Reflections from Isaiah/Yeshayahu
Okay my friends, here is a place to dialogue regarding the book of Isaiah/Yeshayahu. Feel free to share your questions, comments and reflections from the daily readings.
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June 17, 2019 at 7:01 am /
Day 168- Today we are reading 64-66. The last chapters of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 17, 2019 at 7:58 am /
Isaiah 66:17 Google “pig and mouse dna”. Interesting results.
June 16, 2019 at 7:41 am /
Day 167- Today we are reading chapters 62-63 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 15, 2019 at 7:19 am /
Day 166- Today we are reading chapters 60-61 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 15, 2019 at 5:10 pm /
What an amazing passage today. And after listening to Prophet Pearls again I’m so thankful to have a president in America who stands with Israel and not “violence” (listen to Keith and Nehemia discuss the Hebrew word in 60:18).
But I have to say that my favorite part of today’s reading is chapter 61. For years I read that and thought of Yeshua/Jesus. I will always think of that, but today it wasn’t the first thing I thought of.
Today the first thing I thought of is the beginning of the fulfillment of this exciting prophecy in Israel during this time in history. Israel is inhabited by her people and the very presence of Israel brought comfort to Holocaust victims and those who were finally released from the USSR when it fell, and it continues to bring comfort to those who return from the Exile. The incredible growth and wealth of that nation is proof that Yehovah has vindicated His people. They are building up the ancient ruins, strangers are helping with agriculture, and the louder the “BDS” movement becomes, the more nations buy from Israel.
I stand with Isaiah today and proclaim for Israel’s sake, “I greatly rejoice in Yehovah, My whole being exults in my God!!!”
June 14, 2019 at 6:51 am /
Day 165- Today we are reading chapters 58-59 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 14, 2019 at 10:27 am /
Noticed the additional armor of God – Isa 59:17
June 13, 2019 at 8:08 am /
Day 164-Today we are reading chapters 56-57 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 12, 2019 at 8:07 am /
Day 163- Today we are reading chapters 54-55 of Isaiah/Yeshayhu.
June 11, 2019 at 6:49 am /
Day 162- Today we are reading chapters 52-53 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 10, 2019 at 8:10 am /
What an amazing book of the Tanak! Our fellowship tries to dedicate the first 20-30 minutes each week for our readers of the book reading that week. (which is always a challenge to keep it in that time frame. ). Isaiah just elevates the excitement. We believe this will be the next project our fellowship will take on, a more lengthy study of Isaiah . . . . but the year’s still young and lots of prophets and writings and Chronicles to go!!!
June 15, 2019 at 8:31 am /
That is an interesting notion.
A couple of years ago I started a study on worship throughout the Bible and traditionally throughout history. It’s quite a challenge but well worth it.
I’d imagine this would be the experience of studying Isaiah. In fact, I wonder if one could devote an entire lifetime to studying this amazing book and still have more to discover and explore when this life ends. Isaiah had so much to say to his generation and generations that came after him. He will most certainly be one I will want to spend a lot of time with in Olam Ha-Ba.
Shalom, everyone.
June 10, 2019 at 7:46 am /
I spent much of this weekend re-reading last week’s chapters and re-listening to the Prophet Pearls because there is just so much to glean from these passages. There is no way to get all the meat from Isaiah in just one reading. I’m still awed by what Isaiah said but I must move forward.
But I want to quickly share a few insights, especially from Nehemia and Keith and the Israel Bible.
First from Prophet Pearls: The process of the ancient tradition of “hevruta” (probably misspelled) is profound. The process of two people of faith coming together to study God’s word in order to work out what it truly says is such a blessing. Different backgrounds and different ways of thinking can cause us to look beyond our own interpretations and see more than we initially understood. But Nehemia and Keith do point out that to do this means we must have a very strong faith. And I know from experience that the faith can’t be based on what we have always believed the word says, but on Yehovah who said it. If my faith had been based on what I believed rather than on my Father in Heaven, I wouldn’t be here because what I’ve learned over the last 4 years challenged every belief I’ve ever held dear, but my faith has never been shaken, thank Yehovah.
Another issue that Keith and Nehemia mentioned was the way many people “engage the prophecy for one particular theological paradigm and miss the greater context.” Let’s engage the prophecy without our theological bents and see what Yehovah through His prophets really wanted us to see.
Two more things and then I’ll quit.
At 41:8 Abraham is described as “whom I love” or “my friend”. The Israel Bible points out that “Avraham did not serve God out of familial obligation or fear, but sought after Him like a lover searches for his beloved. We, too, should strive to emulate Abraham, to serve Hashem out of love and not fear.”
