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Isaiah 52:1-3 Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. 2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion. 3 For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
& Luke 1:49-50 for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. ONE purpose for the Advent season is to remember God’s past salvation promises and then to find special joy in his future salvation promises. From Genesis through Malachi you can read of the Lord God’s many assurances he will redeem the entire world from sin’s curse. You can then rejoice in the gospels’ messages especially during the Christmas season to know God has fulfilled his promise, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) God spoke his sure salvation through Isaiah, “O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.” The LORD God declared Jerusalem would be free of sin. The uncircumcised are those whose stone hearts remain against the Lord. Contrary to a great lie that infects even the church today, not every person will be saved. The unfaithful will be judged. The new Zion, home to the church, will be the city of God’s redeemed free from sin and sorrow. Mary’s Spirit-inspired words then affirmed the prophet’s. She did what each believer must do. Mary first confessed her personal salvation in the Lord. Your same confession “the Lord has done mighty things for me” is to be on your lips with faith, honor and awe. Affirm God’s salvation over your life and praise the Lord’s ongoing work to sanctify you more completely in his truth. Then Mary’s words point to the future. “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” To fear God is to recognize his holiness and worship him. God’s gracious mercy is his salvation. Worship God because in grace and love, his sovereign authority forgives and redeems you into his holiness. This Spirit-empowered faith will circumcise sin from your heart, so your heart will love God. With great joy you know without money you will be redeemed. How deep and true is God’s love to pay the full price of your sins with his Son’s sacrificial life. Remember this: unto you a son has been given; unto you a child has been born. God is redeeming the world just as he has promised. One day sin will be no more. Prayer: Your great mercy has come to my soul, Lord. I praise you for your great love to welcome future generations into you holy city. Amen. Isaiah 11:3b-5 He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
& Luke 1:52-53 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ALL through the world corrupt governments impoverish their people. Specific persecutions against Christians destroy families, homes and businesses. Injustice displays its imprisoning power as the world’s way says, “Might makes right.” But praise God. When the Christ returns, righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness his sash. He will embody justice and power. Scripture declares with Isaiah’s and Mary’s words Jesus will come one day to judge. All believers will rejoice and worship the Righteous One as he establishes his eternal throne on his pure Word. Praise the Savior! The wicked – the unbelieving – will be judged to their just penalty of eternal condemnation. In turn, Jesus will judge the righteous into eternal life. His decisions are true to his Word. His judgments are righteous. God’s righteous judgments will rule the redeemed earth. The beatitudes in Matthew 5 is one way Jesus preached his righteous truth. Yes, it is true: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:5-6) All praise and honor will be unto the Lord because has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things. The Bread of Life has come. Is it any wonder God’s salvation is called good news? How truly good our life is at all times, even amid our daily struggles, when we know God’s good righteousness saves us to himself. Prayer: Guide my heart more deeply to your righteousness, Lord. Teach me humility, mercy and love for others. Amen. Isaiah 11:1-3a A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – 3a and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
& Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. & Luke 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert. WITH two sentences – three verses - Isaiah records God’s eternal plan for your salvation. Just as briefly, Luke summarizes God’s means to declare the gospel. The Branch, who is Jesus, will come from Jesse’s family. From Jesse’s son David and through the generations of Joseph and Mary as summarized in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, Isaiah’s prophecy comes true. Isaiah also described the Branch’s character. He will have wisdom, understanding, power, knowledge and fear (honor, awe, reverence, worship) of the Lord, and these traits will delight the LORD God. Luke then describes the fulfilled prophecy. The Spirit empowered Jesus’ birth. Luke 1:35 “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Jesus then grew to became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. When it was time to minister the gospel, the Spirit rested on Jesus to baptize and anoint him with God’s power to advance God’s will on earth. Isaiah and Luke record how the Holy Trinity worked from eternity past to reveal God’s knowledge and understanding to the Jews first and then to us. This is God’s way, and this is to be the way of Jesus’ church. God gave us his Word, the Holy Bible, so we can grow in wisdom, understanding, power, knowledge and fear in our relationship with God. In this, we bear the image of God with the display of God’s character that he graciously empowers us know and to be. The way of knowledge is through the Spirit. In the same way Jesus needed the Spirit’s power to rest on him, we also need the Spirit to empower our lives. The Christian life is one of communion with God and with his church. As Jesus’ intimately connected with the Spirt and the Father to grow in stature and wisdom, so must we seek fellowship with God and with each other. Are you a Christian? You are then the fruit of God’s eternal plan of salvation. Your purpose is to know God. How will you respond to your glorious life? Prayer: Holy Trinity, you have given us the way of knowledge. Empower us, Spirit, to know God, to gain understanding and to delight in the fear of the Lord. Amen. Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
