Category: Scripture

Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call

It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Attending Him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!”Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

Then I said, “It’s all over, I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lis. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am, send me.”

And He said, “Yes, go, and ai to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the heats of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, not hear with their ears, not understand with the hearts and turn to me for healing.”

Then I said, “Lord, how long with this go on?”

And He replied, “Until their towns are empty, their houses are deserted, and the whole country is a wasteland; until the Lord has sent everyone away, and the entire of Israel lies deserted. If even a tenth-a remnant-survive, it will be invaded again and burned. But as a terebinth or oak tree leave a stump when it is cut down, so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed.”(NLT)

A Promise of Restoration

But in that day, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel. All who remain in Zion will be a holy people-those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living. The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains with the hot breath of fiery judgment. Then the Lord will provide a shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the ay and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land. It will be a shelter form daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain. (vv. 2-6, NLT)

The Lord’s Future Reign

This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all-the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.

People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; His word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. (vv. 1-4, NLT)

Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of the orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow. Thought they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will obey Me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away from Me and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your. enemies. I, the Lord have spoken!” (vv. 16-20, NLT)

Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and pulley is broken from the well. For then the dust will return to earth and the spirit will return to God who gave it. (vv. 6-7, NLT)

That’s the while story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. (vv. 13-14, NLT)

Advice for the Young and Old

Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.

When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. everything still to come is meaningless.

Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything yo do. So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless. (vv. 7-10, NLT)

Death Comes to All

This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of the godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.

It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. They is why people are nor more careful to do good. Instead, they choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It is better to be a live dog than a dead lion!” (vv. 1-4,NLT)

I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. People can never predict when hard tines might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy. (vv. 11-12, NLT)

When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it safe to do wrong. But even though a person sins a hundred times and fear God will be better off. The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows.

And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.

In my search for wisdom and in my observation of the people’s burdens here on earth, I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night. I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. (vv. 11-17, NLT)

Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. Control your temper, anger labels you as a fool. Don’t long for the “good old days.” This is not wise. Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life. Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what He has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in life. (vv. 8-14, NLT)

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless-like chasing the wind.

Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny. In a few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how many days can best be spent Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth when we are gone? (vv. 9-12, NLT)