WinstonY

Question 8 - 8 In Isaiah 55: 1 -3 we see a contrast in what God offers us and what the world offers - what the empire of Babylon offers in the time of Isaiah and what the corporate empire offers in the present day. The empires offer that which does not satisfy whereas that which the Lord Yahweh offers gives satisfaction on two fronts. First there is the spiritual where one feasts on bread , wine , milk and the living water as offered by God through Jesus Christ. Our spiritual hungers and thirsts are satisfied. Secondly we are called in response to the great commandment (love your neighbor) to proved food, clothing, housing and spiritual prayer for those who are unable to look after themselves. This is the justice of God. These two taken together gives satisfaction of the body and spirit. The food and drink of the empire is based upon ‘more’ - always we want more - more food then we need, more milk , water, and wine then we need. More power, more, more, more, ... and we never get more. Our ‘rational’ sense tells us that we need more. We tear down our barns and build larger ones. But, lo, the very night ones life maybe demanded of them. (Luke 12:20) this desire for more can only sated at the well of the living water and we must draw water from this well where there is more without money and without Christ. There are those that hear the good news and are joyful because the good news fell on good ground but there are those who are barren ground, rocky places and thorny spots. These will not joyfully hear the word. We are able to invite those people around us to the table of the Lord in several ways. (1.) Can live their life in such a joy filled way that people will then ask for the source of joy and then we can respond that the living word of Christ is our joy. (2) We \can proclaim the good news of the gospel and (3) we can work to provide justice for all. winstony

Question 8 - 7 Here in these verses Isaiah sees the Jewish people in exile are “afflicted, storm tossed and not comforted”. They need to be comforted and given hope and confidence. Now Isaiah turns his words to achieve these goals. He uses words to great effect to encourage God’s people to accept the challenge and to give their trust again to Yahweh. In verses 5 - 8 , Yahweh admits that he has abandoned them and in a moment of wrath he hid his face from the people. Yahweh through the tongue of Isaiah tells the people in fantastic metaphors that he will always be with them. The mountains may depart before God’s love departs. A pinnacle of rubies and sapphires will be theirs because of God’s love for them. God’s love is so extravagant that it takes very extravagant language to describe Yahweh’s love. Isaiah suggests that because Yahweh has made the blacksmith then the smith will not be able to create weapons which are greater than the power of God. God’s power is unlike human power. Recently there was threatened a war involving USA, Syria , Russia and China. It appeared as that all was done that could be done. However Pope Francis called for a fast for peace for Syria and lo there was peace. It seems as if we need to pray to further the fulfillment of God’s word and work. This means that prayer to God in faith is important and James suggests that “the effect of prayer of a righteousness man can do wonders”. (5:16) winstony

Question 8 - 6 The barrenness of Israel in exile is described in Isaiah by a metaphor of a barren woman or as a widow. In the 7th century BC women were under the complete control of the husband and the only way of winning love was to produce children for her husband as children were one of the great needs of ancient society. Boys especially were prized for it was on their shoulders that the future of the family was to succeed. A family without children was seen as very unfortunate and the wife was looked down upon and was scorned by those around her. Women became desperate to have children for if not the husband was disappointed, the neighbors smirked and she herself was desolate. Many women went to great lengths to have children. Sarah had Abraham sleep with her handmaiden in order for her to have a child. Israel in exile to Babylon had the same feeling of desolation as the barren woman as they felt they had no future. They felt abandoned by Yahweh in their time of exile. This sense of abandonment would lead Israel into depression . Your maker is your husband implies that just as the husband had complete control in the 7th century B.C. so Yahweh who Isaiah portrays as Israel’s husband has complete congrol and authority over Israel. Yahweh offers a promise that although in a most of wrath he did his face from Israel but now in his everlasting love he will have compassion on Israel and will love her. In the new Testament the bride is the church and Jesus the Messiah is the husband. The wife then is expected to obey her husband in every degree, to love him and to cherish him regardless of her treatment. When the wife disobeys the husband she can be beaten , deprived of love and even exiled. The church in the southern hemisphere his grown in leaps and bounds but in the northern hemisphere this is not so. We have put money forward as an idol , corporations have become greedy and church leaders have been slack. winston y

