Deuteronomy 30 & Isaiah 50

Deuteronomy 30
- God is reminding them to remember the blessings and the curse He promises them this day.
- They need to remember it when they enter the new land with all their heart and soul.
- When they turn back to God, He will restore the fortune and have compassion on them.
- They will then be brought back together from where they had been scattered.
- He will gather them from the "outermost parts of heaven"
- Where is the outer most parts of heaven?
- God will bring them back to the promised land and make them more numerous than their fathers.
- God will circumcise their hearts, so they will love God with heart and soul and live.
- Paul talks about circumcising the heart in the NT.
- The curses will then be on their enemies who persecuted them (Babylonians and Assyrians)
- Loving God = prosperous in all work, fruit of womb, fruit of cattle, and crops.
- God will again delight in prospering them. (It's amazing that God takes delight in us.)
- loving God "heart and soul" is listed 4 times in this section.
- God says this commandment isn't "too hard" or "far off" (God's not distant or unfair)
- God says the commandment is so near, it's in their heart and mouth.
- The command isn't in heaven, or in a far away land over the sea.
- The blessing and a curse = life and death.
- Obeying commands by loving God, walking in His ways, obeying His commandments = multiplying, blessing, and possession of the promised land.
- Turning to other gods and not obeying = they perish, not entering promised land across the Jordan.
- God call heaven and earth to bear witness to this blessing and curse.
- God tells them to choose life.
- Hold fast to God = life and length of days and living in promised land.
- This chapter has a lot of repetition, seemingly to emphasize the blessing and curse and leave no doubt as to what God is saying to His people.

Isaiah 50
- God asks where their mother's certificate of divorce is.
- God says he sent her away.
- God also asks which creditor He sold them to.
- They were sent away and sold because of their iniquities.
- God asks why there was no one when he came or no answer when He called.
- God asks the rhetorical question, "Is my hand to short to redeem?" "Have I no power to deliver?"
- He then answers these obviously leading questions, by saying the seas dry up when He rebukes them, and He can make the heavens black.
- Isaiah says that God has given him a "tongue of those who are taught" so that he can sustain the weary and hear those who are taught.
- Because God opened Isaiah's ear he didn't turn away or rebel.
- Instead Isaiah's response has been giving his back to a beating and his cheek to have his beard pulled out.
- He didn't hide his face from disgrace or spitting.
- Isaiah's response = seeing the Lord helps Him, so he hasn't really been disgraced and can't really be put to shame.
- Isaiah knows the "he who vindicates me is near"
- Isaiah knows that as long as God is with him, no one can really declare him guilty or contend with him.
- His adversaries will wear out like an old piece of clothing.
- Isaiah asks who fears God and obeys Isaiah's voice.
- Isaiah tells those walking in darkness to trust in the Lord and rely on his God.
- Why does Isaiah say "trust in his God"? Is he referring to Christ or himself?
- Those who light their own torches and walk by their own torches light will lie down in torment.
- Isaiah shows an amazing faith in God through his own trials. He can see that as long as God is for him, no one can truly be against him. Wow!