Something Greater

Isaiah 19, Part Two: In That Day Isaiah 19:16-25 What's gone before... In the previous 15 verses of this chapter Isaiah declared an oracle ("massa", a heavy burden or a song of doom) concerning Egypt. The LORD would stir up conflict with the nation, confounding their leadership, bringing devestation to Egypt's political, economic and geographic foundations. Now, in Part Two... Isaiah repeats the phrase "In that day" six times in this passage, declaring six specific events or conditions that would befall the Egyptians when the LORD brings war to their nation. In that day the Egyptians will be like women... In that day there will be five cities... In that day there will be an altar... In that day the Egyptians will know... In that day there will be a highway... In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria... IN THAT DAY: yom "yome" (to be hot; a day, as the warm hours of daylight, whether sunrise to sunset, or fr...

Isaiah 11, Part 4: Recovering the Remnant The Lord restores the nation of Israel, bringing back from dispersion, the Israelites scattered by war and exile. Isaiah 11:11-12 (ESV) In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Isaiah described the recovering of the remnant as "a second time". When was the first time? Isaiah 11:16 (ESV) There will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt. Pursued by their captors, Israel found themselves with their backs against the sea, facing an Egyptian army six hundred chariots strong. The people des...

Restoration of All Things "Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago." Acts 3:21 (ESV) HEAVEN: ouranos (the sky, the abode of God, implying happiness, power, eternity); from oros (a mountain); from oro (to rise or rear) RECEIVE: dechomai (to receive, to take or accept) Jesus is physically in heaven, decribed as being in the sky, implying separated from earth and unreachable by mortal humans. Luke described Jesus as being "taken up" (Acts 1:2). Later, Luke said that Jesus had been "raised up", using a different word that means to lift or sail away (Acts 1:9). Being raised up involved being carried upward by a cloud, taken up out of sight. Angels explained to the disciples that Jesus would "come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven". RESTORING: apokatastasis (reconstitution); from apokathistemi (to reconstitute in health, home ...

Oh! How He Loves Us! "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." Philippians 2:1-2 (ESV) Paul describes the reward, or the conseqence, of being in Christ : ENCOURAGEMENT: paraklesis (imploration, hortation, solace); from parakaleo (to call near, invite, invoke); from para (near) and kaleo (to call aloud) COMFORT: paramythion (concrete consolation); from paramythia (abstract consolation); from paramytheomai (to relate near, encourage, console); from para (near) and mythos (a tale, a story of fiction, "myth") PARTICIPATION: koinonia (partnership, participation, intercourse, benefaction); from koinonos (a sharer, an associate); from koinos (common, shared by all or several, profane) AFFECTION: splanchnon (the intestine, figurative for pity or sympathy); from splen (the...

Repent and Turn Again "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you." Acts 3:19-20 (ESV) Paul reaches the climax of his message to the Jews. He has rebuked them for their sin: they had denied, abused and murdered Jesus, the holy, righteous Ruler of all creation. He revealed the root cause of their sin: ignorance of God's message given through prophets. Now, Paul urges them to make a radical change : REPENT: metanoeo (to think differently, reconsider); from meta (accompaniment, "amid", association, succession) and noeo (to exercise the mind, observe, comprehend, heed); from nous (the intellect, the mind); from ginosko (to know absolutely) TURN AGAIN: epistrepho (to revert); from epi (superimposition, over, upon) and strepho (to twist, turn quite around, to reverse); from trope (a turn or revolution); from trepo (to ...

RESTORATION "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?'" Acts 1:6 RESTORE: "Apokathistemi", to reconstitute (in health, home or organization); from "apo" (off or away) and "kathistemi" (to place down (permanently) and "histemi" (to stand) The Greek word for restore meant to reconstitute, a rebuilding of something that once stood. The word carries the idea of placing something that will stand permanently. The early Christians expected Jesus to destroy the ruthless, godless rule of the Romans, bringing the nation of Israel back to its former glory as a world power. WHAT DO YOU THINK? What biblical evidence can you remember that describes the nation of Israel as a world power? The last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament foretells of a day of victory and vengeance by God against all unrighteousness: "For behold, the day is coming, burn...