And finally, who doesn’t love the description of our Father as “Yehovah, Man of Battle”? I love knowing that my Father in Heaven is not afraid of a fight and that He will fight for me. I might forget every so often and give in to fear, but then I remember this description and all the times He’s fought for Israel and I take courage.
Isn’t is comforting knowing that our Daddy is a “Man of Battle”?
June 10, 2019 at 5:05 am /
Day 161- Today we are reading chapters 50-51 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 9, 2019 at 7:57 am /
Day 160- Today we are reading chapters 48-49 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 8, 2019 at 7:19 am /
Day 159- Today we are reading chapters 46-47 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 8, 2019 at 1:03 am /
Who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers.
Isa 44:25 & 26
The God who listens. . To the omens of boaters and soothsayers
and turns them into madmen by making what they say into foolishness,
The God who listens. . To His servants, and brings to pass what His servants have spoken
June 7, 2019 at 7:11 am /
Day 158- Today we are reading chapters 44-45 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 6, 2019 at 7:04 am /
Day 157- Today we are reading chapters 42-43 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 5, 2019 at 7:45 am /
Day 156- Today we are reading chapters 40-41 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 5, 2019 at 9:43 am /
These last 20-sum chapters of Isaiah are just amazing and like I said earlier, reading without the theological filters I had for so many is exciting. Like Keith in Prophet Pearls #45, I’ve had to think about the fact that I first heard these things in a Christian context. As I’ve read the Hebrew scriptures and been roughly jarred by the realization that without this context for the New Testament, I’ve concluded that there isn’t a whole lot of “new” in the New Testament.
What the Prophet Pearls on Isaiah brings out is amazing. In my case it’s not just what the language study reveals, but the personal stories, too.
In Prophet Pearls #45 Nehemia brings out that the “herald” (Israel Bible) in 40:9 is in the feminine. He also reiterates that in ancient times the women were the “heralds”, calling them “the Twitter of their time.” Sadly, as he points out, this has been forgotten and now women who “gossip” are called “yentas” in Yiddish. And look at women in the Christian world. How many are reluctant to teach and preach. I attended a Christian university and was active in various churches after that and was told by several people I should be a preacher but because information like this from the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament has been hidden and forgotten, I rejected the idea. (If you want to see Keith get excited about women in ministry, watch “Road to Reformation” episode 5, “Request”. The entire series is life changing, but he specifically mentions and gets excited about the prophetess Hulda in this one.)
I actually listen to Prophet Pearls #3 on a regular basis for encouragement and comfort. Nehemia gets fairly personal in this episode and I often need to take comfort (“Comfort, oh comfort” as the opening words of chapter 40 say) in knowing Yehovah brought him through a difficult time and He can do the same for me if I just keep walking. Perhaps someday I, too will have my “power changed out” and will then run without fainting.
There’s also another issue they talk about briefly that hits a little too close to home. Years ago I taught a class (not one I developed) at the university where the students had to watch a debate between and atheist (I can’t remember which one now, but he was drinking the whole time) and D’Souza and make a case for the winner. I always came away from that part of the class feeling like nobody won. Who wins in a debate such as this? If one believes that without the acceptance of Jesus one is going to hell, then D’Souza lost a soul. How could that be considered a win in Christianity? And even if you don’t believe the hell part, who really won? Did either of them find truth? Did either learn from the other?
Why does this matter in relation to Prophet Pearls #3? Nehemia talks a little bit about missionaries and anti-missionaries and debates. I might win or lose a debate, but what have I gained even if I win? What has the other gained in either case? I want us to learn from each other and come together on common ground, in our case, the Hebrew scriptures. We might not agree on everything, but we believe that these are the truth of God, our Father, of Yehovah. Let’s learn from one another and see what these words actually say, leaving theology behind.
And that’s why I’m thankful for the Readers of the Book Club. More of this and Yehovah’s Name will be magnified exponentially!!!
June 4, 2019 at 6:52 am /
Day 155- Today we are reading chapters 38-39 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 4, 2019 at 7:32 am /
Just a real quick observation about how much Chizkiyahu’s prayer sounds like something David would have prayed: 38:18-19, “For it is not Sheol that praises You, Not [the Land of] Death that extols you; Nor do they who descend into the Pit Hope for Your grace. The, only the living Can give thanks to You As I do this day; Fathers relate to children Your acts of grace…” (Israel Bible).
This could be in the Psalms.
