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Freedom Is Coming: From Advent to Epiphany with the Prophet Isaiah
Comfort, O comfort my people. . . In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord.'
The second part of the book of Isaiah rings with proclamations and prophecies that find their fulfilment in the Gospels and are still being fulfilled by followers of Jesus today.
In Freedom is Coming Nick Baines invites you to think about what it meant for people in Isaiah's day to be living in exile, and how the prophet encouraged them to keep their faith alive despite the apparent hopelessness of their situation.
At the same time, this book helps you to see the connections between Isaiah's time and ours, and how his vision of God's truth and justice spreading throughout the world can comfort, challenge and inspire God's people now, just as it did back then.
Read this book and find out how you too can become a 'light to the nations' as, once again, we approach the celebration of Christ's birth and the new world that God has promised to bring into being.
The second part of the book of Isaiah rings with proclamations and prophecies that find their fulfilment in the Gospels and are still being fulfilled by followers of Jesus today.
In Freedom is Coming Nick Baines invites you to think about what it meant for people in Isaiah's day to be living in exile, and how the prophet encouraged them to keep their faith alive despite the apparent hopelessness of their situation.
At the same time, this book helps you to see the connections between Isaiah's time and ours, and how his vision of God's truth and justice spreading throughout the world can comfort, challenge and inspire God's people now, just as it did back then.
Read this book and find out how you too can become a 'light to the nations' as, once again, we approach the celebration of Christ's birth and the new world that God has promised to bring into being.
- GenresChristian Non Fiction
144 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2019
11 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 4, 2023
Freedom Is Coming by Nick Baines is one of the most engaging devotionals I've ever read. I came to it already strongly interested in the book of Isaiah and looking for inspirational material during the Advent season. Baines covers Isaiah 40-55 in six weeks and does so in a way that gives the context of Isaiah's original audience as well as application to our current situation. These devotions reminded me of lessons I've previously learned through John Oswalt's teaching on Isaiah and on Exodus. I appreciated the refresher course. Also Baines does not shy away from stepping on toes and challenging calcified ways of thinking. I have no doubt some might strongly disagree with a few remarks Baines makes, but he thoroughly backs up what he writes with scripture and lucid intelligence. I'm strongly considering this book as a church-wide read for Advent in 2023, and I expect to give it as a gift to people who are on the journey with me. Lastly, I'll note that Baines is British, which means some of his illustrations might be unfamiliar to American audiences.
December 12, 2019
It is easy to be detached from the Christmas story. We hear it every year. We go through the motions. And we are comfortable with our Christmas traditions. But in “Freedom is Coming” by Nick Baines for SPCK Publishing, we have a way to go back in time and see the Christmas story with fresh eyes.
The Rt Revd Nick Baines, is the Bishop of Leeds. He gives us a book in the form of an Advent roadmap by focusing on Isaiah 40-55. The book is broken up into 6 weeks of readings. Every Sunday serves as an introduction to the week. The book is paced so that every day you are reading around 4-6 pages.
From Advent
Week 1 is subtitled Hearing Voices. Baines jumps right in to get us up to speed with the context of the Jewish exiles. And his ability to help the readers get iin their shoes is done well. He also helps us understand the Biblical language. For instance, in regards to the comfort Isaiah offered his people, he writes: ‘To comfort,’ then, is not to create an illusion, to urge some escape or offer wishful sentiment; rather, it is to face reality, encourage determination and endure.
But even though the context is king, Baines has no problem relating the Biblical themes to the real world. He asks how we are able to discern to the Word of the Lord in our own context, referencing Brexit, the rise of the Far Right in Europe, the Trump-Putin nexus, the rise of China as an economic and military power Because this is an SPCK title, there are many references to Europe and the United Kingdom. But this does not take away from the reading. Rather, it adds a certain flavor to the book and made his illustrations interesting for me.
Week 2 is subtitled Easy Idols. This section is all about our diverted attention to the attraction of small gods. Apart from the idols of money, power, and sex, he asks us to think about the modern idols we worship: affluence, security, national identity, and self-preservation. He helps us understand how being chosen by God should affect us and the state of our hearts when we dismiss his choosing and look at him in convenience.
Week 3 is subtitled Fear and Faith. Another fitting subtitle would be Promise and Hope. He does not cut corners when he tackles the topics of suffering and death. And he helps us realize that our prayers fall short of the character of God. He writes: “To take God’s name in vain, as the commandment tells us is forbidden, is not primarily to swear or blaspheme; rather, it is to speak or act in such a way as to deny the character of God and therefore bear witness to some other idol.”
To Epiphany
Week 4 is subtitled Power and Faithfulness. This section is all about seeing Jesus for who the Bible says he is. We need our blind eyes to be opened, and God opens them to see Jesus as a servant, as well as one who upholds justice and covenant. Baines helps us see the beauty in what the world sees as despised and rejected, scarred and humiliated. And he leaves us with the hope of the resurrection.
Week 5 is subtitled Joy Will Find a Way. He says we will one day sing and shout, not be ashamed, and find freedom. He helps us understand the concept of steadfast love as love that does not rush to resolution. And he is pointed in stating we must commit to the cross.
Week 6 is subtitled Going Back a Different Way. It is a triumphant conclusion that says that joy and peace is found in Jesus.
Christmas With the Prophet Isaiah
Each day ends with a simple one-sentence prayer to help us engage with God. Reading this book does feel like diving into the Christmas season. He references Handel’s Messiah and numerous Christmas carols.
This book asks us to slow down this holiday season. To stop and rest from the work of “doing stuff.” Sometimes we must be silent to hear the Word of the Lord. It is a breath of fresh air when the Christmas season seems stuffy.
