you who are full of shoutings,
tumultuous city, exultant town?
Your slain are not slain with the sword
or dead in battle. – Isaiah 22:2 ESV

HEBREW
הֽוֹמִיָּ֔ה/hō·w·mî·yāh: growling, barking, roaring, boisterous

CONSIDER
Imagine a world in which everyone was forced to act in the same way. Rather than having any autonomy, people were required to say and do whatever the people around them said and did. For some of us, the implications of a world like that would be terrifying or infuriating; for those with echophenomena disorders, this world is their reality. People suffering from echopraxia feel the uncontrollable need to copy the movements of those around them, while people with echolalia mimic the words and sounds of those around them. Their actions and words are determined by who’s closest to them.
As Isaiah receives oracles from God against the sinful decisions of neighboring pagan nations, the warnings suddenly become directed toward his own nation of Judah. God’s people could no longer point the finger of judgment against others without recognizing that they were suffering from echophenomena. The only difference is that instead of this being involuntary, Judah had willingly acted as sinfully as these nations had. In fact, Isaiah doesn’t refer to the city of Jerusalem as full of God’s glory (see Psalm 26:8), he calls them “you who are full of shoutings, hō·w·mî·yāh (growling, barking, roaring, boisterous) city.” This Hebrew word references the automatic response humans have to troubling news. But instead of looking to the Lord for their deliverance, Jerusalem seems to default to imitating the wrongful actions of those around them. So, how will they escape the prophesied judgment of those they imitate who reject the voice of the Lord? Thank God, the story doesn’t end with their shame, but with a promise that One will come who will take the punishment that his people deserve. Isaiah sees a day in which the Messiah will lovingly remove the guilt of sin and restore a right relationship with him.

APPLY
Where will I allow Jesus’ love for me to replace my shame?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

All your leaders have fled together;
without the bow they were captured.
All of you who were found were captured,
though they had fled far away.
– Isaiah 22:3 ESV

HEBREW
אֻסָּ֑רוּ/’us·sā·rū: they were tied up, they were bound

CONSIDER
One of our most quoted Because & Therefore Statements at Centerway says:
“Because God sees what we can’t, we value GOD-RISKS… therefore we respond when God speaks, pursue efforts that require supernatural intervention to succeed, and – while we aren’t irresponsible – we resist the comfort zone and don’t maintain or play it safe out of fear.”
We recognize that fear likes to leverage the threat of harm to leave its victims trapped in its ambush. Because of this, well-meaning people are too often kept from experiencing life to the fullest. This is the scene that Isaiah shares with his readers in his nation of Judah. When they realized they couldn’t save themselves from their enemy, Judah’s leaders fled and without the bow ’us·sā·rū (they were tied up, they were bound) without putting up a fight. In their fear, they ran and surrendered without any intention of defending the city and the people they were called to lead. Because of fear, they refused to perform the role they were meant to. Anytime we elect to use man-made solutions to solve God-sized problems we will experience a sense of inadequacy and the emotions that come with it. And although this ineffectiveness is a universal problem, Isaiah foretells a day when God himself will solve the problem of our fear and failings. By resisting the temptation to play it safe out of fear, Jesus went to a cross where he suffered the death that we deserve because of our shortcomings. His perfect love for us casts out fear (1 John 4:18), and his finished work of love is powerful enough to replace our shame.

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Where will I allow Jesus’ love for me to replace my shame?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

He has taken away the covering of Judah. – Isaiah 22:8a ESV

HEBREW
מָסַ֣ךְ/mā·saḵ: covering, protection

CONSIDER
There’s a humorous yet tragic story in the book of Exodus that reveals how absurdly we as humans can act sometimes. When Moses climbed Mt. Sinai to meet with God, the Israelites thought he was taking too long. In their fear, they asked his brother Aaron to make them gods to protect them. So he melted their gold jewelry and formed a golden calf with his tools and declared, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (Ex. 32:4). Imagine asking another human being to create a god out of your own jewelry, and then worshiping that creation for the miraculous rescue that only God himself could accomplish!
The sad reality is that this scene continues to be played out in our lives today. Humans are constantly acting as if the miraculous events in our lives can be attributed to the work of our own hands. At times, we falsely believe that we are responsible for our healthy relationships, our financial acumen, and even our merciful humanitarianism. The truth is, as we honestly reflect on the storyline of our lives, we will see the grace of God woven throughout. Today’s verse serves as a grim warning for all who are tempted to remove God from that storyline and look to their own strength for salvation. When Jerusalem was under attack, the political alliances and human safeguards they trusted in were suddenly nowhere to be found, and Isaiah declared that God had taken away the mā·saḵ (covering, protection) of Judah. God was essentially saying that if the people of Judah refused to look to him for help, he would give them what they were asking for and allow them to face the battle without the covering he provides. How terrifying! The good news is that God promised that he wouldn’t allow his people to be completely destroyed but would save a remnant for his glory. His mā·saḵ wouldn’t be taken away forever. In fact, fast-forward around 700 years from Isaiah, as Jesus walked out of the tomb and accomplished the work of our salvation, he ensured that God’s mā·saḵ would never again be removed from his people. What an act of love!

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Where will I allow Jesus’ love for me to replace my shame?

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You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago. – Isaiah 22:11 ESV

HEBREW
רְאִיתֶֽם׃/rə·’î·ṯem: notice, discern, have respect for

CONSIDER
For a late 8th-century BC agrarian society, Hezekiah’s water project was an engineering marvel. He commissioned a tunnel to be dug so that the Gihon Spring could be rerouted into the city of Jerusalem and collected at the pool of Siloam. Hezekiah accomplished this by having two groups of workers dig at opposite ends of the project and meet in the middle, all the while maintaining a six percent gradient so that the water would continually flow. The impressiveness and importance of this work were not lost on Isaiah, and yet when he looked out on the scope of Hezekiah’s project, Isaiah also saw a spiritual issue. For all the amazing things that the king did to prepare for an invasion of his city, he “did not look to him who did it, or rə·’î·ṯem (notice, discern, have respect for) him who planned it long ago.” Simply put, God was at work through the king’s plans, but he never took notice. A derivative of this Hebrew verb was first used in scripture when God created the universe and saw that it was good. God clearly had a great view of his work, but there was a point when he was done that he discerned it was good. Isaiah’s charge against Hezekiah was that the Lord was at work through all the planning, preparation, and execution of his project, but this work went unnoticed by Judah’s leader. When we act as if we alone are responsible for the work of our hands, we run the risk of being unable to rə·’î·ṯem God’s role in our lives. May we be people who listen to God’s voice and maintain awareness of his glory in the world.

