Isaiah

So my latest Bible study has been through the book of Isaiah via a study done by Kay Arthur - if you have not googled her and her studies, do it! Now!  Anyway, other than making my head hurt as I try to wrap my head around Isaiah's words, visions, and "woes," it has completely rocked my world.  It is PACKED with such incredible lessons and insight into our world.  I have loved it even though it has brought new meaning to searching out truth because it has taught me to "wrestle with" information - to dwell on it, to meditate on these truths, and go far deeper into Scripture than I have been in the past.

One piece that has infiltrated my core is the plan for Christ's redemption and just how early it was revealed to God's men and women.  I always knew that God knew that Christ was necessary from the beginning, but to see Him being revealed to the prophets in such clarity is blowing my mind.  I love that Isaiah had visions of the grace that was to come; however, Isaiah himself writes that he weeps at the destruction that would befall Jerusalem prior to Christ coming and at the end of days, he becomes so sick he likens it to labor pains.  I sometimes get caught up in wanting to know the plan - I am comfortable with God being in control of the plan, I just want to know what the plan is. Isaiah knew the hope that would come but he also knew the proceeding events that it would take to get to the day of hope - that's not always a pretty picture. So after reading of Isaiah's agony over knowing everything the plan included, I think I should learn to just be okay with the spotlights and highlights I receive.  That's a big deal for this OCD schedule addict.

Something else that I cherish in this study is the picture of God's character established through out Isaiah.  The last post was about the beautiful tension found in Christ's balance of truth of grace - can I tell you that character trait is so very evident in God our Father through Isaiah's words.  The need for judgement and the "woes" divinely balanced with the plan for redemption along with God's judgement for the sins of Israel paralleled with His incomparable and incessant love for them.  Isaiah 62 has been one of my favorite pieces of Scripture for a long time, and after seeing it in context of all of Isaiah, I love it that much more.  I hope you will read it sometime - it's a beautiful picture of God never giving up on Israel.  I love that He doesn't give up on us - once we are His, we are ALWAYS HIS!

I have so enjoyed my time studying Isaiah even though I left with more headaches more times than I care to admit - there really is nothing like working out Scripture for yourself.  I just thought I would share this with you!