WinstonY

Question 11-3 The basis of Israel’s expectation of salvation in 63:7 - 64:12 seems to be the fact Yahweh is ‘our father’. This is a very intimate thing - to refer to someone as our father. It is used in Isaiah three times (63:15, 16 and 64:8) . Otherwise it is only used in David’s prayer 1Corinicles 29:10 in a prayer on his deathbed confesses to God ‘our father’. Otherwise the use is totally exclusive to Isaiah in Chapters 63 and 64. There is a great sense of intimacy in these “for you are our Father”, also “your, O Lord, are our Father” and yet “You are our father”. (64:8) This is really a new use of the term here in Isaiah and in so doing Isaiah lays claim to being heir of God and as Paul will later write co-heirs with Christ. We are so intimate with God it is like potter and clay. “You are our potter and we are your clay”. (64:8) Being our Father Yahweh stands in an unique position with people. We are the beloved children whom God loves. We see in the parable of the Prodigal Son of how forgiving a parent can be and do we expect anything less from ‘our Father’ in heaven. “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth” before the righteousness of God, who will hide himself before our iniquities. But God has provided a plan; God, God-self will come to earth in form of a man. Jesus and God in his righteousness died so that our sins will be washed away. Christ will put on us a robe of righteousness and we will than appear before God clothed in his righteousness and than we can truly call God ‘ our father’. Isaiah recounts the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, because of all the Lord has done for us....according to the abundance of his steadfast love (62.7) In accounting these deeds and relating how the people rebelled against God and grieved his Holy Spirit; yet despite all that God remembered the days of old, remembered that he is ‘our father’ and we should graciously rejoice for God’s fidelity does not depend upon us but upon God’s promise that we will be priests of the Lord, named ministers of our God and that we will possess a double portion and everlasting joy shall be ours. This is grace that God despite our transgressions will clothe us in a robe of righteousness. Grace is probably best illustrated by 65: 1 - 2 , “I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am’, to a nation that did not call on my name. I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;”. winstony

Question 11-2 The final state of the Jewish people will be one of vindication and salvation. (62.2) This vindication will be obvious to others (3). Israel will forsake her barrenness and like Sarah , Hannah and Elizabeth became fruitful. Here in these verses Isaiah harkens back to the words written in 40:3-5, 10 and 49:22. In verse 12 Isaiah proclaims for the Lord. They shall be called God’s holy people Verse 11 is an interesting notice that Yahweh has proclaimed: “See, your salvation comes ; his reward is with him and his recompense is before him”. (11) Surely from a Christacentric point of view, Jesus is the salvation that is coming in verse 11. Paul writes that “salvation has come to the Gentiles so this is the blessing given to Gentiles. It seems as if it is necessary to keep reminding God of that which was promised - Isaiah writes, “You who remind the Lord take no rest and give him no rest until he establishes the Jerusalem. Jesus also reminds us of the necessity to be persistent in our prayers when he tells the parable of the widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8) and concludes “will the God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him night and day? Will he delay long in helping them?” winstony

the essence of Mary's positive response to the angel is that she accepted the job that God had given her and set her face resolutely to the task. We can we learn from her response in our own lives that we can also respond favorably to a request from God and to do it with a stead fast face. God asks us to sometimes do a duty which will have unpleasant consequences. These to we can also respond favorably. Mary was informed by the angel and she would know the consequences in the community She was possibility facing misunderstanding and rejection from her family, her betrothed, and her townspeople. For a betrothed woman to bear a child out of wedlock to someone not her husband could potentially even result in stoning. she knew the consequences and accepted. We are accepting the consequences of the community. winstony

the essence of Mary's positive response to the angel is that she accepted the job that God had given her and set her face resolutely to the task. We can we learn from her response in our own lives that we can also respond favorably to a request from God and to do it with a stead fast face. God asks us to sometimes do a duty which will have unpleasant consequences. These to we can also respond favorably. Mary was informed by the angel and she would know the consequences in the community She was possibility facing misunderstanding and rejection from her family, her betrothed, and her townspeople. For a betrothed woman to bear a child out of wedlock to someone not her husband could potentially even result in stoning. she knew the consequences and accepted. We are accepting the consequences of the community.

