King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Monday July 31, 2023
Chapters: ISAIAH 58-62
Study: One Gospel For All
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
Every time I read through Isiah I am reminded that everything we read in the New Testament is no different than the Old Testament, except for the Law. There is absolutely no excuse for a Jew or Gentile not to believe the Gospel of Christ because it is for all to know and accept.
[Romans 2:1-3,7-11 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God.]
Of course, this is addressed to the religious, whatever religion they are trusting in. People worship, pray, and fast every day in an attempt to reach God, but let me tell you, He will not hear them because they are not part of His holy nation. Can I tell you that the majority of people who pray and fast do it for the wrong reasons, and God knows this, He knows exactly what they are doing, and why they are seeking Him, and it had nothing to do with spending time with Him. As we continue in the reading of Isaiah, God addresses the issue of prayer and fasting, apparently, the Jews were fasting and praying to God Himself, but they were angry because He was not answering them.
[Isaiah 58:1-5 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?]
[they take delight in approaching to God.] Those who follow false religion pray and fast often for their own delight. Some will fast from food or specific things at specific times of the year in an attempt to make an atonement for their sins from that year. Extremist, will pray and fast from food and water in an attempt to see people killed. Through Isaiah, God goes on to explain that fasting has nothing to do with our own flesh.
[Isaiah 58:8-12 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. 9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.]
[then shall thy light rise in obscurity,] [Obscurity; darkness; figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness:] Let me tell you how much life itself can darken even our walk with Christ. This is actually the number one reason to fast, when our hearts, minds, and spirits are filled with so much darkness that we cannot see the light or Christ. Why do you think so many faithful Christians fall into immoral sin? The majority of the time it has to do with the affliction they are facing. As God continues, He reminds His faithful, whom have fallen into sin, that it is their iniquities that have separated them from Him too.
[Isaiah 59:1-4,7-9 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. 9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.]
[and your sins have hid his face from you,] This is the Gospel in a nutshell, God, will not hear the prayers of those who are not saved, period, unless those first words upon our faith in Christ include, “God, I admit that I am a sinner and believe that Jesus died a sinless death to save me from hell.”, [Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.]
Yes, without Christ, there is no salvation, no matter how much prayer or other works that we do to get His attention. Jews have no excuse as to why they refuse to accept that Christ is the Messiah. Through Isaiah, God continues to address this.
[Isaiah 59:12-16 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.]
[and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey:] If they shut their eyes to the truth of the Gospel, then it is just with God to hide from their eyes the things that belong to their peace. Let me tell you, the sins of those who profess themselves God’s people, are often worse than the sins of the world. One cannot taste the gift of salvation and live in the world for they will be a constant prey unto themselves, [2 Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.]
[and wondered that there was no intercessor:] No one can go directly to God without an intercessor because we are covered in sin. Before Jesus became our intercessor, God used priests or prophets, but they too had to be consecrated in order to stand before Him on their behalf. The Law, while it gives us a guide, is not perfect as we are naturally born sinners and God knew this from the start. Through Isaiah, God foretells of the day when all will come to Christ.
[Isaiah 59:19-21 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. 20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.]
[As for me, this is my covenant with them,] This is God’s forever promise, to never leave nor forsake one soul who accepts the Gospel and received His Son as their Saviour, [Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.]
I know the first thing I do when it seems like God is not answering my prayers is check to see if I have done something that He is not pleased with. It is a painful life to live in sin being saved, but God’s mercy endures. We are reminded of this through Isaiah, and that one day all this will be over, we who are saved and have endured the judgments in this world will join Christ in His Kingdom.
[Isaiah 60:1-5 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.]
[and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.] What an incredible day it will be when we all gather together in the LIGHT of Christ, to live with Him for eternity. If you believe in the LORD, Jesus Christ, and asked Him to save you, then You will inherit the land His promised, and it will be yours forever, [Romans 8:16-19 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.]
This is incredible, we are made joint heirs with Christ alone through our faith in Him alone, on top of that we will receive an inheritance which God will give us. That gift actually does come with some trials and tribulations while we are here and await the Saviour’s return, but all who wait for Him will be glorified.
[Isaiah 60:9-12 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. 10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. 11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.]
[Therefore thy gates shall be open continually;] Through Isaiah, we are given the same assurance that one day, after we have endured the judgments our loving Father we will join Christ in His Kingdom, a day when there the glory of the LORD will shine so bright we will not even need the sun.
[Isaiah 60:16,18-22 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. 19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.]
[call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.] The walls shall be called Salvation because every saved, born again Christian shall be safe behind the wall of the blood of Jesus. The gates shall be called Praise because after the thousand years that Christ will reign upon the earth, shortly after, the new earth will just appear, and that is where we will live forever, [Revelation 21:22-25 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.]
Is it required to live in obedience to God for our salvation? No, but if we want to be blessed beyond salvation it would be wise to do so. Why? Simply put, in doing so, we bring others to Christ. When we are obedient to the Law we open the gate for the lost to come in and receive Christ themselves. As much as we think we are ready and prepared for the day that Christ returns, none of us are. And while we may be eager for His return, we must understand that it is going to get a lot worse before He does. Through Isaiah, we get a glimpse of what it will be like when Christ returns and His saints actually reign the earth with Him.
[Isaiah 61:1-3,5-6 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.]
[But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD:] In the beginning when God addressed believers He intended all who worshiped Him to be priests, meaning that they could have direct, one on one communication with God. All that changed during the Exodus when God appointed Aaron and his sons as priests, and that remained until Christ’s passion, [Exodus 28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.]
Those who have this notion that religion, race, or their own righteousness can save them, will have a huge awakening upon their death when they see Jesus and find out that He really was their only way to their salvation. All who receive Him will become His bride and forever be joined with Him. Through Isaiah, we see what type of marriage God will have with His bride.
[Isaiah 62:1-5 For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.]
[but thou shalt be called Hephzibah,] [Hephzibah; My delight is in her. Beulah; to marry, rule over, possess, own.] Beulah is Israel’s future name when she is restored to her divine Husband, the Lord, Jesus Christ Himself. God delights in those who receive His Son, and as much as we deserve for Christ to leave us, He will never forsake us, [Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.]
Today’s Prayer: God, I cannot fathom the amazing grace that You gave me and still give me. To take a life that was a complete mess and turn it into one that has meaning is truly a miracle that only You can produce. Thank You, for seeing something in me that is of good use to you, thank You, for your grace and mercy and for Your promise to never leave nor forsake me. Lord, as I humble myself before You, be merciful to me, lead me and guide me, help me to never lose the Light of Christ in me and keep it shining that I might guide the lost to Your and receive Your glory even before I see You face to face. I love You Lord and ask this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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