Isaiah 59:1-21 presents a startling picture of the problem of sin. Fortunately, the Bible also presents the hope of Redemption. To begin, the first question is, How many of us have sinned? The Bible is unequivocal: All of us have. Redemption, therefore, cannot be based on lack of sin; it must be based on forgiveness (Jer: … Continue reading –>
Isa: 59:1-21 In Isaiah 58:3 the people asked God: “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” (NRSV). In contrast, Isaiah 59:1 implies another question, something like: “Why do we call for the Lord’s hand to save us, but He does not? Why do we cry to Him, but He does … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Isa: 59:1-21; Isa: 59:15-21; Isaiah 61.2; Isaiah 61.1-11. Memory Text: “The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:3). “We must learn in the school of Christ. Nothing but His righteousness can entitle us to one of the blessings of the covenant of grace. … Continue reading –>
Unequally Yoked By Chang Zeng-Mei I didn’t want to marry my husband because I was raised a Seventh-day Adventist and he belonged to another Christian denomination in southern Taiwan. But our parents wanted us to get married, and we had to obey them. So, I told my future husband, Wu Ming-Huang, “We can get married, … Continue reading –>
Further Study: “No one can practice real benevolence without self-denial. Only by a life of simplicity, self-denial, and close economy, is it possible for us to accomplish the work appointed us as Christ’s representatives. Pride and worldly ambition must be put out of our hearts. In all our work, the principle of unselfishness revealed in … Continue reading –>
Isaiah 58.13-14 Why does Isaiah discuss the Sabbath in Isaiah 58.13-14? What connection does this have with the Day of Atonement setting of the earlier verses? The yearly Day of Atonement was a Sabbath day. This special ceremonial Sabbath was like the weekly Sabbath in that all work of any kind was prohibited (Lev: 23:27-32). Therefore, as recognized by … Continue reading –>
Isa: 58:1-12 Ten days after trumpet blasts have reminded God’s people that the Lord is acclaimed as their King on the very Day of Atonement when their humility through self-denial is to affirm their loyalty to Him as King, the prophet lifts up his voice like a trumpet to declare that they are rebelling against … Continue reading –>
Isaiah 58:1-8 What is the “fast” referred to in Isaiah 58:3? This must be the fast of the Day of Atonement, the only fast commanded by God (Lev: 16:29, Leviticus 16:31; Lev: 23:27-32). This is confirmed in Isaiah 58:3 by the parallel expression “humble ourselves” (NRSV), which follows the terminology of Leviticus. Humbling/afflicting oneself referred to various forms of self-denial, including fasting (compare Ps: 35:13; … Continue reading –>
Isaiah 55:6-13 Why does God say His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, “as the heavens are higher than the earth” ( Isaiah 55.8-9, NRSV)? What do you think that means? There’s no question that the God who created a universe in which even some of the simplest things contain mysteries that our minds cannot begin … Continue reading –>
Isa: 55:1-7 Read this text: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!” (Isa: 55:1, NRSV). What contradiction do you see there? Suppose you took food and stood on the street in a big city and announced to the hungry and homeless there: “Yo, you who have … Continue reading –>
