  4Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;  5I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.  6Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.  7They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.  8Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.  9For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.  10Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.  11For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.  12Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.  13Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.  14All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.  15I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.  16Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.  17Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.  18O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:  19Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.  20Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.  21And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.  22There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. COMMENTARY by Dr. Dave Burnette Written By: God through Inspiration Penned By: Isaiah Date Penned: (700-681 BC) Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66) Theme: Words of Comfort (c 40-66) Message: There is No Peace for the Wicked (v 1-22) Isaiah 48 Commentary  (48:1) False Security - The people of Judah felt confident because they lived in Jerusalem, the city with God's temple. They depended on their heritage, their city, and their temple--but this was false security because they did not depend on God. Do you feel secure because you come from a family of believers, go to church, or live in a country where you are free to worship with other Christians? The issue is this: On whom do you depend? How you view God will determine both your security and your destiny. Heritage, buildings, and nations cannot give us a relationship with God; we must truly follow him with all our hearts and minds. Only then will we truly know him and feel secure regardless of our present circumstances.  (48:9-11) The Lord Saves - There was nothing in the people's actions, attitudes, or accomplishments to compel God to love and save them. But for his own sake, to show his love and what he can do, he saved them anyway. God saves us not because we are good but because he loves us and because of his forgiving nature.  (48:10) The Furnace of Affliction - When your life becomes complicated or difficult, does complaining come naturally? Why would a loving God allow all kinds of unpleasant experiences to come to his children? This verse shows us plainly that God tests us in the "furnace of affliction." Rather than complain, which focuses us inward to self-pity, turn to God for the strength to endure. Thank him that the adversity you face will help you grow in your faith and better equip you to help others with similar struggles (see Romans 5:3; James 1:2-4). Without testing, we would never learn to trust God, nor would we grow. And without refining, we will not become more pure and more like Christ. If you are facing adversity or suffering, lean in to God, not yourself, and embrace his refining work in your life.  (48:12) God's Authority - This is the third time in Isaiah where God says that he alone is God, the first and the last (see similar statements in 41:4 and 44:6). Here God is emphasizing his ultimate authority as the creator of all and the certainty that his words will come true.  (48:14-15) God's Plan on Display - When Isaiah proclaimed, "The LORD hath loved him," he was referring to Cyrus. This must have shocked his audience. How could the Lord love a pagan king, an enemy? But God did indeed use Cyrus to free the exiles from their captivity in Babylon. Cyrus's mission was to set Israel free by conquering Babylon, then to decree that all Jews could return to their homeland. Only a prophet of God could predict such an inconceivable but true story almost 200 years before it happened.  (48:17-18) God Guides Us - Like a loving parent, God teaches and guides us. We should listen to him because peace and righteousness come to us as we obey his Word. When we pay attention to God's commands, peace and righteousness flow through us like a gentle river and surround us powerfully like a wave in the ocean.  (48:20) Praising the Lord - With Cyrus's conquest of Babylon, the exiles now had an opportunity to flee their captivity, and Isaiah encouraged them to do so right away. No wonder they were singing with joy, as their ancestors sang joyfully after they crossed the Red Sea, free from slavery at last! What is holding you captive--addiction, unhealthy relationships, evil thoughts? Be free! The Lord has redeemed his servants from slavery to sin. When you let him free you from your captivity, you will feel like shouting with joy.  (48:22) A Step of Faith - Many people cry out for comfort, security, and relief, but they haven't taken the first steps to turn away from sin and open wide the channels to God. They have not repented and trusted in him. If you want true peace, seek God first. LIFE APPLICATION By Dr. Dave Burnette Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Isaiah with Chapter 48. In our text today, there is no peace for the wicked, as the Lord of Israel is the Lord of all. Our God proves He is Lord through the Old Testament. He gives us His plan of redemption so unholy people can spend eternity with a Holy God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. In making an application, we see that there is a Holy God, and although we live in an imperfect time, there is no peace for the wicked. Those who do wrong will be judged in His timing. How about you? Do you see that we serve a Holy God, and he will judge sinners? Let us learn from our text today that we serve a Holy God. He gives us a way to be redeemed through Jesus Christ; there is no peace for the wicked.

Isaiah 47 ✒️ A Pattern of Failure

May 9, 2024 • Dr. Dave Burnette

 1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.  2Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.  3Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.  4As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.  5Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.  6I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.  7And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.  8Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:  9But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.  10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.  11Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.  12Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.  13Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.  14Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.  15Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee. COMMENTARTY by Dr. Dave Burnette Written By: God through Inspiration Penned By: Isaiah Date Penned: (700-681 BC) Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66) Theme: Words of Comfort (c 40-66) Message: A Prophecy of Doom for Babylon (v 1-15) Isaiah 47 Commentary  (47:1-15) The Fall of Babylon - Here Isaiah predicted the fall of Babylon more than 150 years before it happened. At this time, Babylon had not yet emerged as the mightiest force on earth, the proud empire that would destroy Judah and Jerusalem. But the Babylonians, Judah's captors, would become captives themselves in 539 BC. God, not Babylon, has ultimate power. He used Babylon to punish his sinful people; he would use Medo-Persia to destroy Babylon and free his people.  (47:8-9) Nebuchadnezzar - Caught up in the pursuit of power and pleasure, Babylon believed in its own greatness and claimed to be the only power on earth. Babylon felt completely secure, and Nebuchadnezzar, its king, exalted himself as a god. But the true God taught Nebuchadnezzar a powerful lesson by taking everything away from him (Daniel 4:28-37). Our society values pleasure and power above all, but these can quickly vanish. Reflect on your life and ask yourself how you can more responsibly steward the talents and possessions God has given you. How can you use your life for God's honor rather than your own?  (47:12-15) Relying on the Powerless - The people of Babylon sought advice and help from astrologers. But like the idols of wood or gold, astrologers could not even deliver themselves from what was to come from the hand of God. Why rely on those who are powerless? The helpless cannot help us. Alternatives to God are destined to fail. If you want help, find it in God, who has proven his power in creation and in history. Many centuries after Isaiah, when Jesus was born, astrologers from this same region would follow a star to find Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). Little did they realize that they would find God. LIFE APPLICATION by Dr. Dave Burnette Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Isaiah with Chapter 47. In our text today, we see a prophecy of doom for Babylon as they were caught up in the pursuit of power and pleasure. Babylon believed in its greatness, and its leader, Nebuchadnezzar, called himself a god. In making application, we see a lesson in a people who are self-dependent and make themselves their gods. Today, we are more sophisticated in our thinking. However, we still make ourselves gods by lifting ourselves up and replacing the Lord with ourselves. This self-worship will follow the path of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon in failure. How about you? Do you see this pattern of failure that follows this self-worship? Let us learn from our text today and the example of Babylon to remember that self-worship and self-dependence will follow a pattern of failure.