Question 8.5 The bearer of good news is always considered to b e beautiful ; whether it be a new birth in the family or a victory in battle. Sentinels on the walls of the city could tell by the movement of the runner whether the news the runner carried was bad or good. The good news runner would run with joy because he would be met joyously at the gates of the city and there would be great feasting. The bearer of bad news would be shunned and perhaps even killed. The good news bearer was a much better omen. The news that is being brought from Babylon to Jerusalem is not just good news - it is exceptional news, news that the exiles would return. The city will now be able to be rebuilt, life would return to ‘normal’ and the temple would be rebuilt. Paul recalls this message when he writes in romans. He suggests that although no one who calls upon Jesus would be put to shame but asks how are people to call upon one in whom they do not believe. Romans 10:14) the good ness that Paul is referring to here is the good news of the gospel. The news that is true good to be true. The news of God’s gracious git to humanity, the gift of Jesus Christ. Thus Paul is saying the same that Jesus is saying in Matthew 28:18-20 go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations. Isaiah in his most poetic mode writes that blessed are those who bring the good news of the gospel to announce salvation to all that listen.

Question 8.3 It seems as if the Lord is speaking to his servant in verses 4 to 9. For we see that the servant is open to the Lord and the Lord has given him the tongue of ta teacher so that the weary may be sustained. Th Lord has given his servant the quality of hearing the cry of complaint of the oppressed just as the Lord himself heard the cry of the oppressed slaves in Egypt. The servant did not turn back once he set his face steadfastly to go the Jerusalem (luke 9:51) where he gave his back to those who whipped him, he gave his cheek for his beard to be pulled and he did not react when he was spit upon. If one feeds this account from a christological point of view, one is able to see many of the events recorded above in the gospels. This seem to us to be speaking to Jesus of Nazareth. In this age which is for us the day of the Lord we must trust that the Lord - Father, Son and Hotly Spirit as we struggle forward to do the work of the Lord. We must trust that he who vindicates us , he who clears us of all blame or suspicion cloaked in a cloak of righteousness placed upon us by the hands of Christ, the Messiah. We need to be patient for sometimes it seems that we like the exiles have been neglected by God but we must trust that he will come and support just as he promised the exiles that he would support them. There seems to have been a sense or a need of vindication however or vindication is in the Lord. It is he that clears us - he makes us righteousness, he takes our sins and makes us as white as snow. A necessary quality of character that is necessary for believers is patience and trust. winstony

Question 8.4 Trusting the Lord is like flying with radar in a great cloud, fog or darkness. The pilot is unable to see where the airplane is going and so it is necessary for him or her to rely on the radar to guide the plane safely home. So it is with us. God is our radar who guides us when we cannot see the path. We trust the radar we also need to trust god put our hand in his as we walk through the deep waters. Yes, I have experienced such fear and found my way in Isaiah 55 the pilot must fly blindly into the dankness trusting the radar. We must also learn to trust God and not our own reasoning. If a pilot does not trust his instruments and relies instead on his won judgement, catastrophe is often the result. Also when we do not follow the radar of our Lord in the scriptures and in the tradition of the church and in the revelation of God then we are headed for a crash. Winstony

Question 8.2 Yahweh in these verses we read today leaves no doubt of his love for Israel. In verse 8 he refers to the covenant. In verse 9 He refers to what appears to be the exiles in Babylon when he says “ Come out” and “Show yourselves”- this seems to be language for those in captivity. But in verses on there seems to be a universality to the language. Also the imagery here in these Isaiah verses is such that we seem to be in a different time and a different place. We see Yahweh beckoning for the peoples of the world to bring the sons and daughters back to the Land. They will be released by the authorities and allowed to return. They are all being called back. This most be a different time a different age for all the world leaders to act together in unison in response to Yahweh. It must be a time of a new heaven and a new earth. A time when there is no strive In this new age Israel will be called home. Of course God loves all- God is a God of love and he shows the love verse 15:15 “ Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." (49:15-16) This is the love which is shown in the parable of the prodigal son and the love and care of the shepherd who left the 99 and went looking for the 'one'. It is also the love for the women who was being stoned. God's love is so vast that we can not even attempt to comprehend. |We are LOVED! Wow, it is to good to be true! We can show our love for the Jew in the same way we show love for others. Love, care, understanding and forgive. Jesus said “Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”! winstony

