October 12, 2020, Isaiah cont... Proverbs cont...

Isaiah 41

The Helper of Israel

"Be silent before me, you islands!

Let the nations renew their strength!

Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place

of judgement. Who has stirred up one from the east, 

calling him in righteousness to his service. He hands nations over to 

him and subdues Kings before him. He turns them to dust with 

his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow. He pursues them 

and moves on unscathed, by a path his feet have not traveled before. 

Who has done this and carried it through,

calling forth the generations from the beginning?

I, the Lord ----with the first of  them and with the last---I am he. 

The Islands have seen it and fear; the ends of the earth tremble. 

They approach and come forward; they help each other and say to

their companions, "Be strong." 

The metal worker encourages the goldsmith, and the one 

who smooths with the hammer spurs on the one who strikes

the anvil. One says of the welding. "It is good. The other nails 

down the idol so it will not topple. 

Be strong and their strength is in a piece of metal. They encourage and help each other to create idols. When it is finished they have to nail it down so that it does not topple over. 

God is the beginning and the end and there is none above him. He was with the first of them as well as the last of them he knows exactly what men do and how they put their trust in false things. 

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, 

whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham

my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its 

farthest corners I called you. I said, You are my servant

I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 

• God calls them friends
• He says I have chosen you
• I have not rejected you
• He called them from the farthest corner of the earth.
• The Jews are still returning back home 
• He calls Israel his servant

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am 

your God. 

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you 

with my righteous right hand. 

All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; 

those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. 

For I am the Lord your God who takes  hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. 

Do not be afraid you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear,         

            

For I myself will help you, declares the Lord, your redeemer, 

the Holy One of Israel. See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, 

new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains 

and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. You will winnow 

them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blows them 

away. But you will rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy

One of Israel. 

The Lord saves and delivers 

• It is amazing how God can address the past, present, and future. God will be Israel's help and he has chosen them to be his people. Today the Jews have taken the gospel unto the gentiles and it is still being spreaded to this very day. He calls them his servant long before he will use them. This falls more into future information. 

The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I the Lord God of Israel, will not forsake them. 

I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched grounds into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know may they consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it. 

Present  your case, says the Lord. Set forth your arguments, says Jacob's King. Tell us, you idols what is going to happen. 

Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. 

Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. 

But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses  you is detestable. I have stirred up one from the north and  he comes one from from the rising sun who calls on my name. He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay. 

Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say he was right?. No one told of this, 

no one foretold it, 

no one heard any words from you. I was the first to tell Zion, look, here they are! 

I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news. I look but there is no one---no one among the gods to give counsel, no one to give answer when I ask them. See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion. 

                           

Proverbs 

Sayings of the wise

Saying 24

Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. 

The Schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.