Joshua 3 and Isaiah 57

Joshua 3

- Joshua took Israel to banks of Jordan and set up camp.
- The officers spent 3 days telling the people that when the see Levitical priests carrying the ark, they should follow it.
- The people should stay 2,000 cubits behind the ark.
- Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves because tomorrow God would do wonders (he was anticipating God to do awesome things)
- The Lord told Joshua that he would do great things through Joshua just like He did through Moses.
- Joshua told the people that God would do great things so they should know God will remove the other nations.
- Joshua said that as soon as the priest's feet touch the waters they shall be held back in a heap.
- When their feet touch the water it stood in a heap at the city of Adam a far distance away.
- Could the people have seen the waters standing "in a heap"?
- The whole nation crossed on dry ground through the Jordan and the Jordan was high at that time due to perennial flooding.

Isaiah 57
- No one cares when the righteous dies
- The righteous man leaves calamity and enters peace (heaven?)
- These verses talk to sons of the sorceress, adulterer, and loose woman.
- God wants to know who they are mocking
- Their children are children of deceit.
- The burn with lust and kill their children.
- They have sacrificed to stones
- They sacrifice on a high mountain, they deserted God and opened up their beds.
- They have journeyed to the king and multiplied perfumes.
- The were weary at the length of their way, but did not say it is hopeless.
- The found new life doing things their way.
- They did not fear God when they lied.
- Their righteousness and their deeds will not profit them.
- God says they should cry out to their idols for deliverance.
- God says that those who take refuge in Him will lifted up.
- Those who trust in God, He will remove obstacles.
- Those with contrite and lowly spirit God sees and helps.
- He will revive their spirits.
- God will not always be angry with them.
- God was angry at the unjust gains and backsliding of the people.
- God will lead, restore, and comfort them.
- God promises peace to the far and near.
- There is no peace for the wicked who are like waves tossing dirt about.

Joshua 1 and Isaiah 55

Joshua 1

- The Lord to Joshua that Moses was dead and that he was to lead the Israelites across the Jordan.
- All of the land they touch will be theirs from Lebonon to the Euphrates River
- The will own the wilderness and the land west of the Great Sea (Red Sea?")
- No man will be able to stand against them.
- God tells Joshua twice to be strong and courageous and to do the commandments God had given to them.
- Following God's laws = good success and wisdom
- Joshua should meditate on God's law day and night = success and prosperity
- God tells him to be strong and courageous and not to fear a third time because God is with him
- Joshua sent officers to tell the people that they'd cross the Jordan in 3 days
- Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh and said God will give them rest and this land.
- These 3 groups were to leave their families in this land and go help the Israelites fight in the new land.
- After they help their brothers get land and find rest they can return home.
- They all agreed to go wherever he sent them.
- They promised to obey Joshua like they obeyed Moses.
- They added that God be with him as God was with Moses.
- They said that anyone who rebelled would be put to death.
- They ended by saying being strong and courageous.

Isaiah 55
- Starts by telling anyone thirsty to come to me
- They are to come and get wine and milk without money
- He asks why they labor for unsatisfying things
- He says to listen and eat what is good
- He says to listen so they might live
- He will make an everlasting covenant of love like he did with David
- An unknown nation will run to them because of God.
- He says to seek God while He is near
- Let the wicked forsake his ways and thoughts
- The wicked can still return to God and be pardoned
- God says their ways and thoughts are not aligned with His.
- God's ways and thoughts are higher than theirs.
- God's word will not return to Him empty like rain or snow.
- His word will accomplish His purpose and succeed in the thing He sent it for
- They shall be led in joy and peace.
- The mountains, hills, and tress will clap their hands and sing.
- The cypress will replace the thorn
- The myrtle shall replace the brier
- It shall make a name for the Lord and a sign that won't be cut off
- What is "it"?