Question 8 1 People do not like change-We like things the same. We want to be the same as everyone else and we tend to shun those who are different. The alien in the land- a new immigrant, say, is often the poorest- he may even be a refugee. These are vulnerable and we tend to take advantage of these. They have no power and little recourse to the law-we hire them for minimal jobs at low wages. They are like dirt. Yet Yahweh in a general announcement is a great God who is not partial and who does not take bribes and who executes justice fairly. This is the God to whom we pray and this one God remands us to treat others fairly. “You shall love the stranger for you were a stranger in Egypt. (Deuteronomy, 10:19) Jesus goes even farther when he tells us to love our neighbour as yourself. We can increase our love for other nationalities, the aliens, by associating with them, learn their ways, listen to their stories and help them obtain justice. In our church it is a matter of taking a look at ourselves in the light of the message of the servant. The church is to remember that God has known us from before the time when we were in our mother's womb; he has made our mouth like a sharp sword to deliver the message to the people; we are made like a polished arrow to deliver the message. Although we often feel as though we labour in vain God tells us that he will become our strength. He even tells us “ It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." (49:6) We in our local church and country tend to look upon ourselves and tend to ask “What can God do for us?”, instead of what we should ask “What can we do for GOD?” we should look around us and see how the mores of society have fallen, see the poverty, the blind, the hungry, the lame and the orphans and widows of society. We should then help in righting an unjust society. We must remember that God says “Love the stranger” and “Go into all the world to preach the gospel.”! winstony

Question 7.5 Verse 9 and onward are set up as a court case scene. The false gods and their witnesses verses Yahweh and his witnesses. The case is argued. This scene is not unlike the present situation in society where there is a battle for public opinion between the forces of God's church and the forces of scientific thought of corporate commercialism and the glitter of the modern age. We as witnesses for Yahweh must faithfully render the facts for the unknown God who uses his power within the framework of law. This God who is about to do something new, who brings forth new creation out of the old asks us to declare our witness to his newness and to his power of law. There are two ways to witness. Firstly one can witness with one's mouth by declaring that Jesus the Lord is king or as the early Christians declared before Caesar 'Jesus is Lord'. Secondly one can witness by working on Yahweh 's project of justice for all, for the poor, the oppressed, the sick and the captives. We are all faced with society's persecution and its basis against the faith. This is not the same as that which is experienced by the early church; yet is more subtle, more invasive. Yahweh is he who blots out our transgressions and who does not remember our sins. We therefore need to witness to this blotting out of our sins and the forgetting of our transgressions. To do otherwise would be ungrateful for Yahweh's graciousness.

Question 7.7 "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God" writes John . The poet who writes Genesis's "In the beginning God created". The new creed says, " I believe in God who created and is creating". All these declare the goodness of God who created not for himself but for whom and what he created. God is declared in Isaiah to be a God of justice. Jesus taught that God the father is the God of love. Thus it is difficult to accept that such a God as Yahweh is responsible for such terrible woes upon people. In the Bible there seems to be two senses of the cause of evil in the world. One is the evil that people do to each other and to the world. This is said to be the cause of evil. A second source of evil external from God . This evil as represented in Genesis by the serpent Leviathan . In either case God is not the source of evil. What then of all the woes in Isaiah? There is little doubt that the society in the 6th century BC was self centered and refused justice to be oppressed - they deserve all the woes threatened upon them. It seems however in such cases Yahweh tends to turn from such woes and promises the people restoration and salvation . This amazing God that we worship is too complex and unknown for people to answer the question of the source of evil. We must just trust that the Lord is the Lord regardless of the situation. This writer takes objection to the comments in the notes "to worship him is very much in one's best interest." This is no doubt true but it sounds very crass to think and to say that we only love God because of the good he does for us. We are called to love our creator , our redeemer who created heaven and earth and gave us a new creation in Jesus Christ. A God who is still creating new avenues of justice and mercy for all. This love of ours for God calls us to serve him in working for his purpose justice for all. winstony

