Last week’s episode ended on gloom and judgment. Ahaz has rejected the opportunity of God to ask for any sign of His faithfulness. Rather than obeying God in requesting that sign, Ahaz chooses to put his faith in his own plan and strategy. God’s astounding response is to give him a sign anyway, the coming of Immanuel. He also pronounces judgment on Ahaz and his kingdom in the form of Assyria.
This week we move from the gloom and destruction promised in Isaiah 8 to the hope and promise of Isaiah 9. No more will Zebulun and Naphtali be seen as an area that God has abandoned. They will, with the coming of Christ be seen as glorious because of Christ dwelling there.
Here is the question for us, removed some 2,700 years from God’s deliverance of the promise and 2,000 years from His fulfillment of that promise: How do we apply this? How should these truths live in our life? John gives us some application of this passage in this week’s episode.
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This week we continue looking at descriptions of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 8. Last week we discussed how God mercifully gave the wicked King Ahaz an opportunity to ask for any sign to prove His faithfulness. Ahaz refused but God gave a sign anyway.
In today’s passage, God speaks through Isaiah and pronounces the coming judgment on the people of Israel.
Some of the Israelites respond to this news with despair, others respond in pride, relying on their own cleverness rather than God, while others look for the hand of God in the events of their day. Which group would you belong to?
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This week we begin a new series in which we examine God’s descriptions of the forthcoming Messiah in the book of Isaiah. In this inaugural episode, we are examining Isaiah 8. When we slow down and really consider what is happening, the story is shocking. A wicked king is given an opportunity by God to receive any sign or wonder, as high as heaven or low as hell. He is the only person in Scripture given this opportunity. And he refuses.
But that isn’t the most shocking part; God mercifully gave him a sign anyway, and it was a wonderful sign. God described the Messiah He would send to rescue His people from the slavery of sin. Isaiah 8 is not a Christmas passage, though it is often read during this season. But let us take time to slow down, consider what God is speaking to us, and refuse to be like Ahaz who heard the words and left unchanged. Let us meditate on God’s words and consider how we can live on the realities of Immanuel.
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
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We have previously introduced you to our friend, Mr. Richard Owen Roberts. We walked through the book he assembled, Salvation in Full Color, we’ve had him on the podcast to discuss his upcoming conference (link below). But Mr. Roberts has been a part of our ministry much longer than we have been producing our podcast.
When we were discussing who we would interview for our inaugural study in the early days of Media Gratiae, Mr. Roberts was a must. We knew we wanted his wisdom and insight on the topic of rethinking God biblically. And he certainly did not disappoint. In fact, his interview is over two and a half hours long. Sadly, we had to cut the vast majority of his words in the study. But today we want to present you with some of his responses to our questions in their entirety.
Check out Mr. Roberts conference here: https://www.nbcknox.org/turn
Sign up for the giveaway here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/sign-up
Giveaway books: Blessed and Boundless God – https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-blessed-and-boundless-god-puritan-treasures-for-today-swinnock.html
The Incomparableness of God – https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/theology-books/the-incomparableness-of-god/
Studies in Christian History and Thought: Puritan Spirituality by Stephen Yuille – https://www.christianbook.com/puritan-spirituality-affective-theology-george-swinnock/j-yuille/9781556358678/pd/358678
The Existence and Attributes of God – https://www.christianbook.com/existence-attributes-god-updated-unabridged-volumes/stephen-charnock/9781433565908/pd/565900?event=ESRCG

In years past we have given you long lists of books we recommend to fill your next year’s reading plan. This year, our list is short. The reading, however, is not. The list is only two books and they have been available previously. However, they have recently be republished and we believe they are done so well they are worth discussing. If you already have a copy of these on your shelves, you might want to look at getting an updated copy. If you don’t already own these titles, we believe they will be a great help in the coming year.
Sign up for the giveaway:
Books listed:https://www.mediagratiae.org/sign-up
Blessed and Boundless God – https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-blessed-and-boundless-god-puritan-treasures-for-today-swinnock.html
The Incomparableness of God – https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/theology-books/the-incomparableness-of-god/
Studies in Christian History and Thought: Puritan Spirituality by Stephen Yuille – https://www.christianbook.com/puritan-spirituality-affective-theology-george-swinnock/j-yuille/9781556358678/pd/358678
The Existence and Attributes of God – https://www.christianbook.com/existence-attributes-god-updated-unabridged-volumes/stephen-charnock/9781433565908/pd/565900?event=ESRCG

Every quarter we give our supporters an update on what we are working on behind the scenes.
Correction: This is not an end-of-the-year update. That will come later in December.

