For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Is. 50-51
Both of these chapters say that those who trust in God should not fear men who oppose them. They compare such Godless men to garments, saying that moths will devour them. Once again, this took my mind to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He said, “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:19-21). When we read these verses we tend to apply them toward not putting too much value in our worldly possessions. But these passages in Isaiah take the thought a little deeper for me.
In Isaiah, the moths were not eating possessions. They were devouring men – men whose hearts could not see past their earthly existence. I’d say our lives are what we treasure the most. Therefore, Jesus’ words tell us that if we give our lives to God, we will be wholeheartedly His. If, however, we cling to what we are and what we have here on earth, our hearts cling to what cannot last. There is no sacrifice we should not be willing to make for God. Not just things, but how and even if we live. It’s hard, but when we do that we exchange what we cannot keep for what we cannot lose. Isaiah 51:8 gives the contrast. “For moths will devour them like a garment, and worms will eat them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, and my salvation for all generations.”
Is. 52
Isaiah mentions the word, “comfort” a lot. He mentions it again in this chapter. “Be joyful, rejoice together, you ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.” (Is. 52:9). I got to wondering what that really means. I guess I tend to think of comforting as removing pain. However, God sent Jesus and then His Holy Spirit, who is sometimes referred to as our comforter, yet we most definitely still suffer pain. So I looked the word up.
Though most definitions centered on being free from pain, suffering, and hardship, one that I saw was different. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defined comfort as, “to give strength and hope to”. Now that makes sense! God’s presence with us in the human form of Jesus and then as His indwelling Spirit is our strength and our hope. Though He does not remove our pain – at least not yet – He helps us through it. And He gives us a sure hope for that day when our comfort will be complete and our pain and suffering will indeed be gone. Thus, from this day on through forever, we can rejoice because we have been reunited with God.
Is. 53
God says through Isaiah, “My righteous servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities.” (Is. 53:11b). This is fairly common knowledge. Jesus bore our sin so that we could bear His righteousness. As if that isn’t amazing enough, there is another piece to this that isn’t such common knowledge. Not that it’s a big secret or anything; it simply isn’t something we think about as much. God goes on to say, “Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion” (Is. 53:12a). We are the reward Jesus receives for His willing sacrifice. I don’t know about you, but the thought of my being a reward worth dying for makes me feel loved beyond any language’s ability to express and my heart’s capacity to hold.