Question 7.6 The words used in Isaiah 45:1, "Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him --and the gates shall not be closed:", are really very unusual in that the name of Cyrus is given in what appears to be a prophecy. One of the unusual things about these words is that at no place else in a prophetic announcement (other than the nativity announcement) is the name of the individual given. The name Cyrus here is associated with the term anointed one, a messianic for Jesus. This is really quite amazing, surely Cyrus cannot surely be from a Jewish standpoint the Messiah -- he is not Jewish. As well from a Christological point of view Cyrus is certainly not Jesus the Christ. The remarkable about Cyrus is that he is not Jewish, he is a Gentile and thus God is presenting to Israel a savior who is not from their community of the circumcised. This is something new , something that God has done and it is not going to be acceptable to the exiles. In the same fashion, Jesus was also really an outsider and God has proclaimed that the pheasant from Galilee, this carpenter, is the anointed one of Israel. One possibility for the dilemma is that the word Cyrus was added some later time by a reactor who would know of Cyrus's victory and the later return of people to their country. In 4428 the words ' of Cyrus' could easily have been omitted. Both in the return of the exiles and the coming of Christ God has done something new. He has brought in an outsider to be the means of the salvation for his people. We should never sell God short for he can call people from all walks of life to perform his wonders. Cyrus is anointed by God because he is appointed to enable the return of the exiles. Cyrus at the time of invasion and capture of Babylon did not know Yahweh but he still being a creature lf God was used as an instrument of God's justice. All creatures are creatures of God and can be used by God to enable his divine plan. Usually these who are used are unaware of their being an instrument of God the almighty one whose power is faced upon the law. (Barth, 48) God then is the God of all creation and is enable to use all elements of his creation to accomplish his purpose. God who does not need us created heaven and earth and all creatures, people included, out of sheer fatherly kindness and compassion apart from any merit or worthiness of people -- for this grace of creation we need to be eternally grateful (Barth, Dogmatics in Outline, 54). Because we are so created by God the Father we are called upon to love him and to respond to his call for justice by loving our neighbors as ourselves. If we are so loved by God and of others, we must need to be humble in both God's presence and the presence of others. winstony

Question 7.4 It appears in verse 19 that my servant must be Israel who is blind. Israel appears to blind to the mission that God has put before her to a light to other people. The plight of Israel in exile in Babylon appears to be hopeless. However, the promise of returning to the land of Palestine still exists but it is hard to keep your eye on the objective when one is in a swamp up to ones middle in crocidiles. Israel's plight remains dire through the centuries diaspora , holocaust, and after being returned in the early 20th century to Palestine are still surrounded by enemies who are wishing only to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. But was it not the Lord against whom they have sinned, in whose ways they have not walked, and whose law they would not obey. verse 24. Israel's punishment was to produce a repentance on the people but it does not work. Israel is completely unrepentant. In the last ten years I have had my eyes opened to the plight of the poor in our area and around the world. Our church reads Minute for Mission and two of my granddaughters are involved in global ministry. A friend from El Salvador has told a group of us of the living conditions in that country during the civil war. All three describe a plight of the poor that is frightful. A blind person cannot see! The rich man in the parable did not even see the beggar Lazarus. This is also our problem. We do not even see the poor and this is their complaint - it is bad enough to be poor but to be ignored is insulting and they are offended and the consequences are ours.

Question 7.3 The term 'God's people' can have two possibilities , a. Israel and b. the church. It seems that Israel of our day has not been a light to the people outside of the covenant family of Israel itself. The people of Palestine are oppressed and held in semi-slavery. The church also in many ways has failed in its obligation to be a light to the world. In the 5th gospel and in Jesus' message there is a clear voice speaking out for justice for all the world's oppressed. We hear the words of Isaiah "I will keep you and make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness".(42:6b-7) From the notes we read "of course, the Messiah himself is a great light and deliverer but his people are to follow in his footsteps and carry out his mission". This mission really has two aspects. One is to physically heal the blind, free the captives and the prisoners. those who are in dungeons and sit in darkness. The second aspect of this charge in 42:6b-7 is a proclamation of the good news that Jesus brought to the people in his Nazareth declaration (Luke 4:16-18) to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives and to release those in darkness can be read into the meaning of the poet Isaiah. I personally attempt to visit the sick, those in prisons and nursing homes , and I have come to love the Lord and my neighbor as myself. I will not know until I go to meet Jesus who is standing , waiting for me at the right hand of God. In that great day I will be clothed in a coat of righteousness provided by my Lord.

