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
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
April 20, 2011
Isaiah 19-20
The early church fathers had some interesting theories of interpretation. Usually their interpretations were quite fanciful in as much as they usually followed an allegorical method. Such method often leads to some very imaginative interpretations. Isaiah says, “Behold the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt.” Jerome thought that the swift cloud was, “Certainly holy Mary, who was heavy with child by no human seed. Behold the Lord has entered the Egypt of this world on a swift cloud, the Virgin,” Homilies on the Psalms II (Psalm 77). But in a ‘historical, cultural, grammatical’ method of interpretation, when did God ever ride into Egypt on a swift cloud during or after the ministry of Isaiah? In a military sense the answer is never; although one commentator has suggested that perhaps it is a reference to Israel’s victory in the six-day war of 1967. While I don’t buy Jerome’s thought of the cloud being the virgin, I do think it is a reference to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do appreciate the early father’s attempts to compare Scripture with Scripture. For that reason I like Chrysostom’s thought:
(At the Mount of Transfiguration) The Father uttered a voice out of the cloud. Why out of the cloud? Because this is how God appears. For a “cloud and darkness are around him.” “He sits on a light cloud,” and “He makes clouds his chariot.” “A cloud received him out of their sight.” “As the Son of Man coming in the clouds.”
His voice comes from a cloud so that they might believe that the voice proceeds from God. Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 56.5.
Surely, Egypt did fall to the hands of a ‘cruel master, and a fierce king.’(v.4) In 670 B.C. (shortly after Isaiah’s demise) Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, subdued Egypt. Interesting, Judah was spared the invasion of Assyria, yet Egypt fell. After that time Egypt never again reached its former glory. Egypt’s economy was based up upon the stability of the Nile River. Isaiah prophesies the ruin of the river wrecking the economy. The other destructions seem to lead to a revival in Egypt (v.16-25) The exact interpretation of this has been given many fulfillments. However, Athanasius seems to view it as a prophecy of the triumphs of the gospel of Christ in his native land after the edict of Milan. He says:
The thing is happening before our very eyes, here in Egypt; and thereby another prophecy is fulfilled, for at no other time have the Egyptians ceased from their false worship save when the Lord of all, riding as on a cloud, came down here in the body and brought the error of idols to nothing and won over everybody to Himself and through Himself to the Father.
That is the glory of our Lord Jesus. He takes what seem to be giants in our lives, like Egypt was to Judah, and He reduces them to nothing. What seemed an impossibility in Isaiah’s day, that Egypt could ever be humbled, became reality within a few short years after Isaiah’s death. It was completely fulfilled within a few centuries of Jesus’ coming. What giant is there in my life? He will subdue it in due time for the praise of His glorious grace! He will use it to build righteousness in me! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
The early church fathers had some interesting theories of interpretation. Usually their interpretations were quite fanciful in as much as they usually followed an allegorical method. Such method often leads to some very imaginative interpretations. Isaiah says, “Behold the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt.” Jerome thought that the swift cloud was, “Certainly holy Mary, who was heavy with child by no human seed. Behold the Lord has entered the Egypt of this world on a swift cloud, the Virgin,” Homilies on the Psalms II (Psalm 77). But in a ‘historical, cultural, grammatical’ method of interpretation, when did God ever ride into Egypt on a swift cloud during or after the ministry of Isaiah? In a military sense the answer is never; although one commentator has suggested that perhaps it is a reference to Israel’s victory in the six-day war of 1967. While I don’t buy Jerome’s thought of the cloud being the virgin, I do think it is a reference to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do appreciate the early father’s attempts to compare Scripture with Scripture. For that reason I like Chrysostom’s thought:
(At the Mount of Transfiguration) The Father uttered a voice out of the cloud. Why out of the cloud? Because this is how God appears. For a “cloud and darkness are around him.” “He sits on a light cloud,” and “He makes clouds his chariot.” “A cloud received him out of their sight.” “As the Son of Man coming in the clouds.”
His voice comes from a cloud so that they might believe that the voice proceeds from God. Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 56.5.
