Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

For a link to Isaiah 24:1-23, press HERE.

Lord, you are my God;
    I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
    you have done wonderful things,
    things planned long ago.
You have made the city a heap of rubble,
    the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
    it will never be rebuilt.
Therefore strong peoples will honor you;
    cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
You have been a refuge for the poor,
    a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
    and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
    is like a storm driving against a wall
    and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
    as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
    so the song of the ruthless is stilled.
On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
    he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
    we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;
    but Moab will be trampled in their land
    as straw is trampled down in the manure.
They will stretch out their hands in it,
    as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.
God will bring down their pride
    despite the cleverness of their hands.
He will bring down your high fortified walls
    and lay them low;
he will bring them down to the ground,
    to the very dust.

• Isaiah 25:1-12

For a link to Isaiah 26:1-21, press HERE.

In that day,
the Lord will punish with his sword—
    his fierce, great and powerful sword—
Leviathan the gliding serpent,
    Leviathan the coiling serpent;
he will slay the monster of the sea.
In that day—
“Sing about a fruitful vineyard:
    I, the Lord, watch over it;
    I water it continually.
I guard it day and night
    so that no one may harm it.
    I am not angry.
If only there were briers and thorns confronting me!
    I would march against them in battle;
    I would set them all on fire.
Or else let them come to me for refuge;
    let them make peace with me,
    yes, let them make peace with me.”
In days to come Jacob will take root,
    Israel will bud and blossom
    and fill all the world with fruit.
Has the Lord struck her
    as he struck down those who struck her?
Has she been killed
    as those were killed who killed her?
By warfare and exile you contend with her—
    with his fierce blast he drives her out,
    as on a day the east wind blows.
By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for,
    and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:
When he makes all the altar stones
    to be like limestone crushed to pieces,
no Asherah poles or incense altars
    will be left standing.
The fortified city stands desolate,
    an abandoned settlement, forsaken like the wilderness;
there the calves graze,
    there they lie down;
    they strip its branches bare.
When its twigs are dry, they are broken off
    and women come and make fires with them.
For this is a people without understanding;
    so their Maker has no compassion on them,
    and their Creator shows them no favor.
In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

• Isaiah 27:1-13

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Isaiah 24-27 ‘from Chaos to Restoration’: “The next four chapters comprise a unit, one which has been analyzed and debated extensively by commentators (see my book From Chaos to Restoration, An Integrative Reading of Isaiah 24-27 [Dan G. Johnson]). It begins with a picture of utter destruction (24:1-20). There are two unnamed cities (24:10; 25:2; 26:1; 27:10). Their fate affects the rest of the world. When the one is destroyed in 24:10, there is unending lament, and the rest of the world is devastated. When the other is destroyed in 25:2, God is praised and the world rejoices. In 26:1 the city is strong, the place of God’s salvation. But in 27:10 the city is desolate. The identity of these cities and the meaning of these chapters have proved elusive. But, in my view, Isaiah speaks of Jerusalem and Babylon, two cities whose destinies affected the world.
“There are three compelling reasons for seeing 24:10 as a reference to Jerusalem: (1) The everlasting covenant in v.5 was extended to Israel alone, no one else. (2) In v.11 the phrase in Hebrew is ‘the joy of the earth,’ which is a well-known epithet for Jerusalem. (3) V.13 focuses the destruction ‘in the midst of the earth,’ an expression for Jerusalem, which was believed to be located at the center of the earth. Its eventual destruction in 587 b.c. would be tantamount to the total collapse of the world, chaos.
“In 24:21-23 a day in the future (‘in that day’), God will intervene against the forces of chaos. He will destroy the wicked city (25:2), which must be Babylon, to Jerusalem, the most horrible enemy. It will be a day of great rejoicing with a heavenly banquet (25:6-9). But that day of rejoicing is still in the future, so the prophet admonishes the people to trust in the interim. Isa 26:1-6 is a song of trust.
“But until that day of victory comes, Judah’s lot is extremely difficult. Isa 26:7-18 is a lament bemoaning the situation of God’s righteous ones who currently are in distress because of God’s disciplinary action (v.16 refers to the Exile). The nation’s pain is like a woman in childbirth, but it has no birth to show for the pain (26:17-18). Isa 26:19 is an oracle of salvation, a shout of joy that the dead will live! There will be a national restoration (this is similar to Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning the dry bones and is not a reference to individual resurrection).
“Indeed, God is about to act. He will move out across the face of the earth in terrible judgment, so they must hide for a little while until he is finished (26:20-21). In that day, God will slay the chaos monster (27:1), a reference to the devastation of Babylon. When he does, Judah will be restored (the vineyard song in 27:2-6 is the reversal of the song of the vineyard in 5:1-7). Isa 27:7-11 is a reflection on the current state of Judah, struck down by God, punished with exile, her precious city in ruins. But the ultimate plan of God will be enacted, resulting in complete restoration and the return of the exiles (27:12-13).
These four chapters are placed here as a summary of the previous chapters, albeit in a heightened, almost apocalyptic key. Jerusalem will be punished for breaking God’s laws. She will be utterly devastated (chs. 1-12). But because Jerusalem is the religious center of the world, her demise will mean the destruction of the entire earth. All the earth will be judged (chs. 13-23, the oracles against the nations of the earth). But here, as in the earlier chapters, is a hint of divine action to save and restore Israel (2:1-5; 4:2-6; 9:2-7; 11:1-12:6).”