Question 7.2 There seems to be two images of the servant given in Isaiah 41 and 42. In the former it seems from the words "but you, oh Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen" that Israel is the servant to whom Yahweh speaks. Yet there appears to be a different servant in 42: 1 - 4 "here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight". firstly the latter verses seem to be directed towards an individual -- "I will put my spirit on him" and "he will bring justice to the nations ." If Yahweh is speaking of an individual then thinking christologically it will be necessary to conclude that this servant is the Messiah, Jesus our Christ. The Messiah is characterized by justice -- a theme that runs throughout Isaiah. This Jesus in faithfulness will bring justice to the poor and we as his followers are expected to do the same. The Christian church is falling away from service to the poor and in fact in our years we have reneged on the poor and allowed government to do our work for us. In many areas the Salvation Army is the outfit that looks after those who fall by the wayside. Justice then is what characterizes the Messiah's actions. But this justice is tempered with love and mercy. The love and mercy of the Messiah can be seen in verse 3 and 4 "a bruised reed he will not break and the smoldering wick he will not snuff out". He is so tender that he will allow every chance for those who are oppressed, the ill, the lame, the blind , the orphan and the widow so often in society these unfortunates are snuffed out and left behind, allowed to fall through the cracks. This characteristic of justice of the Messiah applies not only tot he nations but also implies justice to the earth which is administered with tenderness. If this is the Messiah's demeanor to give tender justice -- a justice for the unfortunate of the world are given great consideration, are treated with love and dignity, a justice that has a preference for the poor, a justice that cries out 'no salvation outside the poor' (Jon Sobrino). Thus we who are the semi-rich of the world but consider the hoarding the wealth that we have. Jesus spoke continuously of how we are to love our neighbor, to be concerned with the well-being of our neighbor, the 'other' of society. In matt. 25, the Lord tells the goats , those on his left "you that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you'?" This God of ours loves the poor and demands that we support them in Justice, in fairness and to be their warden in justice. winstony

Question 7.1 Preparing a way for the Lord is illustrated by leveling a highway to Israel. The illustration is also used in Matt. 3:3 where it is used by John the Baptist telling us to make way straight for the coming of the Lord. This can be considered as a call to the people of the Baptist's day or whereas in the note question a call to us to prepare our hearts in such a way that Jesus can easily enter. To bring about this change we need to become serious about those decrees for which Yahweh calls throughout the Old and New Testament. Justice is paramount , the removal of oppression for women , for the first nations, for blacks and for the poor. All these are to be given freedoms as God offers freedom. As we work along the road to the new world of freedom, the new heaven and the new earth we need new freedom so that all can become free, so that we are all one. There then will be no grief or doom , nor slave or free, no male or female for then we will all be one in Christ in the great and glorious day of the Lord. We see a marked change in the tone of the reading between Chapters 39 and 40. In 39 : 6 -7 we Yahweh willing the complete destruction of the city's establishment - city, dynasty and temple. all of the things that were important to the people in 700 BC. In chapter 40 we see a complete different side of the Lord. Here we see compassion and tenderness. Yahweh says, "speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that she has served her term". (verse 2). It is almost as Jerusalem has been pregnant and has delivered or is to be delivered or as if she had been in prison and served her term - "she is received from the Lord's hand double that of which she served." (2) This seems to indicate that her treatment and her sentence is more than she deserved and that the Lord has completely forgiven Israel for her sins. She has been washed clean of her sins and there is to be a new slate, a new start, clean and free. It is this tenderness of God who offers us in grace through Jesus the cleansing of our sins through forgiveness and gives us a hope of righteousness as if we are righteous. The glitter and glory of the world attracts people at a different level than the mystery of Yahweh. The glitter and glory are physical experiences which attracts the physical and carnal instincts of the body., The mystery of Yahweh however, is spiritual and must be experienced on a spiritual conduit which is the conduit that is established between an individual and Yahweh. It is spiritual. This conduit can only be established by Yahweh as "he is knowable through himself'" (Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline,1966) page 24). This knowing of God is at a different strata than other forms of knowledge. For instance Karl Barth writes "the concept of knowledge of scienta is insufficient to describe what Christian knowledge is". (Barth 25). For God presents god self as a spirit and we must worship him in spirit and in truth. Nations come and go. We have seen in this study , Judah, Israel, Moab, Egypt, Assyria, Syria, Tyre, and Babylon all come and go. Since that time there has been many empires built upon human strength but they all fall into dust and ruin. Only the Lord , the Father of history, remains and continues. That is our promise. -- This Yahweh, this God, is eternal and everlasting and this one gives us the story of life as it is written in the story of the Bible and the tradition of the church. It is a promise of eternal relationship and a commitment with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In comparison to Yahweh the nations of the world are like a drop in a bucket. Just as the great nations of the past have been swept away so those of the present will also be swept to the wayside. Might of arms that keep the people of the world oppressed and the might of economic power, like Tyre, is broken as the sands of time move by. The only consistency in our lives is that of the Lord Yahweh who as Job has suggested and Isaiah himself has laid the foundation of the world. Hence we need only to wait upon God, to trust in him, listen to his voice and to love him with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. Winstony