APPLY
When will I set aside time to listen to God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

In that day the Lord GOD of hosts
called for weeping and mourning,
for baldness and wearing sackcloth;
– Isaiah 22:12 ESV

HEBREW
לִבְכִי֙/liḇ·ḵî: uncontrollable crying, overflowing tears

CONSIDER
There may be no better expression of where true repentance originates than Isaac Watts’ hymn of contrition titled Suffered for Sin. He used dramatic language to describe the emotions connected to recognizing our sin, and then showed us how that sin was dealt with on the cross. For Watts, repentance is more than saying no to wrongdoing; repentance also includes a love for Jesus that is so strong that we turn toward him as we turn from our sin. This is what Isaiah also describes when he hears God calling for liḇ·ḵî (uncontrollable crying, overflowing tears) and mourning. In fact, this Hebrew word is often translated as overflowing, indicating that the sorrow of our guilt and shame simply can’t be kept inside. In Isaiah 22, God directs his people to repent of their reliance on personal ability and strength, but instead, they doubled down on self-focus and refused to look to the Lord. So how did God respond to Judah’s lack of faithfulness? By remaining faithful to them! While it’s true that their lack of liḇ·ḵî and repentance resulted in the invasion of their land, God was patient with his chosen people until they ultimately did turn from their sin. And, when they inevitably missed the mark of perfection and were enemies with God (see Romans 5:10), he sent his Son Jesus to bring healing and wholeness to all who believe in him. Perhaps setting aside time to listen to God this week could be an expression of the depth of love for the Lord about which Isaac Watts so eloquently wrote.

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When will I set aside time to listen to God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:
“Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,”
says the Lord GOD of hosts.
– Isaiah 22:14 ESV

HEBREW
בְאָזְנָ֖י/ḇə·’ā·zə·nāy: as I listened, through my hearing [him]

CONSIDER
When will I set aside time to listen to God? This question assumes two things: that God still speaks to us today, and that what he says is worth listening to. And while it’s highly likely that we do assume those things to be true, would anyone know we believe them by looking at the schedule we keep? Because if we were convinced that the God who created the universe is interested in telling us something, it would certainly impact our routines and habits! Today’s verse falls in the middle of an oracle to God’s people concerning repentance, and at first glance it seems very tragic. God wanted the nation of Judah to turn from trusting in their own ability to save them from their enemies, and yet they refused to do so. As a result, Isaiah prophesied, “The LORD of hosts has revealed himself ḇə·’ā·zə·nāy (as I listened, through my hearing [him]): ‘Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die.’” When we close our ears and refuse to hear what God tells us, the results are devastating. Here God chose to reveal himself through his audible voice and yet the people still chose life on their own terms. Sound familiar? But there is good news. As Isaiah continues to prophesy about what he hears the Lord speak to him, he foretells of a day when God himself would come to rescue his people from the result of their closed ears. Yes, an unrepentant life will indeed result in death, but turning from sin and following the voice of the word made flesh (John 1:14) will produce the kind of life that will make a profound impact in this world.

APPLY
When will I set aside time to listen to God?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you – Isaiah 22:17 ESV

HEBREW
מְטַלְטֶלְךָ֔/mə·ṭal·ṭel·ḵā: toss you away, throw you out of your original position

CONSIDER
Dr. Francis Collins was your ordinary physician-geneticist until God intervened in his life. Growing up on a farm in rural Virginia, Collins didn’t go to church but was sent to one as a boy to learn choir music. Before dropping him off, his parents warned him to be respectful of those in authority there, even if what they said didn’t make much sense. Francis needed things to be rational and logical in order to accept their validity. For this reason, as he grew older, Collins was drawn to the area of science, medicine, and the human body. The more he studied how miraculously humans were designed, the more convinced he became that there was a designer. As his faith grew, so did his ability to solve problems with logical processes. This gift eventually opened several doors in his career, including directing the Human Genome Project and the National Institute of Health. Upon overseeing the sequencing of the human genome, Collins called it “both a stunning scientific achievement and an occasion of worship.”
As brilliant as Francis Collins is, God is far more innovative. When he opened his mind and heart to the possibility of a designer, Collins discovered a Creator more organized and sequential than he could conceive of. On the flip side, today’s verse showcases the painful reality of those who refuse to allow God to speak or work in their lives. A man named Shebna, steward of the house of David, became so proud of his powerful position that Isaiah was told to prophesy to him that “the LORD will mə·ṭal·ṭel·ḵā (toss you away, throw you out of your original position) violently, O you strong man.” When Shebna refused to look to the Lord, his strength was met with God’s power to toss him out of the position he held. A variation of this verb is used in 1 Samuel 18 to describe how King Saul would hurl a javelin at David when provoked by an evil spirit. God’s point was that as mighty as Shebna thought he was, his strength was nothing compared to that of the Lord of hosts. Francis Collins and Shebna the steward act as reminders to ask this important question: will we leverage our strength and brilliance to fight against the strength and brilliance of God, or will we allow his nature to become “an occasion of worship” in our lives?

APPLY
God is asking me to deal with this area of my ego: ________

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be your glorious chariots, you shame of your master’s house. – Isaiah 22:18 ESV

HEBREW
יִצְנָפְךָ֙/yiṣ·nā·p̄ə·ḵā: wrap you all up together, wind you up tightly

CONSIDER
No story ends well that begins, “I guess I should have tied my shoes.” That’s what art aficionado Nick Flynn was thinking when he was banned from the Fitzwilliam museum in Cambridge, England. Flynn tripped on his untied laces, which caused him to fall down a set of stairs, which caused him to crash into a table, which caused three Qing Dynasty vases to shatter into roughly 400 pieces. The vases had survived hundreds of years of use, conflict, and travel, but could not stand up to one man’s unwillingness to double knot his Oxfords.
There are moments in all of our lives when we feel helpless to change the things around us. We may even pride ourselves on appearing like things are all put together in our various spheres of influence and still get the sense that we’re heading for a museum staircase with unsecured footwear.
As proud and powerful as Shebna the steward was, the Lord sent Isaiah to warn him that he was still able to “yiṣ·nā·p̄ə·ḵā(wrap you all up together, wind you up tightly) and throw you like a ball into a wide land.” For someone who wanted to be known for his power and authority, there may have been nothing more terrifying than that! The metaphor is clear: even though your identity is wrapped up in what you think you possess, it’s no match for God’s strength. Shebna may have thought he could wield the authority of steward however he pleased, but in the end, it was God who had the final say in his life. Are there any areas of ego in your life that God is asking you to deal with? Isaiah reminds us that this question matters to the Lord, and that dealing with it through gospel repentance as soon as possible is a great way to safeguard against disaster.

