Good Morning Siblings!
Today’s reading are Isaiah 13-17

Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway.

Rabbit Trails

Word Study – In some translations you may be seeing the word “Sheol” every now and then. Some translations may use the word “death” and others “hell”. Still others may say “grave”. It would be helpful if you did a little word study on Sheol, where it appears, and how it is used in order to have a greater understanding. Here is a link to that in Biblehub https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7585.htm

Note: Many people and entities have greatly embellished the little information given in YHWH’s word regarding Sheol. Even if the information YHWH gives us is sparse, it is best to cling to what He gives us rather than to follow after tales mankind has made up in an attempt to fill the gaps.

Speaking of tales, as we continue in Isaiah I need to point out that if any of your end times theology is derived from the Left Behind book series, that series is fiction and not Biblical truth. Unfortunately, many people read the series – instead of reading their Bible – are entertained by it, and take it as truth. This is actually completely understandable as entire sermons have been preached based on the book series, rather than the Bible. I get it. I read every one of them myself and for a very long time I looked to that book series as the authority on interpretation of Revelation.

Just know that when reading some of these passages and trying to put them into context, make sure the context you are trying to put them in is not from a fictitious series loosely (at best) based on one man’s interpretation of the Bible – but the Bible itself.

And, if something seems strange to you now, just hang in there and know you’re in good company with some of this!

YHWH will reveal in His time, for His purpose, according to His wisdom.
And truthfully, would we want it any other way?

We begin in Chapter 13 with prophecy of Babylon being destroyed. As you read this chapter, keep in mind that where Babylon was is now present day Iraq.

Of course, this is another prophecy many view as repetitive, with much speculation on who or what Babylon is in today’s world. I’ve heard it’s many things from the United States to a particular branch of people, to just about every other country at one time or another. These are things we can only speculate on at this time but there is clear language in this chapter that looks forward to Revelations, particularly around verse 6 on to the end. I do see a lot of clear parallels regarding Babylon that serve as stark and harsh warnings to us in the United States, and I think it would be impossible to overlook those parallels if we are being objective.

Isa 14:1 For YHWH will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob.

Y’all remember that every time we see talk of “sojourners” or “strangers” joining themselves to Israel, this is the door the Father has always had open for us to be counted among His chosen people, the remnant, the set apart ones. And this verse also further demonstrates the Father’s faithfulness to Israel. In fact, this prophecy came true in 1948 when Israel became a country again.

Isaiah 14:1-2 foretells of the restoration of Israel.

For YHWH will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord‘s land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them. Isaiah 14:1-2

In our time, many churches teach that Christians have replaced Israel as YHWH’s chosen people. This tragically anti Biblical teaching is known as replacement theology but I’ve never known it to be taught under that label. Instead, it’s more subtle than that. Folks will say that they are the “new testament” church or that they are God’s chosen people after Israel rejected the Father. The irony is, this manner of thinking and speech in and of itself rejects the Father’s word, thereby both contradicting and rejecting His truth. There are so many verses in the Word that refute this errant thinking, this is just one of many. This is an understanding that will continue to develop as we continue to read the Word, and each time I reference it I will continue to point you to Romans 11 and Isaiah 56.

Isaiah 14:12 is a reference to Satan. Although there are different words used for Him in different translations. The Hebrew says Helel (that is transliterated and there are other ways of spelling it).
Do you see what his sin was/is? He wants to be like YHWH.

Beware, He will present himself as closely to YHWH as He can and only some of those who truly know the Father and know how to test everything will be able to differentiate.

Most will be deceived.
Among those deceived will be all but a remnant of believers.

This is another reason why it is so important to:

-STAY in the Word
-LISTEN when YHWH tells us who He is (and believe Him)
-STUDY how He says to live
-SEE all of this exemplified in our Messiah and then
WALK in that way. 

Note: The Father tells us all of this in His word. HE tells US. It is vital that we read God’s own words when He tells us who He is rather than accept what someone else says God’s words say. There is no such thing as a secondhand relationship with the Father.
I sound like a squeaky wheel sometimes, don’t I? I’ve been told things that don’t line up with the Bible over and over my entire life so when I learn a truth that I wish I had of heard over and over instead, I latch onto it. Like this one:

There is no such thing as a secondhand relationship with the Father.

Aren’t you just blown away with gratitude knowing HE wants a personal one on one relationship with us? Man. That makes me feel LOVED- and it’s overwhelming!
Isaiah 56 (coming up) says that He will give us a name BETTER than sons and daughters!

What stood out to you today?

I’m looking forward to the comments. There is so much meat on these bones that it takes a group of Believers hashing it out to be able to even come close to getting it all off the bone and onto our plate!

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

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Christy Jordan
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