• Eugene E. Carpenter, Asbury Bible Commentary

Isaiah 24-27 ‘Redemption of Israel through World Judgment’: “These four chapters give praise to God for His future victory over all enemies and the final deliverance of Israel in the Day of the Lord. The judgments in this chapter (24) look forward to the Tribulation as described in Revelation 6ff.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 24:1-13 ‘The Little Apocalypse of Isaiah’: “The Greek word apacalypsis translates to the English word revelation and has the meaning of ‘unfolding’ or ‘unveiling.’ The basic outline of this portion of Isaiah is very similar to that of the apocalypse, or the book of Revelation—hence the title of this section. Also, the cataclysmic judgments of these chapters are similar to the apocalyptic judgments found in Revelation.
“Isaiah 24 describes the Great Tribulation, the great worldwide judgment upon the earth, and includes four points.
“The first point is the worldwide judgment of God (verses 1-13). Verses 1-4 spell out this massive, universal judgment, which will affect all social and economic classes. The source of this judgment is God, and by the time it has run its course, the results on the earth will be fourfold: He will make the earth empty, He will make it waste, He will turn it upside down (almost picturing the South Pole becoming the North Pole), and He will ‘scatter its inhabitants’ (verse 1). The reason for this judgment is the violation of ‘the everlasting covenant’ (verses 5-6). Which covenant is he speaking of in this passage? The covenant that was made with the world in general, or the Noachin Covenant in Genesis 9:1-17. By violating the statutes of this covenant, man has polluted the earth.”

• Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy

Isaiah 24:1 ‘empty … waste, distorts … scatters’: “The prophet generalized and broadened the destruction about which he had written more specifically in chapters 13-23. The Lord is to deal with the whole earth more severely than He did at the Tower of Babel or through the Noahic flood.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 24:6 ‘haughty people’: “The prophet again called attention to pride as the reason for God’s judgment (cf. 23:9). Cf. Proverbs 16:5.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 24:14-16 ‘glorification of God’s name’: “The second point deals with the worldwide glorification of God’s name, which comes suddenly from all directions (24:14-16). It comes from the west, the east, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Even in the midst of the massive judgment that falls upon the earth during the Great Tribulation, there will still be worldwide glorification of God’s name. The song these people sing is ‘Glory to the Righteous One!’ (verse 16). Who are these people? Jewish and Gentile believers who are on earth during the Great Tribulation.
“Isaiah does not provide the details, but interestingly, Revelation 6-7 follows the same outline as Isaiah 24. … ”

• Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy

Isaiah 24:16-20 ‘judgment of the earth’: “The third point returns to the theme of judgment—the devastation of the earth (24:16-20). Isaiah is caught up in this vision and becomes a participant in verse 16: ‘I said, “Woe to me! Woe to me! Alas for me! The treacherous deal treacherously, and the treacherous deal very treacherously.” ’
“The point of this verse is that although there are many who are praising God’s name, there is judgment nonetheless. Isaiah then emphasizes the inescapableness of the judgments. In verse 17 he states that people are unable to escape terror, the pit, and the snare. In verse 18, those who may escape terror shall fall into the pit; those who escape the pit end up by falling into the snare. Indeed, the judgments of the Great Tribulation will fall upon all. In verse 18 there is also an allusion to the Noachin flood …”

• Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy

Isaiah 24:16 ‘Glory to the Righteous’: “ ‘Righteous’ refers to God. But I. Isaiah could not yet join in the celebration of God’s glory because he pondered the grief and corruption in the world before that final celebration of God’s victory.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 24:21-23 ‘judgment of Edom’: “The fourth point marks the end of the Tribulation (24:21-23). Verse 21 reveals that when the Tribulation ends, two groups of beings will be judged. First, God will punish the ‘host of heaven on high,’ which refers to the fallen angelic beings. Second, He will punish the ‘kings of the earth on earth,’ which refers to people. After this judgment, both the fallen angels and men will be confined (verse 22). There are two different places assigned for their confinement: ‘the dungeon’ and ‘the prison.’ The ‘dungeon’ refers to hell, where fallen, unregenerated, unsaved humanity will be condemned. This is the judgment described in Matthew 25:31-46 and Joel 3:1-3. The other place of confinement, ‘the prison,’ is for fallen angels and refers to the abyss, that section of Sheol or Hades that is a temporary holding place for fallen angels. Satan will be confined to the abyss in Revelation 20:1-3. Isaiah then states, ‘and after many days they will be punished.’ Once they are confined to these places, they will not be a concern again until after ‘many days,’ which refers to the 1000 years of the millennial kingdom. They will be dealt with after the millennial kingdom, at which point they will be summoned to the Great White Throne Judgment. In the meantime, during the millennial kingdom, the Shekinah glory will outshine both the moon and the sun.”

• Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy

Isaiah 24:22 ‘shut up in the prison’: “The NT teaches more about the imprisonment of fallen angels before their final assignment to the lake of fire (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 9:2, 3, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1-10). It does the same regarding unbelieving humans (Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 24:23 ‘moon … disgraced … sun … ashamed’: “In the eternal state after Christ’s millennial reign, the glory of God and of the Lamb will replace the sun and moon as sources of light (Rev. 21:23). reign … in Jerusalem. In Revelation 11:15-17; 19:6, 16 (cf. Luke 1:31-33), John confirmed this clear prophecy of Messiah’s future earthly reign in Jerusalem.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 25 ‘the Song of Praise’: “The second unit of the Little Apocalypse of Isaiah is a song of praise that the nation of Israel will sing during the millennial kingdom. In this song, the Jewish people in the kingdom will praise God for three things: deliverance, millennial blessings, and the judgment of Israel’s enemies.”

• Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson, Exploring Bible Prophecy

Isaiah 25:1 ‘wonderful things; Your counsels of old’: “Isaiah responded to God’s final judgment of the world (ch. 24) with praise to Him for planning His actions long before their implementation.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 25:6 ‘the provisions of the gospel’: “This verse describes the provisions of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although many other interpretations have been suggested for this verse, they are all stale and utterly unworthy of such expressions as those before us. When we behold the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed—when we see him offered up on the chosen mountain—we then discover a fullness of meaning in these gracious words of sacred hospitality. As a festival on earth is looked forward to and looked back on as an oasis and a desert of time, so the gospel of Jesus Christ is to the soul its sweet release from bondage and distress and becomes its abundance and joy.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

Isaiah 25:8 ‘swallow up death’: “God will swallow up death, which itself functions as a swallower of human beings (5:14; Prov. 1:12). Paul notes the fulfillment of this promise in the resurrection of believers (1 Cor. 15:54). wipe away tears. The Lord God will remove the sorrow associated with death (cf. 65:19). Revelation alludes to the tender action of this verse twice—once in 7:17 to describe the bliss of the redeemed in heaven, and once in 21:4 to describe ideal conditions in the New Jerusalem. rebuke … He will take away. Israel will be the head of the nations and no longer the tail (Deut. 28:13).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 26:3 ‘perfect peace … trusts in You’: “A fixed disposition of trust in the Lord brings a peace that the wicked can never know (48:22; 57:21). Such reliance precludes doublemindedness (James 116-8) and serving two masters (Matt. 6:24).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 26:7 ‘uprightness … weigh’: “The Hebrew for ‘uprightness’ means ‘straight,’ and the meaning of ‘weigh’ is ‘make level.’ In a land of hilly, twisting roads, the prophet spoke of a straight and level path for the feet of the poor and needy (cf. 40:3, 4; 42:16; 45:13).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 26:9 ‘hiding behind doubts’: “ Many people shield themselves behind their doubts about the existence of God and permit themselves to indulge in iniquities of which they might be ashamed if they did not make a cloak of their atheism.  People should not doubt the existence of God. Such a doubt cannot help them live better, and it likely will cause them to live much worse. It is a great deal more, however, when people think of God as to fear him. There is a fear of God that works well for the common good. There are people, doubtless, who are restrained from excess wickedness by their belief that God has judgments by which he can overthrow them and that at the end they will have to appear before his judgment seat. It will be a sad day for this world when that fear ceases to operate on humanity. But it is something infinitely higher and pertaining to a different sphere when we come truly to know God—when we have not merely a belief in his existence but a distinct consciousness and realization of it and when we can speak of God not as of some personage far away but as of one with whom we are intimately acquainted, one who has been a friend to us, one who has even communed with us as we would talk to a friend. God gives us spiritual vision through Christ, which makes a serious distinction between those who know God and those who do not know him. And it is produced by a wondrous change called regeneration, in which darkness passes away and the true light of God dawns on one‘s heart and soul.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