APPLY
God is asking me to deal with this area of my ego: ________

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
– Isaiah 22:23 ESV

HEBREW
וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו/ū·ṯə·qa‘·tîw: I will forcefully drive him

CONSIDER
Before God parted the Red Sea to rescue his enslaved people from Egypt, he performed a series of miracles designed to soften Pharaoh’s heart. Various plagues were sent to persuade him to let God’s people go, and yet his hubris caused Egypt to endure far more than necessary. In Exodus 10, locusts were sent that destroyed the vegetation throughout the land. This act of God temporarily changed his mind, and Pharaoh met with Moses and Aaron to repent. When they prayed for God’s mercy, God drove out all the locusts from Egypt and sent them toward the Red Sea. What a miraculous answer to prayer! Unfortunately, Pharaoh’s softened heart was short-lived and he chose to reject God’s plan of salvation.
So, what does an event that happened several thousands of years ago have to do with us today? In Isaiah, God promises “ū·ṯə·qa‘·tîw (I will forcefully drive him [Eliakim]) in a secure place and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.” This Hebrew verb has the same root as the one used in Exodus to describe how God drove out the locust from the land. And yet, even though God drove Eliakim into the position he was in, he still couldn’t stand up under the weight he was asked to carry (see v. 25). Whenever God drives someone or something into place, he does so to proclaim his glory through that act. We can choose to reflect his glory with our decisions, or attempt to leverage the position we’ve been placed in for personal gain. Pharaoh and Eliakim both serve as reminders that God has the ultimate authority and the final word. These men also serve to remind us that only one person has ever perfectly set aside ego to showcase God’s glory. His name is Jesus, and as we put our trust in him, the consequences of our sins are removed so that our lives can joyfully reflect his glory.

APPLY
God is asking me to deal with this area of my ego: ________

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

When the report comes to Egypt,
they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre.
– Isaiah 23:5 ESV

HEBREW
יָחִ֖ילוּ/yā·ḥî·lū: they will twist and writhe in pain

CONSIDER
It’s amazing what we can discover about people simply by noticing what gets them upset. At first glance it might seem as if the nation of Egypt is feeling empathy toward Tyre. Upon hearing the report that Tyre will be destroyed, Isaiah prophecies that yā·ḥî·lū (they [Egypt] will twist and writhe in pain). But the reason that Egypt had a visceral response to Tyre’s destruction wasn’t because they cared for this nation or their people; the reason yā·ḥî·lū is because of what it meant for them personally. Not only did Egypt rely on Tyre to export their wheat harvest all over the world (23:1), the destruction of Egypt’s neighbor at the hands of a powerful nation means that they may be next. Egypt may have appeared to be mourning for the right reasons, but their motives for doing so were both financially and politically self-centered. When we get upset at events happening around us, it’s important to pause and honestly consider why we’re so worked up. Is it because these events upset the heart of God as well, or are things like our financial hopes and cultural identity wrapped up in them? It’s easy to impress the watching world with our outward appearance, but God is more interested in our inner motivation, and he is the only one worth living for. By choosing to honestly recognize the things we trust in for our security, we can invite the Spirit of God to show us how to replace those things with the hope of the gospel.

APPLY
Who will I express gratitude toward this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Who has purposed this
against Tyre, the bestower of crowns,
whose merchants were princes,
whose traders were the honored of the earth?
– Isaiah 23:8 ESV

HEBREW
נִכְבַּדֵי־/niḵ·bad·dê-: the glorious, distinguished, impressive, crucial

CONSIDER
When considering the most powerful leaders in history, Alexander the Great usually makes the short list. He was undefeated in battle and by age 30 he held sway over one of the largest empires in history. And yet for all his fame, power, and prestige, Alexander the Great never lived to see his 33rd birthday. So what happened? Was he taken down by a vast army? Did he succumb to a widespread internal military coup? Historians believe his assassin was actually a tiny mosquito and that Alexander died of malaria. Not the culprit one might expect for such an impressive leader.
We all know what it’s like to be surprised by the unexpected events of life. When Fortune 500 companies declare bankruptcy or when heavily favored teams lose the game, the first question is usually so what happened? This is the question that Isaiah is addressing in this week’s passage as the superpower kingdom of Phoenicia is warned to prepare for destruction. Tyre was a hub of trade along the Mediterranean Sea, the superhighway of the then-known world. They were wealthy, skilled, and well-positioned. In fact, the Lord refers to them in Isaiah 23:8 as niḵ·bad·dê (the glorious, distinguished, impressive, crucial) of the earth. So what happened? Isaiah goes on to declare that the Lord has a plan to showcase his glory through it all. It can be shocking when the impressive and crucial things that we rely on for stability in our lives are crushed under the weight of the glory we assign them. In fact, niḵ·bad·dê is derived from the Hebrew verb kabad, which means weight and glory. But since the Lord will not share his glory – ū·ḵə·ḇō·w·ḏî – with another (Isaiah 42:8) we, like Tyre before us, must recognize when we assume something or someone is too important to fall. The gospel reminds us that while it’s fine to admire great things and people, only Jesus can handle the weight of the glory that our lives are designed to give.

APPLY
Who will I express gratitude toward this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

He has stretched out his hand over the sea;
he has shaken the kingdoms;
the LORD has given command concerning Canaan
to destroy its strongholds.
– Isaiah 23:11 ESV

HEBREW
מָעֻזְנֶֽיהָ/mā·‘uz·ne·hā: its means of protection and safety

CONSIDER
Who will I express gratitude toward this week? As we prayerfully consider this application, Isaiah points to an often overlooked dimension of gratitude: thankfulness for when events go in the complete opposite direction we wanted them to. The city of Tyre – a people formerly known as the Canaanites – were proud of their identity as wealthy, seafaring traders, and yet Isaiah prophesies that the Lord “has stretched out his hand over the sea… [and] has given command concerning Canaan to destroy mā·‘uz·ne·hā (its means of protection and safety)”. At the time of its destruction, there would have been very few people, in any, who heard this and chose to express gratitude. Taken at face value, word of the destruction of the very thing you find safety in is very bad news! And if we walked away from Isaiah’s prophecy after today’s verse, we might expect God’s judgment to be the final verdict for a nation that trusts in its prestige and position. But just seven verses later we hear Tyre being spoken of again as an affluent city whose merchandise and wages won’t be for them but will be holy to the Lord. This city promises to be destroyed and yet God also promises to leverage their destruction to bring them to himself. There will be a day when Tyre will experience the beauty and joy of knowing the Lord, and it will make the destruction of mā·‘uz·ne·hā completely worth enduring. There are many times when the leveling of the things we run to for protection is actually a gift designed by God to show us where true safety and protection can be found. And when he does, he typically connects us to people who can simultaneously point out this reality and walk with us through this refining process. These people are merciful, caring, and because of God’s faithfulness certainly deserving of gratitude!

