Ken Miller

Everybody has a bad day now and then. But for King Hezekiah of Judah, the bad days were beginning to stack up and looked like they were about to fall and crush his kingdom under their weight. The Assyrians were knocking at the gates of Jerusalem, threatening invasion if the people of Judah didn’t take their advice and surrender. The emissary for King Sennacherib had been taunting Hezekiah and the people; ridiculing their pitiable army, scoffing at their alliance with Egypt, and mocking their God. For Hezekiah, it was a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace. But God had other plans. And Sennacherib was in for a rude and unpleasant surprise. In Isaiah 37:1-13, Hezekiah finally decides to see the help of God and he receives some incredibly good news that reveals the paltry power of the Assyrians when faced with the omnipotent God of Judah. They were no match for God Almighty, and Isaiah provides King Hezekiah with some much-needed encouragement in the midst of all the pending doom and gloom. God was still on His throne, and the Assyrians were powerless to do anything outside His will or without His permission.

Everybody has a bad day now and then. But for King Hezekiah of Judah, the bad days were beginning to stack up and looked like they were about to fall and crush his kingdom under their weight. The Assyrians were knocking at the gates of Jerusalem, threatening invasion if the people of Judah didn’t take their advice and surrender. The emissary for King Sennacherib had been taunting Hezekiah and the people; ridiculing their pitiable army, scoffing at their alliance with Egypt, and mocking their God. For Hezekiah, it was a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace. But God had other plans. And Sennacherib was in for a rude and unpleasant surprise. In Isaiah 37:1-13, Hezekiah finally decides to see the help of God and he receives some incredibly good news that reveals the paltry power of the Assyrians when faced with the omnipotent God of Judah. They were no match for God Almighty, and Isaiah provides King Hezekiah with some much-needed encouragement in the midst of all the pending doom and glo

Ep 813 - Isaiah 37:1-13

There is only one kind of salvation that really matters: The kind that comes from the hand of God Almighty. Any other kind of salvation is short-lived and insufficient to bring lasting results. The people of Judah might find temporary relief from the threat of Assyrian invasion by trusting in the Egypt, but it wouldn’t last. Especially since the destruction they faced was coming from God Himself. Isaiah knew that the only hope for Judah’s salvation was if the people repented or God relented. The first one showed no signs of taking place. Isaiah had begged and pleaded with the people of Judah to repent and return to God, but to no avail. And so, the only option available was if God decided to extend mercy to His rebellious people. In Isaiah 33:7-24, the scene is bleak and the prospects look grim. But in the midst of the doom and gloom, God sheds a light of hope. He promises to show His power and might. And He pledges to deal with the Assyrians, turning the tables on them and making them the victim, not the victor. In spite of Judah’s failure to repent, God promises to restore them one day. He announces a time when He will be their Mighty One – their king, judge and lawgiver, restoring them to a right relationship with Himself – out of His love, mercy and grace.

There is only one kind of salvation that really matters: The kind that comes from the hand of God Almighty. Any other kind of salvation is short-lived and insufficient to bring lasting results. The people of Judah might find temporary relief from the threat of Assyrian invasion by trusting in the Egypt, but it wouldn’t last. Especially since the destruction they faced was coming from God Himself. Isaiah knew that the only hope for Judah’s salvation was if the people repented or God relented. The first one showed no signs of taking place. Isaiah had begged and pleaded with the people of Judah to repent and return to God, but to no avail. And so, the only option available was if God decided to extend mercy to His rebellious people. In Isaiah 33:7-24, the scene is bleak and the prospects look grim. But in the midst of the doom and gloom, God sheds a light of hope. He promises to show His power and might. And He pledges to deal with the Assyrians, turning the tables on them and making them