In this update, we let you know about where we are in our next study, the growth of our social media platforms, Behold Your God being translated in multiple languages, the Behold Your God: Seeking Him Early resource, and much more.
Media Gratiae is a 501c3 nonprofit ministry that is funded by the support of those have been blessed by our material and would like us to continue. If you have found our content helpful and would like information of how you can support our work, visit https://www.mediagratiae.org/give
 
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

In a way that only he can, John Owen ends his helpful work on the mortification of sin with two conclusions. The first contains eight preparatory points for consideration. Once considered, he gives two applications to help us make progress in mortifying our sin to the glory of Christ.
This week’s episode of The Whole Counsel is bittersweet because it is the last one with Jeremy Walker. But focusing on John Owen’s final points is a very sweet way to end the series. If you haven’t picked up a copy of these books for yourself, make sure you click the link below and read through the book. We trust it will be beneficial to your soul.
Check out Jeremy’s podcasts From the Heart of Spurgeon and A Word in Season here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
Temptation Resisted and repulsed by John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/temptation/
The Mortification of Sin by John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-mortification-of-sin/
Volume 6 of the Works of John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/collected-workssets/the-works-of-john-owen-6/
Check out Jeremy’s book John mentioned: Jeremy’s book: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/passing-through-pilgrim-life-in-the-wilderness-walker.html
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The battle to mortify sin can seem exhausting, discouraging, and overwhelming. But it is a battle that we as Christians will fight and, ultimately, we will win. We have promises throughout Scripture making it clear that we will shed this fallen nature. We will see God without the barrier of sin between us. Christ will conquer all the sin in our lives.
But while we live and breathe and walk in this life, that battle is not over. And we can never seek a respite from the battle. We must move forward in the battle. In this week’s episode, John Snyder and Jeremy Walker tackle more of John Owen’s helpful thoughts on mortifying our sins. They discuss what it means to put sin to death, what mortifying sin does not mean, and more.
Check out Jeremy’s podcasts From the Heart of Spurgeon and A Word in Season here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
Temptation Resisted and repulsed by John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/temptation/
The Mortification of Sin by John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-mortification-of-sin/
Volume 6 of the Works of John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/collected-workssets/the-works-of-john-owen-6/
Check out Jeremy’s book John mentioned: Jeremy’s book: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/passing-through-pilgrim-life-in-the-wilderness-walker.html
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Having discussed the necessity of mortifying sin and the flesh, watching and praying through Christ, John Snyder and Jeremy Walker move to discuss the practical helps God provides for us in fighting sin, repenting when we fall, and seeing restoration in our communion with God.
We often look for a silver bullet when it comes to difficulties of the Christian life. We want an easier way to kill sin. But Owen is too wise to offer an easy and cheap solution. He gives us the tools God has given us. They aren’t easy; they do require effort. But He provides the energy, the will, and the desire to master them.
Check out Jeremy’s podcasts From the Heart of Spurgeon and A Word in Season here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
Temptation Resisted and repulsed by John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/temptation/
The Mortification of Sin by John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-mortification-of-sin/
Volume 6 of the Works of John Owen: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/collected-workssets/the-works-of-john-owen-6/
Check out Jeremy’s book John mentioned: Jeremy’s book: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/passing-through-pilgrim-life-in-the-wilderness-walker.html
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Richard Owen Roberts is a long-term friend of Media Gratiae. Even before Media Gratiae existed, Mr. Roberts played an important role in John Snyder’s life. In this special episode, we want to introduce Mr. Roberts and International Awakening Ministries to those of you who may be unfamiliar with them. We also want to let everyone know of an upcoming conference IAM is presenting on November 27-30 at Norwood Baptist Church. The conference is called “Turn” and its foundation will be Acts 3:19.
For more information about the conference, please see https://www.nbcknox.org/turn