& Luke 1:32-36 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” DO you live with a purposeful plan to accomplish tasks daily? Do you want those you live and work with to share your zeal? Are you sometimes even so eager to get things done you sometimes interrupt, even intrude into others’ lives to say, “Let’s go!” Is your passion focused on progress toward a goal and affirmation of those who work with you? If you answered, “Yes.” to these questions, you mirror the Lord God’s passion to accomplish his purpose – his will – on earth. These verses abundantly reveal God’s will. Isaiah proclaims God’s rule will increase, and there will be no end to his peace. He continues, “He will reign on David’s throne with justice and righteousness.” This is the King of kings establishing his eternal throne on earth. He will reign forever. You can be sure of this because the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Five times, “will” is written to declare God is zealous for his will to be done on earth. Gabriel then speaks the Lord’s zealous will to Mary. He tells her the One to be born will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. Gabriel continues: The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. Further his kingdom will never end. Again, five times the word “will” displays God’s unstoppable plan to accomplish his purpose, his desire on the earth. There’s more. Mary asked, “How will this be?” Perhaps she was zealous to know the details. After all, Gabriel has just intruded into Mary’s simple life with God’s determined will for the world and for her life. Then Gabriel answers, “The Holy Spirit will come…The power of the Most High will overshadow you. The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Three more times the angel details what will be. No one is changing God’s mind. This will happen. Still Gabriel further reveals God’s zealous plan: “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age.” Then Gabriel summarizes God’s passion with, “nothing is impossible with God.” Both a virgin and an aged woman are very surprised God has chosen them to bear sons who will accomplish the LORD God’s passionate will to save the world. The Bible reveals God’s will is to appoint zealous prophets, humble mothers, teachable disciples, effective evangelists, powerful preachers and gifted writers. God interrupted many, many lives to say, “You will do my will on earth.” Each became zealous for the LORD, many unto death. In what way do you express God’s zeal for a broken world? When God commands, we must join with Mary to declare, “May it be to me as the Lord said.” Know God’s will is to be done in and through our lives. Prayer: May it be as you say, Lord. I pray I am zealous for your kingdom to come, your will to be done on earth. Amen. Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
& Luke 1:32-36 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” DO you live with a purposeful plan to accomplish tasks daily? Do you want those you live and work with to share your zeal? Are you sometimes even so eager to get things done you sometimes interrupt, even intrude into others’ lives to say, “Let’s go!” Is your passion focused on progress toward a goal and affirmation of those who work with you? If you answered, “Yes.” to these questions, you mirror the Lord God’s passion to accomplish his purpose – his will – on earth. These verses abundantly reveal God’s will. Isaiah proclaims God’s rule will increase, and there will be no end to his peace. He continues, “He will reign on David’s throne with justice and righteousness.” This is the King of kings establishing his eternal throne on earth. He will reign forever. You can be sure of this because the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Five times, “will” is written to declare God is zealous for his will to be done on earth. Gabriel then speaks the Lord’s zealous will to Mary. He tells her the One to be born will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. Gabriel continues: The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. Further his kingdom will never end. Again, five times the word “will” displays God’s unstoppable plan to accomplish his purpose, his desire on the earth. There’s more. Mary asked, “How will this be?” Perhaps she was zealous to know the details. After all, Gabriel has just intruded into Mary’s simple life with God’s determined will for the world and for her life. Then Gabriel answers, “The Holy Spirit will come…The power of the Most High will overshadow you. The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Three more times the angel details what will be. No one is changing God’s mind. This will happen. Still Gabriel further reveals God’s zealous plan: “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age.” Then Gabriel summarizes God’s passion with, “nothing is impossible with God.” Both a virgin and an aged woman are very surprised God has chosen them to bear sons who will accomplish the LORD God’s passionate will to save the world. The Bible reveals God’s will is to appoint zealous prophets, humble mothers, teachable disciples, effective evangelists, powerful preachers and gifted writers. God interrupted many, many lives to say, “You will do my will on earth.” Each became zealous for the LORD, many unto death. In what way do you express God’s zeal for a broken world? When God commands, we must join with Mary to declare, “May it be to me as the Lord said.” Know God’s will is to be done in and through our lives. Prayer: May it be as you say, Lord. I pray I am zealous for your kingdom to come, your will to be done on earth. Amen. Isaiah 9:1-3 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan – 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
