SOAP 01/14/2016; Isaiah 8:20

Today's reading: Genesis 34, 35, 36; Luke 14*

S) "²⁰ To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn."

Isaiah 8:20 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Isaiah 8
[Entry from 07/11/2014 was missed, so there now are two in this chapter]

     

O) Even without deep exegesis, it is plain that having no dawn can't be a good thing! Isaiah is referring to a people who, instead of consulting God, were turning to spiritists and mediums, seeking counsel from the dead, regarding the living (v.19). This is in direct contrast, and indeed opposition, to righteousness. So, Isaiah's rebuttal is to seek the law and testimony of the LORD. This is where real answers are found, real comfort, real life. Now, about that lack of dawn... we see several concepts throughout Scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments, about light. There are titles of God that are references to light, like morning star (Revelation 22:16), or the Father of lights (James 1:17). Throughout the Old Testament (especially Psalms), there are myriad references to God's word being light, because it was His revelation of Himself to His people (see Psalm 36:9, 119:105). So, the concept follows that a person seeking anything other than true light, true dawn (i.e., the LORD), be in such darkness as a person who doesn't even have the dawn.

A) These concepts carry right through the New Testament. The notable turn, is that in Jesus Christ, we now have a unity with the light that even the faithful of the Old Testament didn't quite experience. The indwelling Holy Spirit is light within us, and I have a responsibility to let that light shine (see Matthew 5:16). So, in the context that this verse is written, I have an ever present help in a way that even Isaiah didn't quite have. Even still, I cannot dismiss the strong urging of his words. When I am facing calamity (or any kind of strife, even a small hill of a problem), my reaction should not resemble that of the world. In my culture, we don't see so many psychics (certainly seemed more prevalent even in my childhood, than now). However, the world seeks therapy or psychiatry, or some forms of eastern spiritualism (meditation, "non-religious" yoga, or feng shui). The world seeks science (not that scientific methods are wrong, but the scientific community is not a prescriptive authority on my experiences). While I can certainly (and should, and do) pray, I should definitely heed Isaiah's prompting, and run to the Scriptures! In the Bible, I can meet with God. I can see Him, hear Him, and know Him. His words are still a light to my path, even as I have His very light within me.

P) Father, Your light pierces every dark place. There is no place You cannot see, no darkness You cannot conquer. There is nothing beyond Your knowledge, and beyond Your illumination. Open my eyes to see, God. Help me to know and understand what goes on in my life. Even if You don't tell me about things that will happen to me ahead of time, what I really need is Your help to interpret what has already happened to me. Sometimes, circumstances come up and I feel confused, uncertain, or simply surprised and a little afraid. I know I can always trust Your strength and love, so as I pray for Your will to be done, I believe it. But, I want to understand, Lord. Help me to have a bigger perspective on my problems. Help me to run to Scripture for answers, together with prayer and trustworthy advice. I want to be holy as You are holy. Help me to be altogether different than the world, to Your glory and honor. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/13/2016; Isaiah 7:14-16

Today's reading: Genesis 31, 32, 33; Luke 13* 
S) "¹⁴ Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. ¹⁵ He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. ¹⁶ For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken."

Isaiah 7:14-16 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Isaiah 7 

     

O) The first thing, is that I couldn't highlight vv.15-16, while sort of ignoring v.14, which is a prophecy about Mary and Jesus. Really that means, aside from anything else that could be gleaned from vv.15-16, I must also remember that they too are actually about Jesus. Now, what really drew me to these, are that this is one of the passages used to support the concept of an "age of accountability" with children. Few people disagree about the fate of babies that die (even the current pope dismissed the notion of limbo, although I think he still allows the doctrine of purgatory). It gets a little trickier when a child is, say, thirteen. I mean, being a "minor" or an "adult" is a very modern concept, not really found in the Bible. Few would argue that a thirty year old man should not be held accountable for his sins. But, there is a crossing line. Somewhere along the way, a boy becomes accountable to his sins. In traditional Judaism, a boy becomes a man at thirteen (bar mitzvah, or a bat mitzvah for girls), but even that is somewhat arbitrary. Certainly, people hit puberty at all sorts of ages. Even before those traditional markers, there seems to be a turning point for kids, and I think it can be a pretty wide range between each individual. So, that's where a passage like this comes into play. When a boy gets to a time that he knows to refuse evil and choose good, that is the age of accountability. There is a point when a child is able, almost suddenly, to internalize their decisions. The mistakes they make seem more deliberate, almost premeditated sometimes. The choices they make not to sin are more deliberate and calculated as well. Before that age (whatever it is for the individual), it's harder for me to think God might hold his sins against him.
 
