Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
56:3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely exclude me from his people." And let no eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree."
In God no one is left out, useless, fruitless or hopeless. All have a purpose, a place to serve, a ministry to participate in.
56:3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely exclude me from his people." And let no eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree."
In God no one is left out, useless, fruitless or hopeless. All have a purpose, a place to serve, a ministry to participate in.
57:1-2 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
"the devout are taken away…to be spared…evil." Sometimes the young die early to be spared. They enter peace even as they lie in death whereas the wicked have no peace (v.21).
God's perspective on death is vastly different to ours.
57:1-2 The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
"the devout are taken away…to be spared…evil." Sometimes the young die early to be spared. They enter peace even as they lie in death whereas the wicked have no peace (v.21).
God's perspective on death is vastly different to ours.
58:2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
(From Constable's Commentary) "They were practicing religious ritual to try to manipulate God into blessing them"…"The Lord is more interested in enjoyment of his blessings through obedience, then is self-imposed deprivation."
From the Westminster Shorter Catechism: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
58:2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
(From Constable's Commentary) "They were practicing religious ritual to try to manipulate God into blessing them"…"The Lord is more interested in enjoyment of his blessings through obedience, then is self-imposed deprivation."
From the Westminster Shorter Catechism: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
59:1-2 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
(From Constable's Commentary) God's silence was not due to his inability to help them (a shortened arm) or to his disinterest in them (an insensitive ear).
But rather because of their sins which Israel did not want to deal with.
59:1-2 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
(From Constable's Commentary) God's silence was not due to his inability to help them (a shortened arm) or to his disinterest in them (an insensitive ear).
But rather because of their sins which Israel did not want to deal with.
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion.
Cyrus and later Herod were foreigners who assisted with rebuilding works yet not to the extent of "their kings will serve you". It would seem this is still future. God has "yet more light and truth to break forth from his Word" (Robinson).
60:10 Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion.
Cyrus and later Herod were foreigners who assisted with rebuilding works yet not to the extent of "their kings will serve you". It would seem this is still future. God has "yet more light and truth to break forth from his Word" (Robinson).