April 28

Isaiah 28
Are you familiar with the geography of the land of Promise in relation to its symbols concerning our relationship with Him? The small area of Palestine is intensely varied in its geographic features. From north to south we begin at the foothills of Mt. Hermon. Mt. Hermon catches the prevailing weather patterns from the Mediterranean Sea forcing the moisture to drop to the ground before the weather patterns can move on East. The fault line that forms Mt. Hermon slopes on down through the middle of Palestine. Consequently, the west side of the fault line is full of green valleys and luxuriant fields until it runs below sea level. So from North to South and from West to East, we move from a luxuriant climate full of abundant growth to desert conditions where life is bleak, hard and difficult. It is interesting to make the corollary that a study of the spiritual life of the people in the north to the south would yield the general rule that as physical abundance was present, spiritual vitality tended to dry up as physical abundance dried up spiritual vitality tended to increase. He warned Israel of that problem:
So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
Deut. 6:12
Well, it happened. Samaria, the capital of Ephraim, sat on a hill shaped like a crown in a verdant valley of Israel. According to an article that I read in Biblical Archeology Review, Israel at that time was a major exporter of wine throughout the world. She had become intoxicated with her wealth and her wine. But he would not allow her to remain in her intoxication with the world—that is His glory. He sent His prophet to teach them precept upon precept. But they would not listen, but they just scornfully muttered it back to him. So He promises them they will hear the message again through stammering lips (the foreign language of the Assyrians). He offers them rest, but they refuse. The result? They are snared and caught in death. The apostle Paul interprets verse 11 to mean that the supernatural use of human tongues is a sign to unbelievers. He in effect is calling them unregenerate. They were part of His covenant family. But they were unregenerate. That is His glory. He will not allow His people to remain in the slop of the world. Lord, keep me out of the slop! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john