Ep 809 – Isaiah 33:7-24

etimes God’s promises sound too good to be true. They can come across as so “out there” that they lose any sense of reality. We begin to doubt that they will ever happen and, as a result, we start looking to things other than God to bring us joy, hope, satisfaction and significance. That was the problem in Judah and it was pervasive. In fact, in Isaiah 32:9-10, Isaiah is going to address the women of Judah, using some pretty colorful and offensive language to make his point. These women were guilty of finding their fulfillment and identity in material things. They had grown comfortable and complacent, enamored by their material possessions, and totally forgetting that they belonged to God. They were His possession. He had chosen them and made them His own, but they lived like they were independent agents who had full control over their lives and their futures. They were the masters of their own fates – or so they thought. God was going to humble these proud and arrogant women, along with the rest of the nation. But the day was coming when He would pour out His Spirit upon them, making it possible for them to willingly seek and serve Him and Him alone.

etimes God’s promises sound too good to be true. They can come across as so “out there” that they lose any sense of reality. We begin to doubt that they will ever happen and, as a result, we start looking to things other than God to bring us joy, hope, satisfaction and significance. That was the problem in Judah and it was pervasive. In fact, in Isaiah 32:9-10, Isaiah is going to address the women of Judah, using some pretty colorful and offensive language to make his point. These women were guilty of finding their fulfillment and identity in material things. They had grown comfortable and complacent, enamored by their material possessions, and totally forgetting that they belonged to God. They were His possession. He had chosen them and made them His own, but they lived like they were independent agents who had full control over their lives and their futures. They were the masters of their own fates – or so they thought. God was going to humble these proud and arrogant women, along wi

Isaiah 32:9-20

Judging the presence of God based on the condition of our current circumstances doesn’t always produce accurate results. Sometimes, our situation may give the impression that God is nowhere to be found. But, in time, we come to realize that He was there all along. What appeared to be a lack of His presence was simply a deficiency in our faith. There are times when God allows His people to experience the pain of brokenness so that He might pour out His love and bind up their wounds. In Isaiah 30:18-33 God calls out to His people, begging them to return to Him so that He might restore them. He longs to pour out His compassion and shower them with His blessings. But time and time again, the people of Judah had revealed the hardness of their hearts and the stubbornness of their dispositions. Yet, God was and is patient. He has a long-term strategy that entails both their discipline and their blessing. He was going to punish them, but the day was coming when He would restore them. They had brought down His judgment upon themselves. But the day is coming when He will bind up the broken.

Judging the presence of God based on the condition of our current circumstances doesn’t always produce accurate results. Sometimes, our situation may give the impression that God is nowhere to be found. But, in time, we come to realize that He was there all along. What appeared to be a lack of His presence was simply a deficiency in our faith. There are times when God allows His people to experience the pain of brokenness so that He might pour out His love and bind up their wounds. In Isaiah 30:18-33 God calls out to His people, begging them to return to Him so that He might restore them. He longs to pour out His compassion and shower them with His blessings. But time and time again, the people of Judah had revealed the hardness of their hearts and the stubbornness of their dispositions. Yet, God was and is patient. He has a long-term strategy that entails both their discipline and their blessing. He was going to punish them, but the day was coming when He would restore them. They had 

Ep 804 – Isaiah 30:18-33

The Bible is a book of history and prophecy. It is full of stories about the past and predictions about the future. It tells us how the universe was created by God, how sin entered into the scene, and how mankind went from being made in the image of God to being the enemies of God. In its pages, the Bible reveals the on-again-off-again nature of Israel’s relationship with God. It tells us about God’s promise to send a Messiah or Savior to restore fallen mankind to a right relationship with Himself. And then it shows how that promise was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ. The Bible, while thousands of years old, is a timeless book that deals with far more than ancient history. It is about the future and its impact upon the present. And in Isaiah 29:17-24, God gives the people of Judah a much-needed reminder that His plans for them extend well beyond their current circumstances. They were facing judgment because of their sin, but He promises them future blessing because of His grace and mercy. They couldn’t seem to stop rebelling against Him, but that would not stop God from pouring out His blessings upon them ­– in the future and according to His divine will.

