#  06 2026 Dev. Isa.36:3 A prayer for Reprieve! Read all of chapter thirty-six first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with.This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Isaiah 36: Sennacherib’s field commander: “Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.”

Isaiah.36:1 “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.” Only Jerusalem is left and is being threatened, even after Hezekiah had sent major tribute to the king.

Vs.1-10 “‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: ‘On what are you basing this confidence of yours?You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? But if you say to me, ‘We are depending on the Lord our God—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar?’” This threat has been going on since Ahaz was the king in Jerusalem. Chapter 7:13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give youa sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” The invasion they feared at the time will not happen but in the same chapter God appoints the King of Assyria as his instrument. From that time forward Isaiah prophesied destruction for many countries but also God’s grace for Israel.

Vs.11-22 Now that Jerusalem is surrounded: Eliakim, the palace administrator, Shebne, the secretary and Joah, the recorder went out to meet with the Assyrian field-commander. Two of these names come up in Isa. Ch. 22:16 “Go, say to this steward, to Shebna the palace administrator: ‘What are you doing here and who gave you permission to cut out a grave for yourself here…” also Eliakim vs. 20-23 “In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe (Assyrian King’s robe) and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” He is here as a type of Christ. Then there is Isa.Ch.33, “Woe to you destroyer…” a reference to Assyria. If the leaders would have paid attention to Isaiah’s prophecy they may not have been so worried. If we would only listen to the Word of God, we would live in peace by faith and dependence. Praise God!

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#  05 2026 Dev. Lev.24-25. Light, Redemption and Rest! Read all of chapter twenty-three and twenty-five first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Lev. 23 is all about; The Appointed Feasts: but Ch. 24-25 is about Light, righteousness, unrighteousness and rest. God’s light is righteousness.

Vs.1-4 “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually.”’ The Minora is one lamp with seven branches. We read in “Rev.1:4-5 Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” This light that must burn continually and is God’s presence with Moses and His people.Today, Jesus is the light of the world, Emmanuel; God with us eternally!  We thank God!

Vs.5-9 The table and show bread, fresh bread every Sabbath, “on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.” Today, we do communion together, as Jesus instructed His disciples. Some churches practice it once every three months but some churches practice communion every week. “The Reformed understanding of the Lord’s Supper is grounded in an important distinction between the sign and seal (bread and wine) the thing signified (forgiveness though His blood, ‘the blood of the covenant’), and a sacramental union between the two (our Lord’s words ‘this is my body’”).

Vs.10-25. Blasphemers, a serous issue in the day. “Then the Lord said to Moses: ‘Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.”’ There is more here:  “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.” Anyone who injuries a person must suffer the same injury, Today, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Mt.5:38-42.” Not retribution, Jesus calls us to love!

Ch. 25. The Sabbath year and the year of Jubilee.

Vs.1-7 The Sabbath Year; “For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.” However, you may eat whatever the land produces.

Vs.8-55 The year of Jubilee: “Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan.” There is no evidence that this was ever practiced. But one aspect of it was practiced such as the situation with Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Boaz was not the nearest relative. But the relative did not want to take Ruth along with Naomi’s land. He ceded the right of redemption to Boaz. God was in the details; Ruth and Boaz’s offspring are in the line of Christ.

The right to redeem was based on the ability of the person redeeming to pay for the house or property. If an Israelite sells himself to a fellow Israelite because of poverty, he and their children are to be released in the year of Jubilee. Vs.54-55 says it all:“‘Even if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee, for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” This applies to us today, we are the children and the servants of the Lord our God, redeemed in Christ Jesus, praise be to God!

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#  04 2026 Dev. Isa.35:3 The Joy of the Lord! Read all of chapter thirty-five first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Isaiah 35:3 “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way…”

Isaiah.35 After the doom and judgment of the nations in ch.34, now in ch.35, God, through the prophet, gives us the vision of the New Heaven and Earth!

Vs.1-2 What was destroyed will be renewed, ‘“they (we) will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.”

Vs.3-4 ‘“say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear…”’ Today, there are many Christians all over the world who fear for their lives, Satan is working to destroy Christianity, He tried to do that once before at the beginning of Christianity. Are we now near Satan’s end? The Prophet writes: “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution.” Come Lord Jesus!

