knowing who you are

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (16)Mark 1:9-11

9 And Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee during those days and he was baptized in the Jordon by John. 10 And just then while they were coming up from the water, Jesus noticed the sky splitting, and

the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from out of the sky, “You are my Son, the Beloved One, I approve of you.”

knowing who you are

This was the first supernatural event Mark recorded — and nobody saw it but Jesus. No crowds. No disciples. No reporters. No spectacle. Just the Son standing in the Jordan, the heavens torn open, the Sacred Breath descending like a dove, and the Father’s voice declaring His delight.

And that was enough.

God can perform miracles whenever He chooses, but He is not interested in putting on a show. He is not trying to impress us. He is preparing us. Right now, His priority is not dazzling displays but faithful disciples who minister in His name and do what He has called them to do.

For that, only two things are necessary:

  1. Knowing who we are in His eyes
  2. Knowing that we have His approval

That is all Jesus needed.
That is all we need.

From that quiet moment in the river, Jesus walked straight into the scorching Judean wilderness — into a brutal, relentless, forty‑day temptation. Every time Satan whispered, “If you are the Son of God…,” Jesus could look back to that moment in the water and remember who He was. Every time Satan tempted Him to grasp for power or chase human approval, Jesus could remember that He already had the only approval that mattered.

The Father’s voice anchored Him.
The Spirit’s descent empowered Him.
The sign at His baptism sustained Him through the storm.

And now the same pattern is offered to us.

Perhaps you are considering serving the Lord in His kingdom. Baptism is not magic, but it is a sign — a God‑given marker of identity and belonging. Going down into the water declares that your old life is buried. Rising from the water proclaims His promise of spiritual renewal and future resurrection. It is a moment you can look back on when the desert winds rise and the enemy questions your calling.

Knowing who you are makes all the difference.

Prayer

LORD, we remember the commitment You showed us when we were baptized.
We know who we are in Your eyes, so we promise to serve You and Your kingdom all our lives.
Strengthen us for every wilderness ahead.
Amen.

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the next big thing

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (15)Mark 1:5-8

5 And everyone from the territory of Judea, and everyone of the Jerusalemites were going out to him, and after confessing their sins, they were being baptized by him. 6 And John has clothed himself with camel’s hair, and with a leather belt around his waist, and he is eating locusts and field honey. 7 And he was preaching by telling them: “the One who is more important than me is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to even bend down and untie the strap of his shoes.” 8 I baptized you[1] in water, but he will baptize you[2] in the Holy Spirit.

the next big thing

 

For all practical purposes, John the Baptist looked like a bleary‑eyed madman who had lost touch with his time and culture. He didn’t dress right. He didn’t eat right. He didn’t live in the right place. And he certainly didn’t say the right things. If he walked into one of our churches today, most people would assume he needed counseling, a shower, and a long nap.

But John was not ego‑driven, unbalanced, or confused.
He was tuned to a different frequency — the beat of a not‑so‑distant Drummer.
He was ready for the next big thing: the arrival of Christ.

In an age when people repeated the same religious clichés like parrots, John was a lone, unfiltered voice. And strangely enough, people recognized authenticity when they heard it. They loved John. They admired the way he spoke truth to political power. They respected the way he broke traditions that had become hollow. They sensed his fierce loyalty to the future God had promised, even if they couldn’t connect the dots the way he did.

John lived for what was coming, not for what was comfortable.

And now the choice sits in front of us.

We can stay buried in the present — consumed by the news cycle, distracted by the trivial, shaped by the anxieties of the moment.
Or we can commit ourselves to the next big thing: the return of Christ.

If we choose that path, then the question of relevance must shift.
The axis must change.
We must begin asking:

Does what I’m doing today make sense in light of the King’s return?

That is the measure of a life aligned with the future.
That is the posture of a people preparing the way.
That is relevance in the kingdom of God.

