UBF Daily Bread

THE LORD LONGS TO BE GRACIOUS TO YOU

Passage: Isaiah 30:1~26

Key verse: 18

Woe to the Obstinate Nation

30 “Woe^(A) to the obstinate children,”^(B)
    declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
    forming an alliance,^(C) but not by my Spirit,
    heaping sin upon sin;
²who go down to Egypt^(D)
    without consulting^(E) me;
who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,^(F)
    to Egypt’s shade for refuge.^(G)
³But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame,
    Egypt’s shade^(H) will bring you disgrace.^(I)
⁴Though they have officials in Zoan^(J)
    and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
⁵everyone will be put to shame
    because of a people^(K) useless^(L) to them,
who bring neither help^(M) nor advantage,
    but only shame and disgrace.^(N)”

⁶A prophecy^(O) concerning the animals of the Negev:^(P)

Through a land of hardship and distress,^(Q)
    of lions^(R) and lionesses,
    of adders and darting snakes,^(S)
the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’^(T) backs,
    their treasures^(U) on the humps of camels,
to that unprofitable nation,
⁷    to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless.^(V)
Therefore I call her
    Rahab^(W) the Do-Nothing.

⁸Go now, write it on a tablet^(X) for them,
    inscribe it on a scroll,^(Y)
that for the days to come
    it may be an everlasting witness.^(Z)
⁹For these are rebellious^(AA) people, deceitful^(AB) children,
    children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.^(AC)
¹⁰They say to the seers,^(AD)
    “See no more visions^(AE)!”
and to the prophets,
    “Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,^(AF)
    prophesy illusions.^(AG)
¹¹Leave this way,^(AH)
    get off this path,
and stop confronting^(AI) us
    with the Holy One^(AJ) of Israel!”

¹²Therefore this is what the Holy One^(AK) of Israel says:

“Because you have rejected this message,^(AL)
    relied on oppression^(AM)
    and depended on deceit,
¹³this sin will become for you
    like a high wall,^(AN) cracked and bulging,
    that collapses^(AO) suddenly,^(AP) in an instant.
¹⁴It will break in pieces like pottery,^(AQ)
    shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
    for taking coals from a hearth
    or scooping water out of a cistern.”

¹⁵This is what the Sovereign^(AR) Lord, the Holy One^(AS) of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest^(AT) is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust^(AU) is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.^(AV)
¹⁶You said, ‘No, we will flee^(AW) on horses.’^(AX)
    Therefore you will flee!
You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
    Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
¹⁷A thousand will flee
    at the threat of one;
at the threat of five^(AY)
    you will all flee^(AZ) away,
till you are left^(BA)
    like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
    like a banner^(BB) on a hill.”

¹⁸Yet the Lord longs^(BC) to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.^(BD)
For the Lord is a God of justice.^(BE)
Blessed are all who wait for him!^(BF)

¹⁹People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.^(BG) How gracious he will be when you cry for help!^(BH) As soon as he hears, he will answer^(BI) you. ²⁰Although the Lord gives you the bread^(BJ) of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers^(BK) will be hidden^(BL) no more; with your own eyes you will see them. ²¹Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice^(BM) behind you, saying, “This is the way;^(BN) walk in it.” ²²Then you will desecrate your idols^(BO) overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold;^(BP) you will throw them away like a menstrual^(BQ) cloth and say to them, “Away with you!^(BR)”

²³He will also send you rain^(BS) for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich^(BT) and plentiful.^(BU) In that day^(BV) your cattle will graze in broad meadows.^(BW) ²⁴The oxen^(BX) and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder^(BY) and mash, spread out with fork^(BZ) and shovel. ²⁵In the day of great slaughter,^(CA) when the towers^(CB) fall, streams of water will flow^(CC) on every high mountain and every lofty hill. ²⁶The moon will shine like the sun,^(CD) and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals^(CE) the wounds he inflicted.

