Bible Study: Isaiah/Psalm 48-49
OK Men,
These chapters serve as an end and a beginning. Chapter 48 is the last chapter in the prediction of Israel’s rescue from Babylonian captivity, while chapter 49 begins the prophecies of the coming Messiah. This next week, we will discover some of the greatest Messianic prophecies ever written.
Chapter 48:
What’s New: Last week’s Scripture memorization was Isaiah 43:25, “I am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” “For my own sake” really struck me. Why would God’s forgiveness of my sins against him, benefit him? Why would he forget my sins for his sake? I’m sure there are many reasons, but ultimately, it’s so that we can glorify him and his name. It’s mentioned again here, in chapter 48.
“For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely,” (v9). God doesn’t need us. Our sins against him are personal and deserving of punishment. However, humanity does get the privilege of giving him praise, but we can’t tell of his greatness without first experiencing his greatness! The grace we receive is “for his sake” because it enables us share of his greatness, thus giving him glory.
Who is God: “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another,” (v10-11). When you’re as glorious and holy as The Lord God Almighty, you can say things like this! For the rest of us, this would sound like pride, but for God, it’s just the truth of his majesty.
Our sanctification benefits us, but again, it’s for his own sake, so that his name will be praised. Our sin is worse than we realize. His grace and patience with us are deeper than we can fathom. The change within our hearts, the refining of our impurities, reveals his glory.
Psalm 48: This Psalm compares the glory of God to a magnificent holy city (perhaps literal, perhaps figurative). Verse 9 makes this interesting: “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.” When this was written, approximately 3,000 years ago, men needed to worship God in the temple. Today, the Holy Spirit lives in us, therefore, we are the modern-day temple! But this verse still applies. Within the heart, within the mind, we are able to meditate on his unfailing love.
When was the last time you did that?
How might it benefit you to set aside 10-15 minutes to simply sit in quiet and think about the Lord’s love for you? What peace might you find in remembering that there has never been a moment that you were not loved by him, even in the midst of your greatest, most offensive sins? Try it! Sit and remember his love for you. When your mind strays (and it will!) just bring your thoughts back to the cross or the name of Jesus. If you’re able to make this a consistent practice, what could happen to your stress, anxiety, or fear? What could happen to your relationship with him?
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Chapter 49:
What’s New: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation my reach to the ends of the earth,” (v6). God’s promised Messiah will be so holy, that merely saving the Jews won’t be enough to glorify him - “it’s too small a thing”. More than 700 years before Jesus was born on earth, it was predicted that he would save the Gentiles too. His life, death, resurrection, and ascension led to him releasing the Holy Spirit. It’s by his Spirit that our salvation is sealed, spreading to all who believe, throughout the ends of the earth.
Who is God: The Lord is our defense. “I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save,” (v25). God is the ultimate judge, he sees those who attack, challenge, and defame his people. He will take care of them, and us, in the ways we both deserve. But pride often makes it hard to let him be our defense. If I defend myself, I get retribution quicker. These kinds of situations give us an opportunity to practice the fruits of the Spirit, like self-control, which is the only kind of control God wants us to be concerned with.
Psalm 49: This Psalm feels like it belongs in Proverbs or Ecclesiastes! Everything is fleeting! Wealth and riches do not last, even that which gets passed down to kids will be spent and collected by someone else. However, there is one gift, the richest asset we can obtain, that is greater than any amount of wealth: Your redemption, and it came at great cost.
“No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them - the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough - so that they should live on forever and not see decay,” (v7-9). Anything you try to give to God is not enough to grant your salvation. It cannot be bought by you because it can only be purchased by God himself! Your redemption and salvation are too high of a price for you to pay! Praise Jesus for what he did for you. Another great Psalm to pair with the Messianic prophecies we’re discovering in Isaiah!
Scripture Memorization: “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:22-24.
One of the longest verses we’ve memorized yet, however, one of the most important, and perfect for the Messianic prophecies we’ll read this week in Isaiah.
Read it 10x out loud from the page, then recite it 10x out loud, looking at the page as needed. Do this everyday this week.
As you memorize, reflect on the meaning of a few key phrases, like “Righteousness is given through faith,” and “All are justified freely.”
What does God really want you to understand from this truth?
OK Men - This is what I’m seeing in these verses. What’s standing out to you? What’s new? How are you seeing God’s character? Leave a comment!
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