Prayer

LORD, make us a people focused on and relevant to Your second coming.
Lift our eyes from the noise of the present and anchor us in the hope of Your return.
Shape our choices, our priorities, and our courage by the world that is coming.
Amen.

[1] plural.

[2] plural

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make ready the Lord’s road

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (14)Mark 1:1-4

1 This is the beginning of that excellent message[1] about Jesus Christ.[2] 2 Just like what is written in Isaiah the Prophet: “Watch! I am sending my messenger ahead of you,”[3] who will build a road for you.[4] 3 He will be “a voice[5] shouting in the desert, make ready the Lord’s road, make straight his paths!”[6] 4 John was[7] baptizing[8] in the desert, and preaching[9] a baptism declaring repentance as a sign of release from sins.

 

make ready the Lord’s road

 

Mark and John understood something that many modern readers miss. When we hear “prepare the way of the Lord,” we instinctively translate it into the language of personal decision — “I need to accept Jesus into my heart.” And yes, John did call individuals to repent. But his message was far larger, far more disruptive, and far more public than that.

John wasn’t simply preparing people to go to God.
He was preparing a society so God could come to them.

In the ancient world, when a king traveled, workers went ahead to build a straight road — clearing obstacles, leveling rough ground, repairing what was broken — so the king could arrive without hindrance. John used that image deliberately. He preached repentance not just to individuals but to the entire nation. He called Israel to reform its life together so that the Messiah would find a people ready to receive Him.

The “way” was not a path to God.
It was a path for God.

John confronted hypocrisy wherever he found it — in the Pharisees, in the crowds, and even in Herod’s palace. His message was a threat to the powers that be, and they reacted violently. They always do. Prophetic voices that call for societal repentance still unsettle the comfortable and still provoke resistance.

And here is the point you’re driving home:

If we want to prepare the Lord’s road today, we cannot reduce repentance to a private spiritual moment.
A personal decision is essential — but it is not enough.

To make ready the Lord’s road, we must reform:

  • our hearts — clearing away pride, idols, and hidden sin
  • our homes — shaping families that honor Christ
  • our churches — removing hypocrisy, favoritism, and spiritual apathy
  • our communities and governments — pursuing justice, mercy, and righteousness

Repentance that never touches our public life is not repentance.
Faith that never reforms our structures is not faith.
The excellent message demands that we believe it — and act on it.

If we want the King to come, we must prepare Him a road.

Prayer

LORD, give us courage to make Your road ready — in our hearts, our families, our churches, and our communities.
Remove every obstacle that keeps Your presence from dwelling among us.
Shape us into a people prepared for Your arrival.
Amen.

 

 

[1] ευαγγελιον (1:1,14,15; 8:35; 10:29; 13:10; 14:9; 16:15).

[2] some mss add “who is the Son of God.”

[3] that part is a quote from Exodus 23:20.

[4] that part is a quote from Malachi 3:1.

[5] φωνη (1:3, 11, 26; 5:7; 9:7; 15:34, 37).

[6] Isaiah 40:3.

[7] some mss add “the one.”

[8] βαπτιζω (1:4f, 8f; 6:14, 24; 7:4; 10:38f; 16:16).

[9] κηρυσσω (1:4, 7, 14, 38f, 45; 3:14; 5:20; 6:12; 7:36; 13:10; 14:9; 16:15, 20).

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your descendants will stay

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (13)Isaiah 66:22 – 24

22 Because like the new sky and the new land, which I am making, will stay in my presence, says Yahveh; so your descendants and your name will stay. 23 At it will happen consistently, from one new moon to the next new moon, and from one Sabbath to the next Sabbath, all flesh will come to worship in my presence, says Yahveh. 24 And they will exit and look at the dead bodies of the men who had rebelled against me; because their worm will not die, their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a repugnance to all flesh.

your descendants will stay

Isaiah’s last words are not a description of heaven and hell. He had predicted that Yahveh would come in judgment, destroying his enemies and those Jews who rebelled against his covenant. He had promised to recreate his holy land, making a new sky and a new, refreshed land. In that land, worship would be true and spiritual, and consistent. But as the worshippers departed the temple courts, they would walk past the valley of Hinnom, and see the dead bodies of all the rebellious Jews who has transgressed the Law. Those bodies would be a repugnance because they would be dead and rotting and stinking. They would not be disembodied asbestos spirits, forever being tortured. The worm would not die until it devoured all. The fire would not be quenched until it destroyed all.

