Monthly Archives: February 2016

February 29, 2016 · 9:52 pm

The Rise and Fall of Many

I know that we are reading in Isaiah, yet the reading for the last week has been about the kingdoms that would fall under the authority of God. While these kingdoms/nations would be used of God to discipline His children Israel, there would be a limit to the amount of pain they could inflict. The chapters Isaiah 21-25 appear to be redundant from out previous reading. However, in this case Yahweh is illustrating to Israel the faulty hope of relying on other nations for their protection and well-being. In Luke 2:34-35, Simeon relates to Mary how that Jesus would be the catalyst for the rise and fall of many nations. He [Jesus] has been the subject for past conquering and wars, not all glorifying to God that’s for sure. In the historical setting, Israel and Samaria have been besieged by the big warriors from the North. Judah is being warned, just because they may have escaped the wrath of these Northern nations, it is only for a short time before they too will give way to them.

Today nation upon nation will try to enter into various treaties, pacts or alliances to give themselves some sort of protection against possible enemies. Judah did the same thing in our reading of Isaiah. God the Father reveals what will happen to each of the nations that Israel is trying to cooperate with for their own protection.  God is God and Israel should have sought out the LORD God for protection. In their failure to worship Him as God, He is bringing the discipline upon them, but rather than confess and repent to God  – they continue to move away from His power. Psalm 20:7 says “some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of Lord our God.”

Hezekiah was renown for entering into various treaties with foreign leaders in hopes that they would come fight battles when Judah was attacked.  Israel and Judah should have learned to trust in the LORD. Easier said than done, for today we are no different. We trust in what we see, not in who has us. It is sad for many today are trusting in the devised plans and wealth of the future instead of holding on to the one who holds all things together.

Isaiah has rebuked Judah in chapter 22, for in that he warned them, they paid him no mind. Instead of listening and heeding the warning, they felt secure in the pacts and alliances with enemy nations.  Here in the United States we have entered into many treaties that if a country were to attack one of our allies, we would see it as an attack on us and respond in kind. However, alliances and treaties can be very cumbersome, for if the leadership changes [and it will] the current regime may or may not align with the treaty established.

As a believer in Christ Jesus, I must trust in Him who is faithful and unchanging. I cannot trust my life and future to men of this world, for that would be foolishness. Only the strength and power of our omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent God and father of Jesus Christ is worthy of our living and faith! A Lesson that neither Judah, Israel or even America today has heeded.

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February 18, 2016 · 11:19 pm

You Meant it for Evil, But God meant it for good

The title is a bit misleading, for it is a quote from Joseph to his brothers who had sold him into slavery. [Genesis 50:20] The brothers were afraid that after their identity had been revealed to Joseph that he would pay them back for all the evil they had done to him. But they forgot the God Joseph served. Even though Joseph was thrown into prisons and falsely accused of things, he rose above the trials and tribulation. God was at work in Joseph’s life – he recognized the handiwork of Jehovah. Now by this point you are trying to figure out what does all of this have to do with the book of Isaiah and our chapters 16-20 for this week? Well, here is the point, Jehovah again was going to bring/allow what we consider evil to happen to Judah. While the devastation and destruction were well overdue and well deserving, God would not allow the pagan rulers and armies to wipe out Judah – there would be a remnant. Our reading for this week highlights the “oracles of God” against – Philista, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, Assyria, and Ethiopia. An oracle is defined as a “burden” or judgment against. God would use each of the aforementioned nations to punish and discipline Judah [already happened to Israel] in an attempt to bring Judah back to a right relationship with Him. While Israel [northern kingdom] had played the harlot and chased after Baal and the other pagan gods; they also received their due discipline. In fact the Assyrians were allowed to “carry off” the 10 tribes and scatter them to the  four winds of the earth. Only Judah remains; but Judah did not pay attention to the wrath of God on their northern brothers and fell subject to the punishment of God some 150 years later.  The pride of the conquering nations, which had been empowered by God for judgment cause their downfall. A great lesson here, while it may appear that we win over our enemies; caution must be exercised so we will not think that it was done in our human power. A lesson each of the conquering kingdoms had to learn the hard way. While God allowed the armies to inflict great turmoil and punishment, He would restrain them from “going too far.”

