Reading for Today:
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Isaiah 7:1
Chapter 7 1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
–8:22
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Psalms 105:37-45
37 And he brought them forth with silver and gold; And there was not one feeble person among his tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed; For the fear of them had fallen upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night. 40 They asked, and he brought quails, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; They ran in the dry places `like' a river. 42 For he remembered his holy word, `And' Abraham his servant. 43 And he brought forth his people with joy, `And' his chosen with singing. 44 And he gave them the lands of the nations; And they took the labor of the peoples in possession: 45 That they might keep his statutes, And observe his laws. Praise ye Jehovah.
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Proverbs 24:30-34
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction: 33 `Yet' a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep; 34 So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.
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1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Chapter 16 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. 3 And when I arrive, whomsoever ye shall approve, them will I send with letters to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem: 4 and if it be meet for me to go also, they shall go with me. 5 But I will come unto you, when I shall have passed through Macedonia; for I pass through Macedonia; 6 but with you it may be that I shall abide, or even winter, that ye may set me forward on my journey whithersoever I go. 7 For I do not wish to see you now by the way; for I hope to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost; 9 for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. 10 Now if Timothy come, see that he be with you without fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do: 11 let no man therefore despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace, that he may come unto me: for I expect him with the brethren. 12 But as touching Apollos the brother, I besought him much to come unto you with the brethren: and it was not all `his' will to come now; but he will come when he shall have opportunity. 13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14 Let all that ye do be done in love. 15 Now I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to minister unto the saints), 16 that ye also be in subjection unto such, and to every one that helpeth in the work and laboreth. 17 And I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours: acknowledge ye therefore them that are such. 19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss. 21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. 22 If any man loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema. Maranatha. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Notes:
Isaiah 7:18 fly…bee. Egypt was full of flies, and Assyria was a country noted for beekeeping. These insects represented the armies from the powerful countries which the Lord would summon to overrun Judah and take the people into exile.
Isaiah 8:10
10 Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
God is with us. The Hebrew is Immanuel. The name of the virgin’s child (7:14) guaranteed the eventual triumph of the faithful remnant of Israel.
Isaiah 8:19
19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living `should they seek' unto the dead?
seek the dead. People of Isaiah’s day were using spiritualists to communicate with the dead as King Saul did through the medium at En Dor (1 Sam. 28:8–19).The law strictly forbade such consultations (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10, 11).
1 Corinthians 16:1
Chapter 16 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye.
collection. An offering for destitute believers in the overpopulated, famine stricken city of Jerusalem (see
Acts 11:28
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine over all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius.
). Paul had previously solicited funds from the churches of Galatia, Macedonia, and Achaia (Rom. 15:26;
Luke 10:25
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
–37; 2 Cor. 8:1–5; 9:12–15; Gal. 6:10;
1 John 3:17
17 But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
).
1 Corinthians 16:2
2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.
as he may prosper. No required amount or percentage for giving to the Lord’s work is specified in the New Testament. All giving to the Lord is to be freewill giving and completely discretionary (
Luke 6:38
38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.
; 2 Cor. 9:6–8).This is not to be confused with the Old Testament required giving of 3 tithes (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:21–26; Deut. 14:28, 29; Mal. 3:8–10), which totaled about 23 percent annually to fund the national government of Israel, take care of public festivals, and provide welfare. Modern parallels to the Old Testament tithe are found in the taxation system of countries (Rom. 13:6). Old Testament giving to God was not regulated as to amount (see Ex. 25:1, 2; 35:21; 36:6; Prov. 3:9, 10; 11:24).
1 Corinthians 16:9
9 for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
many adversaries. Perhaps no New Testament church had such fierce opposition as the one in Ephesus. In spite of that opposition, the door for the gospel was open wide (2 Cor. 2:12, 13 where Paul also had an open door, but no heart to remain and preach) and Paul stayed. At the end of the experience of opposition described in
2 Corinthians 1:8
8 For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell `us' in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
–10, he wrote 1 Corinthians.
DAY 8: From
Isaiah 7
Chapter 7 1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest tremble with the wind. 3 Then said Jehovah unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller's field; 4 and say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have purposed evil against thee, saying, 6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeel; 7 thus saith the Lord Jehovah, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken in pieces, so that is shall not be a people: 9 and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. 10 And Jehovah spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of Jehovah thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt Jehovah. 13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, that ye will weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, when he knoweth to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land whose two kings thou abhorrest shall be forsaken. 17 Jehovah will bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah-`even' the king of Assyria. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the clefts of the rocks, and upon all thorn-hedges, and upon all pastures. 20 In that day will the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, `even' with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall keep alive a young cow, and two sheep; 22 and it shall come to pass, that because of the abundance of milk which they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land. 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, shall be for briers and thorns. 24 With arrows and with bow shall one come thither, because all the land shall be briers and thorns. 25 And all the hills that were digged with the mattock, thou shalt not come thither for fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of sheep.
and 8, list a few of the many prophecies from Isaiah that were fulfilled in the New Testament.
In
Isaiah 7:1
Chapter 7 1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
4, since Ahaz refused to choose a sign, the Lord chose His own sign, whose implementation would occur far beyond Ahaz’s lifetime. “The virgin.” This prophecy reached forward to the virgin birth of the Messiah, as the New Testament notes (Matt. 1:23).The Hebrew word refers to an unmarried woman and means “virgin” (Gen. 24:43; Prov. 30:19;
Song of Solomon 1:3
3 Thine oils have a goodly fragrance; Thy name is `as' oil poured forth; Therefore do the virgins love thee.
; 6:8), so the birth of Isaiah’s own son (8:3) could not have fully satisified the prophecy. “Shall call His name Immanuel.” The title, applied to Jesus in
Matthew 1:23
23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.
, means “God with us.”
Isaiah 8:14
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
.“Sanctuary…stone of stumbling.” Isaiah found encouragement in the Lord as his holy place of protection from his accusers. The New Testament applies this verse to corporate Israel in her ongoing rejection of Jesus as Messiah (
Luke 2:34
34 and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this `child' is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against;
; Rom.9:32, 33; 1 Pet. 2:8).“Both the houses of Israel.” They will be collapsed until the return of the Messiah to the earth restores them.
Isaiah 8:15
15 And many shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
. “Many…shall stumble.” Another prediction anticipated the stumbling of Israel, which included her rejection of her Messiah at His first advent (
Luke 20:18
18 Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
; Rom. 9:32; 28:16).
Isaiah 8:17
17 And I will wait for Jehovah, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
. “Wait on…hope.” The speaker is Isaiah whose disposition was to await the Lord’s deliverance, the national salvation promised the faithful remnant (40:31; 49:23).
Isaiah 8:18
18 Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Jehovah of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion.
.“I and the children.” In their historical setting, the words refer to Isaiah and his two sons, whose names had prophetic significance (i.e., as “signs and wonders”). In
Hebrews 2:13
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me.
, these verses emphasize the point that Christ had fully identified Himself with mankind by taking a human nature. And He demonstrated the reality of His human nature by His reliance upon God during His earthly sojourn.
From The MacArthur Daily Bible Copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Bibles, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc, Nashville, TN 37214, www.thomasnelson.com.
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