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Cross references

Isaiah 30:1 : S Isa 28:1
Isaiah 30:1 : S Dt 21:18; S Isa 1:2
Isaiah 30:1 : S 2Ki 17:4; S Isa 8:12
Isaiah 30:2 : 2Ki 25:26; Isa 31:1; 36:6; Jer 2:18, 36; 42:14; Eze 17:15; 29:16
Isaiah 30:2 : S Ge 25:22; S Nu 27:21
Isaiah 30:2 : Isa 36:9
Isaiah 30:2 : S Isa 4:6
Isaiah 30:3 : Jdg 9:8-15
Isaiah 30:3 : ver 5; S Ps 44:13; Isa 20:4-5; 36:6
Isaiah 30:4 : S Nu 13:22
Isaiah 30:5 : ver 7; Isa 20:5; 31:1; 36:6
Isaiah 30:5 : S 2Ki 18:21
Isaiah 30:5 : S Ps 108:12; Jer 37:3-5
Isaiah 30:5 : S ver 3; S 2Ki 18:21; Eze 17:15
Isaiah 30:6 : Isa 13:1
Isaiah 30:6 : S Jdg 1:9
Isaiah 30:6 : S Ex 1:13; 5:10, 21; Isa 5:30; 8:22; Jer 11:4
Isaiah 30:6 : S Isa 5:29; 35:9
Isaiah 30:6 : S Dt 8:15
Isaiah 30:6 : S Ge 42:26; S 1Sa 25:18
Isaiah 30:6 : S Isa 15:7
Isaiah 30:7 : S 2Ki 18:21; S Jer 2:36
Isaiah 30:7 : S Job 9:13
Isaiah 30:8 : S Dt 27:8
Isaiah 30:8 : S Ex 17:14; S Isa 8:1; Jer 25:13; 30:2; 36:28; Hab 2:2
Isaiah 30:8 : Jos 24:26-27
Isaiah 30:9 : S Ps 78:8; S Isa 1:2; S Eze 2:6
Isaiah 30:9 : Isa 28:15; 59:3-4
Isaiah 30:9 : S Isa 1:10
Isaiah 30:10 : S 1Sa 9:9
Isaiah 30:10 : Jer 11:21; 32:3; Am 7:13
Isaiah 30:10 : S 1Ki 22:8; S Jer 4:10
Isaiah 30:10 : Jer 23:26; 25:9; 26:9; 36:29; Eze 13:7; Ro 16:18; 2Ti 4:3-4
Isaiah 30:11 : ver 21; Pr 3:6; Isa 35:8-9; 48:17
Isaiah 30:11 : S Job 21:14
Isaiah 30:11 : S Isa 29:19
Isaiah 30:12 : ver 15; S Isa 5:19; 31:1
Isaiah 30:12 : S Isa 5:24
Isaiah 30:12 : S Ps 10:7; S 12:5; S Isa 5:7
Isaiah 30:13 : S Ne 2:17; Ps 62:3; S 80:12
Isaiah 30:13 : S 1Ki 20:30
Isaiah 30:13 : S Isa 17:14
Isaiah 30:14 : S Ps 2:9
Isaiah 30:15 : Jer 7:20; Eze 3:11
Isaiah 30:15 : S ver 12
Isaiah 30:15 : S Ex 14:14; S Jos 1:13
Isaiah 30:15 : S 2Ch 20:12; Isa 32:17
Isaiah 30:15 : Isa 8:6; 42:24; 57:17
Isaiah 30:16 : Jer 46:6
Isaiah 30:16 : S Dt 17:16; 1Ki 10:28-29; S Ps 20:7; Isa 31:1, 3; 36:8
Isaiah 30:17 : S Lev 26:8
Isaiah 30:17 : Lev 26:36; Dt 28:25; S 2Ki 7:7
Isaiah 30:17 : S Isa 1:8
Isaiah 30:17 : S Ps 20:5
Isaiah 30:18 : S Ge 43:31; Isa 42:14; 2Pe 3:9, 15
Isaiah 30:18 : Ps 78:38; Isa 48:9; Jnh 3:10
Isaiah 30:18 : S Ps 11:7; S Isa 5:16
Isaiah 30:18 : S Ps 27:14; Isa 25:9; 33:2; 40:31; 64:4; La 3:25; Da 12:12
Isaiah 30:19 : S Isa 25:8; 60:20; 61:3
Isaiah 30:19 : S Job 24:12
Isaiah 30:19 : Job 22:27; Ps 50:15; S 86:7; Isa 41:17; 58:9; 65:24; Zec 13:9; Mt 7:7-11
Isaiah 30:20 : 1Ki 22:27
Isaiah 30:20 : S Isa 28:9
Isaiah 30:20 : Ps 74:9; Am 8:11
Isaiah 30:21 : S Isa 29:24
Isaiah 30:21 : S ver 11; S Job 33:11
Isaiah 30:22 : S Ex 32:4; S Isa 17:8
Isaiah 30:22 : S Job 22:24; Isa 31:7
Isaiah 30:22 : Lev 15:19-23
Isaiah 30:22 : Eze 7:19-20
Isaiah 30:23 : S Dt 28:12; Isa 65:21-22
Isaiah 30:23 : Isa 25:6; 55:2; Jer 31:14
Isaiah 30:23 : S Job 36:31; Isa 62:8
Isaiah 30:23 : S Isa 28:5
Isaiah 30:23 : S Ps 65:13
Isaiah 30:24 : Isa 32:14, 20
Isaiah 30:24 : S Job 6:5
Isaiah 30:24 : Mt 3:12; Lk 3:17
Isaiah 30:25 : S Isa 13:5; 34:6; 65:12; Jer 25:32; 50:27
Isaiah 30:25 : S Isa 2:15
Isaiah 30:25 : S Ex 17:6; Isa 32:2; 41:18; Joel 3:18; Zec 14:8
Isaiah 30:26 : Isa 24:23; 60:19-20; Zec 14:7; Rev 21:23; 22:5
Isaiah 30:26 : S Dt 32:39; S 2Ch 7:14; Ps 107:20; S Isa 1:5; Jer 3:22; 17:14; Hos 14:4

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

Judah hoped that a political alliance with Egypt would protect them from the Assyrians. But God repeatedly warned Judah that relying on Egypt was useless. Egypt would bring Judah disgrace and shame. The people of Judah should have listened to the LORD’s instructions. However, they refused and demanded that the prophets tell them pleasant lies instead of the harder message of repentance. Therefore, their sin would become like a cracked and bulging wall that would suddenly collapse. Judah would be mercilessly shattered. Repentance would have brought salvation. Quietness and trust would have been their strength but they rejected it (15). May our hearts receive the message of repentance that leads to life.

God still longed to be gracious and to show compassion to the remnant. He promised no more weeping. Adversity and affliction for their sins would be replaced with God’s word and direction. God would bless their fields to produce rich and plentiful food. God would heal the wounds he inflicted.

The LORD longs to be gracious and compassionate to us. Do not turn to the world for what only God can give you, even in times of uncertainty or struggle. Only God can give you salvation, strength, and joy.

Prayer: Lord, I repent of disobeying you. You alone are my salvation and strength.

One Word: Repentance and rest is your salvation