The Bible is a book of history and prophecy. It is full of stories about the past and predictions about the future. It tells us how the universe was created by God, how sin entered into the scene, and how mankind went from being made in the image of God to being the enemies of God. In its pages, the Bible reveals the on-again-off-again nature of Israel’s relationship with God. It tells us about God’s promise to send a Messiah or Savior to restore fallen mankind to a right relationship with Himself. And then it shows how that promise was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ. The Bible, while thousands of years old, is a timeless book that deals with far more than ancient history. It is about the future and its impact upon the present. And in Isaiah 29:17-24, God gives the people of Judah a much-needed reminder that His plans for them extend well beyond their current circumstances. They were facing judgment because of their sin, but He promises them future blessing because of His grace

Ep 801 – Isaiah 29:17-24

Everybody likes to think they are in control of their own lives. We love the idea of being the masters of our fate and the captains of the ship of our life. And the people of Judah were no different. They wanted to live according to their own agendas and thought they could fool God into believing that they were being obedient to Him, when they were living in open rebellion to Him. They were so confident, that they believed they had God fooled. They had pulled the wool over His eyes and convinced Him that they were really good and faithful children. But Isaiah 29:9-16 reveals that nothing was further from the truth. God knew everything and He was well aware of their disobedience. He was not the one who was ignorant and deceived. They were. But in their arrogance and pride, they felt they had every right to tell God what to do. They operated under the misguided idea that He somehow worked for them and existed to serve their needs. But they were in for a rude awakening. The potter rarely takes advice from the clay. He was in full control and they were in full subjection to His will, whether they liked it or not.

Everybody likes to think they are in control of their own lives. We love the idea of being the masters of our fate and the captains of the ship of our life. And the people of Judah were no different. They wanted to live according to their own agendas and thought they could fool God into believing that they were being obedient to Him, when they were living in open rebellion to Him. They were so confident, that they believed they had God fooled. They had pulled the wool over His eyes and convinced Him that they were really good and faithful children. But Isaiah 29:9-16 reveals that nothing was further from the truth. God knew everything and He was well aware of their disobedience. He was not the one who was ignorant and deceived. They were. But in their arrogance and pride, they felt they had every right to tell God what to do. They operated under the misguided idea that He somehow worked for them and existed to serve their needs. But they were in for a rude awakening. The potter rarely 

Ep 800 - Isaiah 29:9-16

By now, we should have a firm grasp on the reality that God never treats sin lightly. In spite of Judah’s status as God’s chosen people, He was not going to put up with their rebellion against Him indefinitely. He warned them repeatedly that their judgment was coming, unless they repented and returned to Him. And in Isaiah 29:1-8, God makes it clear that their refusal to repent would bring not only His judgment but their own deaths. Their disobedience was punishable by death. And while He had provided them with the sacrificial system as a means of receiving atonement for their sins, they had even treated it with disdain. They had even defiled the temple of God itself by setting up idols to false gods within its walls. This blatant disrespect for God, His house, and the sacrificial system He had provided, was not something He could overlook. So, Isaiah is forced to warn the people of Judah that their rebellion was going to turn the sacrificer into the sacrifice. Rather than seeking atonement through a lamb, bull or goat, the guilty people of God would be forced to shed their own blood and give their own lives as payment for their sins.

By now, we should have a firm grasp on the reality that God never treats sin lightly. In spite of Judah’s status as God’s chosen people, He was not going to put up with their rebellion against Him indefinitely. He warned them repeatedly that their judgment was coming, unless they repented and returned to Him. And in Isaiah 29:1-8, God makes it clear that their refusal to repent would bring not only His judgment but their own deaths. Their disobedience was punishable by death. And while He had provided them with the sacrificial system as a means of receiving atonement for their sins, they had even treated it with disdain. They had even defiled the temple of God itself by setting up idols to false gods within its walls. This blatant disrespect for God, His house, and the sacrificial system He had provided, was not something He could overlook. So, Isaiah is forced to warn the people of Judah that their rebellion was going to turn the sacrificer into the sacrifice. Rather than seeking aton

Ep 799 - Isaiah 29:1-8

Those who express belief in God must constantly strive to maintain their awareness of His omnipotence and His timelessness. God is all-powerful and operates outside the confines of time and space. He is not relegated to any particular time period and His knowledge is not limited to what has happened in the past. He exists outside of any time constraints, so to Him, the past, present and the future are all equally accessible and knowable. So, when God spoke to and through His prophets, He was delivering information that revealed future events as if they were present reality. In Isaiah 26:10-21, the prophet speaks as if the prophecies of God, dealing with as-yet-to-happen events, have already happened. He writes of future promises concerning the people of Judah with a confident assurance that they can and will happen. In fact, he almost gives the impression they have already taken place. He speaks of them as if they are in the past tense. It wasn’t that Isaiah didn’t know what God had in store. He knew that the fury of God had to fall before the mercy and grace of God could be experienced. But he wanted the people of Judah to have confidence that, once the fury of God had passed, the blessings of God would fall.

