Isaiah 13:1-14:23 Dear RTB’ers, Today’s reading is 100% about Babylon, and it’s not good for them – for the country, for the city, for the king, or for its people! First we have God’s personal proclamations (through Isaiah) in chapter 13, then Israel’s own triumphs and taunts in chapter 14. Chapter 13 gets confusing when …
Category Archives: RTB 2025 – Search the Scriptures, Part 2
November 24 / Isaiah 11-12
Isaiah 11-12 Dear RTB’ers, After many chapters of condemnation and judgment upon Judah and Israel (Ephraim) and nearby aggressor nations, we come to two chapters of relief and uplifting for all of Israel and for all of us. We read today’s first five verses as prophesies of the coming of the Messiah, whom we know …
November 23 / Isaiah 10:5-34
Isaiah 10:5-34 Dear RTB’ers, Almost all of what we read today is about Assyria and its attempt to conquer Jerusalem (and the Southern Kingdom, Judah). Isaiah writes of the boastful, arrogant Assyrian leaders believing in their overwhelming military strength, when in fact it is God who is in charge. Here is God’s plan to use …
November 22 / Isaiah 8:16-10:4
Isaiah 8:16-10:4 Dear RTB’ers, Our Bible today is divided into books, chapters, and verses. It wasn’t always that way. Ancient people had rolled papyrus scrolls, very likely with separations between books and even between particular sections. (For example, see Luke 4:17, And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the …
November 21 / Isaiah 7:1-8:15
Isaiah 7:1-8:15 Dear RTB’ers, Hopefully everyone reading these posts and comments has a copy of our companion book, Search the Scriptures. The authors there provide a setting for today’s reading – Syria (Aram) and the Northern Kingdom (Israel, aka Ephraim) have conspired to invade and overtake the Southern Kingdom, Judah. So the Lord sends Isaiah …
November 20 / Isaiah 6
Isaiah 6 Dear RTB’ers, A couple of comments on the following verse: And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” (v. 8) First, I love this verse! I love Isaiah’s willingness to be used by the …
November 19 / Isaiah 5
Isaiah 5 Dear RTB’ers, There has not been a lot of encouragement for Israel in these first five chapters. (Yes, we’ll get to some positives later.) Today we see a series of six “woes” spoken against various people and their activities. It’s easy for us to recall Jesus pronouncing woes against the Scribes and Pharisees …
November 18 / Isaiah 2-4
Isaiah 2-4 Dear RTB’ers, Occasional confusion in Isaiah. What does he mean by “in the latter days” (Isaiah 2:2), or “in that day” (Isaiah 2:11,17,20; 3:7,18; 4:1,2), or For the LORD of hosts has a day… (Is. 2:12a) What and when are the “latter days” or a day, or especially “that day”? I get the …
November 17 / Isaiah 1
Isaiah 1 Dear RTB’ers, Today we begin three weeks of the prophet Isaiah. I admit to a bit of nervousness as we begin this book. The prophetic books are the most difficult for me to understand, mostly (I think) because I’m never sure of the current history in which the author is writing. That’s clearly …
November 16 / John 21:15-25
John 21:15-25 Dear RTB’ers, Today we end John’s gospel. It will be early next year that we’ll read Matthew and be through with all four gospels. But today, John’s closing. And for many people, a bit of a confusing closing! So, first, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” …