Question 6.4 Hezekiah prays for healing based upon “how I have walked before you, in faithfulness with a whole heart and have done what is good in your sight” (38:3). Hezekiah is here not speaking so much about his personal life but his regal life. In 2 Kings 18: 3-6, “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord just as his ancestor David had done. He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, and cut down the sacred pole. He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it; it as called Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord the God of Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah after him, or among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following him but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses.” This appears to be the basis upon which Hezekiah’s prayer for wellness is based. From the tone of the notes and the Bible reading it seems that the issue between Hezekiah and God is that of Hezekiah’s ruling the nation for God. Hezekiah complains that God is not treating him fairly. If Hezekiah is praying for healing upon his regal life, and for the good of Judah instead of his personal life, then Hezekiah’s personal righteousness does not apply. In those days it was very difficult to separate the personal life of the king from his royal life. The king in Israel had a very special function of leading the kingdom both in a physical aspect and in a spiritual moral and religious aspect. The latter for Israel is more important than the first. The people in Hezekiah ‘s time lived a communal life and the whole of life was community. Hezekiah would have found it very difficult when he w staling to “god to separate self from the people, being their king and to a degree their priest. Thus we have Hezekiah’s lea. Today when we are so inclined to individualism we must take particular measures not to treat Hezekiah as an individual but as a leader of his community. winstony

Question 6.3 Hezekiah’s healing is important to Judah for two reasons. Firstly, from an immediate practical view the city of Jerusalem and the country Judah were being pressured by Assyria and only the strength and goodness of Hezekiah held the northern at bay. With no strong king at the helm the country and the city would no doubt fall. Secondly, there is the question of the promise of God to David that there would always be an heir to David. If Hezekiah dies without an heir – what then of this promise? What is the long future view for a David messiah? Hezekiah is worried but God has a plan. winstony

Question 6.2 The first sentence of “our father” is similar to the beginning of Hezekiah’s prayer in that both glorify God . In both prayers to God is given the glory for making heaven and earth. Hezekiah in his prayer sees God seated between Cherubim’s. The Lord s prayer on the other hand is quite simple. God is placed in heaven and his name is simply hallowed. The second sentence of the Lords Prayer is key “your kingdom come” . When we pray this we are praying that the will of God on earth be the same as that of God’s heaven. The third sentence follows from “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” . We are praying then that these things that God has ordained through the Bible and especially here in the fifth gospel – justice for all, freedom from poverty and illness, the freedom for a truer relationship with God and the opportunity to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul and your neighbor as yourself. The consistency of God’s message throughout the Bible and in Isaiah is quite amazing. Faith is trusting God with all your heart, mind and soul. To put our lives in the hands of Jesus and let the battle be his for he will win and we as heirs to the kingdom will also win. Regardless we are with God when we trust in him. God only answers prayer if and when he only sees fit: in God’s time not ours. We as finite creatures are in no condition on an infinite, omnipotent Gods ability to answer prayer. For it is his will not ours that must be done. winstony

