These verses describe the same situation in the *Old Testament. There are many *Israelites who would consider themselves to be the ‘people of God’. But their daily behaviour does not agree with their words (see Jeremiah 35:15; Ezekiel 33:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD’S PROMISES TO HIS SPECIAL PEOPLE ISAIAH CHAPTER S 58 TO 66 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 65 CHAPTER S 65-66 refer to subjects in CHAPTER S 1-4. • In chapter 2:1-4, the *Lord promises to raise *Zion to be the greatest mountain. • In chapter 66:1-24, *Zion becom... [ Continue Reading ]
The people are not content merely to leave God out of their lives. They are boldly insulting God on purpose. They say that they do not need God. They are self-sufficient (in other words, they depend only on themselves). • They *worship their home-made *idols. The people know that their action is ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Those who proudly pretend to be ‘holier’ than other people make God very angry. Such people proudly consider that they do not need God. The picture language of ‘smoke up the nose’ describes what God’s feels about such a vain opinion.... [ Continue Reading ]
The only real judge of what makes a person ‘holy’ is the holy God himself. A holy person obeys God at all times (see Exodus 19:5-6). Any person who carries out evil behaviour is clearly not truly holy. In this and the next verse, God uses the picture language of a debt. Punishment is due for the pe... [ Continue Reading ]
God warned people long ago that their guilty lives will affect later *descendants (see Exodus 20:5-6). This means that later *descendants will copy the bad behaviour. Therefore they too will receive punishment. GOD’S LOYAL PEOPLE ARE SPECIAL V8 ‘But I will not *destroy all the people,’ says the *... [ Continue Reading ]
The plain called Sharon is the level land that is south of the mountain called Carmel. The valley called Achor was famous for the great trouble that happened there (see Joshua 7:24-26). The whole region has very good soil for agriculture. Now the area will provide peace and plenty, both for God’s lo... [ Continue Reading ]
False gods cannot decide the future of people who *worship them. The *Lord will make that decision. He alone is in complete control. And the *Lord’s judgement will be severe against those that deny his authority. • Some people are loyal to God. But other people refuse to give him honour. And there... [ Continue Reading ]
The form of God’s punishment is the result of the bad people’s own choice. It is God who creates all things. When bad people cut off their relation with God, they cut off the source of their food. God’s loyal people have the opposite attitude. They obey God. So they benefit from all that God create... [ Continue Reading ]
For another example of the use of a name as a *curse, see Jeremiah 29:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ‘God whose name is Truth’ means ‘the *Lord is always true to his promises’. His people can trust him completely at all times. In the original language, the word ‘Truth’ is ‘Amen’ (see 2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 3:14). • The ‘troubles’ of these people are what they had suffered because of pr... [ Continue Reading ]
At the present time, the people can see nothing but the great damage that enemies have done. Those enemies ruined both the *Temple and the city. But this situation will not continue. The *Lord is making his preparations for new heavens and a new earth. That will include a new *Jerusalem. • When God... [ Continue Reading ]
The *Lord has prepared everything, even before his people pray.... [ Continue Reading ]
The present natural habits of animals will also completely change (see Isaiah 11:6-9). LORD ~ God’s name in the Bible. In the original language, God’s names mean ‘head over all’ and ‘God always’. ZION ~ the mountain in Jerusalem where God’s holy Temple was. JERUSALEM ~ at the time of David and Solo... [ Continue Reading ]