I am not going to try to recapture the information or judgment of God on each of the nations previously listed, for they by and large are very similar. The oracle is two-fold for each – Isaiah recounts what success each will have on Judah, but then brings the prophetic downfall of each.  The whole point that God is attempting is using enough trials/tribulations and bondage to foreigners to cause Judah to return. It is interesting that Judah like Israel, brought into the whole Baal worship thing in order to have bountiful crops, herds and families. From an agrarian perspective one can see what all this was so important at the time. But their failure [short memory] to remember how God had cared for them as a people during the wilderness wanderings and invasion/conquest of Canaan led to their idolatry. It seems too often when mankind ventures into a “comfortable state” that we become rebellious and agnostic towards God.

It is very difficult for a believer much less an unbeliever to see that the “tough love” of God was just that, out of love for Judah. Even as the Loving Father had to let the Prodigal son leave and go on his own, so he could come to his senses during the fall from the lofty perch of dad’s money, so God will often let us rebel, and fall into grave trouble to the point of destruction in-order for us to wake up to reality of really who is in control. Sometimes I think Christians are like Israel/Judah, we know God will take care of us – experientially, yet we seem bored with Him and search out more “sensual pleasing gods. While no trial seems enjoyable or even beneficial, we must say as Joseph said, the problems, trials and crisis seem to be for evil, but God means it for our own good. Oh that we would be responsive to the gentle chiding of God, rather than endure the painful punishment of “tough love!”

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February 11, 2016 · 9:14 pm

Discipline of the Lord

Isaiah 11-15 is our text for the week. I want to first go to Hebrews 12:4-11 and the discipline of God. Often we find ourselves in times of crisis and trials, when this occurs we ask ourselves many time “what did I do Wrong?” This is healthy as long as it doesn’t get out of control, for we do need to have spiritual obedience check-ups. Usually we go down our list of “normal disciplines” that we know we are supposed to be doing – much like a Sunday School envelope – in hopes of 100% for the week. As the writer in Hebrews indicates, our earthly fathers punished/disciplined us for our own good. Our heavenly Father does this even more. Actually this is a good test to determine if you are a child of God – Heb. 12:8.  The focus of punishment is to get the violator to repent and return to an appropriate behavior pattern. Again the discipline/punishment must be different depending on the level of disobedience and the length of disobedience. If there is a pattern of continual rebellion, even after other “nudges” of discipline, than radical or more severe punishment must be enacted.  Before a punishment is put into action, I know with my children I had to first determine did they know what they did was wrong. If it is an ignorance issue that means I have a teaching moment, but if they willfully disobeyed, then I must discipline.

Now looking at Israel, theirs is a willful, knowing disobedience. They were well acquainted with he Father and His desire for Holiness. He had proven His love for them. Everything about Israel was a direct result of the providential care of Yahweh. So in our passage we find that God has reached a point where there must be a severe discipline put in place. Now at the onset of entering the land of Canaan, Israel was told do not take on the culture, gods,  women or men of the Canaanite people for they would lead them astray. If the truth be known, Israel had always had a problem with “other gods.” Joshua 24: 12-15, show that even after being in the Promised land for years, Joshua still was fighting with people on who their God was going to be. Gods of the Mesopotamia region, Egypt, Canaanite tribes or Jehovah. While at times there was great allegiance to God, Israel as well as us, drift into culturalized worship. In our passages, we read that God is going to raise up some powerful enemies that will be under the power of God to inflict His judgment on the nation Israel/Judah. What a paradox, the very tribes and people who God displaced to put Israel in the Promise Land was now going to be the instrument of God to discipline His people in an attempt to restore them back to fellowship. Early on [Chapter 11] there is the Messianic hope of a deliverer. One cannot read this without getting both a then and future element of prophecy. Throughout Isaiah thus far we have learned of both the punishment of God and the hope of restoration of God. While there is severe punishment, He [God] does not give up on them. In Isaiah 14:1-14, the Fall of Lucifer is described; the basis of his fall was pride. It is the lie that was used to beguile Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the same lies that are perpetuated today for mankind to fall into sin and rebellion.

It is interesting to read of the prophecies about Babylon, the Medes and Persians, for we read that earlier in Daniel and the Image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Historical accurate, and prophetically descriptive of how the kingdoms of the ancient worlds rose and fell.  The lesson to learn from our reading this week is summed up – God will use gentile kings and armies to discipline His people, but the kings and armies should not think they were the power behind the victories. Such was the prideful case of the Assyrians and Babylonians. God will inflict His discipline, but when the instrument goes further than God intended, the roles are reversed and the kingdom/armies falls via defeat of another kingdom.  It has to be asked; when we look at our nations, why are we experiencing such crisis and trials? Has/is God using our enemies to discipline us to bring us back to a holy people? This is an election year in America; the Presidential election looms large – but will we get a leader that will lead us, or will we be subjected to the leader God the Father gives us, because we have not turned/returned to Him?

