Sun 091017 pm Isa 41-43

Isaiah 41
41.4 the first and with the last... The wording here "with" the last is curious.
41.29 they are all a delusion... And we are so prone to love delusions. Promises with no subtsance.

Isaiah 42
42.6-7 a light for the nations
to oen the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
A great description of Christ.
42.19 my dedicated one... Presumably another way to say holy.
42.25 it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart... Burned refers to God's anger which was followed by a foolish response.

Isaiah 43
43.8 blind, yet have eyes... the state of the lost.
43.10 You are my witnesses... Sometimes this seems like a poor plan. :o)
43.21 people who I formed for myself...
43.24 you have wearied me with your iniquites...
43.25 for my own sake... God saves us for his benefit, not our. It's all about him.

Fri 091016 pm Heb 1-2 Jonah

Hebrews 1

1.3 exact imprint of His nature... in the fullest sense, not just moral.

1.4 having become... This seems to refer to His works on earth distinguishing Him, since he had already inherited a more excellent name.

1.5 2 Samuel 7.14 Sometime I will check the Commentary on the NT use of the OT and a couple others and look at the context of these two seeming fairly unrelated passages.

Six mentions of angels in one chapter is rare.

Hebrews 2

2.3 if we neglect... Christ is the only salvation available. We should be diligent.

2.6 It has been testified somewhere... I wonder why he didn't specify a book or something. Psalm 8.4-6

2.18 suffered when tempted... I don't know that I have ever explicitly thought of temptation as being a form of or situation for suffering. There are a number of reasons it could be suffering. For Christ it was definitely an affront to His righteousness. The struggle to remain strong and not give in would cause us to suffer. Hmmmm, a lot to think about.

Jonah 1

1.1 The Word of the Lord came... This phrase almost always captures my imagination. How cool! And what was it like?

1.3 away from the presence of the Lord... While we can never be from the presence of the Lord in an absolute sense, it seems that we could flee His "blessing presence." This seems to be an escape from God's influence and demands. Not a good place to be.

1.4 Perhaps the god will give a thought to us... The mindset of this pagan sailor is fascinating for someone who grew up with the uniform belief in one God.

1.16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly... They offered a sacrifice and made vows. I wonder what the vows were and if any were actually kept. At that point they were arguably closer to God than Jonah.

Jonah 2
2.4 yet I shall again look upon your holy temple... This longing for the temple is common in the OT and shows the desire and confidence in God's faithfulness. Even after disobeying God's direct command and in what must have been very discouraging circumstances, he expresses confidence that he will return to God's blessing.
2.8 forsake their own hope... This reminds me of the verse in Jeremiah about leaving the living waters for cisterns. Hopelessness can be what causes us to forsake. Patience and faithfulness are key.

Jonah 3

3.1 the second time... Oh, how persistent the Lord is.
3.10 saw how they returned... The translation is a little fuzzy here about whether it is that they turned or the manner in which they turned. But, thinking about the possibility of it being the manner that they turned is good food for thought.

Jonah 4
4.2 for I new that... This is a humorous, in this context, list of God's attributes: gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, relenting. This is not the stereotype of God in the OT.
4.6 to save him from his discomfort... Primary concern with out comfort is a symptom of spiritual problems.
4.7 God appointed a worm... God can use anybody.
4.11 should I not pity... It is good and right to have pity on the undeserving.

Wed 091014 Isa 40

Isaiah 40

40.1 Handle's Messiah

40.3 John the Baptist

40.7 when the breath of the Lord blows... We are so finite, and He is so amazing.

40.11 tend his flock ... gently lead those that are with young... Reminds me of the tenderness of the Lord.

40.28 does not faint or grow weary... God is always vigilant and on the job. Thanks be...

Tues 091013 pm Isa 35-37

Isaiah 35

35.4 those who have an anxious heart ... be strong. Two things. First, some people have anxious hearts. Second, the solution sounds obvious and unhelpful untill we reflect on the nature and aquisition of spiritual strength.

35.8 the Way of Holiness... Holy in the sense it is free from the unclean.

Isaiah 36

36.17 until I come and take you away... What a sorry consolation the enemy offers.

Isaiah 37

37.4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear... I am curious about the expression "your" God when King Hezekiah obviously trusted in God too.

37.4 It is also instructive with the way he appeals to God's sense of honor and jealousy for His reputation.

37.I planned what I now bring to pass... God's soveriegnty and fulfilled prophecy are evidences God gives for himself. God is the God of history.

37.32 zeal of the Lord of hosts...

DELETE

Isaiah 35
35.4 an anxious heart...

Mon 091012 am Tit 1-3 Isa 34

Titus 1

1.3 at the proper time... God's timing is always right, I struggle to get my watch synchronized.

1.11 & 13 they must be silenced...rebuke them sharply...

1.16 They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works... Ouch!

Titus 2

2.2 older men

2.3 older women

2.4 younger women

2.6 younger men

2.10 that in everything they many adorn the doctrine of God our Savior... This is a really cool expression, great for meditating on. It stands in contrast to 1.16.

Titus 3

3.1 Remind them... Repetition is the key to retention.

3.8 careful to devote themselves to good works... Give and doing for others is a big theme in the Christian way of life.

Isaiah 34

34.8 A day of vengeance is paralleled with a year of recompense.

34.16 from the book of the Lord... I wonder what this book would be in the context of Isaiah 34.