But what this book excels at is being able to take me out of my comfortable Christmas. One day at a time, in brief, but powerful readings, I am able to feel what the prophet Isaiah experienced. I can think of no better way to spend Advent and Christmas. Because by his words and through his eyes, I can see Jesus Christ, the Word became flesh.
I was provided a free copy of Freedom is Coming but was not required to write a positive review.
The Rt Revd Nick Baines, is the Bishop of Leeds. He gives us a book in the form of an Advent roadmap by focusing on Isaiah 40-55. The book is broken up into 6 weeks of readings. Every Sunday serves as an introduction to the week. The book is paced so that every day you are reading around 4-6 pages.
From Advent
Week 1 is subtitled Hearing Voices. Baines jumps right in to get us up to speed with the context of the Jewish exiles. And his ability to help the readers get iin their shoes is done well. He also helps us understand the Biblical language. For instance, in regards to the comfort Isaiah offered his people, he writes: ‘To comfort,’ then, is not to create an illusion, to urge some escape or offer wishful sentiment; rather, it is to face reality, encourage determination and endure.
But even though the context is king, Baines has no problem relating the Biblical themes to the real world. He asks how we are able to discern to the Word of the Lord in our own context, referencing Brexit, the rise of the Far Right in Europe, the Trump-Putin nexus, the rise of China as an economic and military power Because this is an SPCK title, there are many references to Europe and the United Kingdom. But this does not take away from the reading. Rather, it adds a certain flavor to the book and made his illustrations interesting for me.
Week 2 is subtitled Easy Idols. This section is all about our diverted attention to the attraction of small gods. Apart from the idols of money, power, and sex, he asks us to think about the modern idols we worship: affluence, security, national identity, and self-preservation. He helps us understand how being chosen by God should affect us and the state of our hearts when we dismiss his choosing and look at him in convenience.
Week 3 is subtitled Fear and Faith. Another fitting subtitle would be Promise and Hope. He does not cut corners when he tackles the topics of suffering and death. And he helps us realize that our prayers fall short of the character of God. He writes: “To take God’s name in vain, as the commandment tells us is forbidden, is not primarily to swear or blaspheme; rather, it is to speak or act in such a way as to deny the character of God and therefore bear witness to some other idol.”
To Epiphany
Week 4 is subtitled Power and Faithfulness. This section is all about seeing Jesus for who the Bible says he is. We need our blind eyes to be opened, and God opens them to see Jesus as a servant, as well as one who upholds justice and covenant. Baines helps us see the beauty in what the world sees as despised and rejected, scarred and humiliated. And he leaves us with the hope of the resurrection.
Week 5 is subtitled Joy Will Find a Way. He says we will one day sing and shout, not be ashamed, and find freedom. He helps us understand the concept of steadfast love as love that does not rush to resolution. And he is pointed in stating we must commit to the cross.
Week 6 is subtitled Going Back a Different Way. It is a triumphant conclusion that says that joy and peace is found in Jesus.
Christmas With the Prophet Isaiah
Each day ends with a simple one-sentence prayer to help us engage with God. Reading this book does feel like diving into the Christmas season. He references Handel’s Messiah and numerous Christmas carols.
This book asks us to slow down this holiday season. To stop and rest from the work of “doing stuff.” Sometimes we must be silent to hear the Word of the Lord. It is a breath of fresh air when the Christmas season seems stuffy.
But what this book excels at is being able to take me out of my comfortable Christmas. One day at a time, in brief, but powerful readings, I am able to feel what the prophet Isaiah experienced. I can think of no better way to spend Advent and Christmas. Because by his words and through his eyes, I can see Jesus Christ, the Word became flesh.
I was provided a free copy of Freedom is Coming but was not required to write a positive review.
January 2, 2021
Bishop Nick really challenges in this book. As I read it alongside David Rhodes' 'Advent Adventure', I was taken along through Advent on a torrent of truth-facing, gut wrenching honest talk! Nick Baines quotes Rowan Williams' warning: 'Looking at Jesus seriously changes things. If we don't want to be changed, we'd better not look too hard.' This book makes you look at your attitudes; the other, Advent Adventure, makes you look at your actions.
It was a totally fresh and in-the-present interpretation of Isaiah. However, sometimes there are so many new thoughts in a paragraph, I had to read some over and over again: my brain capacity the problem, as it is not complicated language at all.
Highly recommended.
It was a totally fresh and in-the-present interpretation of Isaiah. However, sometimes there are so many new thoughts in a paragraph, I had to read some over and over again: my brain capacity the problem, as it is not complicated language at all.
Highly recommended.
January 13, 2020
I appreciated the book and it definitely got me thinking and asking questions of myself in new ways with exile in mind.
I was disappointed that it wasn’t a deeper dig into Isaiah itself. There were only portions of single verses referenced most of the time, and not across the whole of Isaiah, or even a full book within Isaiah. I also found the 6 week format odd: there did not seem to be a reflection of the celebration that Christmas season had begun at any point, though the final week definitely seemed to move slightly in that direction.
I would say this was not edited with U.S. readers in mind, but of course, no suggestion was made that it would be.
Excellent daily prayers!
I was disappointed that it wasn’t a deeper dig into Isaiah itself. There were only portions of single verses referenced most of the time, and not across the whole of Isaiah, or even a full book within Isaiah. I also found the 6 week format odd: there did not seem to be a reflection of the celebration that Christmas season had begun at any point, though the final week definitely seemed to move slightly in that direction.
I would say this was not edited with U.S. readers in mind, but of course, no suggestion was made that it would be.
Excellent daily prayers!
January 18, 2020
Inspiring stuff!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews