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April 19


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Isaiah 60-64

We are in the Prophetic Stream today getting close to the end of the book of Isaiah. We are using the Good News Translation this week.

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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

The section today bursts forth as a song of the Messianic Age.  The Lord is here and in full and good news is spreading over all the earth and the illustration spills right into being the glory of heaven.

60 – Isaiah is one of the greatest writers that ever lived and this is certainly among Isaiah’s sections. It’s even among the most wonder-filled chapters in the whole Bible.  It talks of a grand gathering, people and wealth are coming to Jerusalem, the testifying, the sacrifices, it’s the homecoming of history and “the LORD will make His Temple more glorious than ever ” v. 7. There will be great service in Jerusalem. When the chapter morphs into talk that can only be interpreted as paradise itself with unimpeded access to God it is altogether a marvel.
61 – What we read in the first three verses of 61 is Isaiah talking of Jesus.  Jesus knows it is Him and quotes this when He is speaking in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:18f).  This is prophecy fulfilled 700 years later.  This is a time of great restoration.  The Messianic theme that actually started in Isaiah 59:20 is still proceeding.  Israel will have servants, and wealth, and joy.  The praises to the LORD will be coming from all nations – the testimony of what God has done in this one nation will amaze the whole earth that much.
62 – The splendor here is the imagery of a wedding.  It is enchanting as a wedding also. The symbolism is matched in ways by John’s writing at the end of Revelation when “the New Jerusalem” is coming down like a bride preparing to meet her husband. The surprises and excitement of a reunion also come into play too. There is food; bread and wine in abundance and phenomenal worship.  Is it fine to call this a dinner/theater gone into a colossal mode?!  And most of all the LORD is coming to save.
63 – there is a peculiar insertion here – a mentioning of Edom; it could be a reference to all the enemies of God and Jerusalem who will be trampled and defeated permanently. It is certainly a break in the literature to interrupt all the glory and worship and celebration to put this in such a run of wonderful things.  However it is part of celebrating to defeat an enemy, and revel with our victorious LORD.  Isaiah resumes abruptly; talking of the goodness and love of the LORD and his precise care and provision. The chapter ends with a prayer for mercy; beseeching God to treat them according to God’s goodness v.s. their character and lack thereof. This is a theme we have seen before in Isaiah.
64 – and Shazzam, 64 arrives and we are not looking way forward to glorious things and themes and events. Isaiah just wants God to show and make himself known.  Things are difficult; attitudes across the nation are crass, the city is in ruins, beautiful places have been deserted and Isaiah is pleading for the LORD to come to them.
Posted on

April 18


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Psalm 28-33

We are in the Wisdom Stream reading through the psalms. We are using the Good News Translation this week.

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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

28 – “give praise to the Lord for he has heard my cry for help.” is the core of this Psalm.  It is a prayer. It is thanksgiving for God answering prayer. David is urging people to be grateful and devoted to God. God saves and protects and David is blessed by this.

29 – is a very audio centered Psalm, it is filled with reminders of the sounds that God makes through what He has created: seas, thundering, echoes, lightning, trees in the wind.  Many are not drawn to God by such things, perhaps.  But David is so focused on God that any sound has David pause to reflect, “wow, listen to what God is doing now!” He has a childlike faith and wonder about him that shows up all the time in David’s life and pilgrimage.
30 – David has come through so much turmoil and brushes with death and battles and chaos and treachery.  And it all comes back to him as he has just taken Jerusalem and made it the capitol.  His palace will be there in Jerusalem.  This event happens early in II Samuel.  But the decision to settle and make this the center of the young nation – that and the dedication of David’s palace was the occasion of Psalm 30 being written.
[Don’t confuse this with the Temple – his son Solomon did that a few decades later]
31 – This issue here is prayer, trust and looking to God for protection.  It has been said of David, and for many reasons, that he learned better than probably anyone that he knew best that when God was all you had, you then realized that God is all you need. God was David’s Savior, defense, refuge, and shelter. David turned to God in the midst of any and every event or emotion he was going through.  He saw God as his caregiver.  None of the “if it’s to be, it’s up to me” touting.  David’s hymn was “I did it Thy Way” v.s. the American tune that was popular in the 1900’s.  The Lord is faithful and deserves our response of love for Him.
32 – David’s sin with Bathsheba and the full realization of the gravity that David had descended to is what prompted him to write Psalm 51.  David going through the confession process and finding restoration and relief and healing prompted him to write this one; Psalm 32.  David’s remorse had run its course and David realized the full depth and height of God’s forgiveness by now.  His joy in the Lord was returning.
33 – This is a song of joy and praise and thanksgiving that seems to ring clear up to heaven.  The joy of walking with God makes each step a wonder.  The joy of the Lord spreads to everything everywhere.  All nature and the sky too brings out the praise.  God is such a marvel!
Lord God of Heaven, you truly are good to us. You give us your righteousness and you strengthen us to live in joy and with that strength we can praise you more and more and praising you gives us joy to praise you yet more.  You a our marvelous God.  Amen.
Posted on

April 17


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I Samuel 26-31

We are in The Nation Stream today finishing the book of I Samuel. We are reading from the Good News Translation this week.

