Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 208: The Book of Isaiah

Good morning, everyone!

Today I read Isaiah 1-4. This is another book I don't understand very well, but I'm going to give it a try.

First of all, the book of Isaiah is a prophecy, or a vision, from the prophet Isaiah. Second, Israel is in trouble. Again. And this book is a warning.

Isaiah 1:4 - Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers. Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from Him.

And Israel is warned of what will happen if they don't turn from their evil. God declares that He is tired of their behavior in His temple. He doesn't want their sacrifices which are offered with the wrong attitude. He would prefer they not sacrifice at all than to do it with anything but their whole heart. (He wants the same from us, by the way. We don't sacrifice animals anymore, but we offer sacrifices of worship, praise, tithes, and time; but they don't mean anything if we don't mean it.)

But there is hope.

Isaiah 1:16-20 - "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from my sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Wow. The same applies to us. If we sincerely repent of our sins, it will be as though they never happened. God will forgive and forget them. If we repent and turn from doing what we know is wrong, we will be washed clean.

If not, well,

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Before I end this post today, I want to share a study on the book of Isaiah. In all honesty, it isn't my favorite, but it was a start. I still don't understand everything in Isaiah, and if you have a different study, I'd love to read it.

In the meantime, I hope you check out my recommendation by Vollie B. Sanders.

I also hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Isaiah 5-8.