Through the Bible – Day 271

Bible text(s)

Isaiah 6

Events from Isaiah's ministry

A vision of the LORD in the temple

₁In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the LORD. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple.

Isaiah 7

Isaiah offers hope to King Ahaz

₁Ahaz, the son of Jotham and the grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah when King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel went to attack Jerusalem. But they were not able to do what they had planned. ₂When news reached the royal palace that Syria had joined forces with Israel, King Ahaz and everyone in Judah were so terrified that they shook like trees in a storm.

₃Then the LORD said to me:

Take your son Shearjashub and go and see King Ahaz. You will find him on the road near the cloth makers' shops at the end of the canal that brings water from the upper pool. ₄Tell Ahaz to stop worrying. There's no need for him to be afraid of King Rezin and King Pekah. They are very angry, but they are nothing more than a dying fire. Ahaz doesn't need to fear ₅their evil threats ₆to invade and defeat Judah and Jerusalem and to let the son of Tabeel be king in his place.

₇I, the LORD, promise that this will never happen. _8-9Damascus is just the capital of Syria, and King Rezin rules only in Damascus. Samaria is just the capital of Israel, and King Pekah rules only in Samaria. But in less than sixty-five years, Israel will be destroyed. And if Ahaz and his officials don't trust me, they will be defeated.

A son named Immanuel

₁₀Once again the LORD God spoke to King Ahaz. This time he said, ₁₁“Ask me for proof that my promise will come true. Ask for something to happen deep in the world of the dead or high in the heavens above.”

₁₂“No, LORD,” Ahaz answered. “I won't test you!”

₁₃Then I said:

Listen, every one of you in the royal family of David. You have already tried my patience. Now you are trying God's patience by refusing to ask for proof. ₁₄But the LORD will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel. _15-16Even before the boy is old enough to know how to choose between right and wrong, he will eat yoghurt and honey, and the countries of the two kings you fear will be destroyed. ₁₇But the LORD will make more trouble for your people and your kingdom than any of you have known since Israel broke away from Judah. He will even bring the king of Assyria to attack you.

The threat of an invasion

₁₈When that time comes, the LORD will whistle, and armies will come from Egypt like flies and from Assyria like bees. ₁₉They will settle everywhere—in the deep valleys and between the rocks, on every bush and all over the pasture land.

₂₀The Lord will pay the king of Assyria to bring a razor from across the River Euphrates and shave your head and every hair on your body, including your beard.

₂₁No one will have more than one young cow and two sheep, ₂₂but those who do will have enough milk to make yoghurt. In fact, everyone left in the land will eat yoghurt and honey.

₂₃Vineyards that had a thousand vines and were worth a thousand pieces of silver will turn into thorn patches. ₂₄You will go there to hunt with your bow and arrows, because the whole country will be covered with thorn bushes. ₂₅The hills where you once planted crops will be overgrown with thorns and thistles. You will be afraid to go there, and your cattle, sheep, and goats will be turned loose on those hills.

Isaiah 8

A warning and a hope

₁The LORD said, “Isaiah, get something to write on. Then write in big clear letters the name, MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ. ₂I will tell Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah to serve as witnesses to this.”

₃Some time later, my wife and I had a son, and the LORD said, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. ₄Because before he can say ‘Mummy’ or ‘Daddy’, the king of Assyria will attack and take everything of value from Damascus and Samaria.”

₅The LORD spoke to me again and said:

₆These people have refused the gentle waters of Shiloah and have gladly gone over to the side of King Rezin and King Pekah. ₇Now I will send the king of Assyria against them with his powerful army, which will attack like the mighty River Euphrates overflowing its banks. ₈Enemy soldiers will cover Judah like a flood reaching up to your neck.

But God is with us.

He will spread his wings

and protect our land.

₉All you foreign nations,

go ahead and prepare for war,

but you will be crushed.

₁₀Get together and make plans,

but you will fail

because God is with us.

₁₁The LORD took hold of me with his powerful hand and said:

I'm warning you! Don't act like these people. ₁₂Don't call something a rebellious plot, just because they do, and don't be afraid of something, just because they are. ₁₃I am the one you should fear and respect. I am the holy God, the LORD All-Powerful! _14-15Run to me for protection. I am a rock that will make both Judah and Israel stumble and break their bones. I am a trap that will catch the people of Jerusalem—they will be captured and dragged away.

Isaiah and his followers

₁₆My message and my teachings are to be sealed and given to my followers. ₁₇Meanwhile, I patiently trust the LORD, even though he is no longer pleased with Israel. ₁₈My children and I are warning signs to Israel from the LORD All-Powerful, who lives on Mount Zion.

₁₉Someone may say to you, “Go to the fortune-tellers who make soft chirping sounds or ask the spirits of the dead. After all, a nation ought to be able to ask its own gods ₂₀what it should do.”

None of those who talk like that will live to see the light of day! ₂₁They will go around in great pain and will become so hungry that they will angrily curse their king and their gods. And when they try to find help in heaven ₂₂and on earth, they will find only trouble and darkness, terrible trouble and deepest darkness.

Isaiah 9

₁But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the River Jordan and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.

Isaiah 6:1CEVOpen in Bible reader

Ephesians 5

₁Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. ₂Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God.

₃You are God's people, so don't let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy. ₄Don't use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are. ₅Being greedy, indecent, or immoral is just another way of worshipping idols. You can be sure that people who behave in this way will never be part of the kingdom that belongs to Christ and to God.

Living as people of light

₆Don't let anyone trick you with foolish talk. God punishes everyone who disobeys him and says foolish things. ₇So don't have anything to do with anyone like that.

₈You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light ₉and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, ₁₀as you try to please the Lord. ₁₁Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. ₁₂It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark. ₁₃But the light will show what these things are really like. ₁₄Light shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say,

“Wake up from your sleep

and rise from death.

Then Christ will shine on you.”

₁₅Act like people with good sense and not like fools. ₁₆These are evil times, so make every minute count. ₁₇Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. ₁₈Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. ₁₉When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. ₂₀Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.

Wives and husbands

₂₁Honour Christ and put others first. ₂₂A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. ₂₃A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Saviour of the church, which is his own body. ₂₄Wives should always put their husbands first, as the church puts Christ first.

₂₅A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. ₂₆He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. ₂₇Christ did this, so that he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.

₂₈In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows that he loves himself. ₂₉None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, ₃₀because we are each part of his body. ₃₁As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife.” ₃₂This is a great mystery, but I understand it to mean Christ and his church. ₃₃So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:1-33CEVOpen in Bible reader