Question 6.1 Hezekiah’s act of laying the enemy message before God in the temple is a kin to the Christians who lay their problems before Christ at the foot of the cross. In each case the problem is brought before God and God is allowed to deal with the problem in his own way and his own time. It is not to be said that those who bring forth their problems before God have done nothing. For example, Hezekiah has made the military preparations necessary for his situation bit it would not be enough. The Syrians would overwhelm the city . The problem needed God’s action and Hezekiah brought the problem to God to be dealt with. Isaiah sends world to Hezekiah that the problem would be solved. The underlying principle is that we should work to achieve a valid goal but ultimately we are to place everything in the hands of God. This story of Hezekiah teaches us that when we face what seems to be an insurmountable problem we are not alone “we believe in God who created and is creating” and in this creating we believe that the God who created us and loves us is with us in our time of trial. We are not alone, he leads us beside the still waters. When we do not lay our problems before God, then we are in fact believing that we are alone. We believe ultimately that God is not all powerful and that we alone are responsible. In fact we do not believe in a gracious God who is wanting to provide us with grace and love. When the principle of giving our problems to the Lord is broken, the battle becomes our not the Lords. WinstonY

question 5.6 These verses bring hope for they are referring to a new time, a new age where the wilderness and the desert shall bloom. A time when the land will flow with milk and honey. Yahweh this God who has invested so much into Jerusalem tells the people “he will come and save you” . Verse 41) . And at the time their bodies will be healed . It seems similar to the time when Jesus was in his missionary travels then the blind saw, the deaf heard, the lame walked, and the hungry were fed. And in that time the people will sing for joy. The figurative language which God uses has many purposes. It can be applied to the present of Isaiah . It can apply to the time of Jesus when we as Christians can interpret the words, Christologically , and it can apply to the future when we die and meet Jesus as he stands by the throne of God and waits for us. These words can also apply to the day of the Lord, the day for which we pray when we say , thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. The highway of holiness is the road to Christ standing at the right hand of God waiting for us. This is the highway to God which people take after they are redeemed. A time that their sins, their cares and their sorrows will be washed away and we have been redeemed as slaves at an auction and we can joyously walk the highway of holiness for we now have been clothed by Christ in a robe of righteousness. We will be as if we were righteous , made righteous by the grace of God. winstony

Question 5.5 If one loves another then that one will try to do what the other wishes - tries to live their life in line with the other’s desires. Sometimes a rascal will fall in love with a person with high ethical standards. If the rascal changes his life to conform with his loves standards he may finally win her love. In the same fashion when we live our lives as to the ethical standard in Isaiah 33:15 , “those who walk righteously and speak uprightly, who despise the gain of oppression, who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it, who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed and shut their eyes from looking on evil,...”. As well we must love our neighbor for “we cannot love God who we have not seen if we do not love our neighbor who we have seen”. (1 John 4: 20) Bribes and corruption are the blight of government. For in the case of bribes, one is putting self ahead of community . For Yahweh community is very important. winstony

Question 5.4 In this day and age, we have put great stock into the scientific method and in scientific reasoning. This reasoning and method have brought great results and changes to our world so that people in this age put great emphases on this method for the results that were obtained and therefore we tend to engage in the same procedure. Even theology tends to follow in line . People of Isaiah age look to the mercantile and training methods of merchants cities such as Tyre. Great faith and trust were put in these methods as we can see from Isaiah’s message. In both this age and in the 7th century B.C. people failed to realize that God is the comptroller of all situations. The prophets had a lively skepticism of financial systems like Tyre and the present capital system which prostrate themselves before false idols in order to obtain greater wealth. Such hoarding of wealth is an abhorrence to the Lord. Isaiah suggests that when the day of the Lord will come “Her merchandise and her wages will be dedicated to the Lord; her profits will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who live in the presence of the Lord”. (Isaiah 23: 18) This will be the day of the Lord’s coming. In order to hear God’s voice we need then to trust the Lord, love him with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves. This is also the message of Jesus in Matthew 6:31-33 do not worry trust in the Lord to provide. winstony

