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  Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating emancipation of enslaved black Americans. It is also often observed for celebrating African-American culture. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865.   The US will officially recognize Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in America, as a federal holiday after President Biden signed a bill into law on Thursday, 6.17.21.   Charleston was one of the largest slave trading cities in the US. The old Exchange Building (pictured below) was one the most common sites of downtown slave auctions. Thousands of enslaved people were sold here along with real estate and other personal property.

  We’ve come to the end of our “Journey Through the Book of Isaiah!”   In Luke 4:16-22, Jesus spoke in the synagogue of Nazareth, His hometown. He opened up the scroll to Isaiah 61 – perhaps an assigned reading, perhaps chosen by Him – and read from the beginning of the chapter through the first line of verse 2. When He sat down, He simply said today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Jesus is the person described in Isaiah 61:1-3 and He is the one the Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon. “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God…” Isaiah 61:2b NKJV   Because sin is a crime that must be avenged, He will  proclaim... the day of vengeance of our God .   Significantly, Jesus stopped reading before this sentence. He stopped in the middle of the prophecy, because to  proclaim... the day of vengeance of our God  is relevant to His  Second Coming , not to His first coming. The comma...

    Week 5 in Review   If the first two lines of Isaiah 53 describe our sin problem, the last two lines give God’s solution to it. God took our sin, all our sin, and laid it on Christ. When Christ hung on the cross, God took all our sin and placed it on Christ so He could die in our place. So here, in the middle of Isaiah 53, is a powerful statement. First, man’s basic sin problem is stated to be going our way rather than God’s way. Then there’s God’s solution: a Substitute who will bear our sin.   It’s amazing when you think of it—all your sin and rebellion paid for by another, who died for you. Amazing grace.   “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 NKJV   All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way: Here the prophet describes our need for the Messiah’s atoning work. Sheep are stup...