Jesus picks up on this same imagery to describe final punishment. He warns people that the final punishment will be just as total as the fires Isaiah had mentioned. So, people should do everything they can to avoid Gehenna, even if it mean cutting off body parts.

43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to Gehenna, to the unquenchable fire. 44 [1] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into Gehenna. 46 [2] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into Gehenna, 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. (Mark 9:43-48).

But neither text suggests that those thrown into Gehenna will last for eternity. In fact, Isaiah’s point is that they will not. Look back at verse 22. It is the redeemed, righteous ones who will stay. They are the ones with eternal life. Likewise, Jesus’ point is for us to do whatever we can so that we are not destroyed completely in Gehenna. That is because Gehenna does not contain life. Entering the kingdom of God is entering life. Entering Gehenna is exiting life, and entering eternal death.

LORD, make us a righteous people who stay in your presence for eternity.

 

 

 
 

{Whew! Thanks for stopping by. If you have followed with me on this 205 day journey through Isaiah, you have just read a 135 page translation and devotional commentary on the book. Tomorrow I start the next project: the Gospel of Mark – Jefferson Vann.}

[1] some manuscripts add οπου ο σκωληξ αυτων ου τελευτα και το πυρ ου σβεννυται. The text is found in verse 48, and it refers to the promise in Isaiah 66:24 that the dead bodies of God’s enemies will suffer complete disintegration and destruction.

[2] some manuscripts add οπου ο σκωληξ αυτων ου τελευτα και το πυρ ου σβεννυται. The text is found in verse 48, and it refers to the promise in Isaiah 66:24 that the dead bodies of God’s enemies will suffer complete disintegration and destruction.

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priests and as Levites as well

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (12)Isaiah 66:18-21

18 Because I know what they are doing and what they are thinking, I am coming to gather people from all nations and language groups; and they will come and will see my glory, 19 and I will perform a miraculous sign among them. I will send escapees from them to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud– which draw the bow– to Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have not heard about my fame or seen my glory; and they will declare my glory among these nations. 20 They will bring all your relatives from all the nations as an offering to Yahveh, on horses, and in chariots, and in canopied wagons, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahveh, just like when the Israelites bring a grain offering in a ceremonially clean container to the temple of Yahveh. 21 And I will take some of them to be priests and as Levites as well, says Yahveh.

priests and as Levites as well

There is some question as to whether Isaiah was predicting that some of the new priests and Levites would be Gentiles, or if he was referring to restored Israelite exiles. Here is my case in favour of the first option:

· The subject of verse 18 is all nations, i.e. Gentiles.

· In verse 19, the miraculous sign among these Gentiles is that escapees will be sent by Yahveh to all these Gentile nations to declare his glory among them. This is consistent with the Great commission, which extends beyond ethnic Israel.

· The “they” of verse 20 are Gentiles because they return the exiled Jews “just like when the Israelites bring a grain offering.”

So, if my logic is right, Isaiah is predicting a new type of priesthood and “Levite-hood.” This new type of temple service will not require sons of Aaron, but even Gentiles can serve as priests and Levites as well.

Do you feel excluded from God’s service? Do you think that circumstances have conspired to prevent you from serving the LORD the way you want to? Do you feel like you have missed your calling? Don’t believe that. Invest yourself in the LORD, no matter who you are. He has welcomed you to his family. He will accept your ministry.

LORD, give us the courage to believe in your calling and gifting, and to minister to others in your name.

