Isaiah sees God's Servant coming to bring justice to the nations, sight to the blind, and freedom to the prisoners. The whole world will see and honor Him because God refuses to allow pagan gods to receive His glory. Christians know who this Servant is and how He is accomplishing all of this, thus we are people who sing. Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crosstocrownministries School of Theology: https...
Sep 13, 2022•30 min
Isaiah saw a Servant coming to establish justice for the nations of the world, but His methods would be unexpected. He wouldn't raise a great following, train soldiers of the best fighting men, and march on the capital. Instead, He would use all kinds of people, even the weakest and seemingly useless, to accomplish His purposes. Unsurprisingly, this is exactly how Jesus is ruling the world, and you have a role to play. Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter....
Sep 12, 2022•38 min
Isaiah sees the nations considering the folly of idolatry, Israel transformed from worm to mountain-crusher, and deserts filled with trees and water. What does it all mean? Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crosstocrownministries School of Theology: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
Sep 09, 2022•31 min
The world treats hopelessness with medication and therapy. Sadly, many Christians do, too. God recommends a different solution. Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crosstocrownministries School of Theology: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
Sep 08, 2022•39 min
John the Baptist was self-consciously the "voice crying in the wilderness" that Isaiah foresaw. We know that he was speaking of Jesus, but it's important to understand the original context before we make assumptions about its fulfillment. Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crosstocrownministries School of Theology: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
Sep 07, 2022•33 min
King Hezekiah is a study in waffling. At times, he is a paragon of faith and good judgment, at other times, just the opposite. But this section is not really about the king. It's a setup for chapters 40-55 which put the coming Servant on display. It will give hope and expectation to the exiled people of God. Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crosstocrownministries School of Theology: https://www.newcov...
Sep 06, 2022•33 min
Joy is not something we stumble upon, it's a thing to be grasped, seized, overtaken. Centuries before Jesus arrived, Isaiah foretold of the joy Christians would take hold of as they walk in His way. In Him, they would be like a desert transformed into the most glorious flower garden. The fact that Christians are not known for rejoicing and gladness should give us pause to consider why. Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https:/...
Sep 02, 2022•33 min
If Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy, what does it mean for Christians today? Visit our website: https://www.crosstocrown.org Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/CrossToCrown Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crosstocrownministries Seminary: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
Sep 01, 2022•31 min
If your eschatology pushes God's Kingdom off to the future, you may be missing the point.
Aug 31, 2022•38 min
Isaiah predicts: The King is coming and righteousness with Him. Corrupt, abusive rulers will be replaced with just, noble men. Trust the Lord and wait on Him.
Aug 30, 2022•29 min
Trusting the government (one's own or foreign) for protection, security, guidance, etc., is always a pitfall God's people must avoid. The Jews didn't and the consequences were disastrous. They also told the prophets to tell them only good and pleasant things, and to stay away from those depressing topics like sin, wrath, and judgment. Again, the consequences were dire. Christians must be better than this.
Aug 29, 2022•29 min
As occurs frequently in Isaiah, predictions of God's judgment are followed with hope.
Aug 26, 2022•28 min
In Matthew 15, Jesus quoted Isaiah 29 as a prophecy about the Pharisees. As we examine the entire sections of both passages, it appears that even more is revealed about the first century Jews, even their coming destruction at the hands of the Romans in AD70.
Aug 25, 2022•30 min
Throughout the Old Testament, God speaks to two different groups of people: those who can hear His words and those who can't. It's not that the latter group is physically deaf, but still they can't hear Him. Why? And what does the other group hear?
Aug 24, 2022•32 min
In Isaiah's day, Jewish leaders were arrogant, self-sufficient, idolatrous drunks. They regarded the prophet's repeated calls for repentance and faith as baby talk. So God determined to conquer them with a nation whose language would sound like baby talk to them.
Aug 23, 2022•32 min
Contrary to the coming translations, Isaiah 27 is not describing forgiveness for the Jews, but their slaughter at the hand of God. The Apostle Paul verifies this as he interprets this passage in light of the coming of Christ. Jesus also spoke of the fall of Jerusalem and the sounding of the great trumpet to follow. Did that trumpet already sound?
