Isaiah 1-2

Isaiah 1-2

Chapter 1: Zion and the Restoration

                This is the vision of Isaiah and what saw through what I see as the Lord’s eyes; “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.” (Isaiah 1:4) God is no doubt, upset and very angry with what He sees. The Lord compares Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah for its apostasy and evil.

The Lord speaks about the prayer of the hypocrite; “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” (Isaiah 1:15) But there is a remedy to this sin and evil… “Wash you, make you clean… Learn to do well… reason together… though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as now; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

If we repent, the Lord will forgive us! But we must be willing to make changes and make ourselves clean from those sins. If are willing, we will “…eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured…” (Isaiah 1:19-20)

Chapter 2: Temples in the Last Days

                Isaiah sees a vision of the latter days…

                “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the tops of mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:2-4)

                Essentially Isaiah sees a vision of the last days, where God’s church would be restored and the Temples would be built and shortly following that the Second Coming of Jesus would happen, where there would be 1,000 years of peace in the World.

                The most interesting part of this, to me, is the following: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the tops of mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it…” (Isaiah 2:2) The reason this is so fascinating to me, is because the “tops of mountains” is a translation of a meaning of the word “Ute” which was the Indian Tribe of Utah, where the state was named and one of the most famous Temples in the world… the Salt Lake Temple has visitors from ALL around the world flock there on a daily basis. Isaiah was speaking of the Latter-day Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

                In the last days, the proud and the wicked will be brought low and the judgement will occur for everyone during the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I suggest anyone reading this and wanting to know more, would watch the movie "Mountain of the Lord"

Psalms 31-32

Psalms 31-32

Chapter 31: All Ye Saints, Love the Lord

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

                David starts off by telling the reader that he trusts the Lord, and he rejoices in his mercy. Her refers to the Lord as his “…strong rock…” (Psalms 31:2) and asks the Lord to lead and guid him (Psalms 31:3), because the Lord is his “…strength.” (Psalms 31:4)

                David in prayer tells God and the reader that the Lord “…hast known my soul in adversities.” (Psalms 31:7). This is something that we all might not consider, but it is something to remember… God knows all of our problems, He understands, and He knows what we are going through. We can take comfort knowing that He is there and He knows everything that we are going through (good and bad), He knows better than ANYONE!

                David says that when he was a sinner that his “…strength faileth…” because of his “…iniquity…” (Psalms 31:10) Sometimes the world will tell us that true strength are in things like having big muscles, possibly even having power and wealth. Is this really the case? No. True strength comes from the Lord! I have seen big macho men fall to their knees and cry over the loss of a loved one. I am not saying that this isn’t sad, but when we have the strength of the Lord and understand His will, then we can shed tears of joy instead of tears of sadness when we lose someone.

                David even mentions people who are slandering his name and devising to take his life away (Psalms 31:13). We can have comfort knowing that the Lord will be there for us. Finally David ends this Psalm by reminding the saints to “…love the Lord… Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart…” (Psalms 31:23-24)

Chapter 32: The Lord will Guide Thee

A Psalm of David, Maschil.

“Maschil – It derives from the Hebrew root word (maśkīl lit.) meaning to have insight, to ponder and wisely understand. A maskil was a skillfully written poem aimed at imparting wisdom in song.”

                “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven…” (Psalms 32:1). David was most likely speaking of himself here, relieved to have felt forgiveness in his own life. David tells us that anyone who is without sin, or who tries to avoid sin will be much happier. He says that he tried to hold his sin in, keeping it from being confessed but that it was too heavy for him.

So he prays to the Lord and says; “I acknowledged my sin unto thee… I will confess my transgressions…” (Psalms 32:5). David confessed his sins to the Lord and because of it, he was feeling more impowered. He goes onto finish this Psalm by saying that the wicked will be filled with sorrows, but the righteous shall be filled with mercy. We can learn from this, and know that it is better to confess our sins to the Lord and keep from them. If we keep ourselves righteous we will be filled with the mercy of the Lord.

Nehemiah 5-6

Nehemiah 5-6

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 5: Many Jews are in Bondage 

There was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. For there were those who said that their sons, and their daughters were many; so why not let some of them get grain, so they wouldn’t starve. But there were also some who said, that they have mortgaged their lands, vineyards and houses, so they could buy food during the famine. There were also some who said that they had borrowed money for the king’s tax on their lands and vineyards. Because of this, some families had to offer sons and daughters as servants (slaves) to repay the debt.