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an end by fire and sword

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (11)Isaiah 66:12-17

12 Because this is what Yahveh says: I will extend wholeness to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like a stream overflowing; and you will nurse and be carried on her side, and rocked back and forth on her knees. 13 Like a mother calms her child, that is how I will calm you; you in Jerusalem will experience this calm. 14 You will see, and your heart will rejoice; your bodies will flourish like the vegetation; and it will be known that the hand of Yahveh is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies. 15 Because you will watch Yahveh come in fire, and his chariots like the storm wind, to pay back his anger in fury, and his rebuke in flames of fire. 16 Because Yahveh will execute judgment by fire, and by his sword, on all flesh; and those slain by Yahveh will be numerous. 17 Those enemies who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the centre, eating the meat of pigs, detestable things, and mice, will come to an end together, says Yahveh.

an end by fire and sword

God’s enemies had all kinds of rituals and ceremonies by which they sanctified themselves so they could enter their “holy” places and worship their gods. The righteous remnant in Judah detested those religious practices, and so did Yahveh. He promised a day of calm and protection for his true followers, but an day of judgment and destruction for all who lived falsely. His enemies would be destroyed by fire and sword. They would come to an end together.

Many teach that God cannot do this. They think that God has created all his human creatures with asbestos at our core. None can really come to an end, because God has made us endless. Don’t believe it. Hell is terrifying, not because it is perpetual, but because it is permanent. It should be feared not because it will be an on-going process, but because it will result in everlasting destruction. That is the fate of all God’s enemies. But our LORD has provided a resurrection unto an eternal life of wholeness and calm for his own. Seek him, or suffer his punishment and come to an eternal end.

LORD, we seek you. We know the fate you have planned for all those who rebel against you. We also know your promise to those who seek you, and we want to be in that number.

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the “show me” State

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (10)Isaiah 66:5-11

5 Listen to this word from Yahveh, you who are anxious about keeping his word: Your own people who hate you and exclude you for my name’s sake have said, “Let Yahveh show his glory, so that we may see why you are joyful”; but it is they who will be put to shame. 6 Listen, an uproar from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of Yahveh, dealing retribution to his enemies! 7 Before she was in labour she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. 8 Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be delivered in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion was in labour she delivered her children. 9 Will I open the womb and not deliver? says Yahveh; will I, the one who delivers, shut the womb? says your God. 10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her with joy, all you who are mourning over her– 11 to testify that you will nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious full breast.

the “show me” State

Long before Missouri, Israel was the “show me” State, but it was not a compliment. The atheistic Jews looked at the righteous remnant and dared them to show evidence of the glory of Yahveh. They said, sarcastically “Let Yahveh show his glory, so that we may see why you are joyful.” But they really didn’t mean it. Yahveh was going to prove his existence to them, but in a coming destruction. Meanwhile the righteous remnant of true believers within that nation are urged to keep rejoicing in the future deliverance. It will be like Jerusalem has given birth in a day. And the joy in worship that true believers show in anticipation of that deliverance is a testimony of faith in its sure coming.

There are plenty of “show me” sceptics today. They also demand proof before they will ever acknowledge the claims of true believers. The proof that we have to show them is the joy of the anticipated deliverance that is coming. Even if the residence of the “show me” State do not get it, and brand us all as lunatics, we should keep singing. The king is coming!

LORD, come and deliver your holy city. We will keep singing with joy as we watch for your return.

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revival is not enough

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (9)Isaiah 66:1-4

1 Thus says Yahveh: The sky is my throne and the land is my footstool; where is this house that you would build for me, and where is this — my resting place? 2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things are mine already, says Yahveh. But this is the one to whom I will show regard to, to the humble and contrite in spirit, who is anxious about keeping my word. 3 Whoever merely slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human being; whoever merely sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering, like one who offers swine’s blood; whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their souls take pleasure in their detested things; 4 I will choose to mistreat them too, and bring upon them what they are terrified of; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; instead they did what was evil while I looked on, and whatever did not please me, that is what they chose.

revival is not enough

Isaiah’s people longed for a revival and to go back to the glory days of the temple. But this brave prophet speaks to these people and warns them that mere revival is not enough. The LORD wants a people who do not merely go through the motions. He wants a people who respect him so much that they are anxious to obey all of his words. These descendants of Abraham had chosen to walk both roads at the same time, and it has led to disaster for them. So, it will not be enough for them to return to the glory of the old days. They need more than revival. They need a new heart, a loyal heart that seeks only those things that please their God.