Surely, Egypt did fall to the hands of a ‘cruel master, and a fierce king.’(v.4) In 670 B.C. (shortly after Isaiah’s demise) Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, subdued Egypt. Interesting, Judah was spared the invasion of Assyria, yet Egypt fell. After that time Egypt never again reached its former glory. Egypt’s economy was based up upon the stability of the Nile River. Isaiah prophesies the ruin of the river wrecking the economy. The other destructions seem to lead to a revival in Egypt (v.16-25) The exact interpretation of this has been given many fulfillments. However, Athanasius seems to view it as a prophecy of the triumphs of the gospel of Christ in his native land after the edict of Milan. He says:
The thing is happening before our very eyes, here in Egypt; and thereby another prophecy is fulfilled, for at no other time have the Egyptians ceased from their false worship save when the Lord of all, riding as on a cloud, came down here in the body and brought the error of idols to nothing and won over everybody to Himself and through Himself to the Father.
That is the glory of our Lord Jesus. He takes what seem to be giants in our lives, like Egypt was to Judah, and He reduces them to nothing. What seemed an impossibility in Isaiah’s day, that Egypt could ever be humbled, became reality within a few short years after Isaiah’s death. It was completely fulfilled within a few centuries of Jesus’ coming. What giant is there in my life? He will subdue it in due time for the praise of His glorious grace! He will use it to build righteousness in me! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
April 19, 2011
Isaiah 17-18
Ethiopia. It is mentioned in 19 verses of the New King James Version. The word Ethiopian is used in another 18 verses. It is the Greek name for the land of Cush, south of Egypt. Most scholars do not believe that it should be confused with the modern Ethiopian country. A few scholars think that the Queen of Sheba came from Ethiopia; although, most believe that Sheba was part of the southern Arabian Peninsula. 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read of Zerah the Ethiopian who came against Asa with an army of one million men. Here in Isaiah we find a prophecy against the nation. Isaiah warns of coming judgment upon Ethiopia. Thus the people of Judah should not depend upon this Egyptian/Ethiopian dynasty to deliver them from the Assyrians. Indeed the Assyrians defeated the Ethiopians in 701 B.C. Had Judah truly depended upon them, their trust would have been disappointed. But along with the promised judgment, comes a promise. The promise is that this ‘terrible-smooth-skinned people’ would one day bring a present to the Lord in Mount Zion. The Ethiopian Eunuch came to Jerusalem to find out who this Great God truly was. He was reading the scroll of Isaiah 53 when Philip met him at his chariot. What do you suppose he thought when he read of his nation in Isaiah 18?
That Eunuch went back and to this day the Coptic church of Egypt and Ethiopia trace their lineage to him. Yes, the Lord caused Ethiopia to bring a gift to Him. It is the gift of some of her people. And someday even more shall come. Is that not glorious? Our king predicts what happens and then we can see it happen in history! But do we depend upon the people and things around us that will fail us? Or, do we depend upon the Lord? One day, if we depend upon Him, we will bring a gift to Him. It will be the result of our trust in Him. On the other hand, if we trust upon the people and things around us, we will have nothing to bring. I have opportunity to increase His glory by trusting on His promise, not the things around me. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Ethiopia. It is mentioned in 19 verses of the New King James Version. The word Ethiopian is used in another 18 verses. It is the Greek name for the land of Cush, south of Egypt. Most scholars do not believe that it should be confused with the modern Ethiopian country. A few scholars think that the Queen of Sheba came from Ethiopia; although, most believe that Sheba was part of the southern Arabian Peninsula. 2 Chronicles 14:9 we read of Zerah the Ethiopian who came against Asa with an army of one million men. Here in Isaiah we find a prophecy against the nation. Isaiah warns of coming judgment upon Ethiopia. Thus the people of Judah should not depend upon this Egyptian/Ethiopian dynasty to deliver them from the Assyrians. Indeed the Assyrians defeated the Ethiopians in 701 B.C. Had Judah truly depended upon them, their trust would have been disappointed. But along with the promised judgment, comes a promise. The promise is that this ‘terrible-smooth-skinned people’ would one day bring a present to the Lord in Mount Zion. The Ethiopian Eunuch came to Jerusalem to find out who this Great God truly was. He was reading the scroll of Isaiah 53 when Philip met him at his chariot. What do you suppose he thought when he read of his nation in Isaiah 18?
