My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:12-13

I continue my study today of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 12:8-14.  The commentary describes use of "goads" and "one Shepherd" from v11: "[a] goad is a herding tool used to poke and prod livestock in the right direction. The author compares the words of Ecclesiastes with this cattle prod because metaphorically the words of the sage are meant to sting and convict, and thus they move the reader in the right direction of walking in wisdom. The ultimate Author of Ecclesiastes—the Spirit of God—uses the words of the book to convict the human heart of its need for Jesus. These words are given by 'one Shepherd'[.]"  The commentary then shares how this name - single shepherd for Jesus - is only used three times in the Bible, and how Ecclesiastes is a messianic book in how it points to Jesus; we are referred to these three other places in the Bible: Ezekiel 34:23-24, 37:24-25, and John 10:11-16. The commentary also emphasizes how Solomon is writing to his own son and how parents, especially fathers are called by God in a special role to shepherd the hearts of their children. The commentary for the text concludes by Solomon ultimately seeks to direct our hearts to Jesus: "[w]e will face judgment, and the bad news is that we have fallen short. This reality is meant to crush us in order to drive us to Christ. That is the good news: Jesus lived the life we could not live, a life without sin in perfect obedience to the commandments, and He died the death we deserved to die. He took the entire curse of sin and futility and death on Himself in order to redeem us from the curse (Galatians 3:13)."  Thank You Jesus!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who died on the cross so that I could have life now to the full and life in eternity with You in Heaven!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 47-50

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6

I continued my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series - today moving on to Lesson 18 day 3, which focuses on Isaiah 49. My commentary offers the following divisions for this chapter:

1. Christ unveiled as God's Salvation to the ends of the earth (v1-7)
2. God's day of salvation for the exiles (v8-13)
3. Despite all appearances, the exiles will return (v14-21)
4. The Gentiles will aid the redemption of Israel or be destroyed (v22-26)

For today, my focus is on the first two divisions.  It is difficult to not see how this chapter is not about Jesus because in v6 God says that He will "make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."  Only Jesus does this.  The commentary describes the verses here - in their broader context - as "an immeasurably deep conversation between the Father and the Son concerning Jesus’s glorious mission on earth. Here God the Father tells the Son that it is insufficient glory for him to be merely the Savior of the Jews." God will not only free the exiles in Babylonia, but all those who are imprisoned in sin - the whole of humanity.  V9-10 states that God will give Jesus to the world, 

"...saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them." Isaiah 49:9-10

We must take time to acknowledge how - with God - we will never hunger or thirst, we will have Him as our refuge, and He will guide us.  We must live boldly considering how God will lead us.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who will never leave or forsake me, You provide for all of my needs, You are my refuge, and You guide me - thank You Jesus for these blessings and for my faith and salvation.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me.”

Isaiah 47-50

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!  Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me.” Isaiah 48:17-19

I resumed my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series - today moving on to Lesson 18 day 2, which focuses on Isaiah 48. My commentary offers the following divisions for this chapter:

1. The sovereign God predicts and works history to win His stubborn people (v1-8)
2. The patient God refines His people for His glory and our benefit (v9-11)
3. The eternal God will bring Cyrus to achieve His purpose (v12-16)
4. The loving God will send another to redeem His people (v16-22)

All believers can identify to some degree as "obstinate" (v4) in one or more areas of their life, but we have a God that is full of grace and compassion for us - saving us DESPITE what we do and who are. God's words to us in v17-19 are all the more special as we recognize how once we became believers we see the truth in these verses. I see four blessings and promises of God as a result of faith and trust in God: (a) God leads us, (b) He gives us peace, (c) many descendants, and (d) He never leaves or forsakes us

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me, and who is full of grace and compassion for me - despite who I am and what I have done (and will continue to do).  Thank You Jesus!  Thank You for the gift of faith and salvation.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.