APPLY
Who will I express gratitude toward this week?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute: – Isaiah 23:15 ESV

HEBREW
וְנִשְׁכַּ֤חַת/wə·niš·ka·ḥaṯ: will cease to be significant to anyone

CONSIDER
FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out – has become a rather ubiquitous acronym in our culture. We declare we have FOMO when we scroll social media, hear about what our friends are doing, or simply feel bored. But psychologists insist that a more debilitating fear is poised to quickly overtake our feelings of FOMO. Experts call it athazagoraphobia, or the fear of being forgotten. This fear has even been referred to as FOBI, or the Fear Of Being Insignificant. FOBI is seen in people who feel anxiety around the idea that who they are and what they do ultimately doesn’t impact the world. They can’t stand the thought that if they were to cease to exist, society at large wouldn’t skip a beat.
But the fear of being insignificant isn’t a 21st century problem alone. As Isaiah was declaring the holiness of God to the nations around him, he prophesied that the port city of Tyre wə·niš·ka·ḥaṯ (will cease to be significant to anyone) for seventy years. To a merchant city whose identity lied in nations trusting them with their resources, becoming insignificant was a fate worse than death. Would that be our response, too? When everything is stripped away and we’re faced with the harsh truth that eventually our accomplishments wə·niš·ka·ḥaṯsomeday, does it bring on athazagoraphobia or does it drive you to the presence of God? Jesus said that when we connect to him it will result in bearing fruit that will last (John 15:16). Being found in Christ brings eternal impact! So may we trust the one who found us so significant that he redeemed our lives with his, and has ensured that we will never be forgotten by the One who matters most.

APPLY
Where will I acknowledge God’s redemptive power?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

At the end of seventy years, the LORD will visit Tyre, and she will return to her wages and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. – Isaiah 23:17 ESV

HEBREW
יִפְקֹ֤ד/yip̄·qōḏ: will attend to, will look after, will care for

CONSIDER
You can’t blame Sarah for being skeptical. When she was 65 years old, her husband Abraham told her that God had promised that he would be the father of a numerous nation. She had never had a child, and time was certainly not on her side. Twenty-five long years later Sarah was visited by the Lord (Genesis 21:1) who reassured her that she would have a child. If you do the math, Sarah was 90 years old when she bore Isaac and had waited 25 years for God’s promise to be fulfilled.
Powerful things happen when the Lord visits people. When warning Tyre of future devastation, Isaiah shares that “at the end of seventy years, the Lord yip̄·qōḏ (will attend to, will look after, will care for) Tyre.” This verb shares a root with the same word used in Genesis to describe the Lord’s visit to Sarah. And just like his visit to her, the promise that the Lord yip̄·qōḏ Tyre is a profound miracle. This pagan city who was positioned to accrue wealth through global merchant trade would change from hoarding their wealth to supplying God’s people with food and clothing (see vs. 18). Their fundamental reason for working so hard dramatically changed when the Lord visited this city! The Lord has the power to change impossible situations, prideful hearts and anything that we experience, as we invite him to visit us where we are.

APPLY
Where will I acknowledge God’s redemptive power?

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Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the LORD. It will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the LORD. – Isaiah 23:18 ESV

HEBREW
לַיֹּשְׁבִ֞ים/lay·yō·šə·ḇîm: the people who settle in, those who set up residence

CONSIDER
There’s a solid chance that somewhere in the place that you live is an adage about home. Maybe it’s “Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling” or “Home is where our story begins.” Even the classic phrase home sweet home is a commentary on what our experiences should be like in the places we live. And while the myriad phrases and cliches we use to decorate our homes can be comforting, they can also contribute to some of the lies we believe. Where we live and who we live with could occasionally bring boredom, frustration, or even pain. And if we expect the “feeling” of home or the story we’re writing there to always be sweet, it may not be long until our expectation crowds out the peace and hope God offers in the midst of our difficult experiences.
But the good news is that the Bible offers a twist on the familiar mottos about home. When Isaiah spoke of a day when Tyre’s identity would be redeemed for God’s purposes, he mentioned that their merchant role would be repurposed to supply blessings for lay·yō·šə·ḇîm (the people who settle in, those who set up residence) before the Lord. This verb is most often used in the Bible to describe wandering people (like Israel) who finally planted roots in one place. Prophetically, the people who will benefit from Tyre’s redemption are those who have made their residence wherever the Lord is. The beauty of this image is that for those of us who love the presence of God, home can be found wherever he leads. It doesn’t need to be furnished a specific way or have a certain amount of square footage to provide the joy we crave, because in his presence is fullness of joy (Ps.16:11). It’s totally fine to fill your home with sayings and slogans, but because Jesus has made a way for us to continually enjoy his presence, they can also serve as sweet reminders of the truth of where our ultimate stability and peace is found.

APPLY
Where will I acknowledge God’s redemptive power?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
– Isaiah 24:1 ESV

HEBREW
וְעִוָּ֣ה/wə·‘iw·wāh: distort, bend, twist

CONSIDER
Of all the ways a celebrity wildlife expert could die, Steve Irwin’s death remains one of the most mathematically improbable. Irwin was known for effectively handling such dangerous animals as crocodiles, venomous snakes, and sharks. But it was a stingray’s barb that led to Steve Irwin’s passing. Although they are typically not lethal and this stingray wasn’t provoked in any way, its barb happened to hit Irwin in the chest and caused severe heart trauma. His death was indeed sad and surprising news to the millions of people who had watched him in far more perilous situations.
Isaiah’s pronouncement of judgment on the whole earth must have indeed been surprising news to his original audience. After prophesying that the nations of the world would be invaded by various foreign armies, he seems to pivot to declare that he will desolate the earth, wə·‘iw·wāh (distort, bend, twist) its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Most scholars believe this is a reference to a devastating earthquake. So which is it? Will armies destroy these nations or will an act of God be their undoing? For Isaiah, the answer is simultaneously both and neither. As his prophetic work unfolds over the course of the next several chapters, we see Isaiah compare and contrast the “strong” city that man runs to for security with the “city” that God himself protects. The cities of the world are no match for the power of God, and he uses human and divine means to showcase this reality. And yet, he graciously reassures his own people that no matter what kind of surprises they face, they will be protected by the very strength that levels the kingdoms of this world to the ground. Isaiah points to a day when God’s people will rejoice as he puts his power on display.

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What will I exchange for joyful worship?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter. – Isaiah 24:10 ESV

HEBREW
תֹּ֑הוּ/tō·hū: confused, formless, empty

CONSIDER
The concept of the city is a unique juxtaposition. There are so many people concentrated in one place and yet loneliness can run rampant. Some of the world’s wealthiest companies are housed in buildings that cast shadows on some of the world’s poorest neighborhoods. And while there can be safety in numbers, cities sometimes pose dangerous threats precisely because of the size of those numbers. For as long as humans have been living in proximity to each other, the city has been a source of both security and vulnerability. This is what Isaiah sees as he warns the cultures of the world that God’s judgment is inevitable. He tells us that “the tō·hū (confused, formless, empty) city is broken down; every house is shut up so none can enter.” This is the same Hebrew word used to describe the state of the earth in Genesis 1:2. After God created it, the world was tō·hū – formless and empty. And in today’s verse, God declares the same kind of emptiness and nothingness for this city as well. Isaiah’s point is that what humanity meant to be a sanctuary from the barren wilderness has actually become the very emptiness it was trying to protect itself from! As a result, their plan to protect themselves is futile and ineffective. The only way to find true safety and peace is to exchange our ideas on where to find it for God’s plan for our salvation. His people will be found secure in him as they run to the place of protection he will establish (Ps. 62:6). Jesus’ empty tomb is proof that, through faith, we can be included in God’s rescue plan, too.

