iandthoureflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 9 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 9~ Isaiah 40:21-24

This passage speaks of a canopy or curtain that is spread from the heavens to protect the grasshopper from harm.

I can’t help but wonder if this is somehow related to the “veil” between life and death. In Matthew 27, we see that at the moment Jesus dies on the cross, the curtain of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom. Then, in 2 Corinthians, we read that “whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

Could these all be related and point to the sovereignty of God. Not only as the Creator but the divine presence between life and death?

Let’s read this passage for Day 9 of the 12 Days of Isaiah. Shall we?

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

^{We are Like Grasshoppers}

Isaiah 40:21-24 NIV

²¹Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
²²He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
²³He brings princes to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
²⁴No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

Isaiah 40:21-24 CJB

²¹Don’t you know? Don’t you hear?
Haven’t you been told from the start?
Don’t you understand how the earth is set up?
²²He who sits above the circle of the earth —
for whom its inhabitants appear like grasshoppers —
stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
spreads them out like a tent to live in.
²³He reduces princes to nothing,
the rulers of the earth to emptiness.
²⁴Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely their stem taken root in the ground,
when he blows on them, they dry up,
and the whirlwind carries them off like straw.

*Image Created by AI using scripture reference and key words*

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #LiftUpYourVoice #SpiritoftheLord #SpecksofDust #Idolatry #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 8 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 8~ Isaiah 40:18-20

In Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, the question “To whom will ye liken God?” is asked. In this commentary, the error is not worshipping Jehovah by images, but in fact the thinking that God can be created by human hands.

So we ask ourselves, is this the folly of idolatry?

Here is my take on this. I’m sure we all know people of diverse faiths who worship in different ways. Some might pray to Saints and light candles and others may touch or kiss icons as a sign of worship and reverance. Would this be idolatry? No one knows. Yet, if we have faith, we have the ability to discern what might be pleasing or displeasing to God. Afterall, who else do you have to answer to?

Now, we turn to Isaiah 40:18-20.

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

An Image?

Isaiah 40:18-20 NIV

¹⁸With whom, then, will you compare God?
    To what image will you liken him?
¹⁹As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
    and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
    and fashions silver chains for it.
²⁰A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol that will not topple.

Isaiah 40:18-20 CJB

¹⁸With whom, then, will you compare God?
By what standard will you evaluate him?
¹⁹An image made by a craftsman,
which a goldsmith overlays with gold,
for which he then casts silver chains?
²⁰A man too poor to afford an offering
chooses a piece of wood that won’t rot,
then seeks out a skilled artisan
to prepare an image that won’t fall over.

*Image Created by AI using faith based words*

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #LiftUpYourVoice #SpiritoftheLord #SpecksofDust #Idolatry #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 7 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 7~ Isaiah 40:15-17

In Matthew Henry’s Commentary, he writes that all creation “shrinks to nothing” in comparison to the Creator. He says that God’s love for the world led God to send Baby Jesus to earth. To be the lamb. To redeem us. So we can spend eternity in paradise.

Here is my take on this. Is there a God? Well, look around. How did everything get to where it is? Look up. What is beyond the heavens? No one knows. Yet, if we have the faith of just a tiny mustard seed, we can hold on to the promises of eternal life because we have faith. Faith in the beyond. Faith in the creation. Faith in the past, present, and future.

Now, we turn to Isaiah 40:15-17.

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

Specks of Dust

Isaiah 40:15-17 NIV

¹⁵Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
    they are regarded as dust on the scales;
    he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
¹⁶Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
    nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
¹⁷Before him all the nations are as nothing;
    they are regarded by him as worthless
    and less than nothing.

Isaiah 40:15-17 CJB

¹⁵The nations are like a drop in a bucket,
they count like a grain of dust on the scales.
The islands weigh as little as specks of dust.
¹⁶The L’vanon would not suffice for fuel
or its animals be enough for burnt offerings.
¹⁷Before him all the nations are like nothing.
He regards them as less than nothing.

*5,000+ tons of extraterrestrial dust fall to earth each year…Image Source: livescience dot com*

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #LiftUpYourVoice #SpriritoftheLord #SpecksodDust #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 6 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 6~ Isaiah 40:12-14

Different versions deliver different perspectives. Not right. Not wrong. Just different.

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

The Spirit of the Lord

Isaiah 40:12-14 NIV

¹²Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?
¹³Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?
¹⁴Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
    or showed him the path of understanding?

Isaiah 40:12-14 CJB

¹²Who has counted the handfuls of water in the sea,
measured off the sky with a ruler,
gauged how much dust there is on the earth,
weighed the mountains on scales, or the hills in a balance?
¹³Who has measured the Spirit of Adonai?
Who has been his counselor, instructing him?
¹⁴Whom did he consult, to gain understanding?
Who taught him how to judge,
taught him what he needed to know,
showed him how to discern?

*Psalms Painting Series Lucy Adams Art Langley, Bc – Praise Painting* *Source: Paintingvalley.com*

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #LiftUpYourVoice #SpriritoftheLord #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 5 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 5~ Isaiah 40:10-11

Let’s take a peek at these two versions:

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

Gather the Lambs

Isaiah 40:10-11 NIV

¹⁰See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
    and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
¹¹He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

Isaiah 40:10-11 CJB

¹⁰Here comes Adonai Elohim with power,
and his arm will rule for him.
Look! His reward is with him,
and his recompense is before him.
¹¹He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
gathering his lambs with his arm,
carrying them against his chest,
gently leading the mother sheep.”