the essence of Mary's positive response to the angel is that she accepted the job that God had given her and set her face resolutely to the task. We can we learn from her response in our own lives that we can also respond favorably to a request from God and to do it with a stead fast face. God asks us to sometimes do a duty which will have unpleasant consequences. These to we can also respond favorably. Mary was informed by the angel and she would know the consequences in the community She was possibility facing misunderstanding and rejection from her family, her betrothed, and her townspeople. For a betrothed woman to bear a child out of wedlock to someone not her husband could potentially even result in stoning. she knew the consequences and accepted. We are accepting the consequences of the community.

Q3. (Luke 1:35) What does the virgin conception teach us about Jesus' nature? How central is the doctrine of the virgin conception to the Christian message? "The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.'" (1:35) In the same way as the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 1:8) so the Holy Spirit came upon Mary - this same word is used of the Holy Spirit. Really is the one much more of a miracle than the other -the immaculate conception or the conception of the power of the Holy Spirit in Acts 1.8? Thus Jesus is " the one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father" Really not very central. The power of the Holy Spirit in the world and its power over people is what is central. After Easter morning, after Pentecost the disciples knew that something had happened to them . It was a miracle and the disciples were just trying to explain what had happened. winstony

Mary's question was a question of wonder and awe, it was a question simply -how will it come about? It is an accepting question, as an aide being given an order and clarifying details. She may have been wondering what she might have to do to become pregnant. And the angel answers. On the other hand, Zechariah's question was one of doubt like Sarah's so many years before in Genesis 18.11-14. Sarah was punished and so was Zechariah.

Mary's question was a question of wonder and awe, it was a question simply -how will it come about? It is an accepting question, as an aide being given an order and clarifying details. She may have been wondering what she might have to do to become pregnant. And the angel answers. On the other hand, Zechariah's question was one of doubt like Sarah's so many years before in Genesis 18.11-14. Sarah was punished and so was Zechariah.

Mary's question was a question of wonder and awe, it was a question simply -how will it come about? It is an accepting question, as an aide being given an order and clarifying details. She may have been wondering what she might have to do to become pregnant. And the angel answers. On the other hand, Zechariah's question was one of doubt like Sarah's so many years before in Genesis 18.11-14. Sarah was punished and so was Zechariah.

a) The child must be given the name "Jesus," He will inherit "the throne of his father David c) he will reign over the house of Jacob forever," in other words, he will be the long anticipated King of the Jews, the Jewish Messiah, the "Son of David," who will reign over the Kingdom of God. d) "his kingdom will never end." e) it is an everlasting personal reign of Jesus who will reign for ever bringing justice for the poor and proclaiming the good news to the poor. the captives, the oppressed and the blind. f)

a) The child must be given the name "Jesus," He will inherit "the throne of his father David c) he will reign over the house of Jacob forever," in other words, he will be the long anticipated King of the Jews, the Jewish Messiah, the "Son of David," who will reign over the Kingdom of God. d) "his kingdom will never end." e) it is an everlasting personal reign of Jesus who will reign for ever bringing justice for the poor and proclaiming the good news to the poor. the captives, the oppressed and the blind. f)

