READING FOR FEBRUARY 3, 2026: ISAIAH 22, MATTHEW 2, PSALM 2:1-6                            ISAIAH 22 This chapter begins with Isaiah apparently making a pronouncement against Jerusa- lem. Perhaps he calls the city a “valley of vision” because the people were looking down on it from their rooftops. Many writers believe it is called this because of larger mountains sur- rounding the city and the city had been home to God’s prophets (receivers of God’s visions) over the years. Isaiah asks, perhaps rhetorically or even sarcastically, why everyone was up on their roofs since not long ago they were partying? This lament over what happened or over the prophecy of what would soon happen states that their dead had not or would not die in battle. Instead, many, including the leadership, had been or would be taken captive while fleeing from the city. Isaiah asks the people not to attempt to comfort him in his grief, because this unavoidable disastrous result had been determined by the God of Armies. 

Verse five suggests this is more likely a prophecy of a soon-upcoming event. If so, those who would be involved in this action included Elam and Kir, areas northeast of Israel and likely under Assyrian rule at the time when Assyria made its forays against Judah. When the enemies were in place, the text says God removed Jerusalem’s defenses. This is certainly not what we expect to happen to us today as God’s people. Their response to this dangerous vulnerability was to strengthen themselves according to human practices, but they didn’t seek after God. Instead of repenting for their many sins, they just partied away believing their end was inevitable. Their rejection of God was unforgivable. Can we learn from their errors?

Now God gives an action plan to Isaiah (vs. 15-23): 

1. Approach the manager of King Hezekiah’s household: Shebna.
2. Ask why he has assumed such a high position and why he deserves to be entombed in a fancy stone.
3. Tell him he’s about to be driven into a large country [Assyria] to die in shame.
4. Tell him God will put Eliakim in his place and give him great authority in Jerusalem. 

Both Shebna and Eliakim are mentioned as King Hezekiah’s officials in connection with Assyria’s threat against Jerusalem (2 Kings 18-19). It seems that this action plan must have been followed because this time Jerusalem was saved by God: “That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there” (2 Kings 19:35-36). WHAT’S GOD’S ACTION PLAN FOR YMC?

MATTHEW 2 Consider the various individuals in this chapter from the standpoint of what they knew about God’s plan, where they gathered their information, and how they responded:

READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 3, 2026 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 2, PSALM 2:1-6                    

JOSEPH

• WHAT: He knew in chapter 1 that he should take Mary as his wife; she was with child through the Holy Spirit; and the child should be called Jesus because he would save his people. In chapter 2 he learned his family should flee to Egypt and go back to Israel after Herod died, relocating to Nazareth.
• WHERE: He learned this from an angel in four separate dreams.
• HOW: He obeyed God each time immediately. (Great dads and husbands do this.)  

WISE MEN

• WHAT: They knew Jesus was born King of the Jews, that he should be worshipped, that he was born somewhere near Jerusalem, and that they should not go back to Herod.
• WHERE: They learned the general location from a star; they learned detailed location from Herod; and they learned not to go back to Herod from by God in a dream.
• HOW: They sought detailed directions from Herod; they brought expensive gifts to Jesus and worshipped joyfully; and they didn’t return to Herod. (Being wise leads to joy.)

HEROD 

• WHAT: He knew that Jesus was considered King of the Jews, that he was born in Bethlehem, and that the wise men tricked him by not returning.
• WHERE: He learned from the wise men about the birth, and he learned about the location from the scribes and chief priests (who learned it from the scriptures).      
• HOW: He lied to the wise men so he could kill Jesus. He killed all the male children aged 2 and under who lived in the Bethlehem area. (Envy led to lying which led to murder.)

Prayerfully consider these questions:                                                                                                    1)There are many reports of Jesus appearing in dreams to those who live in Muslim countries where evangelism is outlawed. Given our situation and what was learned from Psalm 1, are we listening to God’s effort to guide us from the sources we have that are freely available?           2) Herod had lots of information about Jesus, but he chose to not worship Jesus because it did not fit with his personal agenda. As a result, many innocent people suffered. Are we willing to follow Joseph’s and wise men’s example by changing our agenda in order to obey God fully.

PSALM 2:1-6: Verses 1-3 are a description of Herod and any of us who seek to break the fetters of God’s Word. As with Herod, it is laughable to think that we know better than God. Are we “installing God as our King” each day by intentionally following Him as he is revealed?