Those who express belief in God must constantly strive to maintain their awareness of His omnipotence and His timelessness. God is all-powerful and operates outside the confines of time and space. He is not relegated to any particular time period and His knowledge is not limited to what has happened in the past. He exists outside of any time constraints, so to Him, the past, present and the future are all equally accessible and knowable. So, when God spoke to and through His prophets, He was delivering information that revealed future events as if they were present reality. In Isaiah 26:10-21, the prophet speaks as if the prophecies of God, dealing with as-yet-to-happen events, have already happened. He writes of future promises concerning the people of Judah with a confident assurance that they can and will happen. In fact, he almost gives the impression they have already taken place. He speaks of them as if they are in the past tense. It wasn’t that Isaiah didn’t know what God had in

Ep 794 – Isaiah 26:10-21

Repeatedly throughout the Scriptures, we read the words, “Fear not.” And they are almost always in relationship to some troubling trial or difficulty. When the people of Israel were standing at the shore of the Red Sea with the army of Pharaoh bearing down on them, Moses had told them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.” Years later, when the Israelites were preparing to enter the land of Canaan, God told them, “Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them” (Deuteronomy 20:3 NLT). Paul would later encourage Timothy by reminding him, “God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). But the truth is, we fear far more often than we would like to admit. And the people of Judah did as well. In Isaiah 21:1-10, we will see God calling His people to exhibit faith, rather than fear. Even with all that was going on around them, God wanted them to see His sovereign hand at work. If they had faith in Him, they would have a difficult time fearing what was taking place around them. Faith is the antidote for fear.

Repeatedly throughout the Scriptures, we read the words, “Fear not.” And they are almost always in relationship to some troubling trial or difficulty. When the people of Israel were standing at the shore of the Red Sea with the army of Pharaoh bearing down on them, Moses had told them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.” Years later, when the Israelites were preparing to enter the land of Canaan, God told them, “Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them” (Deuteronomy 20:3 NLT). Paul would later encourage Timothy by reminding him, “God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). But the truth is, we fear far more often than we would like to admit. And the people of Judah did as well. In Isaiah 21:1-10, we will see God calling His people to exhibit faith, rather than fear. Even with all that was going o

Ep 785 – Isaiah 21:1-10

There is a sense in which the people of God should always be singing the praises of God. If we truly believe that He is all-powerful and sovereign over all things, then we can rejoice in the fact that our God reigns over all – all the time. There has never been a time in history where God was out of control. And there never will be a time when the will of God fails to take place just as He has preordained it. When reading a passage like Isaiah 24:14-23, we are reminded that our God deserves our praise. Even in the midst of looming destruction, brought on by the blatant disobedience of His people, God reveals that He has a plan in store that will involve the restoration of a remnant. The judgment of God was coming, but so was the grace and mercy of God. The people of Judah would be disciplined severely for their sins, but they would one day experience the undeserved favor of God. And this incredible reality would leave the people of Judah rejoicing and praising God for His majesty. Like so many other passages in Isaiah, this one has a now/not yet aspect to it. Some of God’s promises have already been fulfilled in part. But there are still some as yet fulfilled elements to this passage for which the people of Judah can still eagerly anticipate.

