#lampandlight Day 2

by 9:11 AM 2 comments
Getting into my bible and reading this morning was challenging.  I was so deep asleep when my alarm went off that I forgot to take my thyroid medicine.  Thankfully a still, small voice reminded me when I woke up otherwise the next few days were going to be BAD!  You have to take thyroid medicine on an empty stomach and wait 30-60 minutes after taking it to eat/drink anything.  That meant I had wide awake littles wanting morning beverages and cereal before I've had a drop of coffee.  o.0  I am lost without coffee, it's like my brain is stuck in neutral until I've had several hours to slowly come awake.  Never the less, it was my time to get into my Bible study and not even my decaffeinated brain was going to stop me!  It did slow me down though. I had to find some study guides online to help me start really processing what I was reading.  The cool thing was, the study guides I found actually gave me some insight that I didn't have before - like recognizing the description of God's shekinah glory in Chapter 6.

Day 2 | Isaiah 4-6

The study guides I used today were InterVarsity Press and Executable Outlines by Mark A. Copeland.

I love how Copeland pointed out how Isaiah was describing God's shekina glory in 6:4, I wouldn't have recognized it otherwise.  What's neat is as I went back and re-read Ch.4 (after my coffee) you can see where Isaiah is also describing how God's glory protects and covers the people in 4:5-6.  I would have NEVER made that connection before.  Thankful for study guides and a foggy brain because I learned something new!

Isaiah describes six woes in Ch. 5 -

  1. The rich who overbuild the land, they shall become desolate - 5:8-10
  2. The pleasure seekers, who shall go into captivity; they shall be humbled while the Lord will be exalted - 5:11-17
  3. The blatant sinners, who dare the Lord to do anything - 5:18-19
  4. The confused moralists, who call evil good and good evil - 5:20
  5. The arrogant and self-righteous - 5:21
  6. The mighty at drinking wine, taking bribes, depriving the righteous of justice - 5:22-23

In Today's English Version (which is the version my current bible is) the "Woe to those who..." actually is written as "You are doomed!"  No mincing words there, huh?

The parallel of grapevines is not lost on me (thanks to InterVarsity Press, lol)  They asked "Give examples of ways in which God has lavished his care upon you, only to be rewarded by a bitter harvest."  Ouch!  I could write a novel there, in fact I wrote a post about those bitter grapes.  Guilty!

InterVarsity also asked "Consider again the image of the vineyard in verses 1-3. How is God's work in you similar to that of the vineyard owner?"  HELLO JODI!!!  John 15 talks about Jesus being the vine and we are the branches, God is the vinedresser or gardener.  Hello parallels!!  Talk about a light bulb coming on.  My understanding in that moment deepens in a way I'd never known.  See what happens when you are consistently in God's word and teaching?  A sermon my pastor did on John 15 over a year ago culminated in my better understanding of Chapter 5 today! If you'd like to hear my pastor's series on John 15 - it was called "How The Christian Life Works" and spanned that sermon, "Redefinition", and "Living By Faith".  It was AMAZING!

Ch. 6, oh how I wish I could draw like my nephews can because I'd love to try sketching what Isaiah describes!  Copeland explained the angels in his study guide and where they ranked among the heavenly hosts in his study guide and it's impressive!  It was also Isaiah's moment where he was called into ministry and what a ministry he had!!  So I'll leave you with this:

Jesus purges Isaiah's sins (6:58-7) and then asks who he will send out among the people (6:8a) to which Isaiah says "I will go!  Send me!" (6:8b).  This needs to be our response too.  When Jesus washes us white as snow, we need to be willing to go and share the news even when people "...cannot see or hear or understand" (6:10)

**By the way, even with littles running around being tiny terrorists, I was still able to get into my bible.  You can do it!  Yes, it did take me over three hours to read my chapters and write my notes.  I had to get cereal, fix cups, stop fights, and interrupt tantrums; but I read my bible today!!**



Jodi @ God Still Speaks

Head Writer

Boy mom of three. Married to the same man since 2002. Former working mom turned stay-at-home mom. I love my faith, family, and coffee.

2 comments:

  1. thanks for the encouragement! I have just one little one but recently quit my full-time job, so I am learning to get in the habit of reading my Bible again. #lampandlight

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  2. It's a good habit to start!! Its one of the few rewarding things you can do for yourself every day!!

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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests to made known to God. — Philippians 4:6