That Eunuch went back and to this day the Coptic church of Egypt and Ethiopia trace their lineage to him. Yes, the Lord caused Ethiopia to bring a gift to Him. It is the gift of some of her people. And someday even more shall come. Is that not glorious? Our king predicts what happens and then we can see it happen in history! But do we depend upon the people and things around us that will fail us? Or, do we depend upon the Lord? One day, if we depend upon Him, we will bring a gift to Him. It will be the result of our trust in Him. On the other hand, if we trust upon the people and things around us, we will have nothing to bring. I have opportunity to increase His glory by trusting on His promise, not the things around me. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Monday, April 18, 2011
April 18, 2011
Isaiah 16
Moab and Edom were ancient relatives of Judah and enemies as well. Moabites were the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Six hundred years after the birth of Moab, his descendants were antagonistic toward Israel as they passed through Moab on their way to Canaan. They hired Balaam to prophesy against Israel. God, in the law, forbade any Moabite from entering the temple up to the fourth generation. This set the stage for a long history of antagonism between the two nations. During the time of the judges, a few Moabite kings severely plagued Israel. David’s grandmother, Ruth was a Moabitess. It was only by his mercy that the Lord allowed David to enter the tabernacle. David subdued the Moabites and they remained under Israel’s control for many years. Under the divided nation, Omri subdued Moab. But when the Syrians and Assyrians were hassling Ahab, the Moabites rebelled and gained independence. This incident was celebrated by Mesha king of Moab on the now famous Moabite stone on display in the Louvre. Ahab’s son Jehoram talked Jehoshaphat into helping him once again subjugate Moab. The King of Moab sacrificed his son to Chemosh in a last ditch effort to get the gods to support him against Israel and Judah. The sacrifice rallied the Moabite troops and scared the Israel & Judah troops, so the expedition failed. On other occasions the Moabites invaded Israel. When we come to the time of Isaiah, the Assyrians are conquering Moab. Yesterday and today’s passage is the prophetic lament of Moab’s defeat.
So where is the glory of Christ in this lament? “Send the lamb!” to Jerusalem is a command to make peace with Jerusalem for the purpose of gaining deliverance from the Assyrian invasion. Sela was the capital of Edom which later became known as Petra. It was a magnificent natural fortification. The Moabites had fled there to escape the invading Assyrians. If you have ever seen Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, you have seen part of Petra or Sela. It is the temple at the end of the movie where the medieval knight keeps guard over the Holy Grail. Verse five indicates that in the millennial kingdom the Messiah will bring justice and righteousness into the land. At that time Moab will be able to come to Him for relief from those who seek to destroy it. In the mean time, Isaiah says, “We have heard of the pride of Moab.” He has probably heard of what we call the Moabite Stone which boasts of its victory over Israel. Moab is warned to cease its boasting.
The enemy of our souls is at war with us seeking to destroy us. We have one hope of victory. It is the Lamb of God. He is also the One that will one day be seated upon the throne of David in Jerusalem. In the mean time we need to cease boasting in our own strength. We need to realize that we have no strength but His. Ours is an exchanged life. We die to our self in exchange for His life. Now that is glory! Moab illustrates those who cling to their own glory rather than the glory of Jesus. That is why I need to seek Him in His word every day. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Moab and Edom were ancient relatives of Judah and enemies as well. Moabites were the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Six hundred years after the birth of Moab, his descendants were antagonistic toward Israel as they passed through Moab on their way to Canaan. They hired Balaam to prophesy against Israel. God, in the law, forbade any Moabite from entering the temple up to the fourth generation. This set the stage for a long history of antagonism between the two nations. During the time of the judges, a few Moabite kings severely plagued Israel. David’s grandmother, Ruth was a Moabitess. It was only by his mercy that the Lord allowed David to enter the tabernacle. David subdued the Moabites and they remained under Israel’s control for many years. Under the divided nation, Omri subdued Moab. But when the Syrians and Assyrians were hassling Ahab, the Moabites rebelled and gained independence. This incident was celebrated by Mesha king of Moab on the now famous Moabite stone on display in the Louvre. Ahab’s son Jehoram talked Jehoshaphat into helping him once again subjugate Moab. The King of Moab sacrificed his son to Chemosh in a last ditch effort to get the gods to support him against Israel and Judah. The sacrifice rallied the Moabite troops and scared the Israel & Judah troops, so the expedition failed. On other occasions the Moabites invaded Israel. When we come to the time of Isaiah, the Assyrians are conquering Moab. Yesterday and today’s passage is the prophetic lament of Moab’s defeat.