Question 11 - 1 Jesus used the words ‘captive’ and ‘prisoner’ in no other manner than literally. Jesus here is stating the objectives and goals of his missionary journey and uses these verses from Isaiah 61 which the people who heard Jesus read the scriptures that day would accept as literal. These people of Nazareth were looking, longing and waiting for a Messiah and became so upset at Jesus they literally tried to throw him off a cliff. Jesus’ words after he rolled up the scroll also confirmed the literal aspect of his freedom statement. He said “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. Jesus then went forth on his mission and began to heal the lame and the blind. He cast out demons, cured leprosy and raised the dead. Jesus’ mission was a literal mission. Jesus in these verses not only refers to Isaiah 61:19 but also adds a line from 58:6 ‘ to let the oppressed go free’ which seems very literal as verse 58:7 goes on to suggest we share bread with the hungry and to bring the homeless home and to clothe the naked. A very literal presence. Today Jesus calls for us to literally bring good news to the poor, the good news of Christ’s coming and the good news of freedom from oppression, the release of the captives and the proclamation of the day of the Lord. We are called to be so caring for these poor that we take in the homeless and to clothe the naked and to fight to free the oppressed and the captives. This is a clear call to form something new in society. It calls for a total reversal of the fortunes of the rich and the poor. It calls for the rich to become poor and the poor to become rich. It is calling also for a renewal of society, it is calling for the day of the Lord where all debts are to be forgiven. Jesus is calling for a remake of society so that here is a more equal sharing of society’s wealth. Jesus intended these to be taken literally as his hearers heard it literally and became so infuriated they tried to throw him off a cliff. Personally I am donating to the church’s M&S and donate goods and money to the Food Bank but that is not enough. Jesus asks for a commitment to these beyond a pittance of effort and giving. My church does a little also. There is a food box for the needy, M&S has grown since we began to read the ‘Minute for Mission’ and at Christmas gifts are given to the needy.

Question 10-7 There is a ‘yeah but’ involved in 59:1 - 1. In verse 1 Yahweh is declaring that He is faithful, that he did not break the covenant, instead we see in verse 2 that it has been Israel that broke the covenant and he does it at the peril of Yahweh hiding his face and that he will not hear, indeed their prayers. The sins that were so grievous that Yahweh hid his face are enumerated in the following verses. They include murder, lies and falsehoods and injustice and falsehood in the legal system (notes) as well there is added words to the text concerning mischief and begetting iniquity. In verses 12 and 13 Israel confines to rebellion and treachery against God and turning their backs on God. These are grievous trespasses against the Lord Yahweh and are not to be taken lightly. The people of the 6th century and we today need to be concerned. God, the creator of all people , rich and poor, cannot bear to see his people oppressed and beaten down. It does not go on forever. He leads his people out of captivity and oppression in Egypt, he lead them out of exile in Babylon, he lead the blacks to freedom in America, he rescued the Jewish people from the hands of the Nazis and he will deliver the poor today from their oppression. To correct the situation, to have God hear prayers and turn his face to the people, than the people must turn from their iniquities and turn to the Lord Yahweh, we must acknowledge for “See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear”. (59:1) winstony

Question 10 - 5 Back biting, judgmental attitudes and harsh criticism are a form of bullying. When these types of injustices occur they bear in upon the victims, create a poor self-image and give people the impression that they are alone in the world - shut off from community. In Isaiah’s day community was what life was all about and being cut off from community was similar to being cut off from the Lord Yahweh. These then bullying acts are in a sense like excommunication . By these three types of actions then people can be cut off from the source of living water - the Lord Yahweh. Church communities can name these actions, speak out against them and declare them to be against the will of Yahweh. However, the people who use these tactics are often very subtle in their use and application of them and are often able to get the backing of the church community. In order to ‘spend ourselves on behalf of the hungry’ we need to give our self over to the Lord Yahweh, the three person Lord Yahweh, and commit ourselves to his plan of Justice to all. We need to ensure that our hands are not defiled with blood (59:3) - that of the poor. Here in this verse blood is used in a figurative sense to represent our sins against the poor. We do not give of our cash reserves as we should, we do not give of ourselves personally to the welfare of the poor - give of our time and of ourselves. We need to ensure that no one bring suit unjustly against the poor. This is very difficult in our Canadian and American system as lawyers are so expensive. Maybe we should work for free lawyer assistance for the poor and the working poor. Unfair social systems degrade the position of the poor. We need to work tirelessly toward systems that nullify some of the advantage of the power and richness of the upper elite. We need to work towards a more just distribution of the wealth that God’s creativity as provided. Ten percent of the people (the wealthy) consume 59% of the world consumption, the bottom 10% consume only 0.5%. The top 50% of the people consume 93.5% of the world’s availability resources , the bottom 50% consume 6.5%. How fair is this? The system is broken, we need to fix it. But the biggest problem is the fact that we, the rich and the moderate rich and the not so moderate rich, are not even aware of the problem of the poor. We walk right by the poor and do not even see them. Dives, the rich man , he never even saw Lazarus, he wasn’t aware of his situation! Somehow we need to break through this unseeing and focus the story on the table for all to see. For the church and the individual the problem is sincere. It is a matter of giving self over to the poor. We will not have peace in the world until the problem of the poor in the world is addressed. As long as people, churches, government and corporations are totally focused on the almighty dollar , there can be no peace. We are sitting on a powder keg and the fuse is burning. We must address the problem of poverty in a real way. The alternative may be that the Lord Yahweh will turn upon western society and say, “Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion.” (58.1) Just as he did in Isaiah’s time; he may say ,”For the Lord is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their hordes; he has doomed them, has given them over for slaughter”. (34:2) But after the people have served their term, the Lord Yahweh will say: “See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” (59:1-2) winstony