Isaiah 26:13 ‘Nothing to fear-’: “The only fear I have is to fear to get out of the will of God. Outside of the will of God, there’s nothing I want, and in the will of God there’s nothing I fear, for God has sworn to keep me in His will. If I’m out of His will, that is another matter. But if I’m in His will, He’s sworn to keep me.
“And He’s able to do it, He’s wise enough to know how to do it, and He’s kind enough to want to do it. So really there’s nothing to fear.
“I get kidded by my family and friends about this, but I don’t really think I‘m afraid of anything. Someone may ask, ‘What about cancer? Do you ever fear that you’ll die of cancer?’ Maybe so, but it will have to hurry up, or I’ll die of old age first. But I’m not too badly worried because a man who dies of cancer in the will of God, is not injured; he’s just dead. You can’t harm a man in the will of God.”

• A. W. Tozer, Success and the Christian

Isaiah 26:15 ‘gave increased the nation’: “With prophetic certainty from the perspective of Israel’s future restoration, Isaiah saw the expansion of Israel’s borders as an accomplished fact.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 27:3 ‘God will provide’: “This verse follows a terrible threat (v. 1) in which the Lord’s enemies are threatened with ‘his relentless, large, strong sword.’ But even when God has the most anger against his adversaries, he is still full of love for his people. The church of God is here compared to a vineyard. The vine is a tender plant that needs continual care, and if the vineyard is not well fenced and guarded, the enemies of the vine are sure to get in and destroy it. The church is called ‘a desirable vineyard’ (v. 2) because the Lord sets his affections on his people and they are his delight. But what is true of the whole church is also true of every member: the same God who keeps the vineyard also protects every vine, and not only this but his care extends to every little branch, to every spreading leaf, and to every clinging stem of that vine that he undertakes to keep night and day. Our text mentions two much-needed mercies: first, we find continual keeping; second, continual watering. In these gracious words from the Lord, we have a promise that we will be kept from enemies outside and from enemies inside. God is both a wall and a well to his people—a wall to guard them from their adversaries and a well to supply all their needs out of his ever-living, overflowing fullness.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

Isaiah 27:7 ‘struck Israel as He struck’: “God has tempered His dealings with Israel, but not so with those He used to punish Israel. His compassion for the other nations has come to an end.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Isaiah 27:13 ‘worship the Lord … at Jerusalem’: “The prophet reiterates one of his great themes: future worship of regathered Israel on Mount Zion (24:23; 25:6, 7, 10).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

 

My Thoughts

You can make parallels between this revelation and John’s Revelation, but Isaiah speaks in poetic language.  The world will be laid waste.  Everyone on earth will suffer as a result.  All revelry will stop.

He mentions the lack of Joy so much, I thought of the classic poem by Ernest Thayer, Casey at the Bat.  Spoiler alert for those who may not know, but the last line is: There is no joy in Mudville – Mighty Casey has struck out.  And in a strange way, the poem could be an allegory of the end times.  Casey was portrayed as the best batter alive.  Surely he could save the day.  Casey even allowed the pitcher for the other team to throw a couple of strikes, to get a feel for how the pitcher was pitching that day.  He was cocky, arrogant, and smug.  He played to the ladies in the crowd, but he failed.  Today, world leaders claim they can solve Climate Change.  They say they can solve the economic crisis.  They can end the latest war.  They have the cure or a strong vaccine for the latest variant for the latest dreaded disease.  But they will fail.  And if they are still around during this Tribulation, they will be imprisoned.  Other rulers, especially those who have persecuted God’s Chosen People will die and rise no more.

Yes, there is no joy on earth – for all the mighty leaders on earth have struck out.

But, there is good news, Babylon’s walls have been made low and the city will never be built again.  God is our comfort for those who worship and praise Him.