Deuteronomy 34 & Isaiah 54

Deuteronomy 34

- Moses left the plains of Moab and went up Mount Nebo. From the mountain the Lord showed Moses all of the land promised to Abraham.
- The Lord showed Moses the promised land but told him that he would never go there.
- It says, "he buried him", so God buried Moses and no one knows where Moses is buried even today.
- Moses was buried in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor.
- Moses was 120 and had great vigor and eye sight when he died.
- The people wept over Moses for 30 days in Moab.
- Joshua was full of the spirit because Moses had laid his hands on Joshua.
- The people now followed him.
- There hasn't been a prophet since who the Lord knew "face-to-face" or a prophet who did such great wonders and signs
- It wraps up by saying Moses did great deeds of terror with mighty power.

Isaiah 54
- It tells the barren one to sing for she will have many children (Is this speaking of Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother?)
- They will need to get a bigger, stronger tent.
- Her offspring will possess the nations
- She will not be ashamed or disgraced. She will not remember the reproach of her widowhood.
- Your Maker is your husband (speaking of Mary?)
- The Lord called her when she was deserted and grieved.
- He deserted her for a moment but will gather her with great compassion.
- God relates this moment like the time when he promised Noah the world would never flood again.
- God now promises not to be angry and rebuke her any longer.
- The mountains and hills may depart, but God's steadfast love and covenant of peace will not.
- God addresses them as "storm tossed" and "afflicted".
- God will make their foundation with sapphires, their pinnacles of ruby, the gates of carbuncles (crystals), and their walls of precious stones
- All of their children will be taught by the Lord and they will have great peace.
- They shall be established in righteousness and far from oppression and fear.
- God won't send strife, and anyone who stirs strife up will fall.
- God says He has created a smith to blow coals and produce "a weapon for its purpose"
- He has also created a ravager to destroy.
- No weapon against them will win
- They will confute any judgment brought against them.
- This is their heritage from God and their vindication (righteousness) from God.

Deuteronomy 33 & Isaiah 53

Deuteronomy 33

- Moses blesses the people before he dies.

- The Lord came from Sinai from the ten thousands of holy ones with fire in His right hand.

- He loved His people and kept them in His hand.

- The people responded by following in God's steps and listening to Him.

- The Lord became their king in Jeshurun when Moses commanded them the law

- God spoke about the tribes

1) Reuben shall be few

2) Judah will bring the people into Him and defend against adversaries.

3) Levi will teach Jacob the rules and laws and burn offerings on the alters. There was a blessing put on Levites' work and a curse on those who rise against them.

- What is Thummim and Urim?

4) Benjamin dwells in safety. All day long, God dwells "between his shoulders"

5) Joseph's land will be the best, and their will be great quality and abundance because Joseph was prince among his brothers. He is majesty and powerful like a wild ox against enemies. Ephraim is ten thousands and Manasseh is thousands.

6) & 7) Zebulun and Issachar should rejoice in what they do. They will offer "right sacrifices" and draw abundance and hidden treasure from the sea.

8) Gad will be blessed and grow in size. Gad chose the best land as commander of the army. He executed the Lord's justice and judgments.

9) Dan is a lion's cub that leaps from Bashan (What does this mean?)

10) Naphtali is full of favor and blessing from the Lord and owns the lakes on the south.

11) Asher's sons will be most blessed and be strong.

- There is none like God. He is eternal and their dwelling place who thrusts out and destroys their enemies.

- Why is Destroy capitalized?

- Israel can be happy because there is no one like them who are saved, shielded, and given triumph by God.

- They shall defeat their enemies.

- Why were Zebulun and Issachar's blessings grouped together?

- Why wasn't Simeon mentioned in Moses's blessings speech?

Isaiah 53

- These verses predict the coming Messiah.

- They are looking for who the "arm of God" has been revealed.

- He will grow up among them but not be majestic or overly desirable.

- He was despised and rejected by men.

- A man of sorrows who knows grief

- "we" didn't esteem Him (Isaiah seems to put himself into that group)

- He has carried our grief and sorrows but we still didn't esteem Him

- Gospel statement = But he was wounded for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his stripes we are healed.

