Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had his name changed to Israel.  From the twelve sons of Jacob, came the twelve tribes of Israel.  So when Isaiah uses the name Jacob, as in the first verse of our reading, he’s really meaning all of God’s people.  Using Jacob’s name makes it more personal.

God’s people had turned away from worshipping God to worshipping the idols of the people already living in the lands before the Israelites arrived.  Isaiah describes how the light of the glory of God in the people has vanished.  Like great stadium lights that go out because the electric power is cut off, so the people got disconnected from the source of their power, the God who made them.

Sit quietly and imagine your own life coming directly from the power of God, the source of your life. God made you and now gives you life right at this very moment because the power of God is flowing into you.

Visit STUDY THIS on the upper right side of any passage from BibleGateway.
I especially recommend the free resource in Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Mondays are dedicated to the reading of the Hebrew Prophets.

These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or table! Check the menu options at the site for more information.