This generation also has those who long for the old days, and sometimes I am one of them. I see all the changes taking place in society and I wonder if there is any hope for us. But the last thing I should do is fixate on a past time and try to recreate it. The soul within me longs for a stronger relationship with God, and I know when I find it – all my past experiences will pale in comparison.

LORD, we will not settle for a return to the glory days of the past. Create in us new hearts that beat with a stronger relationship with you.

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progeny blessed by Yahveh

Posted on August 8, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (8)Isaiah 65:23-25

23 They will not struggle for nothing, nor bear children for disaster; because they will be progeny blessed by Yahveh– and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, the lion will eat crushed stalks like the ox; but the snake– its food will be dust! They will not injure or destroy on all my holy mountain, says Yahveh.

progeny blessed by Yahveh

There is no heartache like that of a parent who has no hope for his children. Year after year, a father sees his son make mistakes which set the stage for further pain and disappointment. Isaiah promised a future where the children would be blessed by their God. The change in them would produce a protected society, where no harm came to the innocent. The most important change will be in the people’s relationship with God. He will not seem distant. As soon as they start praying the sons of Israel will start receiving their God’s answer.

Let us not be too quick to relegate all of these promises to some ultimate heavenly destiny. Isaiah is speaking of a time when evil still exists, struggling still exists, and the saints are still marrying and bearing children. So, let us not be too quick to ignore this text’s promise as if it only applied to a future time. Isaiah’s purpose for sharing these words was to encourage his people to raise children who are so blessed. I know the joy of children who are raising their children in the LORD. I pray that you will know that joy as well. In a fallen world, we will never gain utopia. But we can know that joy.

LORD, we pray for our children and grandchildren. Show them your light, that they may walk in it, and defy the darkness of their generation. Bless them, LORD.

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the days of a tree

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

August 2015 (7)Isaiah 65:18-22

18 But rejoice and keep shouting joyfully over what I am creating; because I am creating Jerusalem as a reason to rejoice, and its people as a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem, and have joy because of my people; the sound of weeping will be heard in it no more, nor the cry of distress. 20 No more will there be in it a nursing infant who lives only a few days, nor an old person who does not live out a lifetime; because one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They will build houses and inhabit them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They will not build for someone else to inhabit; they will not plant for someone else to eat; because the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, and my chosen will get long use from the work of their hands.

the days of a tree

I recently enjoyed another walk among the Redwoods in Rotorua, New Zealand. Some of the trees there are quite old, and we saw one which has a memorial plaque dedicating it to the memory of one of the forest’s early developers. These trees are designed to last. Isaiah knew trees like that. His message from the LORD spoke of a renewal in Jerusalem. He spoke of an era when the inhabitants of that city would not see the disappointments that they saw in Isaiah’s day. He promised them a new place where everyone would live lives that lasted – like a tree.

· Infants would not die before getting a chance to live in that wonderful place.

· Old people would know the security of a long life filled with joy.

· Builders would enjoy the homes they build.

· Planters would enjoy the harvest of their crops.

These promises are just examples of the new age, and the new Jerusalem that God is creating for his people. The promises are there to get us through the difficulties and disappointments of living in this age, when things almost never go as planned.

Isaiah tells us that we do not need to wait for those promises to be fulfilled. We should start rejoicing now, because God is in the process of creating a new dwelling place for his people. That new Jerusalem is being prepared for us now, and will come down from the sky. But God’s word for us now is to start rejoicing now, while we wait.

LORD, give us the faith to worship in response to your promise – to rejoice while we wait.

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