- He was killed because of my sin to bring us peace.

- We have all gone astray (sinned) every one of us.

- God has placed all of our iniquities on Him

- When he was afflicted he didn't open his mouth. (Christ didn't speak to his accusers)
- He was like a sheep led to slaughter (the cross)
- He was taken away by judgment (the Jews) and stricken for the transgressions of the people (the sins of mankind)
- The made his grave with the wicked although there was no violence or deceit in Him.
- It was God's will to "crush" him and put him to grief.
- His soul will make an offering for guilt (take away the sins of the world)
- He shall prolong his days then and God will prosper his hand.
- Out of anguish of his soul he shall see the light and be satisfied (when he said "it is finished?"
- The "righteous one" shall make many accounted righteous and bear their iniquities.
- God will divide him a portion because he poured out his soul to death.
- He was counted as a transgressor and bore the sins of many.
- He intercedes for transgressors

Deuteronomy 32 & Isaiah 52

Deuteronomy 32


- Moses taught the assembly of Israel a new song


- Moses tells the heavens and earth to listen to his words while he proclaims God's greatness.


- Moses refers to God a the Rock


- God's ways are perfect and justice


- God is faithful and without iniquity


- Israel has dealt corruptly with God so they are no longer His children.


- Moses calls the people foolish and senseless because God created them.


- Moses tells the young to ask the older generation about God's faithfulness.


- God gave the peoples of the earth borders, but he made Jacob his heritage.


- Jacob was in the desert, a wasteland and God encircled him and cared for him.


- God alone guided him, no foreign gods were involved.


- God fed him honey out of rocks and oils out of flinty rocks. (similar to water out of rocks at Marriba?)


- God also gave them milk, wine, and wheat to eat.


- Jeshurun grew fat and forsook God and scoffed at the "Rock of his salvation"


- They made God jealous and angry by following strange gods.


- They worshipped demons and new gods which their fathers had never heard about.


- They forgot God who made them.


- God saw their wickedness and hid His face because they were perverse and not faithful.


- God said he would provoke Israel to anger using a foolish nation.


- God anger burns to the depths of Sheol and burn the earth and its increase.


- Is the "increase" the nation of Israel?


- God says He will send plague, waste, teeth, and venom against them.


- God will set the sword against ALL of Israel; man, woman, young, and old.


- The reason Moses didn't want God to wipe out Israel was because their enemies might misunderstand and think they defeated Israel instead of God punishing them.

- Moses says their enemies have no counsel and no understanding.

- Moses recounts that two of their people defeated ten thousand (Joshua)

- Moses links those people with Sodom and Gomorrah.

- God says vengeance is His and He will repay them

- God will judge His people and have compassion on them once their power is gone.

- God will simply ask them in this low time, where their other gods have gone.

- God will tell them to have their gods help and protect them.

- God tells them that He is the only God and no one can deliver them out of God's hand.

- God will sharpen His "flashing sword" (lightning) and take vengeance on His adversaries.

- He will kill His enemies.

- Moses says the Israelites' response should be to rejoice and even other gods should bow down to God.

- He will avenge the blood of His children.

- Moses rehearsed this song with them and warned them to remember it and teach it to their children.

- Moses' song is not simply "empty words" but words of long life in the new land.

- God told Moses to go up Mount Nebo (in Abrim) in the land of Moab to view the promised land.

- God also told Moses that he'd die there.

- Moses would die there because he "broke faith" with God at the waters of Meribah-kadesh.

- This was because Moses didn't treat God as holy before his people.



