January 26 ▪ Day 26

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 9:9
Isaiah 1–2
Matthew 26
Psalms 26

Verse Focus (Proverbs 9:9)

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
     teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Meditation

Hello, and welcome! It’s a new day, and we have another proverb to consider. Proverbs 9:9 says, “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” Here we learn that the wise always have the capacity to learn something new; further, the wise are inherently humble and do not assume that they know all the answers. We have the second example of the righteous who are like the wise in their humility and in their increase of understanding.

I find this proverb both encouraging as well as a little challenging. Sometimes, I don’t like being on the receiving end of instruction and I have to remind myself to remain teachable. Those who handle life well are often those who can look at the difficult situations that life throws at them and ask, “What can I learn from this?”

Father God, open our hearts to your teaching and make us wiser every day!

Today we start a new book in the Old Testament. We’ll get back to the story of the Israelites in Egypt later in the year, but for now we’re going to jump ahead to Isaiah, one of the “major” prophets of the Bible. (There is no difference between major and minor prophets in terms of how they speak for God; however, the “major” prophets tend to have longer books with a broader, often international, focus to their teaching. The books of the “minor” prophets are often quite short, and sometimes they have a very specific focus.)

Isaiah taught for about 40 years, prophesying within the reigns of four different kings of Judah. The time was roughly from about 740 BC to about 701 BC, when Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians.

I love the book of Isaiah! I bet you do, too, although you may not know it. Isaiah is chock full of Messianic prophecies, and many of these prophecies are quoted and read in church in the days leading up to Christmas. Since we’re dealing with a book of prophecy, I’ll tell you my theory about prophecies. I believe that they are fulfilled multiple times, in multiple ways. One prophecy might have a fulfillment that occurs at or near the time of the original prophecy, but that same prophecy might also be a Messianic prophecy that gets fulfilled by the birth or life of Christ. It’s also possible that that same prophecy will be fulfilled in some way today, by what is happening in our time. This can make prophecies difficult to understand and interpret, so be sure to pray for wisdom frequently as we read this book!

One last thing about Biblical prophecy — it was usually composed in the form of poetry. As with any poetry, the language will be beautiful, filled with images and themes, but there will also be sections that are obscure. As much as I love this book, I feel like I only catch glimpses of understanding. And that’s okay. The more I read it, the more I understand. And God has certainly used different readings of this book to highlight different passages to me — that’s part of the word being living and active. So if you find yourself struggling as you read Isaiah, pray about it. Honestly, I think you could spend a lifetime studying Isaiah and still not get everything there is to understand from this book! So give yourself some grace, and just keep reading.

As chapter 1 begins, the LORD speaks to the heavens and the earth about his rebellious children. He has raised the Israelites and cared for them, but instead of recognizing the LORD as even animals recognize their masters, the Israelites neither know and nor understand the LORD. “Why do you continue to rebel?” the LORD asks (v. 5). The plight of the people is desperate — they are bruised and bloodied in body and besieged; the land is also desolate, the cities are burned, and the country is overrun by aliens.
In verses 9 and 10, we have switch in voice. It is no longer the LORD speaking, but the prophet. He says that if God had not left “us” survivors, we would have been as completely destroyed as Sodom and Gomorrah were. Then Isaiah addresses the rulers and the people, but he addresses them as if they were Sodom and Gomorrah (which they are, metaphorically speaking). He tells them to listen to the LORD. And in verse 11 the voice switches back.

Shockingly, the LORD says that he does not care for the sacrifices of the Israelites, he has had enough of burnt offerings, and he is “weary” of their festivals. Their “incense is an abomination to me,” says the LORD (v. 13). Because of this, the LORD says he will hide and not listen to the people. He says, “Your hands are full of blood (v. 15).”

And then, in verses 16 and 17, the LORD tells the Israelites, and us, what we need to do: wash ourselves (repent), cease doing evil, start doing good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, and plead for the widow. God’s invitation is in verse 18 (a verse I cannot read without hearing a beautiful choral piece): “Come, let us reason, together,” that’s what God says. “Come, let us reason, together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” If we are willing, we will have blessing; if we rebel, we will be “devoured by the sword.”

The final passage of the chapter concerns the rebellious city that will receive the wrath of God’s justice. God’s enemies will be destroyed, but He will refine the people so that Zion will once again be a place of righteousness.

Although chapter 1 ends with wrath against the rebellious, chapter 2 starts with a vision of the future once Zion has been redeemed. All nations will flock to the mountain of the LORD to learn of God’s ways. We have the famous promise in verse 4 concerning the end of war: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.”