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What will I exchange for joyful worship?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
of glory to the Righteous One.
– Isaiah 24:16a ESV

HEBREW
מִכְּנַ֨ף/mik·kə·nap̄: from the wings, from the furthest, outer edges

CONSIDER
What will I exchange for joyful worship? The answer for hymn writer John Newton was a life of wealth and notoriety in the slave trade. Before coming to know the Lord, Newton captained slave ships that captured and brutally mistreated Africans on their way to a life of bondage. And yet, when he submitted his life to Jesus, Newton not only worked to end the slave trade in England, he devoted the next 40 years of his life to preaching and worship. His famous hymn “Amazing Grace” is a joyful expression of the power of God to radically change a life.
Similarly, Isaiah ends this week’s pericope with a prophecy of joyful transformation. Where the proverbial city was once wasted and desperate for sinful pleasure (vs. 7 – 11), Isaiah now hears the songs of praise mik·kə·nap̄ (from the wings; from the furthest, outer edges) of the earth. There will be a day when the nations who were once known for their debauchery will worship the Lord for his transformative power! And because of Jesus, this prophecy extends to us today. Processing how Christ has radically changed your life is a great way to engage in joyful worship.

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What will I exchange for joyful worship?

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But I say, “I waste away,
I waste away. Woe is me!
For the traitors have betrayed,
with betrayal the traitors have betrayed.”
– Isaiah 24:16b ESV

HEBREW
א֣וֹי לִ֑י/’ō·w lî : I’m in trouble!

CONSIDER
A person’s call to ministry doesn’t get much more epic than Isaiah’s experience. It started by seeing the glory of the Lord in the temple, and then having angelic seraphim touching coal from the altar to his lips. Confronted with the splendor of God and his own uncleanness, all Isaiah could do was cry “woe is me!” This phrase would be on his lips again as he saw God’s character on display in Isaiah 24. The prophet is given a front row seat to the destruction of evil and it causes him to cry ō·w lî (I’m in trouble)! What caused this man with experience in God’s presence to exclaim the exact same phrase as he did when he first saw the Lord? In both cases, Isaiah came face to face with the power and perfection of God and it revealed his own inadequacy. He rightly understood that this shortcoming deserved punishment, and ō·w lî was the only appropriate response. But not too much further in his writing, Isaiah foresaw the Messiah arriving on the scene to take the punishment that our imperfection deserved (see ch. 53 -55). The same glory that shines a light on our frailty illuminates God’s graceful character as he invites us to find rest in his salvation.

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How will I rest in God’s justice?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

The earth staggers like a drunken man;
it sways like a hut;
its transgression lies heavy upon it,
and it falls, and will not rise again.
– Isaiah 24:20 ESV

HEBREW
וְהִֽתְנוֹדְדָ֖ה/’wə·hiṯ·nō·wḏ·ḏāh: totters, flutters; has nothing anchoring it

CONSIDER
The book of Job is a story of a man who loses everything and then wrestles with why God would allow this to happen. An incredible narrative about the frailty of life and where our hope lies, Job commits himself to worshiping the Lord regardless of what he may experience. When his three friends arrive to comfort him after his loss, their goal at first was to simply show him sympathy (Job 2:11). The Hebrew verb used for this phrase is derived from the same word Isaiah uses in today’s verse. The prophet sees the future destruction judgment of the earth for sin, and describes its movements this way: “It ’wə·hiṯ·nō·wḏ·ḏāh (totters, flutters; has nothing anchoring it) like a hut. What do a temporary shelter and Job’s friends have in common? They both “go with the flow” and are at the mercy of the elements around them. The key to authentic sympathy is to empathize with a person’s wide range of emotions as they process their pain. Job’s friends seemed to do this well… until they began trying to rationalize his experience! And Isaiah articulates that, when the Lord executes his justice on the earth, it ’wə·hiṯ·nō·wḏ·ḏāh too because God has the ability to shake the solid earth itself. In fact, anything we lean on for stability in life apart from God will be shaken until it becomes insignificant (see Hebrews 12:27). We can rest in the justice of God because, through Jesus, he made a way for us to come to his presence – the only enduring and lasting place of security!

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How will I rest in God’s justice?

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Then the moon will be confounded
and the sun ashamed,
for the LORD of hosts reigns
on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
and his glory will be before his elders.
– Isaiah 24:23 ESV

HEBREW
וּבוֹשָׁ֖ה/ū·ḇō·wō·šāh: embarrassed; rendered obsolete

CONSIDER
Poor Pluto. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the farthest and smallest planet in our solar system to a “dwarf planet” in August of 2006. It didn’t shrink; none of its properties were altered in any way. But one day it was a planet and the next day it was a dwarf. In Isaiah’s vision of the final judgment of evil, the sun will undergo a transformation far more significant than that of our favorite un-planet. Isaiah writes that the moon will be confounded and the sun ū·ḇō·wō·šāh (embarrassed; rendered obsolete) for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders. The same sun that is powerful enough to give light to Pluto even though they are 3.7 billion miles apart will be rendered obsolete when the glory of the Lord is fully revealed! 200 million Pluto-sized dwarf planets could fit inside of the Sun, and yet Isaiah describes it as being embarrassed at its majesty when the Lord begins to reign. At the cross of Jesus, that immense glory saw the justice our sins deserve intersect with the grace we so desperately need. Now that’s a truth in which we can find rest!

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How will I rest in God’s justice?

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O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
– Isaiah 25:1 ESV

HEBREW
פֶּ֑לֶא/pe·le: miracles; extraordinary or incomprehensible things

CONSIDER
As a rule, humans are drawn to stories of miracles. However, the problem with miracles is that people typically need to be found in difficult situations to experience one. We tend to pray for the ability to witness the miraculous while simultaneously praying against the conditions for which they are needed. Psalm 77 has been a beloved poem of encouragement for thousands of years for precisely this reason. In it, the psalmist laments that he is in a day of trouble, with soul and body both struggling to sustain the life he once knew. His remedy? To remind himself both of the wonders he has seen God do (v.11), and trust in God’s promise to work wonders (v.14) yet again!
It’s difficult to be sure, but it isn’t a stretch to believe that Isaiah had this Psalm in mind when he penned today’s verse. After pronouncing judgment on the kingdoms of the earth for their sin and crying “Woe is me!” when seeing the scope of that judgment, Isaiah breaks into a song of praise for having done pe·le (miracles; extraordinary or incomprehensible things). These pe·le are celebrated within the framework of pain and devastation, and are also described as “plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” Although Isaiah was gutted by the vision of God’s justice being meted out on the wicked, this act seems to also cause a measure of thankfulness and joy. Paul saw this same cause for joy, too, and in 2 Corinthians 5:17 describes that juxtaposition this way: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. The pe·le; the incomprehensible thing that led Isaiah to write a song of worship was the exchange of our sin for Jesus’ righteousness. Fully grasping this truth will also lead us to praise God for what he has done.