A) Fatherhood certainly gave me a deeper look at this. When my oldest daughter was eight years old, she gave her heart to Jesus. Immediately, we could see a difference in her demeanor, but it also meant a turning point in parenting. Most of the early teaching we did with her was more factual and prescriptive. Jesus was born at Christmas. Jesus loves You. Jesus died on a cross for You. Jesus rose again. We can go to heaven. Lessons like this. When she crossed that line, though, our instruction and discipline matured with her. We talked more about why God hates a lying tongue, and why truth sets us free. As my son approaches a similar age (right now), I am watching him closely, looking for those signs that he knows to refuse evil and choose good. He is entering the time that the gospel becomes real. Because of that, I am praying for him every day, that his heart would be softened, his eyes and ears opened, that he would accept the truth of God's grace and mercy. This is the same plan and expectation I have for my other daughter. I know that teaching the gospel to my kids is always prudent and powerful, but as they approach this age, there is a special readiness they have. I need to be ready with them. As they mature as kids, I need to mature as a parent.

P) Father, Your name is great and Your love is amazing. You are completely holy, in Your love and mercy and compassion and patience and righteousness. I feel a heavy responsibility, holding the gospel in one hand and my child's hand in the other. I know that Your grace must be at work in them also, but I have faith it is. I know You are already doing Your part, or already have done it. I want to be sure I am also doing my part. Help me to teach my children well, that when they are older they will not depart from what is right. Open their eyes and ears, to know and understand You and Your ways. Soften their hearts, Lord, the way only You can through the working of the Holy Spirit. I pray that my love for You pales in comparison to their love for You. Help me to be a great example to Ella, as she has already crossed that line and given herself to You. Help me to be a great example to Caleb, as he walks that line and looks across. Help me to be a great example to Kaia, as she comes to that line. In my kids, You deserve all glory, honor, praise, and thanksgiving. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/12/2016; Isaiah 6:6-7

Today's reading: Genesis 29, 30; Luke 12*

S) "⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. ⁷ He touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.'"

Isaiah 6:6-7 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Isaiah 6

     

O) When Isaiah saw the glory of the LORD filling the temple, he was distraught because of the uncleanness of his lips (see v.5). Then, he saw the seraphim pick up that burning coal. I can only imagine what his fears were, what went through his head as that angelic being approached him. But, whatever it was didn't have long to linger, because God had plans for this man. The burning coal was a remedy for Isaiah's unclean lips. This was ceremonial and symbolic and specific. The redemption and cleansing we have in Jesus' blood is generic, in the sense that He died once for all, and that His sacrifice of love covers every sin. However, God's redemption is still specific to each person's sins. God is not unaware of the needs of every person. He knows all our shortcomings and weaknesses. In all of them, though, He has plans to forgive our sins and take away our iniquity, when we confess our sins to Him.

A) Sometimes, when I am confronted with the holiness of God (in a worship service, or when I open my Bible, or just in prayer, etc.), I am sometimes overwhelmed by my own iniquities. Usually there are only a few sins that tend to be tripping me repeatedly. Like Isaiah, I know what my biggest problem is. God has made it quite clear, what my shortcomings are. Sometimes, it can initially feel a little scary, to see my sins clearly in light of His holiness. But quickly, I remember. Jesus didn't pick up a burning coal to cleanse me, He picked up the cross. Now the cross, this is my reminder that I am cleansed. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). God sees my sins, my specific iniquities. He doesn't see them generally, He knows the details. Even still, I don't have to be ashamed. As intimately as He knows my wretched deeds, He intimately knows the remedy I need, and He has freely offered it to me.

P) Father, this grace and mercy is so humbling, yet encouraging. That is the beauty of Your love. You see me plainly. You see my dirtiness, my grossness, and You clean me up. Over and over and over, You cleanse me. I am Yours, Lord. Let Your will be done in me. Let me never be ashamed that I need Your redemption. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/11/2016; Isaiah 5:4

Today's reading: Genesis 27, 28; Psalm 4; Luke 11*

S) "What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?
Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?"

Isaiah 5:4 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Isaiah 5

     

O) God was giving an analogy to the house of Israel, that they were His vineyard and the men of Judah were His delightful plant, but they bore only bad fruit (see v.7). What this particular verse is pointing out, is that the LORD is blameless in their iniquities. He gave them everything they needed to be a fruitful vineyard for Him, but they did not. There was nothing more God could have done for them, to produce good fruit in them. This is a strong counterpoint to the idea that God's sovereignty means He controls who will be righteous and who will be wicked. Could God, in His sovereignty, simply create good fruit in this vineyard He had? After all, He is the God of creation. Yes, I suppose He could have, but that should not have been necessary. He had already given them, in grace, all they needed to be fruitful. Even still, their wicked choices, the evil that grew in their hearts without being pruned out of them, choked the good fruit that would have been theirs, if only they had lived according to God's ways and not their own. Had they subjected themselves to Him as a Sovereign King over them, then His provision and grace would have produced good fruit in their lives.

