God Promises to Guide

January 15, 2023 Background Scripture: Isaiah 48:1 - 22 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 48:3 - 8a, 17 Today's Background Scripture takes on the tone of a parent chastising a child. God draws a clear distinction between His knowledge and Israel's pretention. God purposely revealed information in a way to prevent Israel from claiming to be knowledgeable about it beforehand. He did not cause some situations to occur sooner to prevent Israel from insinuating they were already aware of it. God would not allow them the opportunity to claim that an idol had done it. God only made them aware of some things by way of revelation to remind them of the limitations of their knowledge. As God's chosen people, Israel had to be brought to the awareness of their need for repentance, submission to God, and the reception of God's work that He would do in them. God clearly addressed what we can describe as Israel's humanity. Israel missed the mark in terms of holiness. They attempted to compensate by using self-righteousness that only they could judge. They wanted to be independent and in control of their own destiny. Their disposition and actions contrasted with the promises God made to their ancestors. God would not allow Israel to continue to live contrary to His will for them. God informed them that His plan for redeeming them existed from the beginning. God's plan of redemption included sending His Servant to them. God's Servant would clearly acknowledge to Israel that He was sent to them by God. The Servant of God would teach them to live prosperous lives in this world. He would lead them along a safe route. Following His commandments would ensure peace m their midst. Their obedience would cause righteousness to flow from them with the power of the waves of the sea. Their population would continue to explode on the earth as numerous as grains of sand. They would continuously reflect the glory of God in this world. Therefore, God would be pleased to multiply them endlessly. Whenever they erred from the path of righteousness, God chastised them with other nations. It was temporary, and God called them from those places of chastisement that He might again delight in them. They rejoiced in their deliverance. They witnessed an abundance of miracles as God gave them endless amounts of water to quench their thirst in dry places. Rocks became fountains and deserts became oases. That was God's response to their repentance. Those responses reflected God's promise to guide them in the way they should go. Haughtiness and self-determination would cause them to lose the peace God was offering them. God's guidance would bring forth praise from them that would be pleasing to God. This is the true sacrifice God desires. God does not delight in the death of bulls and calves as a form of worship. True worship comes from a heart that is made right with God. People do not have the capacity to make themselves holy. Self-righteousness constantly leads to turmoil and confusion. This is all that wickedness will ever produce. Pleasing God will only come from following God. This is the example demonstrated by the Servant of God, God's Servant lived what He taught. He taught as He followed God's guidance. That is God's offer to His people: Allow Me to guide you into paths of righteousness for My name's sake. Now, back to the analogy of a parent chastising a child. Human parents demonstrate our love when we guide our children by the example we live before them. When they are disobedient, we chastise them to put them back on track. We remind them of who they are and what they mean to us. Israel could be sure of God's love for them because He promised to guide them by sending His Servant to them. Robert C. Hudson December 30, 2022

God Promises to Restore

January 8, 2023 Background Scripture: Isaiah 43: 1 - 21 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 43:1 - 4, 10 - 12 In the Background Scripture, Isaiah delivered a very important message to the people of Israel. The opening statement is a declaration of the source of the message. The eternal God of creation is the One Who sent the message. The message was very personal from the beginning. God declared ownership of Israel but not as a material possession, but as a personal relationship. It is reminiscent of the statement God made through the prophet Jeremiah when He said to His people, "I am married to you." God called them by name. He used their forefather's natural birth name, Jacob, and his spiritual birth name, Israel. The use of both names covers the full range of the relationship God has with them. God created Jacob to be His even before Jacob knew God. After Jacob came to know God in a very personal way, God changed his name to Israel to reflect the new relationship. The restoration God promised them in this lesson corresponds to the promises and covenant He had with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. There was nothing in this world that would prevent God from showing His love to them. He had chosen them as His own. God enabled them to overcome the harsh limitations of nature and the brutal treatment by people to demonstrate His love for them. They were precious in God's sight, and therefore He honored them among people. There was no need for them to be afraid of any situations they may encounter or misfortune that might overtake them. God would be their Protector and Deliverer. Even when they are scattered as a people, God would regather them to Himself from across the world. The "el" in the name "Isra - el" identifies them with God. He called them by His name because He created them for His glory to honor Him. God declared Himself to be without peer. Nothing and no one existed before God. Therefore, there is nothing and no one who can claim to be equal with or greater than God. Whatever God declares, it is truth. God's truth cannot be denied by any. It can only be witnessed to, or attested to, by true believers. True believers have witnessed God's work in their own lives. God does not look for His enemy to praise Him and His mighty works. God's people have the privilege of doing that because of personal experiences. God's relationship with Israel is a demonstration of the love He has for all who He claims as His own. All that we know about God or may come to learn about Him In this life, has been demonstrated through His love for Israel. Through the word of God, the bible, we can see His divine love for Israel even when they did not truly know Him as their God, Afterwards, we see God's loving discipline of them. No matter how far Israel strayed from God, He would always limit their punishment, or suffering, and regather them to Himself. God was always there to pick up the pieces and restore Israel to the place He preserved for them. As if knowing His track record wasn't enough for them, God went so far as to promise Israel that He would always restore them. One would think that would be enough to warrant immediate repentance and turning to God in prayer by His wayward people. God's redeeming love reminds me of the lyrics: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!" A prayer of repentance will always be answered by God because He promised to restore His people. Robert C. Hudson December 23, 2022