A Middle East Prophecy
Read: Isaiah 19:19-25 When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them. (v. 20) Chapters 13-27 include several oracles addressed to the nations surrounding Judah, all of whom were threatened by the dominant power of Assyria. Isaiah often warns Judah not to make an […]
An International Hymn of Praise
Read: Isaiah 12:1-6 Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. (v. 4) This beautiful, thoughtful hymn of praise to God is the climax of the first twelve chapters of Isaiah. It is his vision of the grace and glory of […]
Unity and Peace under Messiah’s Rule
Read: Isaiah 11:1-11 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. (vv. 1-2) The Messiah is here pictured as coming from the line of Jesse rather than from King David himself. The reason […]
God Dispels the Gloom
Read: Isaiah 9:1-7 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. (v. 1) Zebulon and Naphtali was the northern region of Israel, called Galilee in Jesus’ day. This area knew great anguish when invaded and humbled by Assyria. But Isaiah foresaw the region honored and filled with joy when a great […]
Mired in Distress and Gloom
Read: Isaiah 8:18-22 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. (v. 20) In the readings for today and tomorrow Isaiah introduces us to one of the most dramatic experiences one could ever have, a transformation from spiritual darkness to […]
Christ Alone
A year ago, a resident in Niger informed Words of Hope’s Hausa language producer that he was suspicious of our Christian programming. As a Muslim, he expected to find much of the content of our Hausa programs offensive. He was angry at the thought that local programming might be attacking the majority Muslim faith of the region.
Assyria, the Rising River of Plunder
Read: Isaiah 8:1-15 But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. (v. 13) As Isaiah continues to bring God’s message in the tense political situation under Ahaz, he writes a strange message on a large placard: “Quick to the plunder; swift […]
Immanuel: God With Us!
Read: Isaiah 7:1-17 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and shall call his name Immanuel. (v. 14) This well-known verse is often quoted at Christmas. Matthew himself connects this verse to the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:23), adding that Immanuel means God with us. The surprising context in which Isaiah spoke these words […]
A Model Response to God’s Call
Read: Isaiah 6:1-10 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. (v. 1) In the year that King Uzziah died, God called the young man Isaiah to be a prophet through a remarkable vision. Though […]