There is a sense in which the people of God should always be singing the praises of God. If we truly believe that He is all-powerful and sovereign over all things, then we can rejoice in the fact that our God reigns over all – all the time. There has never been a time in history where God was out of control. And there never will be a time when the will of God fails to take place just as He has preordained it. When reading a passage like Isaiah 24:14-23, we are reminded that our God deserves our praise. Even in the midst of looming destruction, brought on by the blatant disobedience of His people, God reveals that He has a plan in store that will involve the restoration of a remnant. The judgment of God was coming, but so was the grace and mercy of God. The people of Judah would be disciplined severely for their sins, but they would one day experience the undeserved favor of God. And this incredible reality would leave the people of Judah rejoicing and praising God for His majesty. Like

Ep 791 – Isaiah 24:14-23

It was Jesus who spoke of the valley of the shadow of death in the sample prayer He gave to His disciples. The use of the valley as a metaphor for difficulty was common in Jesus' day. It was used to juxtapose the experience of the breathtaking heights of the mountain that loomed over the valley. And in Isaiah 22:1-13, God is going to use the metaphor of the valley to refer Mount Zion, the elevated height upon which the city of David, Jerusalem, sat. This spiritually lofty locale was going to experience dramatic change in its circumstances – all because of disobedience to God. While Jerusalem was home to the temple and the seat of the royal dynasty of David, it was going to go through a major shift in its spiritual fortunes. The presence of the temple was not going to protect them from the wrath of God. The city's reputation as the holy mountain of God was not enough to counter their years of rebellion against Him. Judgment was coming because the people of Judah had continually rejected God's calls to repent. And the holy mountain was about to become the valley of vision. And the scene surrounding Jerusalem's fall would not be a pretty or pleasant one.

It was Jesus who spoke of the valley of the shadow of death in the sample prayer He gave to His disciples. The use of the valley as a metaphor for difficulty was common in Jesus' day. It was used to juxtapose the experience of the breathtaking heights of the mountain that loomed over the valley. And in Isaiah 22:1-13, God is going to use the metaphor of the valley to refer Mount Zion, the elevated height upon which the city of David, Jerusalem, sat. This spiritually lofty locale was going to experience dramatic change in its circumstances – all because of disobedience to God. While Jerusalem was home to the temple and the seat of the royal dynasty of David, it was going to go through a major shift in its spiritual fortunes. The presence of the temple was not going to protect them from the wrath of God. The city's reputation as the holy mountain of God was not enough to counter their years of rebellion against Him. Judgment was coming because the people of Judah had continually rejected

Ep 787 – Isaiah 22:1-14

Humanity seems to be hardwired to rejoice at the fall of an enemy. We take a perverse pleasure in seeing someone we dislike get what we believe to be their just desserts. Whether we call it revenge, payback, retribution or comeuppance – it all means the same thing. And in Isaiah 14:28-32, God has a word for the nations, warning them about celebrating over the apparent fall of Judah too quickly. He specifically addresses the Philistines, the perennial enemies of the people of God, letting them know that their day of judgment was coming as well. So, while they might see the fall of Judah as good news worth celebrating, they needed to know that God was going to pay them back for the roles they had played in opposing the people of God and, in some cases, leading them away from God. While the book of Isaiah is primarily a message of God to His chosen people, it contains prophetic pronouncements concerning humanity as a whole. Even the land of Philistia would one day experience the judgment of God, because He rules and reigns over all.

Humanity seems to be hardwired to rejoice at the fall of an enemy. We take a perverse pleasure in seeing someone we dislike get what we believe to be their just desserts. Whether we call it revenge, payback, retribution or comeuppance – it all means the same thing. And in Isaiah 14:28-32, God has a word for the nations, warning them about celebrating over the apparent fall of Judah too quickly. He specifically addresses the Philistines, the perennial enemies of the people of God, letting them know that their day of judgment was coming as well. So, while they might see the fall of Judah as good news worth celebrating, they needed to know that God was going to pay them back for the roles they had played in opposing the people of God and, in some cases, leading them away from God. While the book of Isaiah is primarily a message of God to His chosen people, it contains prophetic pronouncements concerning humanity as a whole. Even the land of Philistia would one day experience the judgment 

Ep 776 – Isaiah 14:28-32

Humanity has a pride problem. Ever since the fall, mankind has displayed an uncanny ability to make far too much of itself. While we are the byproduct of God’s creative powers, we tend to believe the lie that, somehow, we are self-made men and women. We have convinced ourselves that, when it comes to our many achievements and advancements in everything from medicine and healthcare to science and technology, we deserve all the credit. But this pride problem has been around for a long time. In fact, Isaiah 14:24-27 deals with the pride of the nation of Assyria and provides God’s perspective regarding it. Let’s just say that the Assyrians were going to discover the hard way, that their power would prove no match for the omnipotent God of the universe. While He would allow the Assyrians to inflict pain and suffering on the people of Israel, God would not give them free reign to do as they wished. This pagan nation, like every other nation that has ever existed, were subject to the sovereign will of God Almighty. And no matter how prideful or powerful they became, they were completely subject to the plans and purposes of God.