So where is the glory of Christ in this lament? “Send the lamb!” to Jerusalem is a command to make peace with Jerusalem for the purpose of gaining deliverance from the Assyrian invasion. Sela was the capital of Edom which later became known as Petra. It was a magnificent natural fortification. The Moabites had fled there to escape the invading Assyrians. If you have ever seen Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, you have seen part of Petra or Sela. It is the temple at the end of the movie where the medieval knight keeps guard over the Holy Grail. Verse five indicates that in the millennial kingdom the Messiah will bring justice and righteousness into the land. At that time Moab will be able to come to Him for relief from those who seek to destroy it. In the mean time, Isaiah says, “We have heard of the pride of Moab.” He has probably heard of what we call the Moabite Stone which boasts of its victory over Israel. Moab is warned to cease its boasting.
The enemy of our souls is at war with us seeking to destroy us. We have one hope of victory. It is the Lamb of God. He is also the One that will one day be seated upon the throne of David in Jerusalem. In the mean time we need to cease boasting in our own strength. We need to realize that we have no strength but His. Ours is an exchanged life. We die to our self in exchange for His life. Now that is glory! Moab illustrates those who cling to their own glory rather than the glory of Jesus. That is why I need to seek Him in His word every day. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Friday, April 15, 2011
April 15, 2011
Isaiah 13
Babylon is first mentioned in the Bible in 2 Kings 17:24. Relatively speaking it is rather late in the history of the world and Israel. Babylon is the nation that eventually sacked Jerusalem and took Judah into captivity. But that event would come 80-100 years following Isaiah’s ministry. Babylon would become a huge issue after Josiah’s death. It is interesting that Babylon was used by the hand of the Lord to punish Assyria and yet this passage speaks of the fall of Babylon at the hand of the Medes. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel have volumes to speak of Babylon because they lived in the times when Babylon was the dominate world power. After the sack of Babylon by the Medes, we really don’t hear too much about it until the book of Revelation. At the time that John wrote the Revelation, Babylon was in the ruins of which Isaiah speaks in this chapter. However, Babylon appears in Revelation as it represents the world financial system. It is an idolatrous system which pursues wealth over God. It is the world financial and religious system by which men seek to support themselves, so that they do not have to seek God.
In this passage literal Babylon’s destruction is prophesied at least 80 years before it even becomes a threat to Judah. It is both a near prophecy (given at least 140 years before the beginning of its literal fulfillment) and a far prophecy given concerning the end of the world. At the height of Babylon’s power it probably seemed impossible that the city would ever fall. Listen to the KJV Bible Commentary’s description of Babylon:
The splendor of ancient Babylon was indeed spectacular, covering over 1000 acres surrounded by a double-walled system of defense that encircled the city. These walls were over 85 feet thick and 11 miles long, with the outer walls being approximately 25 feet wide and reinforced with towers every 65 feet. There were eight major city gates named after various Babylonian deities (e.g., Ishtar). The city was dominated by a seven-story ziggurat, 288 feet high, known as the Tower of Babylon. It was constructed from nearly 60 million fired bricks. On the top of it stood the temple of Marduk. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that it contained a solid gold statue of Marduk weighing 52,000 pounds!
