Highway of Holiness

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My Reading Road and Study Street of 2026 is simple; Psalms, Isaiah, the New Testament, and A Year with C. S. Lewis. As a mile marker, I am on my second lap for the first three. What does that have to do with the title of this post, nothing. I just needed to remind myself as I go on this excursion of Isaiah 35:8.

Chapters and verses are helpful, but our Cardinal and printer could have started this section with Isaiah 34:8 and gone to 35:10. Rabbit-trails are fun but I will try and stay on the path today.

Isaiah 35:8 has several words that refer to roads or places of travel, and I think it offers a contrast to something that the Assyrian Empire built. Some of these words/ideas are specific to Isaiah and this verse. (Isaiah has many times he writes about roads, paths, and ways to travel.) Rome, for some reason it given a lot credit for their road system, and it was good and allowed for Paul and others to spread the Gospel better. History, however, should call them copycats of the Assyrians and Persians (who built on and copied Assyria). How Advanced Was the Assyrian Road System? | OT in Context The Assyrian roadway was used for oppression and rule of the kingdoms/peoples they conquered. The Highway of Holiness will let the feeble, fearful, blind, deaf, lame, mute, and the simple walk on it in peace as they enter Zion singing praises to the Lord. Yes, the redeemed and ransom have a safe WAY to travel to the Father. (See Bend in the Road and Paths and Ways)

On Study Street 2026, I have noticed the Hebrew and Greek words that were used in the original text. Our concordances actually list just the root words. This Highway to Holiness verse is one that has single or limited-use words. (Yes, some deal with grammar that is beyond my Hebrew and Greek.) To go further in this study just click the links below.

I liked the 1599 Geneva Bible. You can compare these.

If you open the text analysis link, be sure to look at the word holiness and compare the unclean person with the simple fool.

My focus was the “Highway” that brings captives back to Zion. (By the time Isaiah wrote this many people of the Twelve Tribes of Israel had been carried off by the Assyrians. So, the road of oppression could have been the path back to Jerusalem and joy and gladness.)

Hebrew Concordance: ḇə·ḏe·reḵ — 19 Occurrences

The directions these nineteen words took made me slow down and take a rest stop to muse awhile. The two in Job may not make sense right away, but lightning actually follows a path laid out in front of it and is complex and happens faster than we can see. Many of these references are for people who are on the wrong highway or are trying to get you off of the highway. Several are only a part of the whole idea and need to be read with the other part, which may also have a “path” word in it.

My simple conclusion is this; these are not little walking paths or hard to follow hiking trails. As someone who lives in a large city, these “dereks” have curbs and shoulders, lines painted on them and posted signs to tell you important things. The Father thought this Highway to Holiness was so important that He had a Book written about it and sent His Son to show us the Way.

The Lord’s Prayer Built from Thoughts of the Old Testament

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Matthew 6:9-13, the text is from the New American Standard Bible. I removed punctuation and verse numbers. Any parenthesis, I added. 

Our Father

  • Isaiah 63:16 and 64:8. 63:16 – Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. KJV
  • Malachi 2:10

I thought there would be many references to God/Lord as Father. These three are the only ones I found; as I thought about that I realized that Hebrews took/take God and what they call Him very serious because of respect for Him. Hebrew Concordance: ’ā·ḇî·nū — 19 Occurrences

Who is in heaven

  • Psalm 2:4, 11:4, 14:2, 20:6, (33:13 and 53:2 refer to Him looking down), 115:3, 123:1 136:26. 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. KJV
  • Ecclesiastes 5:2
  • Isaiah 63:15, 66:1 “My throne”; 14:12 references Satan NOT being in Heaven
  • Lamentations 3:50
  • Daniel 2:18,19,28,37,44; 4:37; 5:23
  • Jonah 1:9

These first two lines clearly state who we are praying to and where He is. Israel was surrounded by pagans that had their gods living on a mountain or in a temple or a hole in the ground. I am glad to say these lines worked as even current pagans know where our Father lives. It would be good if you did your own wordsearch on heaven in the Old Testament. As you do make note of the Books of the Bible and the action going on around the reference. I found it interesting. I used the NIV in BibleGateway.com.

Hallowed (Holy) be Your name

  • Leviticus 20:3, 22:2 and 32
  • 1 Chronicles 16:10, 35; 29:16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. KJV
  • Psalm 30:4, 33:21, 97:12, 103:1, 105:3, 106:47, 111:9, 145:21
  • Isaiah 29:23
  • Ezekiel 20:39; 36:20,21,22; 43:7,8: 39:25, 7 – So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.
  • Amos 2:7

Please see my post Hallow or Hollow.