Humanity has a pride problem. Ever since the fall, mankind has displayed an uncanny ability to make far too much of itself. While we are the byproduct of God’s creative powers, we tend to believe the lie that, somehow, we are self-made men and women. We have convinced ourselves that, when it comes to our many achievements and advancements in everything from medicine and healthcare to science and technology, we deserve all the credit. But this pride problem has been around for a long time. In fact, Isaiah 14:24-27 deals with the pride of the nation of Assyria and provides God’s perspective regarding it. Let’s just say that the Assyrians were going to discover the hard way, that their power would prove no match for the omnipotent God of the universe. While He would allow the Assyrians to inflict pain and suffering on the people of Israel, God would not give them free reign to do as they wished. This pagan nation, like every other nation that has ever existed, were subject to the sovereig

Ep 775 – Isaiah 14:24-27

God always has the end in mind. He knows the outcome of all things and, because He operates outside the restrictions of time and space, God is fully aware of how the story ends. Mainly, because He is the author of the story. There is nothing that happens on this planet that surprises God or catches Him off-guard. Every single aspect of human history has been pre-ordained by God and, as we will see in Isaiah 14:3-11, even the ultimate outcome of that history has been pre-determined by God. But, while God knows how the story ends, we as human beings tend to live with our eyes focused on the here-and-now, mesmerized by the current events that make up our lives. And the people of Judah were no different. All they could think about was the pending arrival of the Babylonians, as decreed by God and prophesied by Isaiah. From their vantage point, everything looked bleak. They had already seen their northern neighbors, the nation of Israel, fall to the Assyrians and end up in captivity. Now, it seemed like only a matter of time until they suffered a similar fate. But little did they know that God had a far different end in mind.

God always has the end in mind. He knows the outcome of all things and, because He operates outside the restrictions of time and space, God is fully aware of how the story ends. Mainly, because He is the author of the story. There is nothing that happens on this planet that surprises God or catches Him off-guard. Every single aspect of human history has been pre-ordained by God and, as we will see in Isaiah 14:3-11, even the ultimate outcome of that history has been pre-determined by God. But, while God knows how the story ends, we as human beings tend to live with our eyes focused on the here-and-now, mesmerized by the current events that make up our lives. And the people of Judah were no different. All they could think about was the pending arrival of the Babylonians, as decreed by God and prophesied by Isaiah. From their vantage point, everything looked bleak. They had already seen their northern neighbors, the nation of Israel, fall to the Assyrians and end up in captivity. Now, it

Ep 773 – Isaiah 14:3-11

required to wait. We may even begin to wonder and doubt whether He is going to come through for us, but He always does. And in Isaiah 14:1-2, we have yet another promise from God that assures the people of Judah that their future will be bright – all because God has decreed it. He has made a covenant commitment and He will not go back on His word. These two short verses are pregnant with meaning and literally overflowing with encouragement. Yet, how easy it is to read them and miss all that God is trying to convey through them. For the people of Judah, the news of God’s pending judgment and the approaching armies of Babylon weighed heavy on their minds. They couldn’t see past the current predicament in which they found themselves. But over and over again, God assures them that He has great things in store for them. His plans for them include blessings that will far over-shadow any suffering they may have to endure. And they will happen because He is the covenant-keeping God.

