Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio

Rev. Ken Wagener, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 26. They hurled false accusations against him, but David was innocent. He was well acquainted with his own sinfulness, but he was innocent of these charges being brought forward. Psalm 26 is David’s appeal to a higher court, the heavenly court of God. He asks for God to exonerat...

Rev. Bernard Ross, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Alma, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 27. “He will slay the dragon that is in the sea.” Isaiah chapter 27 begins with this act of God’s judgment, concluding the previous chapter. Angels are often described in serpentine terms in the Old Testament. Here God promises to punish a fallen angel, the coiling sea dragon named “...

Rev. John Lukomski, retired pastor in Northfield, Minnesota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 26. “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!” This bold resurrection language in Isaiah 26 only comes after extensive lamentation and somber reflection. It still builds on the death-of-death idea, but it’s very different from the hymn of...

Rev. Nathan Meador, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 27. From the abundance of God’s diverse creation arises a diversity of perspectives and poetic metaphors. All these images are held together in the beauty of Christ: He is both a fortress and a weapon, a stronghold and a guiding light, an ornate temple and a mobile tabernacle....

Rev. Peter Bender, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Sussex, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 25. “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.” These beloved words, quoted both in 1 Corinthians and Revelation, are often read on Easter Sunday. They’ve inspired countless hymns as they powerfully proclaim the resurrection. In Isaiah’s...

Rev. Steven Theiss, retired pastor in Frohna, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 24. Chapter 24 is the most Revelation-like and apocalyptic oracle in Isaiah thus far. It amplifies familiar themes to a cosmic scale that we haven’t seen since chapter 13. It doesn’t matter how much money or power you have; the judgment will be truly universal, because humanity has broken God’s univ...

Rev. Mark Preus, pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church & Campus Center in Laramie, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 23. We take international commerce for granted today, but in BC times only certain coastal cities enjoyed the wealth and status that comes from doing business around the world. Tyre was the “bestower of crowns” as it facilitated the exchange of power and treasure b...

Rev. Robert Paul, pastor of Memorial Church & School in Houston, Texas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 22. Throughout this first part of Isaiah, the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem has been described as a moment of God’s grace: He preserved a remnant, He smote the Assyrians by the Angel of the LORD, and He worked a second Passover. In chapter 22 however, Isaiah uses this event to speak a...

Rev. Zelwyn Heide, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Grassy Butte and St. Peter Lutheran Church in Belfield, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 21. Isaiah 21 contains three oracles that seem to be related somehow, but they sound so strange and alien to us! The first oracle has to do with the fall of Babylon, and the second two oracles have to do with refugees being rescu...

Rev. Ryan Fehrmann, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 20. “Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast!” Isaiah 20 begins a new section of the book, switching back to the story of Isaiah the prophet. God speaks to Him and tells him to do something dramatic: as a sign of judgment, God tell...

Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 19. The list of nations that began with Babylon in chapter 13 ends with Egypt here in Isaiah 19—the two big bad guys of the Old Testament. This Egypt oracle proceeds as expected, announcing judgment against the false gods of Egypt. God will smite the Nile again as He di...

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 18. What’s down “beyond the rivers of Cush” anyway? The ancient kingdom of Nubia! Today we associate this region with Sudan and Ethiopia. Even though the Nubians were even further south than Egypt, even they were afraid of the unstoppable Assyrian onslaught, and they busily sen...

Rev. John Lukomski, retired pastor in Northfield, Minnesota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 17. Isaiah 17 continues the oracles against the nations, but this isn’t really an oracle against Damascus. It’s more of a Damascus oracle against Israel! Since the northern kingdom decided to make an alliance with Damascus rather than trust in Yahweh, the fates of Samaria and Damascus have been...

Rev. Kevin Parviz, pastor of Congregation Chai v’Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 25. “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.” This acrostic psalm points to how vast God’s work is. Even though David was king over Israel, he was always humble to learn, and he doesn’t ask God to look at his works and accomplishments. He asks God to forget abo...

Rev. Ken Wagener, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 16. In the wake of the devastation, the Moabites flee south to Edom. From there they offer tribute and pleas for mercy that they might be granted asylum north in Judah. Isaiah 16 continues this poetic oracle from the previous chapter, offering once again sympathy in the midst o...

Rev. Curtis Deterding, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Myers, Florida, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 15. “My heart cries out for Moab!” Unlike the previous oracles against Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia, this one in Isaiah 15 takes a sympathetic perspective. Rather than a vengeful and ominous tone, Isaiah speaks with one of heartbreak from the perspective of a nation in mourn...

Rev. Shawn Kumm, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cody, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 14. Babylon has died, and the whole world has broken out into song! Isaiah 14 shows the purpose and result of the preceding chapter’s oracle against Babylon. Like a cancer, Babylon threatened to mercilessly consume the whole world. God removes every remnant of it in order to giv...

Rev. David Reedy, pastor of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 13. “Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger.” After the hopeful psalm of Isaiah 12, this chapter that follows takes an abrupt turn. The first twelve chapters fit together describing the time immediately before and after the Assyrian siege of Jeru...

Rev. Dan Eddy, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Beloit, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 12. “The LORD God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” These familiar words echo here in Isaiah 12 and throughout Scripture. They originally come from the Song of Moses by the Red Sea. This song of praise continues the theme of a second Exodus, this time from A...

Rev. Paul Cain, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sheridan, Wyoming, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 11. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” Yet another prophecy heard around Christmas time, Isaiah 11 has inspired several Christian hymns like “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” Clearly this description of peace, righte...

Rev. Andrew Yeager, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Decatur, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 10. How the tables have turned! In chapter 10, Isaiah continues God’s condemnation of Israel before pronouncing condemnation on Assyria. In both cases, the plunderer becomes the plundered. The oppressor of the widow and the fatherless becomes oppressed himself. These pronouncemen...

Rev. Bernard Ross, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Alma, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 9. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder.” These familiar words are said every year around Christmas, whether at midnight on Christmas Eve or at home during “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” We know this is a prophecy pointing ahea...

Rev. John Lukomski, retired pastor in Northfield, Minnesota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 8. Isaiah’s own son will be a ticking countdown to the Assyrian invasion. In chapter 8, God names him Maher-shalal-hash-baz, an ominous yet hopeful name pointing to how Jerusalem will just barely survive Sennacherib’s attack. Like Immanuel, the name is one of both law and gospel, condemnation a...

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 7. “A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Many of us have heard these words from Isaiah 7 around Christmas time, but what was going on when they were first spoken? Isaiah confronts the faithless king Ahaz with thi...

Rev. Braun Campbell, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 6. Chapter 6 goes back to the beginning of Isaiah’s ministry, when he was first called to serve as a prophet. He has a glorious vision of God’s exalted robe, His flowing robe, and His fiery angel attendants serving in the Temple. The first five chapters of shown us though...