Can you imagine what must Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Daniel’s contemporaries must have thought of this prophecy? “It’s crazy! Babylon could never fall. Its wealth and power are too vast and great.” Yet this mighty city fell overnight to the Medes, just as Isaiah predicted. Eventually it fell into obscurity and became exactly what Isaiah predicted, “The hyenas will howl in their citadels, and jackals in their pleasant palaces.” Today it is a mass of broken down bricks. Saddam Hussein sought to restore the palace of Nebuchadnezzar as a tourist attraction. However, the gulf war brought an end to his endeavors.
Yet we cannot leave this passage just looking at the near fulfillment of Isaiah. The prophecy also looks to the far fulfillment of the final day of the Lord. This is of what John’s Revelation also speaks. One day this mighty world system of finance and economy, which seduces the people of the world to pursue it rather than the Lord, will collapse. Right now it seems impossible. Oh we all admit that there will be depressions and blips on the road, but few of us really believe that one day it will completely collapse upon itself. It is for this reason that Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor. . . Do not worry about your life. . . Seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Our first priority is Him. Isaiah tells us that one day it is all coming crashing down. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
That is the glory of our Lord. He will permit nothing but allegiance to Himself. He deserves nothing but allegiance to Himself. He graciously grants us opportunity to seek Him. But one day a day of reckoning is coming. He Himself will be exalted in that day. Should we not give all that we are for Him right now? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Babylon is first mentioned in the Bible in 2 Kings 17:24. Relatively speaking it is rather late in the history of the world and Israel. Babylon is the nation that eventually sacked Jerusalem and took Judah into captivity. But that event would come 80-100 years following Isaiah’s ministry. Babylon would become a huge issue after Josiah’s death. It is interesting that Babylon was used by the hand of the Lord to punish Assyria and yet this passage speaks of the fall of Babylon at the hand of the Medes. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel have volumes to speak of Babylon because they lived in the times when Babylon was the dominate world power. After the sack of Babylon by the Medes, we really don’t hear too much about it until the book of Revelation. At the time that John wrote the Revelation, Babylon was in the ruins of which Isaiah speaks in this chapter. However, Babylon appears in Revelation as it represents the world financial system. It is an idolatrous system which pursues wealth over God. It is the world financial and religious system by which men seek to support themselves, so that they do not have to seek God.
In this passage literal Babylon’s destruction is prophesied at least 80 years before it even becomes a threat to Judah. It is both a near prophecy (given at least 140 years before the beginning of its literal fulfillment) and a far prophecy given concerning the end of the world. At the height of Babylon’s power it probably seemed impossible that the city would ever fall. Listen to the KJV Bible Commentary’s description of Babylon:
The splendor of ancient Babylon was indeed spectacular, covering over 1000 acres surrounded by a double-walled system of defense that encircled the city. These walls were over 85 feet thick and 11 miles long, with the outer walls being approximately 25 feet wide and reinforced with towers every 65 feet. There were eight major city gates named after various Babylonian deities (e.g., Ishtar). The city was dominated by a seven-story ziggurat, 288 feet high, known as the Tower of Babylon. It was constructed from nearly 60 million fired bricks. On the top of it stood the temple of Marduk. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that it contained a solid gold statue of Marduk weighing 52,000 pounds!
Can you imagine what must Jeremiah, Ezekiel or Daniel’s contemporaries must have thought of this prophecy? “It’s crazy! Babylon could never fall. Its wealth and power are too vast and great.” Yet this mighty city fell overnight to the Medes, just as Isaiah predicted. Eventually it fell into obscurity and became exactly what Isaiah predicted, “The hyenas will howl in their citadels, and jackals in their pleasant palaces.” Today it is a mass of broken down bricks. Saddam Hussein sought to restore the palace of Nebuchadnezzar as a tourist attraction. However, the gulf war brought an end to his endeavors.