Question 10 - 5 Back biting, judgmental attitudes and harsh criticism are a form of bullying. When these types of injustices occur they bear in upon the victims, create a poor self-image and give people the impression that they are alone in the world - shut off from community. In Isaiah’s day community if what life was all about and being cut off from community was similar to being cut off from the Lord Yahweh. These then bullying acts are in a sense like excommunication . By these three types of actions then people can be cut off from the source of living water - the Lord Yahweh. Church communities can name these actions, speak out against them and declare them to be the will of Yahweh. However, the people who use these tactics are often very subtle in their use and application of them and are often able to get the backing of the church community. In order to ‘spend ourselves on behalf of the hungry’ we need to give our self over to the Lord Yahweh, the three person Lord Yahweh, and commit ourselves to his plan of Justice to all. We need to ensure that our hands are not defiled with blood (59:3) - that of the poor. Here in this verse blood is used in a figurative sense to represent our sins against the poor. We do not give of our cash reserves as we should, we do not give of ourselves personally to the welfare of the poor - give of our time and of ourselves. We need to ensure that no one bring suit unjustly against the poor. This is very difficult in our Canadian and American system as lawyers are so expensive. Maybe we should work for free lawyer assistance for the poor and the working poor. Unfair social systems degrade the position of the poor. We need to work tirelessly toward systems that nullify some of the advantage of the power and richness of the upper elite. We need to work towards a more just distribution of the wealth that God’s creativity as provided. Ten percent of the people (the wealthy) consume 59% of the world consumption, the bottom 10% consume only 0.5%. The top 50% of the people consume 93.5% of the world’s availability resources , the bottom 50% consume 6.5%. How fair is this? The system is broken, we need to fix it. But the biggest problem is the fact that we, the rich and the moderate rich and the not so moderate rich, are not even aware of the problem of the poor. We walk right by the poor and do not even see them. Take Dives, the rich man , he never even saw Lazarus, he wasn’t aware of his situation! Somehow we need to break through this unseeing and focus the story on the table for all to see. For the church and the individual the problem is sincere. It is a matter of giving self over to the poor. We will not have peace in the world until the problem of the poor in the world is addressed. As long as people, churches, government and corporations are totally focused on the almighty dollar , there can be no peace. We are sitting on a powder keg and the fuse is burning. We must address the problem of poverty in a real way. The alternative may be that the Lord Yahweh will turn upon western society and say, “Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion.” (58.1) Just as he did in Isaiah’s time; he may say ,”For the Lord is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their hordes; he has doomed them, has given them over for slaughter”. (34:2) But after the people have served their term, the Lord Yahweh will say: “See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” (59:1-2) winstony