Ep 772 – Isaiah 14:1-2

God stands outside of time. He is eternal, having no beginning or end. And, as the eternal, transcendent God, He is just as knowledgeable of future events as He is of those that happened in the distant past. So, as we look at Isaiah 13:17-22, God is going to provide some insights into the future judgment of the nation of Babylon. And some of what we will see will include events that predict Babylon’s more immediate fate. From our vantage point, they are ancient history, having already taken place. But there will be other prophetic pronouncements that remain unfulfilled. God is speaking of the Babylon as Isaiah knew it in his day, but He is also revealing what will happen to the Babylon that will appear at the end times, during the days of the Great Tribulation. When it comes to God judging the nations, there are clear indications that His wrath comes all along the historic timeline. Nations have come and gone. Dictators and kings who once ruled are now little more than footnotes in a history book. But God, because He stands outside of time, has plans in place that have yet to happen. But part of the purpose of God displaying proof of His wrath against sin in history is so that His people will trust His promises to deal with sin in eternity.

God stands outside of time. He is eternal, having no beginning or end. And, as the eternal, transcendent God, He is just as knowledgeable of future events as He is of those that happened in the distant past. So, as we look at Isaiah 13:17-22, God is going to provide some insights into the future judgment of the nation of Babylon. And some of what we will see will include events that predict Babylon’s more immediate fate. From our vantage point, they are ancient history, having already taken place. But there will be other prophetic pronouncements that remain unfulfilled. God is speaking of the Babylon as Isaiah knew it in his day, but He is also revealing what will happen to the Babylon that will appear at the end times, during the days of the Great Tribulation. When it comes to God judging the nations, there are clear indications that His wrath comes all along the historic timeline. Nations have come and gone. Dictators and kings who once ruled are now little more than footnotes in a h

Ep 771 – Isaiah 13:17-22

Man has always had a unique ability to fabricate his own gods. Ever since the fall, humanity has made a habit out of creating false gods to replace the one true God. Yet, as Isaiah 13:10-16 will reveal, the day is coming when God will eliminate all the false gods from the face of the earth and judge all those who have chosen to replace Him with the lifeless products of their sinful imaginations. As Isaiah continues to discuss “that day” – the coming day of God’s judgment upon the world for their rejection of Him, he paints a rather bleak picture of the consequences of that judgment. God will deal harshly, but also justly. He will simply mete out the punishment rebellious mankind deserves. No one will be able to argue with Him or deny their guilt. His judgment will be just and sure. And while we may find the descriptions of this day disturbing and difficult to reconcile with our concept of an all-loving God, it is essential that we not diminish or downplay God’s hatred for sin and His righteous obligation to deal with those who have chosen to reject His rightful place as their God.

Man has always had a unique ability to fabricate his own gods. Ever since the fall, humanity has made a habit out of creating false gods to replace the one true God. Yet, as Isaiah 13:10-16 will reveal, the day is coming when God will eliminate all the false gods from the face of the earth and judge all those who have chosen to replace Him with the lifeless products of their sinful imaginations. As Isaiah continues to discuss “that day” – the coming day of God’s judgment upon the world for their rejection of Him, he paints a rather bleak picture of the consequences of that judgment. God will deal harshly, but also justly. He will simply mete out the punishment rebellious mankind deserves. No one will be able to argue with Him or deny their guilt. His judgment will be just and sure. And while we may find the descriptions of this day disturbing and difficult to reconcile with our concept of an all-loving God, it is essential that we not diminish or downplay God’s hatred for sin and His r

Ep 770 – Isaiah 13:10-16

God does not do anything halfway. He is not in the habit of partially accomplishing that to which He sets His mind. He completes what He starts. He finishes what He begins. And when it comes to the peoples of Israel and Judah, God has long-term plans for their good that He has yet to bring to fruition. Centuries have passed and generations of Jews have come and gone, but God’s covenant promise to Abraham remains intact and His determination to fulfill what He promised remains unchanged. And in Isaiah 10:20-34, God will reassure His people yet again of His plan to reestablish them in their land and restore them to a right relationship with Him. When you consider all that the Israelites and their southern brothers, the people of Judah, had done to offend God, it is amazing to think that He is going to keep every single one of His promises to them. They had violated their covenant relationship with Him time and time again, but as the covenant-keeping God, He will remain true to His word – until a full end to His promises has come about.

