Isaiah 2

What I remember:
Someday God's going to exalt Himself, like a mountain, with His house on a mountain. People will go there to worship Him, and He'll teach them how to follow Him, and they will.

And He's going to crush the other things that people worship -- stuff made with their own hands, and the prideful people worshiping themselves... The idols will be made an embarrasement, and they'll run and hide, so that all people will know that He's God, and no one else.


Favorite verse:

“3 Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”

About God:
How many gods can we say will teach us their ways? It seems to me that most other religions are spent trying to figure out what "god" wants, and how to please that god, so that the god will make things better for us. The prophets slashing themselves to get Baal's attention on Mount Carmel comes to mind. Our God isn't like that. He teaches us, and teaches us some more, and is patient with us as we learn to walk in His paths.

This chapter depicts God as both terror-invoking and the One who patiently teaches us to walk in His ways.

About me:
God's not amused by my pride. It's a form of idolotry. I don't think I'd ever really thought of my pride problem as idolotry before. And the embarassement of trusting in money more than I trust in God. That money is going to run and hide in holes in the mountains with bats and moles. I'll be embarrassed for thinking that more money would fix my problems. God is the one who provides for me. Not me (that's pride), and not money. Both are idolotry.

Isaiah 1

The structure of this chapter is one of those diamonds (what are they called?)

1-11 you're ruined because you keep wandering away from Me
12-17 I'm sick of your phony sacrifices, give me some real good works - like defending the fatherless and widows
18-20 I'll forgive you and take you back
21-24 This is an evil city -- no one defends the fatherless and widows
25-31 It'll be ruined.

So, what's the point? The middle of the diamond. Verses 18-20.

“ Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,

“ Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

What do I learn about God?
God's doesn't appreciate my wandering away, and my ingratitude for all He's done. He just wants to forgive and cleanse me (note, that doesn't involve me doing anything). As long as I refuse and rebel, He'll work circumstances to break us to the point where I recognize that I need him.

What do I learn about me?
I look like a 2 year old when I act like Israel in this chapter. "I can do it myself", and God lets me try, until we're finally frustrated enough to give up and let Him. Then he takes me and washes away all of my sin. That's what he wants.

Other notes:
Caring for people who can't care for themselves (fatherless and widows) are mentioned twice as things that the few righteous folks do. That's what God cares about, not how faithfully I attend church, but how I pass on the love and mercy He's shown me.