Question 10.4 Oh My! Where has the Christian church been the last 1700 years! Again here in these verses of Isaiah 6 to 8 Yahweh screams out his purpose. Yahweh is not gentle here. We see signs of the Jesus who drove the money changers from the temple. God, though Isaiah, is very clear in his disapproval of those who do not loose the bonds of injustice and let the oppressed go free. Today’s world has vast amounts of injustice. Corporations and their shareholders in vast amounts of money on the backs of underpaid workers. We see in the notes a call to do away with the practices of sweat shops, exploiting of people, not paying a living wage. These practices and others like them are deplorable to the Lord Yahweh. They were an abomination to Yahweh in the sixth century B.C. and are still detestable before our God today. On the other hand when we loose the bonds of injustice, share our bread with the hungry, bring the homeless, poor into our houses, clothe the naked. Then your light to the nation will shine forth to the nations and healing will come quickly and Yahweh our Lord and Savior, our vindication will go before us and bring up the rear guard. Our responsibility is clear and is also clearly spelt out to us by Jesus of Nazareth in Matthew 25:39-46. In Mark 12:30-31 we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves. It seems quite clear and evident what our mission and goal in life should be and should be somewhat concerned about the consequences. In Isaiah’s time there seemed to be a great disconnect between the rebellion of the people against Yahweh’s way of humility and love for neighbor and to their religious ceremonies. In their lives they were hoarding wealth and did not practice righteousness but in their religious ceremonies they sought to know God’s ways . God hated that disconnect in Isaiah’s time and he still hates the same disconnect now. The Lord Yahweh still holds out to us the poor and we are to respond positively towards the poor. The main rationalization one sees is that the poor are too lazy to work and beg instead. A second reason is that we are ‘too poor’ to give to the poor. We do not realize the great gap between the middle class in North America and Europe and the poor of the world - both here and in the under developed countries. I do not like the term ‘tough love’ but perhaps that is what God did to the people of Israel when he allowed them to go in to exile in Babylon. winstony

Question 10-1 The inclusion of foreigners and eunichs is very important to Israel and to modern day Christians. The children of Israel have always had a remarkable sense of having a central key role in god’s plan for creation. They were right what with many the sense of being special and for being called “but you Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen the offspring of Abraham my friend;”. (Isaiah 41:8) Instead of being a light to nations the special preference went to their heads and they became unable to distinguish between being special and having a unique place in God’s plan, that they were to be the vehicle by which God was to call all nations to ‘God’s self. Instead they began to think exclusively, to think that they were not God’s people with a mission to the nations instead they thought of themselves as being exclusive to all others who were not of their religious faith. This exclusiveness led to a feeling of self-righteousness which creates a wall between God and man. These people who had felt that they were to be a light to the nations now had put their light under a bushel and had hid their light from the world. Isaiah’s message from Yahweh to the people is to be more inclusive to foreigners for God will not separate foreigners and others from ‘his people’. God is saying that God’s message is for all and that he is reaching to all through his word , through his revelation and especially through his suffering servant. This then has implications for the church for in a sense there is a mirroring of the church in ancient Israel of the Bible. Israel grew from Abraham in the promise of the covenant in him and his dependents. The church grew from Christ and the covenant of Jesus and a new creation of a new heaven and a new earth. In the heart of these religious systems is a concern for the poor and the concern for justice. There can be no justice when a foreigner, the outsider and the outcast are left off side. This scripture orders the Jews and the Christians to maintain justice and do what is right to the foreigners and eunichs who keep Yahweh’s sabbath. Yahweh declares I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Our church has a problems with Missions and Service. At a meeting recently the comment was overheard ‘let the other churches do it’. but we are the other. There needs to education on this matter. The church needs to know that the poor matter to God. That God loves them dearly and we may have to answer for our lack of response to the poor . Yahweh responded to the children of Israel delivering them from bondage in Egypt; he responded to the people of Jerusalem when they were in bondage in Babylon and returned the exiles home. To the outsider Yahweh exclaims “I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off”. winstony