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Create a poem, song, or artwork that will express praise for what God has done.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For you have made the city a heap,
the fortified city a ruin;
the foreigners’ palace is a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
– Isaiah 25:2 ESV

HEBREW
לַגָּ֔ל/lag·gāl: rock pile, wave, billow

CONSIDER
It’s hard to imagine what would be going through your mind if you were walking the shoreline of Lituya Bay, Alaska on July 9th, 1958. That’s the day an earthquake triggered a rockslide which produced a megatsunami with the largest wave ever recorded. The treeline was washed away as high as 1,720 feet. That’s a wave only 56 feet shorter than One World Trade Center! The devastation of that event can still be seen to this day.
When Isaiah poetically sings of the goodness of God, one of his arguments for this goodness is that “you have made the city a lag·gāl (rock pile, wave).” In this context, the city was seen as a place of safety and order compared to the chaos of the wilderness. It was where humanity misplaced their hope for safety and security, and in so doing, spurned their need for the Lord. The Creator of the Universe couldn’t allow this kind of sin to continue to inflict humanity, so his utter destruction of the city was an act of mercy. But instead of destroying us, Jesus stepped in to take the punishment we so richly deserved. By making a lag·gāl of the very thing we have placed above our hope in God, He has ensured the hope of the cross is clearly within our field of vision.

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Create a poem, song, or artwork that will express praise for what God has done.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

You subdue the noise of the foreigners;
as heat by the shade of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is put down.
– Isaiah 25:5b ESV

HEBREW
שְׁא֥וֹן/šə·’ō·wn: uproar, clamor, big noise

CONSIDER
It’s common knowledge that noise pollution is a leading cause of hearing loss across all age groups. But researchers from the American College of Cardiology have also found that exposure to loud noise over a long period of time can be a contributing factor in conditions such as heart disease and stroke! One study even suggested that exposure to noise pollution over the course of time could be linked in some form to 600 deaths per day among elderly Europeans. Noise impacts our bodies and our emotions in unique ways, so it matters what we allow our ears to take in.
It would be easy to read today’s verse and overlook God’s protection for our overall well-being. Isaiah reveals God’s character when he says, “You subdue the šə·’ō·wn (uproar, clamor, big noise) of the foreigners.” Scholars point to the clear meaning that the Lord will see to it that the war cries and victory songs of other nations will indeed be silenced, but the truth being conveyed goes deeper than this singular context. When we are free from the šə·’ō·wn that seems to constantly surround us, not only are our senses heightened to the reality of God’s voice, we also receive the benefit of the kind of peace that only he can provide. Having access to such a complete place of refuge, we are free to creatively express praise for what He has done! Make time today to do just that. You’ll be glad you did!

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Create a poem, song, or artwork that will express praise for what God has done.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the LORD has spoken.
– Isaiah 25:8 ESV

HEBREW
בִּלַּ֤ע/bil·la‘: He will consume, He will destroy

CONSIDER
At Centerway, we have a Because and Therefore statement about celebration that goes like this: Because of what Jesus has done we value CELEBRATION therefore we talk about Jesus a lot, rejoice over life-change, readily encourage and honor one another, and uplift our local communities.
The first thing you might notice about this statement is that celebration is predicated on what Jesus has done! It isn’t based on our current reality or what we expect our future to look like. And yet, Jesus’ finished work impacts our present and future lives in profound ways. Isaiah looks forward to a day when the Lord will reign and bil·la‘ (he will consume, he will destroy) death forever. And much like our cause for celebration, God’s ability to consume and destroy death is the impetus for the rest of the incredible future promises in today’s verse. Because bil·la‘ death forever, he is able to wipe away tears from all faces and take away the reproach of his people. The future Isaiah sees is a place of rejoicing and healing because death has been dealt with! Paul said it this way when he taught about Christ’s resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:54: death is swallowed up in victory. And now we can rejoice that the cross is the place where God faced death head-on and completely consumed it on our behalf. ​

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What sad thing is Jesus making untrue?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the LORD; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
– Isaiah 25:9 ESV

HEBREW
וְיֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נוּ/wə·yō·wō·šî·‘ê·nū: that he would help us; that he would rescue us

CONSIDER
It’s been said that every great love starts with a great story. Regardless of if that’s true or not, Moses and Zipporah fit that saying perfectly. Zipporah and her sisters were simply trying to draw water for their Father’s flock when a band of nomadic shepherds harassed them and tried to drive the young women away. Seeing this, Moses not only stepped in and single-handedly drove these men away, but he also took the time to draw water for the distressed women. It wasn’t long before Moses and Zipporah were married with the blessing of her Father. Although this story seems like it could have been scripted in Hollywood, it’s the wording the Bible uses that makes this narrative truly special. The story of Moses and Zipporah in Exodus chapter 2 marks the first time that the Hebrew verb for rescue is used in the Bible. Verse 17 says that “The shepherds came and drove them [the women] away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.” This imagery is important to have in one’s mind as we approach Isaiah’s vision in today’s verse. Because God has swallowed up death on our behalf, we can say “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, wə·yō·wō·šî·‘ê·nū (that he would help us; that he would rescue us). Isaiah sees a day when, like Zipporah, we only have to wait while the Lord comes to our rescue and helps us. And as we look back to Moses, we perceive through faith that he was simply pointing ahead to the One who would be our ultimate rescuer – Jesus the Messiah! At the cross, Jesus both drove away the evil that torments us and offered us the Living Water that our parched souls so desperately seek. Each one of us now has a reason to rejoice because the Lord offers the promise of rescue in the midst of our waiting.

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What sad thing is Jesus making untrue?

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And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it
as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim,
but the LORD will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands.
– Isaiah 25:11 ESV

HEBREW
גַּֽאֲוָת֔וֹ/ga·’ă·wā·ṯōw: majesty, sinful identity

CONSIDER
Pablo Fernandez holds a Guinness World Record that few people would ever consider trying to challenge. In one 24-hour period in 2021, Fernandez broke the record for the longest distance ocean swim, covering over 155 miles in open Atlantic waters. He broke the previous mark by over 20 miles, a feat that stood for 15 years before Fernandez’s historic swim. Thankfully, the conditions were nearly perfect in Miami that day, with warm water temperatures and a slight breeze that was refreshing yet created minimal waves. Imagine how difficult Pablo’s attempt would have been if the waters were only a few inches more choppy?
The Bible likens human pride to the swelling of a mighty wave. From a distance, it doesn’t seem to be terribly harmful, but when you’re navigating the ocean, a swell not only holds up your progress but can be downright deadly. When Isaiah looks out at Moab, he sees the Lord poised to lay low the ga·’ă·wā·ṯōw (majesty, sinful identity) of this pagan nation. Moab – themselves a metaphor for humanity – had allowed their accomplishments to define them. They considered themselves bigger and better than the people around them, and this haughty perception became their identity. In his nearness, God recognized how dangerous it was for a swell like this to be left unchecked, and so he flattened their ga·’ă·wā·ṯōw. When we allow anything other than the goodness of God to shape our identity, that shape inevitably begins to look like an ocean swell. But because Jesus willingly took our punishment upon himself, he experienced the leveling that our pride deserved. Jesus was lifted up on a cross because our pride needed to be brought low. And in place of the pain of being brought low, we have reason to rejoice in the One who raises us up with him.