But then chapter 2 changes focus and talks about coming judgment. The day of the LORD will humble all the proud; it is a day when people will hide from the terror of the LORD and his majesty. The chapter concludes with a warning, “Cease depending on man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for at what should he be valued?”

Wow! Just wow. What can I say about these chapters? Although we don’t have an exact date for when the prophecies of chapters 1 and 2 were written, these prophecies obviously foretell the fall of Jerusalem when the Assyrians invade and finally conquer Judah. However, on another level, we know that the world faces another Day of Judgment that has not yet come. Isaiah’s prophecies for the Israelites of his time are just as relevant for us today. God’s invitation is for us today. Repent; be cleansed by Jesus’ blood; do what is right.

Matthew 26 is a pivotal chapter as Jesus is betrayed to the chief priests and elders. Jesus has just finished teaching his disciples about the end times and the need to be ready in the previous chapter. So now he goes on to tell them that in two days it will be Passover, and the Son of Man will be “handed over to be crucified.” The chief priests and elders conspire to arrest Jesus, but plan to do it out of the sight of the crowds.

In Bethany, a woman anoints Jesus’ head with costly perfume. There is a bit of fuss over how expensive it was, but Jesus defends her actions. Notably, and frighteningly, he says that she has done this to prepare him “for burial.” Something about this incident sparks Judas to go betray Jesus, and he goes to the chief priests and receives 30 pieces of silver to do so.

At the Passover meal, also known as the Last Supper, Jesus tells his disciples that one of them will betray him. The disciples are agitated. One after another, they ask, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus pronounces a woe upon the one who will betray him. Judas asks, as all the other disciples ask, “Surely not I?” But he addresses Jesus as “Rabbi” rather than as “Lord.” I thought that was quite telling. Jesus’ response is quite cryptic: “You have said so.” It’s unclear if this is the only time Jesus responded specifically to the question “Surely not I,” but it is the only direct answer we hear.

Jesus gives the disciples bread and wine, telling them that this is his body and blood. This is the covenant for forgiveness of sins.

After supper, Jesus prophesies that all the disciples will desert him, in fulfillment of a prophecy from Zechariah. Peter, of course, protests that this will not happen. Not him. But Jesus further prophesies that even before the rooster crows, Peter will deny him three times. Again, Peter denies this prophecy. “And so said all the disciples (v. 35).”

We have Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He takes his closest friends with him, and asks them to watch with him, but they fall asleep while Jesus undergoes agonies of sorrow. Jesus prays three times that the cup of God’s wrath might pass from him. Finally he wakes the disciples because Judas is arriving with the armed “multitude.”

Jesus is arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. His earlier prophecies are fulfilled as all the disciples abandon him and as Peter denies knowing Christ three times. The council tries to find charges to bring against Jesus, and there are many false testimonies. Jesus remains silent during these accusations. But when the high priest asks Jesus directly if he is the Messiah, Jesus responds in the affirmative. This enrages them, and the council condemns Jesus to death. The chief priests, elders, and others in the council spit in Jesus’ face, also hitting, slapping, and mocking him. I didn’t realize until today that Jesus was mocked two separate times, first by the council and then later by the soldiers — I had remembered it as just one event.

This, of course, is another “wow!” chapter. What can I say? Did your heart bleed at Jesus’ question in verse 40, “Could you not stay awake with me one hour?” Were you awed by Jesus’ response to the arrest? He asked them, did they not realize he could have 12 legions of angels sent to his defense? But the whole purpose of his journey to the cross was in fulfillment of Scripture (v. 53-54). I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to each of you through Matthew 26, so I will not comment any further on this chapter.

Our psalm today, Psalm 26, is a prayer for vindication. The psalmist invites God to test and prove his integrity and righteousness. “I walk in faithfulness,” says the psalmist (v. 3). David wrote this psalm, and it not just about his life, or about our lives. This is also a psalm about the Messiah, who perfectly fulfills the righteous life.

I was particularly struck by verse 11. “Redeem me,” prays the psalmist. Indeed, our integrity and righteousness is not enough; we need God’s redemption and grace to stand on level ground.

Father God, thank you for your Scriptures. There is a lot of material to process today. I pray that your Holy Spirit will enlighten me and speak to my heart. Give me wisdom and understanding. Let me continue to meditate upon your truths as the the day goes on. Help me to repent of any iniquity that your testing reveals. And keep me always walking in the path of righteousness.

Thank you for sending Jesus Christ. Thank you that he stood firm in his desire to fulfill your Scriptures. Thank you for the new covenant we have in his blood, for the forgiveness of sins. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.