Vs.5-7 We do now see, hear and understand the Grace of God. Jesus’s work on earth continues to this day. When John was in prison, he asked Jesus if He was the one. “Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me. Php.4:4-7.”Let us not be ashamed of the Gospel!  Not only are people renewed, Creation will be revived: “Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” Jesus, as well as Isaiah are speaking in a spiritual sense and in a realistic sense as well.

Vs.8-10 “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.” No reprobate, scoffer or wicked people will walk in that way, “only the redeemed, and those the Lord has rescued…” Today, Christians walk in the way of Holiness by God’s Grace, weaving us through life in the direction God wants us to go, thanks be to Him. But for Christians being murdered now, “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” We will join them in His time, thanks be to God!

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#  03 2026 Dev. Lev.23 God’s Rest! Read all of chapter twenty-three first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Leviticus 23:3“‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.”

Lev 23 The Appointed Feasts: The Sabbath, Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles.

Vs.1-2 The Sabbath, “you may not do any work…” The punishment for breaking the Sabbath, was death. For Christians today, Sunday is the day we set aside, the day Jesus arose, our day of rest also reflects God’s eternal rest. Paul writes: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1Cor.16:2.” Most of us are still doing that today. Paul also writes: One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.Rm.14:5-6a.” So, today we have more freedom as it concerns Sunday, but “whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.” We are blessed on Sunday with the Word of God! Imagine having to work seven days a week!

Vs.4-8 The Passover was combined with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a seven-day event, celebrating the time in Egypt when the angel of death passed over every house having the blood of the lamb on the door posts. Today’s lamb: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jn.1:29.’” Today’s bread of life: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Jn.6:35.” Jesus is  speaking of Spiritual food for eternal life.

Vs.9-14 Offering of First Fruit: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.”’ This offering was to include a lamb, fine flour mixed with olive oil and wine. This was to be done before one ate of the new harvest. Today’s firstfruit: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1Cor 15:20.” We also add the bread and wine of Communion. Luke 22:19-20.

Vs.15-21 The Festival of Weeks. “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord.”Multimale sacrifices are required, two loaves of bread, seven male lambs, one young bull, and two rams to the Lord. One male goat for a sin offering and two lambs for the priests. Jesus said on one occasion, while he was eating with his disciples, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. Acts 1:4,” We need more of the Holy Spirit today!

V.22. “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.” This was for the poor, we have provisions for the poor today. Today we need to address those who have not experienced God’s Grace: Then he said to his disciples, (and to us) ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Mt. 9:37.”’ That is how it was then and so it is now!

Vs.23-The Festival of Trumpets.  “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the Lord.’” Today, we look forward to: in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.1Cor.15:35.”Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Vs.26-32. The Day of Atonement. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the Lord.” Three times the passages say: you must deny yourselves. It is time to ponder why we need atonement, why we need reparations for doing wrong. Today, Jesus: “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Heb.9:12.” Redemption for us all!

Vs.33-44. The Festival of Tabernacles. “So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest.” They were to live in temporary shelters, remembering the shelters they lived in during the time God brought them out of Egypt. Today, “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Jn.7:7-39.” We have that Spirit today, what is our excuse?

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#  02 2026 Dev. Isa.34:8. God has a day! Read all of chapter thirty-four first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Isaiah 34:8 “For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.”

Isa. 34 calls everyone to attention; “Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples!” Only Edom is mentioned, raising the issue of Jacob and Esau but also Cain and Abel and ultimately the son of Mary (Jesus) and Satan.

Vs.1-7 We are still at the time of the Assyrian invasion into the Middle East. “The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is on all their armies.” There is a reckoning at Isaiah’s time, and a reckoning by God is still going on to this day, culminating on the Great Day of the Lord at the end of time!  

V.8 “For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause.” God protects His people, His Church!

Vs.9-13 “Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch… her land will become blazing pitch! It will not be quenched night or day; its smoke will rise forever.”This is a description of Gehenna, a descriptive word for Hell. Hell, that is a real place and lives in those who have allowed Satan into their lives now.  “Thorns will overrun her citadels, nettles and brambles her strongholds.” God’s justice is final!

Vs,14-17 “Desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and wild goats will bleat to each other; there the night creatures will also lie down and find for themselves places of rest.” God will take care of His Creation.

v.16 “ Look in the scroll of the Lord and read: None of these will be missing, not one will lack her mate. For it is his mouth that has given the order, and His Spirit will gather them together.” God also takes care of His people, thanks be to God!