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What sad thing is Jesus making untrue?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
– Isaiah 26:3 ESV

HEBREW
תִּצֹּ֖ר/tiṣ·ṣōr: you will keep guard over him, you will preserve him

CONSIDER
We all know how easy it is to misplace keys or a phone, but how does someone misplace an entire room? That’s exactly what happened to one of the most ornate and costly segments of the Russian palace during World War 2. Known as the Amber Room, several meticulously crafted panels of the fossilized tree resin were dismantled by Nazi forces in St. Petersburg, and upon Hitler’s command were reconstructed inside a castle in Germany. However, whether due to the destruction of the castle in battle or a secretive mission to preserve it, the Amber Room disappeared and its whereabouts remain a question to this day. At the time the room was considered priceless, but historians estimate the amount of amber, gold, and jewels that made up the stolen panels to be valued at close to $300 million in today’s dollars. The disappearance of the Amber Room is one of the greatest – and priciest – mysteries of the 20th century.
At times, we may be tempted to believe a lie that our lives don’t matter. We can be prone to question how a perfect God could find such an imperfect person significant in any way. But today’s verse reminds us that we not only have an offer of perfect peace to those who trust in him, but we are also unable to fall off God’s radar as we do! Isaiah says it this way: “tiṣ·ṣōr (you will keep guard over him, you will preserve him) in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” As we put our faith in the Lord, we are kept in the perfect peace of the gospel without having to worry about if we’ve done enough. He will always know our whereabouts and we can never be stolen from his hand (see John 10:28). Jesus made a way for us to be continually reminded of the truth that we are highly valued by the One whose opinion matters the most.

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What lie can I replace with truth?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
– Isaiah 26:8 ESV

HEBREW
תַּאֲוַת־/ta·’ă·waṯ: the craving, the obsession

CONSIDER
Psychologists agree that there are numerous reasons why we as humans give in to food cravings that we know will negatively affect us. Boredom, stress, routine, and convenience can all contribute to making choices with our diet that we are certain to regret later on. But those same psychologists also agree that cravings can be resisted – and even diminish over time – with intentional “pausing.” The simple act of mindfully stopping whatever you’re doing to acknowledge when a negative craving is felt can often trigger our brains to refuse to act on the unhealthy impulse. This creates the ability to develop healthier cravings, habits, and routines.
The Bible is full of references to the fact that our souls experience cravings of their own. When those cravings are negative, they often lead to idolatry, hubris, and a self-centered existence. But when we choose intentional pausing, we can more readily hear the voice of the Holy Spirit leading us toward Jesus. And when he does, our spirits are refreshed as we receive the Living Water our souls were created to crave. Isaiah says it this way: “your name and remembrance are ta·’ă·waṯ (the craving) of our soul.” As we wait on the Lord, who he is and what he has done become the things our souls are fueled by. The intentional pausing Isaiah references as we stand in the path of his judgment creates space for us to remember who we are and whose we are. It may be easy to believe the lie that our souls don’t need as much nourishment as our bodies and minds do. But because glorifying God is what we were designed for, by allowing the Lord to satisfy ta·’ă·waṯ of our souls we will become the healthiest possible versions of ourselves.

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What lie can I replace with truth?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

They are dead, they will not live;
they are shades, they will not arise;
to that end you have visited them with destruction
and wiped out all remembrance of them.
– Isaiah 26:14 ESV

HEBREW
פָּקַ֙דְתָּ֙/pā·qaḏ·tā: you have taken note of, you have met

CONSIDER
For Sarah, believing a lie and disbelieving the truth seemed to go hand in hand. On more than one occasion her husband had lied about who she was in order to save himself from potential harm. Her inability to bear children meant that her culture found her insignificant, defective, and cursed. The lies that tried to define her must have left Sarah feeling worthless, or worse yet, a liability. It was in this season – while she was in her eighties – that the Lord chose to visit Sarah. In Genesis 18 God had promised that Sarah would have a baby in one year’s time. Those next few months were filled with pain, betrayal, and doubt, but Genesis 21:1 records that “The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.” His visitation was proof that despite the lies she believed, God would remain true to his word.
A variant of the same Hebrew verb used to describe the Lord’s visit to Sarah is found in today’s verse. And although the context is vastly different, both lessons are closely related. Isaiah sees a day when the Lord will set the world right; death itself will be defeated and justice will be meted out to the marginalized. But while we wait for that day, there will be people who will continue to trust in their own accomplishments to save them. Not only will those people refuse to rest in the Lord, but they will do their best to lure others away from him and toward “the lofty city” they trust in. So Isaiah tells us that “to that end pā·qaḏ·tā(you have taken note of, you have met) them with destruction and wiped out all remembrance of them.” God is reminding his people of his faithfulness by taking note of and meeting with evil people. There will be a day when God’s people will watch as those who are living the lie of self-salvation will come face to face with the truth of his power. May the truth of the gospel and the grace of Christ sustain you as you hold onto the hope of his soon visitation!

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What lie can I replace with truth?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

I, the Lord, am its keeper;
every moment I water it.
Lest anyone punish it,
I keep it night and day;
– Isaiah 27:3 ESV

HEBREW
לִרְגָעִ֖ים/lir·ḡā·‘îm: In each of the most miniscule moments

CONSIDER
When we look back at this incredible series through Isaiah, we can clearly see God’s character displayed on every page of the text. The prophet has pointed to the Lord’s forgiveness, compassion, holiness, justice, and power, just to name a few! This week’s text continues that theme by wrapping up all of these attributes into one concept: rescue. In chapter 5, Isaiah saw a vision of a worthless vineyard, a metaphor for God’s people who have rebelled against him. This vineyard produced no fruit even though it had been perfectly prepared and cultivated by the gardener. As a result, the vineyard was ultimately destroyed. But in this week’s passage, the Lord sees not a worthless vineyard but a pleasant one, and the beauty of this vineyard is that it finally takes root when it is cared for. We may expect the gardener to say something like, “It’s too late! I’ve tried to cultivate that vineyard already, it’s not worth my time.” But instead of leaving the vineyard in ruins, he calls himself its keeper, and lir·ḡā·‘îm (in each of the most minuscule moments) I water it. The imagery is rich with grace: the Lord is telling his people that not only will he give them another chance to flourish despite their rebellion, he also promises to continually provide what they need to do so. This kind of refreshing will be felt lir·ḡā·‘îm, meaning there will never be a time where the Lord will cease the act of watering his vineyard. In every moment God’s people will experience the benefit of his undeserved redemption, and as they do, the character of their redeemer will be undeniably known.