A) What more is there to do for me, God's branch, that He has not already done for me? Nothing! Jesus said that He is the Vine, and I am a branch. If I remain in Him, then I will bear good fruit. That is precisely what God expects from me. Now, it would be naïve of me to think God doesn't already know my shortcomings. He already knew every sin I would ever commit, before I submitted my life to Him. He knows every sin I have yet to commit. In that sense, His expectation does not work like my expectation. His expectation is not based on prediction, but on prescription alone. He knows all of the facts, and there is still a standard of obedience for any man who calls himself a child of God (even Jesus walked in submissive obedience to the Father). So, I can never resign myself to sin. There will never be an excuse. Sin will never be acceptable, in any form or amount. Instead, I must cling to the One who makes me thrive. I must remain in Christ, and He in me, that I may bear good fruit in His vineyard.

P) Father, You are holy and good. Your standard is perfection, and I know that I am an imperfect branch. But Lord, in Your perfect grace, You have grafted me onto the vibrant vine of Jesus Christ. In unity with Him, I will bear good fruit, and I will have healing that flows into the deepest parts of who I am. I know that I will not be perfect until I am perfected, but until that final day when I am standing in the perfect glory of Jesus, I pray that I am keeping close to Christ. I want to bear good fruit for You, Lord. I want You to come at the time of the harvest, and see that this branch has the fruit You expected. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/10/2016; Isaiah 3:6

Today's reading: Genesis 25, 26; Psalm 6; Luke 10*

S) "⁶ When a man lays hold of his brother in his father’s house, saying,
'You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler,
And these ruins will be under your charge,'"

Isaiah 3:6 (NASB)
 *because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Isaiah 3

     

O) This chapter is a prophecy against Judah, in judgment of their spiritual adultery against the God. In it, a large section is devoted to the idea that they will have oppressive leadership over them (described as a capricious child, or literally, "arbitrary power"). The result of that kind of people, who have abandoned God and have been subjected to such terrible leadership, is that it will take very little to impress them. In this case, they see a man with a cloak, in the midst of drought and famine, and they simply assume he has means and is therefore the leader they need. The root of that problem is that people are still looking to other people for help. In this case, the man elected protests, because he is no better off than any of the other people (see v.7).

A) The spiritual implications of this passage run very, very deep. Understanding that the church is the new Israel, but that God is still very much going to judge His bride first, then the parallels here are alarming. Bad leadership in the church does infinitely more harm than any bad political leadership ever could. The most important thing for me, then, is that I am not looking for men to be my answer. Only Christ can lead me perfectly. Now, I am certainly called to subject myself to godly authority, but it must not be who appears to be qualified. Certainly, I cannot afford to be deceived by a fresh coat. Ultimately, anyone I follow must first be following Christ, otherwise I am in danger. There are a number of ways that I can guard against this kind of deception. Certainly, being grounded in my Bible is the first step. Being in prayer constantly is another need. There is also wisdom in counsel, to be sure. Testing the fruit of leadership is also a must. The New Testament is full of this kind of wisdom, because false teachers were certainly a concern for the first century church, as it is now. But, remembering verses like the one above, serves as a stark reminder about how much things can spiral if I am not careful about who I follow.

P) Father, You are perfect and good, but people are not. Even the best people still fall short of Your glory, Lord. Please give me open eyes and ears, that I can discern rightly who to follow, and what counsel to keep. Give me wisdom and understanding. Help me to stay in Your word forever. Teach me, lead me, guard me, and keep me. All to Your glory, Father God. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/09/2016; Isaiah 2:20-21

Today's reading: Genesis 23, 24; Luke 9*

S) "²⁰ In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats
Their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
Which they made for themselves to worship,
²¹ In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs
Before the terror of the Lord and the splendor of His majesty,
When He arises to make the earth tremble."

Isaiah 2:20-21 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Isaiah 2

     

O) Like many prophecies about coming judgment, especially from the Old Testament, it is important to remember that the judgment may have already happened, since much of the writer's future is already our past. In this case, it seems easy to see that this is about the Final Judgment Day. However, when we look at the two verses above, we can see a lesson that transcends the circumstances of this particular judgment. What we see here, is people fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because they fear His righteous judgment. On that day, they realized the futility and wickedness of their idolatry, and they try to hide them, bury them, in the darkest places. Then, just like so many warnings about idolatry, they actually become just like their idols, and they try to hide themselves in darkness as well. We know that God is sovereign and omnipotent, and that nothing escapes His knowledge because He is omniscient. People can run, but they can't really hide, and even if they run, the Lord will overtake them.