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David is such a man of upstanding character.  His years of solitude with God when he was young reflect in his behavior again and again. He is a skilled musician, a worshipper, a warrior who kills lions and bears and giants, he leads and rallies and inspires, he has cunning logic and people skills, and when he has a chance at killing someone who hates him with a vengeance … he doesn’t kill him!  Twice he opts not to kill his would-if he-could executioner. The fact that such a fighter is so gracious  and statesman-like is astonishing to anyone who understands human nature.

26 – Again, David is peering over a sleeping Saul and, with weapon in hand, he just walks away with the spear as evidence.  This is scarier than one might think.  David and friends have snuck in at night and walked through a filled camp. One man waking and shouting would have David killed without question. ‘Guts and daring’ could be added to the list of superlative traits that can be attached to David. The results following the revelation are similar. Saul talks admiringly and penitent as possible amid the embarrassment. Saul is such an obviously hollow soul. And there he is talking solicitous – surrounded by the soldiers he roused to help him go and kill a young man who could have killed him but didn’t. The difference between Israel’s current king that they chose, and the future one that God directed Samuel to anoint are as different as night and day to put it lightly.
27 – David was never again pursued by Saul after Saul was humiliated by David’s kindness a second time.  But he doesn’t know that Saul will never seek him again. Any time that Saul had ever been kind to David, it was a total lie. Saul was plotting. David, not knowing that Saul had resigned to leave David be, thought there was still a threat and he left for Philistia. He remained in that region until Saul was gone and he was enthroned king. During his years there he was a raider. Perhaps this was practice for when it was his assignment to expand the borders of Israel to the largest they would ever be. The Philistine king ended up trusting David. This is strange stuff but it is what is going on at this time.

28 – Meanwhile Saul makes his final pathetic error and it turns out to be what seals his doom. He goes to see a witch. He is terrified because warriors of Philistia have gathered against him. Samuel is gone, God isn’t answering and he is wondering what is next. He knew witchcraft was wrong and had expelled them from the country. Yet Saul himself goes to see one. It’s a fatal transgression and he will end up being killed in a day for his disobedience.  Saul never was one to obey the Lord.

29 – And back among the Philistines, David is endeared to Achish the Philistine king by now. Achish wants David to go with him to the next battle. He practically sees David as a token of good fortune and could use him. This is all convenient in Achish’s mind, but the other Philistine Kings don’t really know David except that he is an Israelite in hiding and therefore they don’t trust him. The issue of loyalty is an undying matter for all time isn’t it? David and Achish talk and realize it’s the better part of wisdom for David to return back to the coast of Philistia and sit this one out.
30 – David returned home after his conversation two days prior with Achish and his refuge town of Ziklag had been razed to the ground. Everything was stolen, all people had been kidnapped, possessions gone, anything left was burned. There was panic and grief among his 600 men who were planning to kill him.  It was the worst day of David’s life and y’might want to read the book by this similar title. David went straight to God as he had spent his whole life training himself to do and v. 6 says, “…but the Lord his God gave him great courage.”  David acts properly and quickly and recovers everything.  He again is humble and gracious amid great victory – and he shares all that is recovered from the Amalekites who had plundered his residence of Ziklag.  Keep in mind these are the Amalekites of whom Saul was ordered to rid from the earth – but as has been well established, Saul just can’t seem to obey.
31 – Saul is drawn into his final battle. Think: Who killed Saul? God? Philistines? The Philistines did wound him physically to the point of no return. But it was Saul’s disobedience and refusal to be anchored in God his savior – that’s what wounded him. And it was only a matter of time to where Saul killed himself. God brought him up and provided for him over and over. God spared him via David’s graciousness. Saul just outright could not do what he was told to do. He would not stand in for God and be a responsible King. Saul only looked out for himself and sought legitimacy through man’s approval.  We need to come to the end of observing Saul’s life and ask, “where does disobedience take us.”
Dear Holy Spirit, may we be shepherded by you and be found with a soul that is yielded and listening to you for our next step and our every move.  Amen.