Question 5.3 The Lord longs to be gracious to us because firstly he wants to show us compassion. For being compassionate is to show love for the one towards whom compassion is shown. Secondly for God is a God of justice and to show justice is to show a form of love. Thirdly God is gracious to us because he is a God of steadfast love. (Isaiah 63:7) Hence we can conclude that God’s character is one of passion, love and justice. More than this we cannot say because God is in some ways the unknown God of Karl Barth. Because of God’s omnipotent power we cannot know him – to do so would be to risk ones safety. Paul was struck blind from his vision, Moses was blanched white , God would only show his back to Elijah, and Peter spoke wildly at the transfiguration. Nothing prevents God’s grace from flowing but it seems that God’s grace can be slowed by people’s behaviour. If people are ruthless, mockers, have an evil eye, those who make a person out to be guilty, those who snare, the defender in court with false testimony and deprive the innocent of justice, then God’s grace is slowed. For God is angered by injustice. In Adam and Eve case they listened to the voice of the serpent, Leviathan, and grace was interrupted until Jesus’ resurrection. (Romans 5: 17-18) To a degree sometimes ones hears in “this is the way “in a quiet sense but some hear the word of God more clearly. Abraham , Isaiah, Paul, Mother Teresa and all the greats of the church have heard the words strongly. Some however misinterpret. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks but self so often gets in the way and refuses to hear “this is the way”. Self damnable self You lead yourself onwards to the cliff, the abyss that yawns Oh Christ, dear Christ show self the way the way to the heart of others. For you are wonderful Great and kind. Oh please lead self to pastures green in quiet waters by. To hear God’s voice we must trust and obey, we must be willing to put our hand in the hand of God and be willing to follow him along the way. winstony

Question 5.2 It is rather hard to tell whether one has ever seen a religious person going through the motions or it is hard to perceive a person’s integrity without having access to their deepest thoughts and feelings. The Pharisee in Luke 18: 9-14 prayed , no doubt, so noone except God could hear him. It is God that will be the judge and we really have no need to know. In fact even considering that someone is too religious and just going through the motions puts that one in the ‘too religious’ category. One can possibly detect this fault, this sin in ourselves when we say to ourselves am I not good in performing this task. All credit should be given to the Lord. If a religious practice does not follow the great commandment , ‘ Love the Lord your god with all your heart, your mind and also love your neighbout as yourself’, then this practice is probably merely following “rules taught by men”. A rules based faith would not stress love your neighbour as yourself and hence would not support people at home and around the world who are oppressed, hungry and thirsty, the lame and the sick, the blind and the deaf, the widow and the orphan. It is these ‘other’ that both the old and new testaments encourage us to help and to love just as we love ourselves. We should only keep what we need for ourselves to survive and give all else of our possessions to the poor. This what Jesus taught the rich young man who went away sorely grieved. All ‘Christians’ religions are based on love for love is what Jesus taught in the Great Commandment and in his ministry in general. On the cross he showed this love when he said “today you will be with me in paradise”. winstony

Question 5.1 We deceive ourselves just as Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan, the great deceiver who told Eve that they would not die if they ate the fruit. We today are also deceived by the evil of contemporary society to think that the lies of present day culture are better than the truths of the gospel. We are told that one is happier when one drinks or uses drugs or one who gets a husband if one get engaged immoral activity with him. (Notes) Such false beliefs, such lies, hold us in bondage and under oppression. Christ is the one who breaks down oppression, frees the captives, heals the sick and make the blind see. Despite all this we tend not to believe because the promise of the covenant is too good to be true. To make the people see the truth is very difficult. People are obstinate and tend to refuse to believe it. Prophets, preachers and priests are seen to be ineffective. Christ is the answer but there seems to be a little that we can do to bring about revival except to pray. It appears that the timing and the place is up to God. But also God seems to have difficulty in breaking through the barriers of popular culture whether it be the 21st century or the 7th century BC. Often when times become difficult then people tend to turn to God. After the dirty 30's and the difficulties of World War 11 there was a great turning to the church but after 60 years of prosperity the spiritual life and morals of North American society have badly deteriorated. Perhaps we need to pray for God to discipline the people so that we turn again to the Lord. If people continue to rape the earth and society then the wrath of God will fall. There will be floods and storms, earthquakes and volcanoes, and perhaps even war and pestilence. All this may be necessary for the people to see their way pass the stumbling stone of Christ and turn to the Lord and accept his grace and love. winstony