A) This passage actually reminds me of the reaction Simon Peter had, in his first encounter with Jesus Christ. He fell to his knees, pleading with the Lord to leave him because he was a wretched sinner. The way I see it, there are basically two reactions, when humans are caught in sin and realize the holy righteousness of their Creator: heartbreak or flight. For myself, when I have sinned, my reaction can never be to run and hide, to try and conceal my sin (that idol, if you will). My reaction must be one of a broken and contrite heart, like David described in Psalm 51. Just as I could never hide my sin from God, I can never hide myself from Him, either.

P) Father, Your holiness and majesty are terrifying to me in light of my sinfulness. But, when I look at Your holiness and majesty in light of the righteousness of Christ, and in view of the cross, I am humbled and thankful, full of worship, repentance, hope, and peace. The question is not whether or not I will sin. You know every sin I will ever commit. Even in my sinfulness, Christ died for me. The real issue is my reaction to my sinfulness, not Your reaction. I confess that I am a sinner, still in need of Your grace and mercy and restoration. May I be humble forever, broken and contrite about my need for Your grace and mercy everyday. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

SOAP 01/08/2016; Proverbs 25:16-17

Today's reading: Genesis 20, 21, 22; Luke 8*

S) "¹⁶ Have you found honey? Eat only what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.
¹⁷ Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become weary of you and hate you."

Proverbs 25:16-17 (NASB)

*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Proverbs 25
 

O) The first thing I noticed about v.16, was the simple beauty about God's order of things. Our bodies are wonderfully built to reject what is bad for us. Eating too much sweet stuff will make us vomit, simply because it's bad for us. Unfortunately, humans are good at sinning. So, we can override a number of things that God gave us in nature, which are designed for our benefit, because the heart of man is desperately wicked (see Jeremiah 17:9). Then, I was thinking about v.17, and how Solomon didn't say anything about being a good neighbor. This really has nothing to do with how well people get along. Eventually, people get sick of other people being around. That's normal, I think. Everyone wants their space, a place of refuge, a sanctuary from the outside world. That place should be our own home. Even people who are gifted in hospitality have times when they need to sort of recharge. Initially, I thought these two verses were unrelated. After all, their instructions are about pretty different topics. However, the more I dug into what the first one meant, the more I realized the second verse is actually about the same thing. These are admonishing us to be more self-aware.

A) While I have always had a pretty clear understanding of myself, I have not always been good at seeing myself among others. That is, I have struggled to see how my self affected others (or, I struggled to care, even when I did see). Self-discipline is always hard and for me, food has been an area where I have not always cared to exercise more self-control, restraint, or discipline. So, I should certainly be more mindful about that. I think that things like "dieting" can do as much harm for our spirits as good for our health, but the simple aspect of evaluation is a good place to be. Solomon didn't say not to eat the honey, but to not have it in excess. We never really "need" honey from a strict physiological sense, but he's really just talking about moderation. That's a good principle for me in every physical appetite I can define. From entertainment, to sex, to food, to sleep. On the more external awareness, I need a lot more help, I think. It's usually easy for me to identify when I have "eaten too much honey," but knowing when I am exhausting the welcome of my neighbor is harder for me to see. In a very simple, practical sense, I actually love visiting friends and going over to their houses, and just hanging out. But, this obviously extends beyond that. I need to be prayerful about how I am impacting people around me. I shouldn't think more highly of myself than I ought (obviously), and I shouldn't obsess about what others think, but just asking God to help me maintain peace, that's certainly biblical (see also). My wife has also been a great blessing to me in this area. God has certainly brought me a long way from where I was, and Kristin has certainly been used in that area for me. I have room to grow, but I have testimony in that too.

P) Father, Your ways are great. You have such a perfect, good, amazing plan for Your creation. You built amazing bodies, that regulate our health wonderfully, except where sin interferes. You also have such a great plan for relationships, too. In both of these areas, of self-control and self-awareness, I was hopeless when You found me. Thank You for the grace that has been at work in me, Lord. There is still more work to be done, and I know I won't be finished until I am glorified in Christ. But, I want to continue to grow in this, God. Please continue the good work You have started in me, until the day of completion when I am perfected at the resurrection. Help me to be more aware, internally and externally. Help me to listen to wise counsel, especially from my wife. In everything, be glorified in my life. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.