Isaiah 52

- Jerusalem needs to wake up and put on strength and garments for no more uncircumcised will come into the city.
- They need to pick themselves up and loose their bonds.
- Israel was sold for nothing and will be redeemed without money.
- God recounts them sojourning into Egypt.
- The Assyrians have oppressed them for nothing.
- God sees His people have been taken away and His name is despised.
- God promised they will all know His name soon.
- Well known verse 7 , How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news
- People bring good news, publishes salvation, and who tell Zion their God reigns.
- They sing for joy and see the return of the Lord.
- The Lord redeemed His people so they can sing.
- All nations will see the salvation of the Lord.
- God tells them to depart and go out from "there" Where is there?
- They need to purify themselves.
- God will go before them AND be their rear guard (He will totally protect them).
- God's servant shall act wisely and be lifted up and exalted.
- His appearance was marred and kings will shut their mouths because of him (Jesus?)
- They will see things untold and understand things they have not heard.
- This last section of Isaiah 52 seems to point to Jesus

Deuteronomy 31 and Isaiah 51

Deuteronomy 31
- Moses tells the Israelites he's 120 and no longer able to go out and come in.
- He also tells them God said he can't cross the Jordan.
- God will cross the Jordan before them and dispossess the nations there.
- Joshua will be their leader there.
- They shall do to them as God commanded.
- Moses tells them to "be strong and courageous" and not fear because God is with them.
- Moses pulled Joshua up and told him to be strong and courageous because God is with them and God will not leave nor forsake them.
- God with you = no fear
- Moses gave the Levites a law to read every 7 years at the Feast of Booths
- Moses tells them to read it to everyone among them so they may learn to "hear and learn to fear the Lord."
- Also their children will hear the law every 7 years.
- God said Moses would die soon and needed to commission him.
- God appeared in a pillar of cloud over the tent.
- God tells Moses that the Israelites will whore after other gods in the new land and God will turn His face from them.
- God tells Moses that when the people enter the promised land and are full and content, they will turn from God.
- God gives Moses a song to confront them in their future sinfulness.
- Moses wrote down the song and taught it to the people that day.
- God said that He knows how they will sin before they even get into the promised land.
- God commissioned Joshua and told him to be strong because God was with him.
- Moses told the Levites to put this book of the law (Deuteronomy?) next to the ark.
- Moses says the law will bear witness against them when he's gone.
- Moses also tells them they are rebellious and says they will be even more so when he (Moses) is gone.
- Moses has all the elders called to speak to them that heaven and earth will bear witness against them.
- Moses tells them they will surely turn from God's commandments and provoke God to anger.

Isaiah 51
- Isaiah tells those who pursue righteousness to listen to him.
- He reflects how Abraham was one man but God multiplied and blessed him.
- God comforts Zion, making her wilderness like Eden.
- There will be joy and gladness and thanksgiving in Zion.
- God's justice is a light to the peoples.
- God's righteousness draws near
- His salvation has gone out
- His arms will judge the people.
- People wait for the arms of God.
- The heavens will vanish and the earth will die out. the people will die.
- God's salvation is forever
- God's righteousness will never be dismayed.
- God calls to His people to not fear man or his revilings.
- Those people will will fall but righteousness and salvation are forever.
- They cut Rahab into pieces, dried up the sea, for the redeemed to pass,
- The ransomed of the Lord will return to Zion.
- Joy and gladness will fill them. Sorrow and sighing will leave them.
- God comforts, but God asks why they are afraid of man "who dies".
- The son of man has forgotten the Lord, your maker.
- God's people fear man, when God made the heavens and the earth.
- God tells those that are "bowed down" that they won't go into the pit and be lacking bread.
- God makes the waves of the sea.
- God has put His words in their mouth and they are in His hands because they are His people.
- God tells them to wake up.
- They have drank from the cup of God's wrath (cup of staggering)
- No man yet born has been able to lead
- God asks who can comfort them after they have faced devastation, destruction, famine, and sword.
- The people are full of the wrath and rebuke of God.
- The people are drunk (not with wine) but from drinking God's wrath.
- God pleads for their cause (Is this a reference to Christ?) and takes away the cup of God's wrath.
- They will no longer drink from that cup.
- God will put the cup in the hands of their oppressors.
- God tells His people to bow down.

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!