Is Isaiah really that difficult to understand? The challenge with this book is mostly to do with historical context. We are not familiar with the geography and customs of his day so we miss most of the references. Just imagine if someone 3,000 years from now picked up a book from today and had to try to understand references such as Yugoslavia, dog-days of summer, WiFi or selfie. It is not that Isaiah is complicated, the problem is we need a guide to understand his references. The bottom line is, there is no getting around having to put in some effort to learn the references. Fortunately, there are lots of scholars who have done all the homework for you. But this begs the question, why is Isaiah so much more difficult than other Old Testament books that also require historical context? The reality is, few people properly understand anything in the Old Testament because of a lack of detailed study. This lack of study is what produces creationists who think genesis 1 is talking about the formation of the universe. At least, that is my opinion. (more…)
During his ministry, the Savior performed wondrous miracles that blessed the lives of the less fortunate. He healed lepers, restored the sight to the blind and even raised the dead. On a few occasions he cautioned the recipient of his divine power not to tell anyone he healed them. This censure did not work too well and his fame spread with people gathereing by the hundreds to seek relief from their ailments. There is even one story of a women who simply touched his robes as he passed and was healed. 