Your kingdom come

There was no easy wordsearch results for this petition. John the Baptist and then Jesus did proclaim this idea in Matthew. After musing on this, I became okay with that fact. For me, the foreshadowing came in Isaiah. Isaiah 2:2 has “come let us go to the mountain of the Lord” and then 2:12 is one of many references to “a day or the day”. The “Day” is referred to many times in Isaiah and the other prophets and is connected with a time to come, many of them are hard times. Another line of thought deals with “new” things the Father does, so His kingdom was always advancing. For an example: Abraham to Jacob’s sons, to Moses, to Saul, to David, to Jesus and His Church. (As I read Isaiah 11: 10-13, I had to add this reference; they are the banner of the Root of Jesse and the banner for the nations with Israelites in exile.)

Your will be done

  • Genesis 28:15 a promise to Jacob
  • Exodus 34:10
  • Numbers 23:23
  • 1 Samuel 2:32 positive for Israel not Eli
  • 2 Samuel 7:21
  • Psalm 22:31, 28:5, 64:9, 78:4, 118:17
  • Isaiah 25:1, 13:2, 12:4 – And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.  63:7 – I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. (both are KJV)
  • Ezekial 37:14
  • Joel 2:20

These are examples of God “doing” because of unfaithfulness.

  • Jeremiah 5:19, 21:12, 22:8, 23:2, 26:3
  • Ezekial 5:9, 9:10, 11:21
  • Deuteronomy 29:24

This search centered on the word “done”, so some translations may use different words, but the fact that God did things is present in the verses. There are multiple chapters in Isaiah that talk about “will” and how that relates to God’s people. See Isaiah 53 – 56 and 59 – 62.

On earth as it is in heaven

  • Psalm 91:11, 103:20
  • Isaiah Chapter 6
  • Ezekiel Chapters 1-3
  • Daniel 3:28, but the whole book is filled with heaven directing actions on earth.
  • Zechariah Chapters 1-6 and 12:8

This part of the prayer, I believe, is best seen when angels and humans intersect, and visions or visitations to the Lord’s throne room. My list may be very small, but you can get the idea.

Give us this day our daily bread

This is a very special phrase in our prayer. It is built around the word epiousios, and it is the first time it was used in Greek writing. My Old Testament thoughts were the Manna and the Quail, giving the land a Sabbath rest and Jubilee, and the promise to Hezekiah after the Assyrians invaded Judah (that really sounds like Jubilee).

Bread in the Bible – Epiousios
Epiousios a Second Thought
Artos in the Book of Matthew

And forgive us our debts

  • Exodus 34:9
  • Psalm 79:9
  • Hosea 14:2
  • The Day of Atonement, reference Leviticus 16 and 23, and Numbers 29:7.

As we also have forgiven our debtors

For me this is a Jesus concept. There are many examples of people asking for forgiveness from Father God; use forgive in a word search. King Saul did ask Samuel to “forgive” him and join him in sacrificing but that was more for his pride than anything else. The Brothers asked Joseph, but that again was a shady deal. I may have missed examples, so let me know and I will add it to the study. I am looking for one person asking another person for forgiveness.

And do not lead us into temptation (trial)

For me this is a Jesus concept. The idea and practice of Father God leading His people has many examples, Psalm 23 and Him being our Shepherd. It is the “not lead us into temptation/trial” that is alluding me. Verse 3 in Psalm 23 is the most direct example; again, please share if you have one.

But deliver us from evil (the evil one)

  • Exodus 14:13
  • 1 Samuel 7:3
  • 2 Kings 17:39
  • Psalms 6:4, 7:1, 18:2, 56:13, 59:2, 71:4, 97:10

As I have read through Psalms, Isaiah, and the New Testament it is hard not to see how Jesus and the disciples referenced the “Bible” they knew. (Look at the footnotes, if your Bible has them.) That is the reason for this study on how the Lord’s Prayer was built from the Old Testament.

Barren Woman – Isaiah 54:1

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Barren woman, sing for joy because your husband is your Maker and Redeemer, from Isaiah 54:1-5. What song was she to sing? Was she to sing with someone? Were the musical bars this barren woman was to sing new or old? Is there a time frame for this song? If you get the feeling I may be all over place with this one you could be right. Now for my verse 1.

Father God has been singing a Song of Salvation since the Garden, not many wanted to hear it. Abram heard the tune and danced with God to Cannan. This brings in another singer for the song, Sarai. She was ‘ă·qā·rāh or barren and is the first one to sing that part of this song. That word describes five women and is used in Isaiah 54:1. Hebrew Concordance: ‘ă·qā·rāh — 8 Occurrences  Strong’s Hebrew: 6135. עָקָר (aqar) — barren, barren one, barren womanzzz Sarai was the first, but others joined her:

  • Sarai – Genesis 11:30
  • Rebekah – Genesis 25:21
  • Rachael – Genesis 29:31
  • Samson’s mother – Judges 13:2
  • Hannah, Samuel’s mother, in her prayer – 1 Samuel 2:5

Notable “covers” were given by the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4:14 and John the Baptist’s mother, Elizabeth – Luke 1:7.

I would like to add a personal note about this part of the Song. I have read Isaiah 54 many times, but the scale of how important this ‘ă·qā·rāh woman singing has alluded me until now. Eve was the first to hear about this Song, her descendants Sarai and Rebekah started singing their part to bring salvation into our world.

