In Isaiah 40-54, we’ve been hearing about the miraculous work of restoration that God is doing - how He will bring His people home from exile, yes, but we’ve also learned that God is doing a far greater work than bringing physical restoration.

I have been on record for quite some time about my reluctance to change. Being a person who enjoys routine, I don’t look to shake things up for the sake of change, particularly when I think things are going relatively well. My favorite dictum is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

It is often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And beauty is objective, isn’t it? Our definitions of beauty and attractiveness vary by culture and time period.

We see a shift here in Isaiah; Isaiah 41-48 deals with the problem of physical exile, promising that God will bring His children home to the land promised to their forefather Abraham.

In some ways, the end of Isaiah 42 and the beginning of Isaiah 43 seem like opposites, don’t they?

Isaiah 39 is a hard chapter to read, isn’t it? We’ve seen God deliver Hezekiah from death - and in response, Hezekiah turns to put his trust in Babylon.

Most of us are creatures of habit. While fashion styles may come and go, the vast majority of us prefer to keep things the same.

I remember the first time I watched the classic The Wizard of Oz. As a child, I waited with fear and anticipation when Dorothy’s ragamuffin crew made it to Oz.