And Nehemiah became very angry when he heard their outcry and these words.After serious thought, he rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said told them that each of them is exacting usury (abusing the creditor/debtor relationship with unfair interest rates, etc) from his brother. So he called a great assembly against them, and told them, that according to their ability they have redeemed their Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. He then goes on to ask; will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us? Because of this, they were silenced and found nothing to say. Then he  told them that what they were doing is not good. He then asks them, should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? Nehemiah begs them to stop the usury! He demands that they restore their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, and a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that they had charged them.

                So they said that they would restore to them, as Nehemiah had asked, and would require nothing from them.  Then Nehemiah called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.

                From the time that Nehemiah was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither he nor his brothers ate the governor’s provisions. Nehemiah just continued his work on the wall.

                Nehemiah, received much provisions, (one ox, six choice sheep, fowls and an abundance of wine) yet in spite of this he did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people, he gave them food to the people… to further the Lord’s work.

Chapter 6: Sanballat and Nehemiah

When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of their enemies heard that Nehmiah had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time Nehmiah had not hung the doors in the gates), that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, 

“…Come, let us meet together… in the plain of Ono…” (Nehmiah 6:2) 

But they only thought to do him harm. So Nehmiah sent messengers to them, saying, 

“…I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3) 

But they sent him this message four times, and he answered them the same every time. Nehemiah knew of the importance of his work, and couldn’t be bothered with someone who wanted to distract him from that work. We need to always remember that Satan will try to pull us away from what we know is the right thing. Because Satan knows good from evil, and because he made poor choices, he wants everyone to suffer with him. So the next time you are doing good and something or someone trys to get in your way or discourage you… don’t come down and entertain it, turn your back and keep working!

Then Sanballat sent his servant to Nehemiah as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. In it was written:  “…It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart (make them up out of his own heart). For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.” (Nehemiah 6:6-9)

                Afterward Nehemiah came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and Shemaiah told them to meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and to close the doors, because they were coming to to kill Nehemiah. Nehemiah, asked; should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” Then he perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronouncedthis prophecy against him because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired, that he should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach him.

                So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all their enemies heard of it, and all the nations around them saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by God.

In those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 

2 Chronicles 15-16

2 Chronicles 15-16

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 15: Judah Shall Prosper

                The spirit of God came upon Azariah, who was the son of Oded. Azariah goes to meet Asa and he says to Asa, Benjamin and all of Judah; “…The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2)

                “Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.”  (2 Chronicles 15:3-7)

                Without the true God, and without an authorized representative of God, the people were without law. When the people turned away from God bad things happen and even in their lowest state, if they turned to God, he would turn back to them and restore them, and lift them back up!

                Upon hearing this, Asa takes courage and removes the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from all the cities that he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim. He restored the altar of God. In the third month and in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign they made an offering to the Lord of 700 bulls, 7,000 sheep and with this they entered into a covenant with the Lord to seek him with all their heart and soul. Anyone who did not seek the Lord would be put to death. The heart of Asa was loyal all his days and he brought good things into the house of the Lord. There was no war until the 35^th year of his reign.

Chapter 16: Asa Lacks Faith

                In the 36^th year of Asa’s reign, Baasha the king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah. So Asa takes gold and silver from the treasury of the house of the Lord and sends it to Ben-Hadad, who is king of Syria with a message for him to make a treaty with him. So that he would have to break a treaty with Israel and cause them to withdraw.

                So, Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and made a treaty with him and caused that his armies go against the cities of Israel; Ijon, Dan, abel Main and all the cities of Naphtali. When Baasha heard this, he stopped building the city of Ramah and fled. Asa, took all of Judah and carried away the materials in Ramah and used them in the building of Geba and Mizpah.

                At the same time a seer by the name of Hanani comes to Asa and says to him; “…Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not elide on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the King of Syria escaped out of thine hand…” (2 Chronicles 16:7)

                Because Asa did not rely on the Lord, he failed to see that the bigger enemy was actually Syria and not Israel. God would have helped him and even wanted to give Asa that victory and glory.

                “For the eyes of the Lord run to and for throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” (2 Chronices 16:9)

                So if we turn to go, with a pure and perfect heart, he will show his strength to you. But because Asa did not rely on the Lord, he was foolish and wars would follow. Because of the Seer’s message, Asa was angered and throws him into prison. Asa also oppressed some of the people. The rest of the acts of Asa are written in yet another LOST BOOK of the Bible. He reigned for a total of 39 years. Asa became diseased in the feet and he did not turn to the Lord, but instead to the physicians, Asa dies. He is buried in his own tomb, in the City of David.