Yet we cannot leave this passage just looking at the near fulfillment of Isaiah. The prophecy also looks to the far fulfillment of the final day of the Lord. This is of what John’s Revelation also speaks. One day this mighty world system of finance and economy, which seduces the people of the world to pursue it rather than the Lord, will collapse. Right now it seems impossible. Oh we all admit that there will be depressions and blips on the road, but few of us really believe that one day it will completely collapse upon itself. It is for this reason that Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor. . . Do not worry about your life. . . Seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Our first priority is Him. Isaiah tells us that one day it is all coming crashing down. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
That is the glory of our Lord. He will permit nothing but allegiance to Himself. He deserves nothing but allegiance to Himself. He graciously grants us opportunity to seek Him. But one day a day of reckoning is coming. He Himself will be exalted in that day. Should we not give all that we are for Him right now? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Thursday, April 14, 2011
April 14, 2011
Isaiah 11-12
“All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Made them All” Perhaps you have sung the song before. On the one hand, I appreciate its sentiment. Although we live in a cursed world, it is still very beautiful indeed. It is so beautiful in fact that we usually don’t want to leave it. We cling to it. It feels like home. On the other hand, This world is full of dark and troublesome things. Indeed we do live in a sin cursed world. There are arachnids, insects and snakes whose bite can cause serious damage and even death. We are all aware of animals of prey which we don’t want to meet alone in the wild, such as lions and tigers and bears (oh my). Then there are a host of plants as well that can be dangerous to our existence if not producing annoying allergies. And then there are weather patterns that we cannot control that produce drought, flood, tornados, hurricanes etc. Add to these earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. It does not seem that our Creator created a very safe world for us. We must keep in mind that we do live in a cursed creation. It is cursed because of our sin! In the words of Ken Ham could you imagine a song entitled, “All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Cursed them All?” How do these things reveal the glory of our Lord Jesus?
It is for the redemption of that cursed world that the Lord Jesus came. Today’s passage gives us a glimpse of how He shall change it when He returns to rule as the promised Messiah. He will take this mess and restore it to its original glorious state. Can you imagine a child playing with a cobra? Can you imagine the Palestinian and the Israeli living in peaceful coexistence? Can you imagine a calf and a lion lying down together to eat grass? Our Lord Jesus will do that. In the meantime He desires that we permit Him to uproot the sin in our own lives that he might reign supreme in our hearts. He desires the death of ourselves that He might live in us. He does it as we trust Him. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
“All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Made them All” Perhaps you have sung the song before. On the one hand, I appreciate its sentiment. Although we live in a cursed world, it is still very beautiful indeed. It is so beautiful in fact that we usually don’t want to leave it. We cling to it. It feels like home. On the other hand, This world is full of dark and troublesome things. Indeed we do live in a sin cursed world. There are arachnids, insects and snakes whose bite can cause serious damage and even death. We are all aware of animals of prey which we don’t want to meet alone in the wild, such as lions and tigers and bears (oh my). Then there are a host of plants as well that can be dangerous to our existence if not producing annoying allergies. And then there are weather patterns that we cannot control that produce drought, flood, tornados, hurricanes etc. Add to these earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. It does not seem that our Creator created a very safe world for us. We must keep in mind that we do live in a cursed creation. It is cursed because of our sin! In the words of Ken Ham could you imagine a song entitled, “All Things Bright and Beautiful, the Lord God Cursed them All?” How do these things reveal the glory of our Lord Jesus?
It is for the redemption of that cursed world that the Lord Jesus came. Today’s passage gives us a glimpse of how He shall change it when He returns to rule as the promised Messiah. He will take this mess and restore it to its original glorious state. Can you imagine a child playing with a cobra? Can you imagine the Palestinian and the Israeli living in peaceful coexistence? Can you imagine a calf and a lion lying down together to eat grass? Our Lord Jesus will do that. In the meantime He desires that we permit Him to uproot the sin in our own lives that he might reign supreme in our hearts. He desires the death of ourselves that He might live in us. He does it as we trust Him. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
April 13, 2011
Isaiah 10:5-34
Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen? Here is a country that oppresses its own people. Here is a country that outlaws any conversion from Muslin to anything else. Here is a country which forbids any effort to witness to others. Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen?