God does not do anything halfway. He is not in the habit of partially accomplishing that to which He sets His mind. He completes what He starts. He finishes what He begins. And when it comes to the peoples of Israel and Judah, God has long-term plans for their good that He has yet to bring to fruition. Centuries have passed and generations of Jews have come and gone, but God’s covenant promise to Abraham remains intact and His determination to fulfill what He promised remains unchanged. And in Isaiah 10:20-34, God will reassure His people yet again of His plan to reestablish them in their land and restore them to a right relationship with Him. When you consider all that the Israelites and their southern brothers, the people of Judah, had done to offend God, it is amazing to think that He is going to keep every single one of His promises to them. They had violated their covenant relationship with Him time and time again, but as the covenant-keeping God, He will remain true to His word –

Ep 765 – Isaiah 10:20-34

Just desserts. Getting what you deserve. Reaping what you sow. However you want to describe it, we all seem to believe in the concept that payback is inevitable in life. And even when we see an individual getting away Scott free, there is a part of us that longs to see them get what they deserve. In Isaiah 3:10-26, God warns the people of Judah that they were guilty, and there was no way they were going to get away with it. Judgment was coming. Payback was on its way. God was going to mete out justice in the form of His righteous judgment. From the lowest peasant to the highest ruler in the land, all would feel the wrath of His holy indignation. Why? Because they had failed to follow His rules and keep His commands. The leaders had misled the people, even failing to care for the poor and needy. They had failed to show justice. They had taken advantage of the weak and the fatherless. They had abused the widows, forcing them to cry out to God for justice. And the people had become fat and happy, materialistic and addicted to their own sinful passions and desires. And God had had enough.

Just desserts. Getting what you deserve. Reaping what you sow. However you want to describe it, we all seem to believe in the concept that payback is inevitable in life. And even when we see an individual getting away Scott free, there is a part of us that longs to see them get what they deserve. In Isaiah 3:10-26, God warns the people of Judah that they were guilty, and there was no way they were going to get away with it. Judgment was coming. Payback was on its way. God was going to mete out justice in the form of His righteous judgment. From the lowest peasant to the highest ruler in the land, all would feel the wrath of His holy indignation. Why? Because they had failed to follow His rules and keep His commands. The leaders had misled the people, even failing to care for the poor and needy. They had failed to show justice. They had taken advantage of the weak and the fatherless. They had abused the widows, forcing them to cry out to God for justice. And the people had become fat an

Ep 751 – Isaiah 3:10-26

David was near death, and getting ready to hand off his kingship to his son, Solomon. And as he prepared for the transition, he had given his son some sage advice. But, as we will see in 1 Kings 2:5-9, David also gave Solomon some unexpected chores to accomplish on his behalf, once he was dead and buried. David gave his son three pieces of unfinished business, two of which would put the newly crowned king in an awkward predicament of taking the lives of two men. This is a clear case of David passing the buck and leaving to his son a responsibility that was not his to handle. But, as we have seen before, David had a habit of shirking responsibilities. And he would pass on to his young son two duties he had been reluctant to take care of on his own. David was leaving his son a powerful and successful kingdom, but also a far-from-attractive set of instructions to do his dirty work for him.

Ken Miller Videos

Ep 813 - Isaiah 37:1-13

Ep 809 – Isaiah 33:7-24

Isaiah 32:9-20

Ep 804 – Isaiah 30:18-33

Ep 801 – Isaiah 29:17-24

Ep 800 - Isaiah 29:9-16

Ep 799 - Isaiah 29:1-8

Ep 794 – Isaiah 26:10-21

Ep 785 – Isaiah 21:1-10

Ep 791 – Isaiah 24:14-23

Ep 787 – Isaiah 22:1-14

Ep 776 – Isaiah 14:28-32

Ep 775 – Isaiah 14:24-27

Ep 773 – Isaiah 14:3-11

Ep 772 – Isaiah 14:1-2

Ep 771 – Isaiah 13:17-22

Ep 770 – Isaiah 13:10-16

Ep 765 – Isaiah 10:20-34

Ep 751 – Isaiah 3:10-26

Ep 688 – 1 Kings 2:5-9

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