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Who is God asking me to welcome home?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for,
and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:
when he makes all the stones of the altars
like chalkstones crushed to pieces,
no Asherim or incense altars will remain standing.
– Isaiah 27:9 ESV

HEBREW
יְכֻפַּ֣ר/yə·ḵup·par: will be covered over; will be hidden under

CONSIDER
Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It’s the Day of Atonement when observers spend time fasting, repenting, and expressing their need for a Savior. But a false belief that God simply wants his people to remember their insignificance by being miserable and groveling at his feet can sometimes be connected with this day as well. According to Isaiah, nothing could be further from the truth. In prophesying of the day when Israel’s redemption will take place, Isaiah says that the guilt of Jacob yə·ḵup·par (will be covered over; will be hidden under). Will this come about because our lives don’t matter to God? On the contrary, the guilt of his people yə·ḵup·par to bear the fruit of freedom from our oppressive idols! The Lord desires to cover over our sins because we invariably are trapped under the thumb of false gods. But they aren’t covered because of the size of our sacrifice or the amount of guilt we feel; they are covered by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah. As he hung on the cross, Jesus produced the freedom that both makes us holy and rendered the places of our oppression obsolete. Our idols no longer hold power over us! And now Christ’s righteousness conferred to us is proof that we matter to God.

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Who is God asking me to welcome home?

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And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. – Isaiah 27:13 ESV

HEBREW
וְהַנִּדָּחִ֖ים/wə·han·nid·dā·ḥîm: the outcasts; those imprisoned and sent off

CONSIDER
Who is God asking me to welcome home? This is an important question to ask as we conclude our RE series in Isaiah. These past twelve weeks have been a case study of sorts in the character of God and how fitting it is to worship him. And as Isaiah closes his prophecy on Israel’s redemption, he foresees a day when those who are lost in the land of Assyria andwə·han·nid·dā·ḥîm (those enslaved and exiled) in the land of Egypt will worship the Lord in Jerusalem. Often translated “the outcasts,” this Hebrew word is actually a verb, focusing on the action of being cast out from where one desires to be. We all know what it’s like to long for the familiar comforts and joys of home, but for one reason or another have been held back against our will. We’ve all felt like the outcast, forced from where we desire to be and into a place of loneliness and vulnerability. So when God promises that wə·han·nid·dā·ḥîm to Egypt will come back home to worship the Lord, it should inspire us to live with hope for the future. God loves us so much that he asked his Son Jesus to willingly leave the comfort of his Heavenly home and exchange his life for ours. And because he was raised to life, he made a way for us to reside with him forever. One day the outcast will return home. One day the exiled will worship in safety and familiarity. One day the captive will freely give their worship to the One who rescued us from captivity. Pointing others toward the welcoming arms of the Savior is an act of worship that will reverberate into eternity.

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Who is God asking me to welcome home?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

O LORD, in distress they sought you;
they poured out a whispered prayer
when your discipline was upon them.
– Isaiah 26:16 ESV

HEBREW
לַ֔חַשׁ/la·ḥaš: an incantation; a whisper of help

CONSIDER
Babylon was a kingdom that was known more for their military might than their spiritual vitality. In fact, there were several gods being worshiped in Babylon at the time Isaiah was prophesying to Judah, but they were essentially seen as good luck charms. As a result, when the army was successful and the troops conquered in battle, religion was little more than an afterthought. But when things didn’t go well on the battlefield, religion took center stage. Since they assumed the losses in battle were the result of offending one of their gods, the Babylonians offered sacrifices and prayers of repentance to each of them to cover their bases! The resulting rituals included random incantations designed to appease any unknown god for any unknown act of offense against them.
In today’s verse, Isaiah borrows a term that Babylonian culture would be familiar with to describe the way his ancestors responded to being under the Lord’s discipline. He said they poured out la·ḥaš (an incantation; a whisper of help) as they sought him. But the difference between Isaiah’s use of this term and the Babylonian use comes down to awareness. God’s people were aware that he was both just in the discipline of his people and merciful in his forgiveness as they sought him! The desire to pour out la·ḥaš wasn’t an attempt to cover their spiritual bases, it was a direct result of knowing the heart of their God. The kind of prayer that is powerful and effective is that which rests in his divine character and acknowledges his nearness to us.

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Start or extend a daily time of prayer.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the earth will give birth to the dead.
– Isaiah 26:19 ESV

HEBREW
וְרַנְּנ֜וּ/wə·ran·nə·nū: give a ringing cry; react with a joyful proclamation

CONSIDER
The World Baseball Classic is a two-week event featuring 20 national teams that compete every three years for global hardball bragging rights. The WBC produces great competition, but even better stories. Case in point: Italian pitcher Joe LaSorsa getting out of a bases loaded jam against the Netherlands. After striking out Roger Bernadina to end the inning, LaSorsa pumped his fist, beat his chest, danced off the mound, and yelled at the top of his lungs, “I’m him!! I’m him!!” His reaction quickly went viral, with the video receiving millions of views in a matter of hours. When asked about the celebration after the game, LaSorsa noted that his reaction was due in part to understanding how much his teammates had sacrificed to get to this point.
If striking out a batter caused this kind of celebration, imagine what experiencing the hope of the resurrection would do! Isaiah was privileged to foresee this day, and in speaking of this hope encouraged, “you who dwell in the dust, awake and wə·ran·nə·nū (give a ringing cry; react with a joyful proclamation).” The compelling thing about this Hebrew verb is that it refers to an instinctive reaction. So those who awake to new life after enduring the sting of death will reflexively sing out with joyful proclamations. The reality of the second coming of Christ is cause for celebration on a scale that we cannot fully understand this side of eternity. May this truth draw us to a deeper connection to the Savior through prayer.

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Start or extend a daily time of prayer.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Come, my people, enter your chambers,
and shut your doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
until the fury has passed by.
– Isaiah 26:20 ESV

HEBREW
חֲבִ֥י/ḥă·ḇî: spend time hiding yourselves

CONSIDER
As we approach our 5-year anniversary, this Because and Therefore statement rings as true as ever: Because of what Jesus has done we value CELEBRATION therefore we talk about Jesus a lot, rejoice over life-change, readily encourage and honor one another, and uplift our local communities. You’ll notice our celebration and encouragement isn’t fueled by metrics or preference or comfort; it’s found in what Jesus has done. And one of the most profound effects of Christ’s work is that, because of it, we have a refuge of safety from the fury of God’s judgment. Our role is to “ḥă·ḇî (spend time hiding yourselves) for a little while until the fury has passed by.” This verb is an imperative, meaning that the Lord is commanding us to ḥă·ḇî in the refuge that his sacrifice created. The Lord loves his people so much that he gives us a mandate to spend time in his presence for the purpose of being rescued from divine judgment. Although we deserve to be annihilated for the sin that is so pervasive in our lives, we find ourselves spared by the very One we have sinned against. With this reality in mind, we can count a daily time of prayer as a means of extravagant grace and generous lovingkindness. Now that’s something to celebrate!

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Start or extend a daily time of prayer.

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!