The attention getter in Isaiah 54 is it being address to a barren woman. Verse 11 refers to the afflicted city, which may put this around the time of Hezekiah and the Assyrian conquest of Judah. There are many references to Daughter Zion or Virgin Daughter Jerusalem and other daughters in Isaiah. So, this introduction seems very important. Isaiah also refers to other barren things in his lines, mostly geographic areas. Father God’s measured verses here are the anacrusis to Isaiah 60 and 61. I need to point out that our translators use the word “will” many times in this part of the Song.

When Isaiah contributed his lines to the Song, he did not write in chapters and verses, but that is our lot in life. As I have read this part of Isaiah, I have wondered about how his words bridged his time over the kings of Judah and when they were penned. Our Chapters 54, 55, and 56 talk about a barren woman, those who are thirsty, foreigners, and Rest Keepers. He composed his lines for then and for us and for a time we have not yet seen. That chorus of chapters sounds like the Song of the Kingdom to my ear.

Paul repeated 54:1 in Galatians 4:27 and draws a comparison of earthly Jerusalem (Hagar a slave) to heavenly Jerusalem (Sarah a free woman). He wrote this letter to get the Galatian Church back into the rhythm of the Song after they heard men who were out of tune with Jesus sing their own song. Paul highlighted the part of the Song about being a slave to sin and being free in Jesus. Yes, I do see that in Isaiah’s words in Chapters 54, 55, and 56, and beyond.

Being barren was a curse under the Law, yet ‘ă·qā·rāh are still a part of the song. God composed His Song to include members of His Body that were overlooked and mistreated (1 Corinthians 12:23). There was a lot in this study. The links below are some areas that harmonize with Isaiah 54:1.

Luke Joined the Team

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Well, a paradigm was pushed from my palisade today. In the last several weeks I heard several people (I do not remember who) talking about Luke. I have also read many legends about our Greek doctor and his backstory. So, I followed Paul’s paths in Acts to see (I studied) for myself.

Acts 16 has been labeled Paul’s second missionary trip. At the end of Chapter 15 he has quarreled with Barnabas and picked-up Silas. In 16 he finds Timothy and goes to Troas in the region of Mysia. Luke at this point-in-time does something interesting in his grammar. Before verse 8 (NIV) his word tenses are third person and show previous action; the translations use “they”. (No, I am not that good at Greek, but I used Mounce in Bible Gateway.) In verse 10 Luke changes to first-person words and continues including himself from then on by using “we”.

That is a major change and would indicate that Luke joined Paul’s traveling party at Troas. Okay, now you can start asking all sorts of questions and putting out many possibilities about Luke, but by his own writing it looks like Luke joined Paul in Troas and went with him to Macedonia.   

Luke had a true baptism-by-fire in that trip and saw firsthand Paul’s pale. He stayed with him and the Lord as Paul traveled on his mission to preach the Gospel. Luke studied his new faith and talked with firsthand participants and wrote. He proved himself a reliable workman for the Lord and included things Matthew and Mark did not put in their Gospels.

Aah, I love this sort of minutia. Thanks for reading the post.

Luke, Jesus, and the Songs of Ascent

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Luke, Jesus, and the Songs of Ascent is a strange title, but I believe I can tie them together in this post. The Songs of Ascent are Psalms 120 – 134; the links below cover the history and background of these Songs very well and are worth the time comparing and contrasting the information.

As I have read through the Psalms this year, 2026, I have been noting which Psalms are referenced in the New Testament and the life of Jesus. Psalms are usually separated from the prophetic books and that is a shame. They are an integral part of the song Father God has been singing over us and for us since the Garden. David, Asaph, and the others were used by the Spirit to speak about contemporary things and future things. (I am working to upgrade a list I made of when I think they were written.) As a Christian, I can see Jesus in so many Psalms even if they are not quoted in the New Testament. This is why I am doing this post; the words of the ones I will site just blend into God’s song so well. In this post I will not use or reference all of them. The other part of this is Luke 21-24 and Isaiah 33, which I read at the same time as the Songs.

  • Psalm 120 – Think of it as part of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden. Verse 4 may be a reference to Jerusalem’s destruction from Jesus’ Two Sermons on Two Mounts.
  • Psalm 121 – My note here was read it with Luke 21 and Isaiah 33.
  • Psalm 122 – David had two important trips into Jerusalem: when he brought the Ark to himself and when he rode back in after fleeing from Absolom. This also speaks to Jesus’ ride on Palm Sunday.
  • Psalm 123 – Think about the results of His trial. 2b is why you keep praying.
  • Psalm 124 – Focus on the Resurrection.
  • Psalm 125 – The result of His death.
  • Psalm 126 – Pentecost and the call to go to the nations.
  • Psalm 130 – This could have been part of the Garden pray, especially verse 8.

Explore these sights

I do post like this to challenge myself. If you see something different that is fine, just take the time to be with Jesus and the Father and hear Them.