Question 10 -3 In this verse, Isaiah 57:15 , we learn of the exalted nature of our God. He is the one who sits on the throne surrounded by cherubs (Isaiah 6:2-4) . He is the god that inhabits eternity and who is eternity. Without this God there would be nothingness. As well this God is holy - set apart from all else. Yet this amazing awe and inspiring God has yet another side. This God is also humble and reside with the humble. It is this great humble characteristic of God which allows God as the human Jesus to be led to the cross - humbled and contrite. It is the same humility which allows this God to be crucified , dead and be buried but it is the awesome , powerful, omnipotent God this exalted God who enables resurrection to happen. This God is close to the broken-hearted and saves those with a crushed spirit. God cares for the lowly and responds to their needs. We learn that God lives both on high and is exalted but also lives with those who are contrite and humble in spirit. In this verse we can see the premise of the liberation theology foundation that ‘ God loves the poor’. The downtrodden and contrite are loved because they are poor - not because they are better. They are poor , usually, for no reason of their own it is just the situation. The poor may be oppressed, they may be disadvantaged, they may live in an area with fewer resources. But because they are poor, downtrodden and humble they are loved by God. It is rather interesting to note that in Leviticus the sacrifice for a poor person is less than that of the rich! My congregation and I do not care for the downtrodden and contrite with the same intensity. My wife and I give strongly to the church’s Mission and Service Fund. We donate heavily to the local food bank with groceries and each summer we grow vegetables for the food bank. But this is as far as we go. We do not volunteer and become directly involved with the poor. winstony

Question 9 - 3 The idea of atonement seems to come out of Leviticus . In chapter 14, 21 - 25 we read of how a male lamb is to be offered in an atonement for sins (satisfaction, reparation, or expiation given for an injury or wrong) . Leviticus chapter 16 gives an account of the atonement sacrifice of the priest who like Zechariah in Luke 1 goes into the temple after sacrifice as an atonement for the sins of the people. The priest represents the people and he , the priest stands before the Lord Yahweh and represents the prayers of the community . The priest is the only one to go into the holy of holiest, the inner sanctuary. There in the sanctuary the priest offers prayers and in the act of laying on of hands the sins of the many are transmitted to the sacrifice and the people are cleansed, made righteous before God. The followers of Jesus after his death and resurrection felt in their inner being that something unique, something different, something joyful, something gracious had happened to them. It was the presence of God through the Holy Spirit present in their souls. This was such an uplifting of joy and happiness to them that they became to see that what had actually happened was that the prophecy of Isaiah 52, verse 13 - had been fulfilled and that just as Zechariah the one had come before God in the inner temple and made an atonement for the people then also had Jesus as the priest, a representative of the people, made an atonement before God. So that we who love Christ can stand before God cloaked in righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus the Messiah, the suffering servant of Isaiah 52:13 -53:12. Jesus through his death and in his shed blood enables our sins to pass by the symbolic laying on of hands in baptism and by the symbolic cleansing of water so that we are cleansed and stand before God in righteousness. It is rather interesting to note that in Leviticus the poor can have their sins atoned for a lesser sacrifice than the rich. winstony

Question 9-5 The scripture that seems best describes Isaiah 53 is 1 Peter 2:24-25 , “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls”. Verse 24 speaks of Jesus being the atonement for our sins. Peter here is explaining, preaching to his hearers that Jesus, got himself is substitute for people for us. God through Jesus receive the punishment for our sins. The punishment we should receive. This means that every time I sin Jesus bears the punishment - when I sin Jesus winces in pain. In this process of atonement by his wounds we are healed and we are made righteous before god. Verse 25 is a verse of more comforting words that remind us that we can always return to Christ for Jesus is the guardian of our souls. winstony

Question 9 -4 As Jesus suffered on the cross he bore the sins of many. Jesus was mocked “he was despised and rejected by others “ Isaiah 53:3 and he bore our infirmities. (Verse 4) He was struck down by God and afflicted (v.4) , wounded for our transgression, crushed for our iniquities, Upon him was the punishments that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed. (V.5) Jesus was nailed to the cross and was there probably hungry, naked and thirsty. This pain and suffering, this punishment was made for the people, for you and me. It is humbling to think that the punishment of the sins of the community , that you and I commit are borne by Christ on the cross and he suffered and is suffering for the many. It is not all past tense it is also present. “He bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors. (V. 12) winstony