June 3, 2019 at 7:42 am /
Day 154- Today we are reading chapters 36-37 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
June 2, 2019 at 8:55 am /
I haven’t read Isaiah “cover-to-cover” in years. I’ve read large chunks at any given time, but I think the last time I did as we’re doing here was 20 years ago.
About 8 or 9 years ago I decided to search out what Jews understand about the “Old Testament”; after all, they’ve been studying and living it out for over 2000 years longer than Christians. Over these intervening years I’ve been able to start reading the Hebrew scriptures without the “Christian filter” I’d always read them with, and being able to do so has been eye-opening and has challenged the beliefs I held dear.
Reading Isaiah without the theological underpinnings I read it with 20 years ago has allowed me to see Isaiah in a fresh way. I had always read it with the understanding that he was the “Messianic Prophet” and while there are numerous allusions to the coming Messiah, Isaiah speaks quite a bit to the people of his own time, making him far more than JUST the Messianic Prophet.
When I read these prophecies two decades ago I saw only what I had been taught by Christian theologians to see. Now I see the rich and powerful messages directed at the people of his time and I imagine how different history would be if his listeners would have acted on his message of repentance 2700 (or so) years ago.
June 2, 2019 at 6:48 am /
Day 153- Today we are reading chapters 33-35 of Isaiah/Yeshaahu.
June 1, 2019 at 7:05 am /
Day 152- Today we are reading chapters 31-32 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 31, 2019 at 6:03 am /
Day 151- Today we are reading chapters 29-30 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 30, 2019 at 7:34 am /
Day 150- Today we are reading chapters 27-28 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 29, 2019 at 6:50 am /
Day 149- Today we are reading chapters 25-26 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 28, 2019 at 6:40 am /
Day 148- Today we are reading chapters 23-24 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 28, 2019 at 1:59 am /
Now in Isaiah 40 – I was immediately struck by the impact of the word for Evangelist being feminine and related it to Mary the first evangelist who told the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead.
It has also had an impact on my ambivalence about female pastors – my reservations were based on the fact the men are unwilling to listen to women – I realise now that this is a challenge for the men to accept women in the same way that Jesus did and I should not be limited by this attitude.
May 27, 2019 at 7:38 am /
Day 147- Today we are reading chapters 21-22 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 26, 2019 at 7:51 am /
Day 146-Today we are reading chapters 19-20 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 25, 2019 at 8:25 am /
Day 145- Today we are reading chapters 17-18 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 24, 2019 at 8:53 pm /
I love the book of Isaiah! So many precious gems tucked into it.
May 24, 2019 at 3:32 pm /
To look at Yahovah’s prophecy is fascinating, many times part have been fulfilled, part is being fulfilled, and sometimes part yet to be fulfilled. But it will all get done. Because he watches over what he has spoken to be sure it comes to pass.
It’s not a case of history, it’s a case of HIS story.
May 25, 2019 at 7:28 am /
This is all true indeed!! My problem is figuring out what has come to pass and what might still be future.
May 24, 2019 at 7:12 am /
Day 144- Today we are reading chapters 15-16 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 23, 2019 at 11:12 am /
It seems as we go through all these prophecies that it becomes very clear how so woefully ignorant of history we are. If we knew history, as we should, then much of this book would be clear. One moment it seems that prophecy has come to pass and the next moment it is future or might be in the future!
May 24, 2019 at 8:57 pm /
Denise, I agree! I was wondering at today’s reading when this prophecy against Moab came to pass. It seems this prophecy was given in the year that King Ahaz died and would have come to pass within 3 years, so 2nd or 3rd year of King Hezekiah’s reign…? Then again, I don’t know what “like the years of a hired man” means. Does anyone know the meaning of this phrase?
May 25, 2019 at 11:10 am /
I think it refers to a hired man counting down to the end of their agreement of service. I picture the kids in school on the last day of school for the year watching the second hand on the clock to the final bell for the beginning of the freedom of summer break.
May 23, 2019 at 7:37 am /
Day 143- Today we are reading chapters 13-14 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 22, 2019 at 6:44 am /
Day 142- Today we are reading chapters 11-12 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 21, 2019 at 7:36 am /
Day 141 – Today we are reading chapters 9-10 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 20, 2019 at 7:43 am /
Day 140- Today we are reading chapters 7-8 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 19, 2019 at 7:39 am /
Day 139- Today we are reding chapters 5-6 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 18, 2019 at 8:24 am /
Day 138- Today we are reading chapters 3-4 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
May 17, 2019 at 9:29 am /
Day 137- Today we are reading chapters 1-2 of Isaiah/Yeshayahu.
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