& Luke 1:26-27 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. THE word “nevertheless” to begin Isaiah 9 points to a new, restored life from the dark conditions at the end of Isaiah 8. There the prophet described the dark gloom over a land disobeying and negating God. “Nevertheless” is God’s promise he will one day act in spite of his people’s sin to reverse his judgment into salvation. Salvation will begin in the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. These names are two of Israel’s 12 tribes who settled north of Jerusalem. Their disobedience toward God for centuries caused many Gentiles to inhabit, own and rule the land. But God had a plan for this dark, disobedient land. In the future he – the LORD – will honor Galilee of the Gentiles. How will God honor this lost land? He will bring the Light to lead them out of darkness. The Light of the World is born in Bethlehem, but he will live in Nazareth, in Galilee. His ministry will be primarily in Galilee. He will do most of his recorded miracles in Galilee. The Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration and thousands fed will occur in Galilee. And even at his resurrection, Jesus instructs Mary, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (Mark 16:7) Jesus restores Peter in Galilee. Light came into the darkness in Galilee. And we know now God’s Light has come into the world’s darkness to save sinners into life eternal. Prayer: Thank you, Holy Father, to send your Light, so we are not lost in darkness. Amen. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
& Luke 1:26-33 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” PERHAPS this is one of the most identified prophecies and fulfillment of Jesus’ life as truly man. “Immanuel” is “God becomes man.” “Jesus” is “Savior, who is the Son of God.” Unbelieving Jews and other detractors attempt to deny these verses’ true meaning. They quickly reject Jesus’ birth of a virgin. Many even deny he was born, saying he was just a spirit who went about in the appearance of a man. Even many who say they believe in Jesus and call themselves “Christians” say the virgin birth as only a myth. But those lies and false interpretations fall far short of the evidence. These are the deceits of cloaked hearts and closed minds. Let’s always be in prayer we trust Scripture and the Spirit will open more eyes to see Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus’ virgin birth. Indeed, we must see it. This is God’s redemptive story. The prophetic voice and the virgin birth are essential to Christian truth that Jesus is God’s Savior of mankind. If Jesus were born through a natural man-woman union, he would have inherited Adam’s sin nature as we all do. In sin he would not have qualified to be the perfect sacrificial lamb God required for the forgiveness of our sins. It is imperative you confess Jesus as Peter did: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) The Son of God is not a son born of a man. “Immanuel” (or some write it “Emmanuel”) identifies the child born of Mary possessed God’s character. Jesus was “holy, holy, holy” – righteous in every way as a human because he is from God; he is God; and he is of God: John 10:30 “I and the Father are one.” Isaiah’s prophecy came because a king lacked faith. King Ahaz rejected God’s desire to give him a sign of God’s presence to protect Judah on the verge of destruction. To encourage Ahaz, God instructed Isaiah to tell Ahaz to ask for a sign from God. The LORD wanted Ahaz to know he was with Judah. But the king refused. Isaiah 7:12 “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” Ahaz faith was too small to do as the LORD commanded. He did not trust God to give a true sign to him. In response, God gave a sign to the Jews and to the world. God spoke it. God fulfilled it. His language is clear and precise. Mary, taught in God’s ways, would know the angel’s words were true. She is the chosen woman to be God’s virgin to keep his promise. Let’s not be as Ahaz, rejecting God’s Word and God’s promises. Let’s know and believe the power of God’s Word into our lives. The Bible teaches of many signs God has given to us to bring us into a deeper faith relationship with him. Your life, too, is to be a sign of Immanuel born of a virgin, so you can tell how the cross is the sign of eternal salvation. Prayer: Father in heaven, we rejoice in the many signs in your Word, so we know the Savior. Help us be a sign of life to all around us. Amen. Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
& Luke 1:46-49 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.” Isaiah describes the Savior to come in many passages. We will view some of those in the coming days to connect with Luke. But first, let’s see Isaiah’s view of heavenly worship, also expressed in Mary’s praise to the Mighty One. To worship God is to magnify him in all he is. Worship is loving obedience and joyful submission. Isaiah saw heaven’s angels singing the three-part, “Holy, holy, holy” to continually worship God’s perfection. Revelation 4:8 records the same worship. God’s glory – his perfect power, beauty, righteousness, love – flows eternally throughout the heavens and earth. Seeing and hearing God’s perfection, Isaiah faithfully worships God through his prophetic ministry amid several kings’ reigns. In a different way of revelation, Mary also knew God’s holiness. As with Isaiah, God had chosen her to a remarkable work to reveal his glory to the world. In a sense, she becomes a prophet to proclaim God’s glory through the miraculous display of the virgin birth. From the day of the Spirit’s anointing, all generations have called Mary, “Blessed.” Why? This is not because of what Mary had done or will do. Mary is blessed among women and the human race because God chose her as one very intimate way to reveal his holiness to the world. Yes, Mary faithfully worshiped the Lord with her praise: “The Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.” Her pregnancy is unplanned, unexpected and even unwelcome in the world’s view. This will cause her many hardships during Jesus’ entire life on earth. But then in deep reverence she speaks as did Isaiah to affirm God’s call. Her words express true, humble devotion. She knows God has chosen her to a most holy and remarkable task. Does “holy, holy, holy” now come from our lips, too? I refer not to singing a hymn, but to speaking heart praises spoken, sung and confessed to declare God is the Mighty One. He has called you to be his own. And in his extraordinary grace, the Holy One of Israel forms you to be holy in Jesus’ blood. Indeed, this is a most astonishing truth. Our response is to worship him day and night as we pursue his holiness and declare the magnificent things he has done for us. Prayer: You are holy, holy, holy, Lord. Thank you for making us holy before your throne as we declare, “Jesus is Savior, King, Redeemer.” Amen. |
AuthorBob James Archives
January 2025
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