Aug 22, 2022•31 min
We tend to use 'atonement' and 'forgiveness' synonymously, but we shouldn't. The atoning work of Christ provides forgiveness for believers, but there is another way for sins to be atoned. "Jacob" experienced the other way - which is the opposite of forgiveness.
Aug 18, 2022•33 min
In Isaiah 5, God's fury was unleashed on His fruitless vineyard. In chapter 17, His vineyard grows so large that it covers the earth. What changed?
Aug 17, 2022•28 min
God is the ultimate dragon slayer. But who is the dragon? Isaiah sees a vision similar to what John saw in Revelation. In today's study, we compare the two visions and look at what happens "on that day."
Aug 16, 2022•30 min
As God's judgment loomed over Judah, Isaiah "sees" His people singing a song of hope. They will hide a little while, during His wrath, and then come out of their rooms again. Their corpses will live again. Is this where Paul learned of the coming resurrection he speaks of in 1 Corinthians 15? Does this explain the fascinating passage in Matthew 27 where dead Jews awaken and meet with people in Jerusalem?
Aug 15, 2022•39 min
God gave Isaiah an encouraging vision of what His people would be like in the "city of strength," after the chaos of destruction and devastation. For the Jews, this would spur hope and perseverance as they awaited the Messiah. For the "true Jews" of the New Covenant, we must have greater hope and perseverance because we know the fulfillment of these promises.
Aug 12, 2022•31 min
Isaiah records several visions of God's wrath against the holy city - Jerusalem. Yet he describes the survivors as occupying a "city of strength," protected by walls and ramparts built by God Himself. Is this what the NT refers to as the "New Jerusalem"? If so, what are the implications for the rest of Isaiah 26-27? We begin that discussion in today's study.
Aug 11, 2022•29 min
In this vision, Isaiah sees the Lord protect His people from "ruthless" nations, and even from His own judgment. The last enemy, as the apostle Paul reveals, is death itself, a victory which Isaiah also sees. It's fascinating to read Isaiah and then to see how the New Testament interprets it through the lens of Jesus Christ.
Aug 10, 2022•33 min
Isaiah response to God's judgment on Judah was praise and gratitude. Moreover, he rejoiced that God was executing a plan of vengeance predicted centuries earlier. Does this seem inconsistent with the God you know?
Aug 09, 2022•33 min
When the apostle Paul quoted Isaiah 25 ("He will swallow up death for all time"), he connected an ancient prophecy with the future coming of Christ. It's important to understand the original context of the property in order to accurately understand what Paul was revealing. If you're interested in taking courses at New Covenant School of Theology, apply here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org
Aug 08, 2022•31 min
Peter and Jude wrote about spirits being imprisoned and awaiting judgment. Turns out, they weren't the first to do it. In fact, they probably got some of their information from Isaiah, as we see in today's study.
Aug 05, 2022•39 min
God is slow to anger, but when He finally reaches the boiling point, He describes it in metaphor (as I just did with "boiling point"). Isaiah saw many vivid, sobering images of God's coming judgment. The question is, was he foreseeing actual earthquakes? Do the heavens have a foundation that can tremble? Or was he watching something else? That is the topic of today's study.
Aug 04, 2022•29 min
It's easy to say, "Context is king," but hard to let it reign. Today's text is a perfect example. We read "the earth is laid waste" and think the world is going to end. We read "everlasting covenant" and think New Covenant or Covenant of Grace. But if we let context determine the meaning of words, we see that none of that fits well. Join us and see what I mean.
Aug 03, 2022•34 min
In some ways, Tyre was the U.S.A. of antiquity. Her wealth, productivity, and ingenuity were legendary. And her arrogance provoked the wrath of God. Yet, unlike Babylon (for example), God had a future plan for Tyre, a plan to use her great prosperity to bless His people. We know this was fulfilled during the rebuilding of the city/temple in Ezra's day, but does it point to a future prosperity for God's people? Let's talk about it.
Aug 02, 2022•37 min
In Revelation 3, Jesus describes Himself as having the keys to the Kingdom - opening doors that no one can shut, shutting doors that no one can open. He used similar language to describe the authority given to Peter in Matt. 16. Where does this imagery come from and what does it mean? Find out in today's study.
Aug 01, 2022•25 min
