Exploring the Scriptures Together
II Chronicles 36:22-23; Proverbs 22:17-24:34 Today we see the (beginning of the) fulfillment of what God promised through His prophets. Jeremiah had declared that the Babylonian exile would come to an end and that God’s people would return to the Promised Land. Further, as we read the other day, Isaiah had declared (much earlier) that …
Continue reading “August 24 / II Chronicles 36:22-23; Proverbs 22:17-24:34”
Isaiah 52-55 Today we get the last of Isaiah’s four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. In case one look at the Cross is not enough to convince us that Jesus is the fulfillment of this “Song”, the New Testament writers practically spell it out for us. Here are several obvious direct references to this “Song”: …
Isaiah 49-51 Today we get two more of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs” in Isaiah 49:1-13 and Isaiah 50:4-9. As I mentioned before, the ESV avoids capitalizing “servant” or personal pronouns, and I suggest that it is useful to read these texts this way (uncapitalized) to avoid a biased interpretation. The NASB, on the other hand, capitalizes …
Isaiah 46-48 “I am, and there is no one besides me.” That sounds like it must be God speaking, right? But it isn’t. That’s the voice of Babylon in her arrogant self-confidence. Here it is (twice!) with a bit more context: Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,who sit securely,who say in your heart,“I …
Isaiah 44-45 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israeland his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:“I am the First and I am the Last;besides Me there is no god.” Isaiah 44:6 The LORD again emphasizes His preeminence. Time and again He declares that He is God and there is no other. (Isaiah 44:6,8; 45:5,6,14,18,21,22) Idols …
Isaiah 42-43 Isaiah 42:1-9 is the first of four poems in Isaiah that have come to be known as the “Servant Songs”. (The others are found in Isaiah 49:1–13; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12.) We know from New Testament references that these Servant Songs speak of Jesus Christ. (For example, see Matthew 12:15-18, which quotes Isaiah 42:1-4.) But …
Isaiah 40-41 If you are acquainted with G. F. Handel’s “Messiah”, you are sure to recognize Isaiah 40:1-5,9,11. (Go ahead, have a listen!) But even if you are not a fan of baroque music, I’m betting several verses here sound familiar, because we find them quoted in the New Testament. For example, all four Gospels …
Isaiah 13:1-14:23; 21; 33-35; Daniel 5 Like Assyria before it, Babylon has been the LORD’s instrument of judgment upon the nations. As we have seen before (e.g., July 4 and July 21), the LORD now turns and holds Babylon responsible for the evil Babylon committed in the process. As part of the LORD’s declaration of …
Continue reading “August 17 / Isaiah 13:1-14:23; 21; 33-35; Daniel 5”
Ezekiel 29:17-30:19; II Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34 Today we see that King Jehoiachin (aka Coniah or Jeconiah) ends his days in relative peace and comfort. He is still in exile in Babylon, of course, but he is no longer imprisoned and is treated well. It has been a while (a month ago, in fact) since …
Continue reading “August 16 / Ezekiel 29:17-30:19; II Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34”
Ezekiel 43-48 Today the glory of the LORD enters the Temple, not the old, defiled and destroyed temple that the LORD previously abandoned, but this new Temple of Ezekiel’s vision. As we noted yesterday, this new Temple has yet to be realized on this earth. Similarly, it is clear that Israel as a whole has …