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #LiftUpYourVoice #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 4 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 4~ Isaiah 40:9

Let’s take a peek at these two versions:

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

Lift Up Your Voice

Isaiah 40:9 NIV

⁹You who bring good news to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,^[c]
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”

Isaiah 40:9 CJB

⁹You who bring good news to Tziyon,
get yourself up on a high mountain;
you who bring good news to Yerushalayim,
cry out at the top of your voice!
Don’t be afraid to shout out loud!
Say to the cities of Y’hudah,
“Here is your God!

*Lift Up Your Voice Diverse Choir*
*Source: clker.com*

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #LiftUpYourVoice #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 3 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 3~ Isaiah 40:6-8

Let’s take a peek at these two versions:

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

God Will Stand Forever

Isaiah 40:6-8 NIV

⁶A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
⁷The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
⁸The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.”

Isaiah 40:6-8 CJB

⁶A voice says, “Proclaim!”
And I answer, “What should I proclaim?”
“All humanity is merely grass,
all its kindness like wildflowers:
⁷the grass dries up, the flower fades,
when a wind from Adonai blows on it.
Surely the people are grass!
⁸The grass dries up, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.”

*Artist Credit: Valerie Sjodin* | *Source: Pinterest*
*Can you feel Him? I can!*

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 2 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 2: Isaiah 40:3-5

We continue to look at 2 versions of Isaiah 40:

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible

Let’s see them side-by-side. Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

Prepare Ye The Way

Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV

³A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
⁴Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
⁵And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 40:3-5 CJB

³A voice cries out:
“Clear a road through the desert for Adonai!
Level a highway in the ‘Aravah for our God!
⁴Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill lowered,
the bumpy places made level
and the crags become a plain.
⁵Then the glory of Adonai will be revealed;
all humankind together will see it,
for the mouth of Adonai has spoken.”

#Hope&Redemption: 12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #PrepareYeTheWay #IandThouReflections

Christmas Hope & Redemption: Day 1 Twelve Days of Isaiah 40

Day 1~ Isaiah 40:1-2

Over the next twelve days, we will look at 2 versions of Isaiah 40:

1. New International Version
2. The Complete Jewish Bible.

Let’s see them side-by-side. Scripture from: http://www.biblegateway.com.

Comfort One Another

Isaiah 40:1-2 NIV

¹Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
²Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double for all her sins.

Isaiah 40:1-2 CJB

¹“Comfort and keep comforting my people,” says your God.
²“Tell Yerushalayim to take heart; proclaim to her
that she has completed her time of service,
that her guilt has been paid off,
that she has received at the hand of Adonai
double for all her sins.”

Image Source: Pinterest
Comfort – Bressi Collection | Minimal Art

#Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah #Christmas #Comfort #ComfortOneAnother #IandThouReflections

Unwrapping the Gifts to Eternal Life: Myrrh, The Gift of Purification

Prepare Ye The Way

So far, we have unwrapped two gifts the wise men brought to Baby Jesus. In our last post, we discovered the second gift of frankincense, a gift of worship – fit for a king!

The Gift of Myrrh

Today, we unwrap the final gift – a reddish-brown sap from a thorny tree native to northeastern Africa and southwest Asia.

Join us as we unwrap how it reveals the eternal gift of life.

Why Myrrh?

Myrrh is known for its sacred tradition and somber significance.

It’s earthy scent.
It’s healing and purifying properties.
Its historical roots are in spiritual rituals and anointing kings.

Myrrh’s aromatic resin is a gift of preparation. It perfectly symbolizes the purpose of Jesus’ life and mission.

Think back to Esther’s purification rites. It represents readiness and sanctification. Today, it lingers in the air, reminding us to prepare ourselves.

Myrrh: The Gift of Purification

This gift invites us to examine our hearts and reflect on spiritual purity. Are we prepared to stand before God’s throne?

Let’s reflect for a moment on ourselves.
Where do we fall on a scale of 1 to 10?

We know myrrh has been used throughout history as a sacred oil. Its spiritual value has been used in different religions and cultures as a source of purification and grounding. Ancient Egyptians used it for mummification and embalming. And in the Hebrew Bible, myrrh was used to anoint kings.

Thus, myrrh points directly to Jesus – the King of Kings.

Jesus & Myrrh: Perfect Together

This third gift foreshadows the death of Jesus. Christians believe that Jesus’s suffering and death were necessary for humanity to reconcile with God. Jesus was the sacrificial lamb.

For you.
And for me.

Reflecting on this gift, we are reminded that Christmas’s joy leads to Easter’s hope. Baby Jesus, born in a wooden manger, was destined to die on a wooden cross. Right from the very beginnning.

The Eternal Message of Myrrh

The Gifts of the Wise Men reminds us that the story of Christmas does not end in Bethlehem. It points us to the cross, where Jesus laid down His life so we might have eternal life.

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, remember the sacrifice He made out of love for us. Myrrh challenges us to embrace God’s purpose: to redeem, heal, and restore.

In our next series, 12 Days of Isaiah 40, we will explore the prophecies that point to the promise of Christmas.

Thank you for unwrapping The Gifts with me on this first part of Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas.

#TheThreeWiseMen #Gifts #Gold #Frankincense #Myrrh #Purification #Jesus #Isaiah #Prophecy #Hope&Redemption #12DaysofIsaiah40 #Christmas #ComfortOneAnother #IandThouReflections