Human kind’s greatest enemy is sin. God’s greatest spiritual foe is Satan. Of course, Satan’s power as a created being is finite and limited. Christ conquered sin, death, and Satan by means of the cross. God’s stated purpose in restoring Israel to their own land, as well as his purpose in conquering sin and in defeating the strong man enemy Satan is to manifest his identity as Lord of all, “… and all flesh shall perceive that I am the Lord that delivers you, and that upholds the strength of Jacob” (Isaiah 49:26). …
Isaiah 49:9-13 LXX: Isaiah Devotional 2.30
Reading Isaiah’s text straight through from verse 1 through 13, the conclusion that makes most sense is that “people” refers both to God’s people of Israel and God’s people of the Gentile nations. Verse 13 seamlessly unites both groups without distinction. To claim that this verse refers exclusively to Israel does not make contextual sense. Indeed, the Apostle Paul’s message throughout the New Testament, and especially in Romans 9-11, is that Gentiles have been grafted in to God’s family. …
Septuagint a Powerful Translation: Isaiah Devotional 2.28
It is good for readers to be reminded that Septuagint Isaiah is a powerful translation. The Septuagint text does not shrink back from exulting Christ in the Old Testament. This is the translation that the biblical authors of the New Testament read, studied, and very often quoted. Septuagint Isaiah 49:7 is a good example of this translation’s unique characteristic of favor towards the deity of Christ. …
Septuagint Isaiah 49:1-6: Isaiah Devotional 2.27
Verse 6 of the Servant’s Song is where God includes Gentiles in his blessing of his people Israel. Let it never, ever be said that God’s people Israel receive “the curses” and the church the blessings. Israel receives God’s blessing. What could be a greater blessing than to be identified as belonging to and part of the Son of God? What could be a greater blessing than to be included in the unique Servant Israel, God’s Son? …
Second Servant Song: Isaiah Devotional 2.26
Septuagint Isaiah 49:1-6 (see link) is popularly known as the Second Servant Song. (See previous post Isaiah Devotional 2.25 for important background information concerning the divine dialogue in this section). The passage briefly reports the scope and sequence of the Servant/Messiah’s future ministry and life. These six verses coordinate extremely well with Jesus the Christ’s incarnate ministry. …
Septuagint Isaiah 48: Isaiah Devotional 2.24
Chapter 48 is simple enough in content, yet the details are complex. Basically, there are four themes in this chapter, none of which are introduced here for the first time. These four themes are 1) rebuke for Israel, 2) God’s self-defense, 3) God’s plans for the restoration and salvation of Israel, and 4) the coming deliverer. The most exciting verses are verses 15 and 16. In verse 15, God introduces the deliverer. And in verse 16, the deliverer speaks. The exciting part is that the words the deliverer speaks place him beside God. Readers should find themselves in a state of anticipation for Isaiah to continue. In chapter 49, they will not be disappointed. …