Isaiah...a letter from God :)

We studied Isaiah this year in BSF and it was a hard study, but good. The girls have an awesome storybook Bible called, 'the Jesus Storybook Bible'...every story whispers His name. All the old testament stories will end with how the story points to Jesus' coming. It's awesome. Could not recommend a better book to read at night to your children. It will have them, and you, absolutely captivated :)

Here's Isaiah summarized in this Storybook Bible...I loved it and want to share it.

Operation "No More Tears!"
The Rescuer will come: prophecies from Isaiah 9, 11, 40, 50, 53, 55, 60

Do you know what your name means? Well, there was once a man called Isaiah, and his name meant "God to the rescue!"

That might sound like a bit of a funny name to you, but it was just the right name for Isaiah because God had a special job for Isaiah. You see, Isaiah's job was to listen to God and then tell the people what he heard.

Now God let Isaiah know a secret. God was going to mend His broken world. He showed Isaiah His Secret Rescue Plan: Operation "No More Tears!"

This is the message God gave Isaiah (it was like a letter God wrote to His children)...

Dear Little Flock,

You're all wandering away from Me, like sheep in an open field. You have always been running away from Me. And now you're lost. You can't find your way back.

But I can't stop loving you. I will come to find you. So I am sending you a Shepherd to look after you and love you. To carry you home to Me.

You've been stumbling around, like people in a dark room. But into the darkness, a bright Light will shine! It will chase away all the shadows, like sunshine.

A little baby will be born. A Royal Son. His mommy will be a young girl who doesn't have a husband. His name will be Emmanuel, which means "God has come to live with us." He is one of King David's children's children's children. The Prince of Peace.

Yes, Someone is going to come and rescue you! But He won't be who anyone expects.

He will be a King! But He won't live in a palace. And He won't have lots of money. He will be poor. And He will be a servant. But this King will heal the whole world.

He will be a Hero! He will fight for His people, and rescue them from their enemies. But He won't have big armies, and He won't fight with swords.

He will make the blind see, He will make the lame leap like deer! He will make everything the way it was always meant to be.

But people will hate Him, and they won't listen to Him. He will be like a Lamb- He will suffer and die.

It's the Secret Rescue Plan we made---from before the beginning of the world!

It's the only way to get you back.

But He won't stay dead - I will make Him alive again!

And, one day, when He comes back to rule forever, the mountains and trees will dance and sing for joy! The earth will shout out loud! His fame will fill the whole earth - as the waters cover the sea! Everything sad will come untrue. Even death is going to die! And He will wipe away every tear from every eye.

Yes, the Rescuer will come. Look for Him. Watch for Him. Wait for Him. He will come!

I promise.

Love, God

Poor Isaiah. He read God's letter over and over to God's people, but no one listened to him - at all. Ever. They didn't want to hear God's promise. They didn't believe it.

Did it sound maybe too good to be true? A story that ends happily ever after? Well, it does sound like a fairy tale, doesn't it? And, as anyone will quickly tell you, fairy tales aren't true.

Or are they?