King Nebuchadnezzar was God’s instrument to bring punishment for the prideful idolatry and rebellion of Judah. Though they may have complained and such, they were unresponsive to the “nudges” of God to return, so a more drastic measure had to be implemented. Even so, God will have mercy on His people, for while they were taken captive, they were spared the atrocities of the Assyrians and the Northern Kingdom, which is called the “Lost Tribes” of Israel. O, that we would be responsive in our churches and nations to come back under the gentle persuasion of Jehovah and not have to experience the harsh, severe punishment of God!

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February 4, 2016 · 6:03 pm

Finding Hope in the Horror

This week our focal passage is Isaiah 6-10. When we look at these chapters, one cannot help but get a sense of terror and judgment. However, even in the justice of God on the idolatrous people Judah, there is still the future hope of restoration. God uses whatever means to correct and restore His people back to himself. Hebrews 12 tells us of the discipline of the Lord. In fact without discipline for wrong doing and habitual sin, we are not children of His. I look at it this way, there are times I would like to correct kids I see in WalMart acting up; but they aren’t my kids. even though I am perturbed by their actions, I have not obligation or responsibility to correct. However, when it comes to the children of God and believers, God will correct and discipline His own.  Isaiah is talking to Judah, the fall of Israel in the North has yet to happen. Assyria will be the instrument that God uses to punish the Northern Kingdom; yet the message of discipline and restoration is given to Judah. I know when I saw my sisters get punished for something, I took notice; the effect of them getting whipped made me take notice.  In history we know that Assyria and Samaria are taken siege and captive in 722 BC. There was the thought and attempt to continue down into Judah, but God was done with His discipline. Judah thinking that they escaped punishment, continues in idolatry and immorality. The Fall of Jerusalem, Zion happens with King Nebuchadnezzar around 587 BC, with three deportations to Babylon. SO looking at the advanced warning Judah got, one would think that they would wake up and straighten up – Nope!

Isaiah begins prophesying during King Uzziah’s reign, but the death of the King drove Isaiah to the Temple – at this time of crisis, as with most national tragedies, people flock to the church for answers. Chapter 6 has been used by so many pastors to develop the true spirit of worship. It is interesting that Isaiah probably had been to the Temple many times, but this time he sees the LORD, and the glory of the LORD. He also sees himself and his condition as a sinner.  The message here is that the world maybe tossed into chaos, but the LORD God stills reigns and is not moved! Out of this holy encounter, Isaiah is commissioned to be the mouth piece for God to bring an unfavorable message to Judah.  The prophetic message in chapter 7 is often clouded by the single verse 14, the promise of a son. The prophecy has been attributed to Jesus, in fact this is one of the characteristics of Isaiah, that makes understanding difficult; is Isaiah talking to the situation then, or for the future Messiah of Israel. This promise of a “sign” often overshadowed the war and tribulation that is coming to Judah because of their wickedness and unwillingness to repent and return to Yahweh.

In chapter 8 we are given a very descriptive account of what is going to happen to Israel [Northern Kingdom], yet within the pronounced judgment, we still get the hope of a “remnant” people through all of the devastation. The mercy of God is so entrenched within His punishment. God is holy, He is just and righteous, but He is also long-suffering. Instead of complete annihilation, God shows His great love for humanity. When thinking about how terrible the punishment will be for the children of God, the chosen nation; we must always understand that regardless of our position in Christ, He does not tolerate unrighteousness and immorality. God is a jealous God – the greatest sin of Israel was the blatant idolatry and rejection of the God that loved them and delivered them. The struggle with Israel/Judah was they felt they were exempt from the fierce anger of the LORD because of the high standing as His people. This should bring to American believers a wake-up call; for we often think that God is our God, yet it is the opposite, we are His people. No one is exempt from the righteous anger of the Lord. So we cannot boast of our elevated position as His children. He will deal with His children.

In chapter 9 and 10 there is the planned use of Assyria as God’s instrument of dealing with Israel/Judah. However, there is a limit to what God would allow Assyrian conquerors to do. In chapter 10, the pride of the Assyrian kings would be their downfall. When the instrument elevated itself above the user [God]; enough was enough. See 10:15-19.  Even with the prophetic destruction of Samaria and Israel, God still has the hope of a returning remnant. Sin will be dealt with, but God has not cast all humanity aside. He will inflict punishment to the point of bringing His people back. Oh that we would learn early under the slight nudges of discipline to return to the Lord!

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