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- [00:00]
A
Foreign.
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Hey, this is Shelby and Paul. We're walking you through the book of Isaiah today. We are in chapters 46 through 48. Paul, what's going on in these chapters?
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So we're getting some continued themes from yesterday that God is greater than idols. And we also get an announcement of Babylon's fall in 47 and another declaration that Israel will leave Babylon in 48. And so we kind of have a duality here of past and Future. So in 46, 3, 4, it reminds Israel that God has sustained them since they were in the womb and that he will be the same until their hair turns gray. He will always be with them. And then 46, 9, 11 calls Israel to remember what God did in the past, that he planned things and that he then carried them out. And all those plans move towards judgment and justice. And I think an interesting outworking that it mentions here is he knows that Israel is stubborn and stiff necked. And so he says, I declared to you long ago. I announced being salvation to you before it occurred, so that you could not claim my idol caused them, my carved image and cast idol control them. And then he goes on later, from now on I will announce new things to you, hidden things that you have not known. And so God knew that if he didn't announce it beforehand, that Israel would in their stubbornness say, oh, it was our idols that actually caused this deliverance. And so in light of that deliverance that God is working out, he says, now I'm gonna do a new thing in the future.
- [01:38]
B
Yeah, I think that's really helpful for us to understand, especially because I think this is a passage that we see like God proclaiming, I'll do a new thing. Like, I have seen that verse used like all over in different places. So context is really helpful for understanding what it actually means. I'm curious for you, Paul, how are you applying the chapters that we read today?
- [02:00]
A
Yeah, it really gives me, I think, a new perspective on time. I would say, you know, scripture says all over the place to not be afraid about the future, to not have anxiety, to pray constantly. And I think the times when I am fearful of the future are really when I am forgetting the past. It's when I'm forgetting what God has already done that causes me to fear. And even if I didn't have lots of stories of God's faithfulness, and I do, we can at least look to the cross as the ultimate act of faithfulness of God to us. So the super practical application I would give listeners today, and even for myself, is to write down the stories of God's faithfulness either in a journal or, you know, have it digitally, something like that, where you can share those stories with the people you disciple or even your own children. That even if they don't have stories of God's faithfulness, you can say, hey, but here's how he's been faithful to me. And I believe he will be faithful to you in this same way. So just writing down those stories, recording them somewhere so that they even live beyond you to the next generation. And so I'd even encourage some of our listeners to put it in the comments. Tell us, how has God been faithful to you in the past? We'd love to hear those stories.
- [03:17]
B
Yeah, I think that that's great. You know, we. And this is such a great reminder. Cause we stopped doing it. But early after my husband and I got married, we just got a bowl, a little basket, actually, and we put all these rocks in it. And anytime there was a moment where we just, like, tangibly saw the Lord's faithfulness, we would, like, write it on a rock and put it. And the thought was when our kids came around someday that they could pull a rock out and see all these times. And, you know, we've stopped writing things on there and we need to continue. But the basket's still there with the rocks. And every time I'll move it and I'll just look at a couple things on. And I actually, I forget, you know, I forget the ways that God has been so tangibly faithful to us. And it is such a bolster to my faith anytime that I do look at that. So I'm just gonna piggyback on that takeaway. And remembering the Lord's faithfulness is, I think, key to us also having faith that he'll continue to do that in the future. So. All right. Appreciate you walking us through these chapters, Paul. Don't forget to subscribe or follow wherever you're listening or watching. And we'll see you back for more in Isaiah Tomor.