But the worshiping throughout the world is not qualified.  It is not given in detail.  Only that people from all over the world will Glorify God in the midst of this Tribulation.  Is this a sincere conversion to a true believer or is this one of those “Oops, we made Him angry, so let’s try praising Him for a while?”  I think much of this praise and glorification is genuine, but Isaiah does not clarify.

But back to God being a comfort.  Having issues with getting too hot, I loved the line about sending a cloud to provide cooling from the heat.

And then, death will be swallowed up forever.  Just think of that for a moment.  With no joy in Mudville?  …  No, we are no longer in Mudville.  No death is reason to rejoice.

Then Isaiah 25, mostly filled with good news, ends with a curse of Moab, being trampled into the mud.

Then Judah will be vindicated.  Judah will return.  Even all of Israel will return, the remnant.  People will come from far and wide to worship God.  The nation’s borders will expand.  The city will be strong with strong walls and ramparts.  The lofty will be made low.  The “kings” will be imprisoned.  Other cruel rulers will die and not rise again.  But the dead shall rise.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

“Isaiah 24: 1. How does this prospect of universal judgment strike you: (a) An archaic view of a Zionist Jew? (b) Vindictive action on God’s part? (c) Source of hope and joy conveyed by God’s control? (d) A day to be feared by all, regardless of social or religious distinction? (e) Other: ?
“2. How would your view of ‘that day’ change if you were a powerful, corrupt king’? If you were a victim of his oppressive rule?
“3. Both joy (v.14) and sorrow (v.16b) will be the experience of the godly remnant who survive this judgment. When you see or hear about current disaster striking those who deserve it what do you feel?
“4. When have you tried getting ‘out of the frying pan’ only to find yourself ‘in the fire’? What did you learn about yourself in that situation? Did that experience drive you toward God, or away from God? Why?
“5. What do you learn about God from considering his past judgments (such as Noah’s flood, or the fall of specific nations)? In comparison, what do you learn when you consider God’s future glory, which will eclipse even the sun and stars above?
“Isaiah 25: 1. What applications does the New Testament make of this great feast (see 100 15:54; Rev 9:9; 21:4)? What will be the effect of Christ’s coming in that day?
“2. What are some of the ‘cities’ (seats of power, feats or accomplishments) in which people place their pride and confidence today? To which of these things do you find yourself drawn? Why?
“3. What is the ‘storm’ or ‘heat of the desert’ that is affecting you right now? How has God sheltered you from that? Where do you need a ‘shelter’ or ‘cloud’ cover now?
“4. In coping with death, disappointment or disgrace, what does the promise of verses 7-8 mean to you? When has that promise been made real to you? Or does it seem so distant in its fulfillment that it is not much help to you, here and now?
“Isaiah 26: 1. Of the qualities of God’s people (vv.3-4,7-9), what one or two do you yearn for now? How might you go about doing so?
“2. What would it be like to always be a credit to God’s name and reputation? What things do you do that you’d just as soon not have God’s name dragged into.
“3. What are some 20th century examples of the reversal in verses 5-6? Why are such case studies in judgment ultimately a cause for joy?
“4. How might this prophecy serve as a model for how you could pray tor oppressive governments today? When you pray the Lord’s Prayer (‘Thy kingdom come’), do such judgments come to mind? Why or why not? How would you feel about God if he did not answer prayer in that way?
“5. What hope is held out to you in verse 19 as you consider your failures in life? How might this hope affect your view of yourself? Your willingness to take risks? Your sense of God’s call and courage?
“Isaiah 27: 1. What ‘sea monsters’ (pressures, temptations, opposing forces) seem to be chasing after you these days? How do you cope with them? Which one do you want God to slay first?
“2. Ls the fruit of your lite mostly taking root (present, but unseen)? Or is your fruit budding and blossoming (it’s beginning to show its God-given potential)?
“3. This past year, have you sensed God singing about your garden (as in vv.2-6)? Or have you felt God was disciplining you in some way (as in vv.7-9)? Why? In retrospect (and in view of Jn 15), what do you see as the purpose of such discipline? What is your part, and God’s part, in being fruitful and multiplying for God?
“4. ‘Asherah poles’ and ‘incense altars’ (v.9) were idolatrous; even so, they were used by Judah. What things have possibly taken the place of God as ‘the desire of your heart’ (26:8)?
“5. When feeling far from God, what hope do you receive from praying through verses 12-13?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

There is one set of questions for each chapter.  The questions were quoted as is.  You may change 20^th Century to 21^st Century, but then compare how the question would be answered thirty years ago.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.