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# 52 ,2025 Dev.Isa.33:2. The Lord, Our Salvation! Read all of chapter thirty-three first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Isaiah 33:2 “Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you.
Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”

Isa.33 This chapter relates what the previous chapters are about, the distress of Judah and Jerusalem by Sennacherib’s invasion and their deliverance out of that distress by the destruction of the Assyrian army.

Vs.1-4 “Woe to you, destroyer… Woe to you, betrayer…you will be destroyed…you will be betrayed. They were set to destroy the people of God. They had violated the treaty. The Lord is gracious to us, the Lord is our salvation. This is true even today; the Lord is our only salvation!

Vs.5-9 “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness.” That is that we need, Isaiah, gives us the foundation for a Jewish life and a Christian life: “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” The land is laid waste. But God will rise up

Vs.10-24 “Now will I arise,” says the Lord. “Now will I be exalted;
 now will I be lifted up.” Who among us can stand a consuming fire or can stand everlasting burning?  No one, this is how we may avoid  a useless life: “Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them.”We do not do these things because we are trying to be saved, no, we do them because we are already saved in Christ Jesus. Praise Him! Blessed New Year!

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# 51 2025 Dev. Lev.19-20 God is Holy! Read all of chapters nineteen and twenty first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Lev.19:1 “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”

Leviticus.19-20 Are about “Various Laws” and “Punishment for Sin”.

Ch.19:3 Sets the tone for this chapter; “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” This is what follows; “Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.” We cover only what was not covered before. Leave the edges of your field and the grapes missed for the poor. Do not steal, or lie, or deceive others, or swear falsely, or defraud your neighbor. Pay on time and preserve justice, respect and help the handicap, do not hate, or seek revenge or bear a grudge, “but love your neighbor as yourself.” All these precepts above are required today.

But some rules don’t apply; like the restriction on planting a tree; do not pick the fruit for three years, and the fourth year you give as an offering to God. The fifth year the planter is allowed to eat the fruit. Or the rules about grooming, cutting and tattooing. But the rules of honest weight and measures, definitely apply, the fraud and the dishonesty today are at a scale unimaginable! Will there be accountability? I hope so, but we do well to start with ourselves. 

Lev.20:1-5 The first five verses are about sacrificing children to Molek, we can’t imagine such a thing, apparently it was a widespread practice. Children are not sacrificed in that sense today, but they are being sacrificed in another sense. Exploitation on line by big tec., there are no guard rails, congress refuses to pass a bill to protect children, they are collecting from the lobbyists and parents aren’t paying attention. Something like six hundred thousand migrant children are lost, the government is not paying attention.  “Consecrate yourself and be holy…” The sexual sins described here carry the death sentence. Our societies have cavalier attitudes about sexual issues and gender issues today, which have polluted the land. But there is hope in repentance.“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lam 3:22-23” Thank God!

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#  50 2025 Dev.Isa.32:17 God’s Peace! Read all of chapter thirty-two first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Isaiah 32:17 “The fruit of that (God’s) righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”

Isa.32 is a switch from Sennacherib’s pending attack to; “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.” Perhaps this is a flash back to better times or better times ahead, when kings followed the Lord in obedience of His decrees and exemplified His righteousness.

Vs.1-8 “The Kingdom of Righteousness. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,and the earsof those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. No longer will the foolbe called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.” This, elevating of evil, seems to be an age-old problem. Why do some people and some leaders want to protect criminals roaming our streets? So many crimes have been committed and people have been killed! People, if one of your children is killed or your wife is raped, will you then wake up? It does not appear that is the case, that means that some of our leaders do not take care for those Americans who pay their salaries!

Vs.9-20 “The Women of Jerusalem…You women who are so complacent, rise up and listento me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!” God, through the prophet, calls the wives and daughters to attention. It appears that even in those day the women had a lot of influence. “Tremble, you complacent women; shudder, you daughters who feel secure! Strip off your fine clothes and wrap yourselves in rags. Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines and for the land of my people, a land overgrown with thorns and briers—yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this city of revelry.” That will be the situation, until, “till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness (will) live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;” So it is today, we can’t change our lives, our situations, without the Spirit of Almighty God! Seek the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in God’s Word, in your prayers and in your fellow Christians! This is the result; “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, how blessed you will be.” Blessings here on earth and everlasting blessings above. Praise the Lord!

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