Question 10-6 Worship would certainly be a positive action for keeping the sabbath. Also prayer, meditation with God, and study are also good positive actions. Relaxing actions with family would also be looked upon favourable by God. As well, if one donated themselves time and money to the poor would be a plus. On the negative side any form of self-seeking would break the commandment. Attending worship ‘only’ because it made you ‘look good’ in the eyes of the community and you are able to take personal gain from that. Working on your financial portfolio would also be a form of gain. Anything that puts self first and God after would be negative. winstony

Question 9 - 1 Isaiah 52: 13 to Isaiah 53 :12 The set of people from which God removes sin probably depends on whom is answering the question. As one reads this passage it appears at first glance that Isaiah is referring to the people of Judah for the whole of the book of Isaiah appears to be written to the exiles of Babylon. However if one looks at the question from a christologial point of view one notices so many references that apparently refer to Jesus of Nazareth one must begin to think that somehow through God’s infinite power Isaiah was speaking, was foreseen a Messiah- like figure to come. This was not a king-like figure. “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we would desire him”. (53.2) this was not the normal picture held by the Messiah . However, King David , the most glorious King of Israel , was the least of his many brothers . Even Jesus’ disciples had trouble understanding Jesus’ role as a suffering Messiah. So from this christological point of view Isaiah is referring to Jesus the Messiah. And as Jesus told his disciples both in the first century and the 21st century to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people. I have been troubled by the option for universal salvation for some time. The question has been around at least since the time of origin who pondered the question delicately. This portion of scripture seems to leave such an answer open for it does not clearly state that there must be a contrition on the part of the ones to be redeemed. “For he was cut off from the land of the living stricken for the transgression of my people” . (Isaiah 53:8b) And “ yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercessions for the people” (12c) . In all of this there appears to be no call for confession but verses 11 and 12 of chapter 53 are allowed declaration of resurrection. I do not think that we can consider Jesus’ sacrifice as ever been wasted. If wd do, then we are setting ourselves up as a god thinking that (a) we have the answer, and ( we are entitled to know who will be saved and who will not be saved. That is in the nan ds of the unknown god who keeps God-self hidden and he only reveals to us what we need to know in revelation. It seems as though we are on a need-to-know basis. We must only trust in him just as Yahweh pleads for the exiles to trust in him. We do not seen to know another’s fate. We just need to know that Jesus is Lord and that he will be with us forever. We must realize and accept “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55: 10 -11) also Isaiah says for God “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. (Isaiah 55:9) winstony

Question 9-2 The parallel closes to Isaiah the suffering servant is Luke 4.16 to 21. Here Jesus reads the passage directly from the scriptures. This appears to be the goal and objective of his ministry. No, I have no doubts Winston y

Question 8 - 9 Seeking the Lord would include (1) prayer to God so that we can obtain a personal relationship to God the Father, god the Son and Holy Spirit. (2) study and read the scriptures to know God’s word , God’s way and to be able to recognize the revelation of god when it is revealed. (3) We can mediate prayerfully, thoughtfully and sincerely so that we are good ground in which the seed may grow, and (4) we can seek to provide justice for all so that we will be able to hear the Lord say, “Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me’.” (Matthew 25"34 - 36) God’s way is different than our way so we must doe all of the above to ensure that we are able to walk in God’s way. If we do not repent and turn from the way of the world and then we will not be living in God’s way. Humility is necessary because we must put self aside - we cannot serve both God and mannon. Self gets in the way of God. If we do not put self aside we cannot see beyond this self and we do not really believe that God’s ways are higher than our ways and that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Theologians are in particular danger of this - that their thoughts are higher than God’s, even St. Paul needed to be careful for he speaks of ‘my gospel’ instead of the gospel of Jesus as preached by Paul. If our seeking is shallow then we fall into the trap that my thoughts and my ways are higher than God’s thoughts and God’s ways. If we are to late seeking g our soul may be needed of us ‘ that very night’. No, it is never too late to seek the Lord for he left the 99 and went to seek the one. ‘NO’ we must only seek the Lord in sincerity and truth. winstony