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April 30 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 120

DAILY READINGS

Isaiah 45-48 & Psalm 119:33-64

DAILY NOTES

Isaiah 45

  • Cyrus does not know it, but he will be an instrument of the Lord.  He is the founder/leader of the Persian Empire.  "Cyrus is the only non-Israelite designated in the OT as God's anointed (messiah), a term usually reserved for Israel's kings or high priests."
  • What a message!  God says that it was never his intention for his people to live in chaos.  Did God ever say, "Seek me in chaos" (vs19)?  No!  
    • Another way it's thought God asks the question is: I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, "Seek me in vain."
Isaiah 46
  • Idols are made need to be carried.  God does not.  God says, "I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save."
Isaiah 47
  • Babylon is illustrated as a princess who has been stripped of all things.  She was once a princess, but now she stands in disgrace.
  • The reason Babylon is punished by God is because they showed Israel "no mercy" (vs. 6).
    • Did God expect them to be nice to Israel?
Isaiah 48
  • God has told the people what to expect so that they would be ready and so that they would not give credit to their idols when it all happens.
  • God will save the people from Babylon.  It will be for his name's sake and for the sake of his praise (vs. 9).  

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

God has us figured out!

Why do we turn against God?  Why do we continually seek our own glory?  Put our trust in other things?  Forget God?  We're stubborn.  Specifically, we're stubborn of heart (Isaiah 46:12).

Everything has been spelled out for us.  But we still turn.  If there's one thing we're good at it's being stubborn minded.  It could be the one thing we could do in order to be more faithful to God is loosen our stiff necks.  Don't be so stubborn about our own way.  In doing so, we might find there's a whole other life God has for us.

Stay blessed...john
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