God raises up people and nations for a purpose. He has a purpose for all of us. He has a purpose for the United States. He has a purpose for Lybia. If He is so purposeful, why is everything such a mess? It is simply that in the midst of doing that for which He raised us up, we rebel. We either refuse to be what He has designed us to be, or we taking the gifts, which He has given us and thinking that they originated with us, we wield them for our own glory boasting against Him, or we exceed the boundaries of what He intended for us.
Isaiah pronounces judgment against Assyria. God raised up Assyria to judge Syria and Israel, but Assyria went further than what God intended. Assyria exalted itself against the Lord (v.15). It went beyond His intended purpose. It sought to annihilate the Lord’s chosen people. You can read how Assyria devastated the individual cities as it approached Jerusalem. Look at the list! Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah, Gallim, Laish, Anathoth, Madmenah, Gebim, Nob, Jerusalem. But just when it seems that Assyria will have overrun them all and taken Jerusalem, “Behold, the Lord, The LORD of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron; And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.” That is exactly what happened within Isaiah’s lifetime. That is the way the Lord works. He lets the rebellion of man grow to its fullest, and then He simply lops it off. It has happened time and again throughout history. The unbeliever cries out, “How can God be just and loving and permit this?” The believer says, “It is God’s mercy that He waits so long and His justice that brings it to an end.”
What do we see now? In 1966 One of the 16 points of Chairman Mao’s cultural declared that all religions must be eradicated. The world watched in horror as millions, gave their lives and their freedom because they loved the Lord Jesus Christ more than life. Many Christians in the west thought that the church in China would be wiped out. Why did God raise up China? What is her purpose? Today there are probably over one hundred twenty million Christians in China. That is more than are in the United States! China is becoming one of the greatest missionary forces in the world! How cool is that? Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia another of one of the greatest missionary forces the world has ever seen? That is the glory of our Lord! He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen? Here is a country that oppresses its own people. Here is a country that outlaws any conversion from Muslin to anything else. Here is a country which forbids any effort to witness to others. Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia the greatest missionary force the world has ever seen?
God raises up people and nations for a purpose. He has a purpose for all of us. He has a purpose for the United States. He has a purpose for Lybia. If He is so purposeful, why is everything such a mess? It is simply that in the midst of doing that for which He raised us up, we rebel. We either refuse to be what He has designed us to be, or we taking the gifts, which He has given us and thinking that they originated with us, we wield them for our own glory boasting against Him, or we exceed the boundaries of what He intended for us.
Isaiah pronounces judgment against Assyria. God raised up Assyria to judge Syria and Israel, but Assyria went further than what God intended. Assyria exalted itself against the Lord (v.15). It went beyond His intended purpose. It sought to annihilate the Lord’s chosen people. You can read how Assyria devastated the individual cities as it approached Jerusalem. Look at the list! Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah, Gallim, Laish, Anathoth, Madmenah, Gebim, Nob, Jerusalem. But just when it seems that Assyria will have overrun them all and taken Jerusalem, “Behold, the Lord, The LORD of hosts, Will lop off the bough with terror; Those of high stature will be hewn down, And the haughty will be humbled. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron; And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.” That is exactly what happened within Isaiah’s lifetime. That is the way the Lord works. He lets the rebellion of man grow to its fullest, and then He simply lops it off. It has happened time and again throughout history. The unbeliever cries out, “How can God be just and loving and permit this?” The believer says, “It is God’s mercy that He waits so long and His justice that brings it to an end.”
What do we see now? In 1966 One of the 16 points of Chairman Mao’s cultural declared that all religions must be eradicated. The world watched in horror as millions, gave their lives and their freedom because they loved the Lord Jesus Christ more than life. Many Christians in the west thought that the church in China would be wiped out. Why did God raise up China? What is her purpose? Today there are probably over one hundred twenty million Christians in China. That is more than are in the United States! China is becoming one of the greatest missionary forces in the world! How cool is that? Wouldn’t it be cool if God raised up out of Lybia another of one of the greatest missionary forces the world has ever seen? That is the glory of our Lord! He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
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