Verse of the Day 4/4

Verse of the Day 4/4

Isaiah 51:11

English Standard Version

11 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return

    and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
    they shall obtain gladness and joy,
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Our Monday Men's Bible study has been going through the book of Isaiah.  This past week we were in Isaiah 51 and  read through Isaiah 52 and 53 as well.  It was fitting coming off of Palm Sunday and heading towards Easter Sunday.  Chapters 51 and 52 reminded me of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and Isaiah 53 graphically detailed Christ's suffering and crucifiction that we honor on Good Friday.

Repeatedly through Isaiah 51 the prophets issues the call of the Lord as "listen to me", "look"; "give attention to me"; 'lift up your eyes" and "awake, awake" among others.  It is a call to pay attention to what is going on, what God was doing then and what He is doing now among His people.  Jesus who was welcomed into Jerusalem with shouts of "hosannah" praising the king.  The shouts later that week would be crucif Him!

Today, we look forward to Good Friday and Easter, because of what Chrst accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection we look to the time when He will return and call us to be with Him where we will experience true joy and gladness, and all sorrow and sighing will be a thing of the distant past. We will join in song and sing of the wondrous love of Jesus.

1. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
   Sing His mercy and His grace;
   In the mansions bright and blessed
   He'll prepare for us a place.
   • Refrain:
     When we all get to heaven,
     What a day of rejoicing that will be!
     When we all see Jesus,
     We'll sing and shout the victory!
2. While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
   Clouds will overspread the sky;
   But when trav'ling days are over,
   Not a shadow, not a sigh.
3. Let us then be true and faithful,
   Trusting, serving every day;
   Just one glimpse of Him in glory
   Will the toils of life repay.
4. Onward to the prize before us!
   Soon His beauty we'll behold;
   Soon the pearly gates will open;
   We shall tread the streets of gold.

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Isaiah 51:7-11

English Standard Version

7 "Listen to me, you who know righteousness,

    the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
    nor be dismayed at their revilings.
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
    and the worm will eat them like wool,
but my righteousness will be forever,
    and my salvation to all generations."

9 Awake, awake, put on strength,
    O arm of the Lord;
awake, as in days of old,
    the generations of long ago.
Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,
    who pierced the dragon?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
    the waters of the great deep,
who made the depths of the sea a way
    for the redeemed to pass over?
11 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
    and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
    they shall obtain gladness and joy,
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.