01.31.09
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General
| 17:48
Scripture: Isaiah 10:21 and 22 (NIV): "A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous."
Thought: To me, the impact of judgment should not remove one's desire to be united with God.
Question: Do I need to return to God?
As seen in yesterday's verse, some Israelites will awaken to the power of God and be converted. The use of Assyrian oppression, allowed by God, followed by God's rescue of Israel from that oppression, has resulted in some children of God "returning" to their Father. Praise the LORD! This is what God had wanted! What human father would not rejoice when his careful planning to teach, correct and reach out in love to a rebellious son actually worked! Sadly, many times it does not work. Sadly only a "remnant", or leftover bit, returns to God.
It is a "returning" indeed. The word "return" is used three times in these two verses. To come back says they were originally with God then left Him in rebellion and are now wanting to be reunited again with Him. This must bring God great joy! The behavior of returning says "I do want to be with you after all, Father--I missed You!"
The obvious joy of returning children is dramatically lessened, however, by the description in verse 22: "though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return." How does one handful or one bucket of sand compare to the vast stretches of endless beach underfoot? God's heart must be broken! God had promised to multiply Abraham's offspring until they numbered like the sands of the sea, and God fulfilled His promise; how have His people responded? Many have broken the covenant with only a few holding firm in faith.
Nature displays this same picture: great amounts of gray rock and worthless quartz and granite conceal only a smattering of gems and veins of gold. The vast oceans outweigh the sweet fresh water we find inland. But we have learned that anything rare is high in value. Perhaps we faithful believers, being so rare among mankind, are highly valued by God.
"Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous." Very interesting words, here! Being a "survivor" implies going through upheaval. Indeed, God has allowed a great deal of upheaval for the Jews in their oppression at the hands of their Assyrian attackers! These words state that the destructive aspect of all this agression was "decreed" by God, and that He intended it to be "overwhelming" to His people. Apparently, tough love is definitely in God's vocabulary!! But His purpose is not only to jar them and awaken them, it is also to create a "righteous" connection with them. It is a purifying judgment fire: coming out on the other side, those who return to God will find themselves CLEAN and "righteous." How is that accomplished? Returning to God is a yieldedness to Him, in humility and honesty, that reunites us to His Holiness. Once re-settled into God, we share His Holy nature. This reminds me of II Peter 1:4: "...he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desire." How wonderful it is to "return" to God!
Prayer: Lord, many times I have returned to You and each time You have gladly embraced me--THANK YOU! I do miss You when I'm "away." Help me to remain as a faithful member of Your precious "remnant." Amen.
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01.30.09
Posted in
General
| 17:55
Scripture: Isaiah 10:20 (NIV): "In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel."
Thought: To me, purification of faith is the benefit for believers during a time of judgment.
Question: Am I thankful for God's refining fire in my life?
After the Holy flame of God's destruction of Assyria, a new day dawns. And "in that day the remnant of Israel...will no longer rely on him who struck them down." Yes, apparently Israel had "relied on" Assyria, or, as the King James says, Israel was "stayed on" Assyria. Certainly as any conquering force takes over an area the native people are going to have to cooperate and follow occuping law. But God has freed His people from this tyranny. Now they "will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel." I love the adverb "truly" in this phrase: how are they relying on God? in a TRUE trust and faith. Their faith, in fact, has been purified by fire!
The unfortunate word in today's meditation, however, is the word "remnant." Only a leftover portion of souls will come through the struggle and emerge as strong "survivors." They are referred to as "the survivors of the house of Jacob." Remember, our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was "The Holy One" then, He is "the Holy One" during Sennacherib's day and He remains today as our "Holy One"! But not all souls born into this Abrahamic line will recognize the Most Holy One and grant Him their trusting obedience by faith. Those who do are true members of "the house of Jacob."
Today, our world, controlled by the Prince of the Power of the air, Satan, may press us to cast our allegiance to earthly values. Satan may force people to "rely on" him even though he may strike them down. Christians are to resist this influence, however, as commanded in Romans 12:2: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Not all will, unfortunately; but those who do obey make up the "remnant."
Prayer: Most Holy One--Father God--I pray that I will always, and only, rely on You. I want to belong to You, Lord, even though I may be a member of the minority in so doing. Strengthen all of us that make up Your "remnant", Lord, by Your Spirit. Amen.
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01.29.09
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General
| 17:33
Scripture: Isaiah 10:18 and 19 (NIV): "The splendor of his forests and fertile fields it will completely destroy, as when a sick man wastes away. And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few that a child could write them down."
Thought: To me, Satan and all his demons arrayed against me are no match for the Holy purity of God Almighty.
Question: Do I see my enemies "wasting away" or are they yet strong?
The "fire" of verse 17 (yesterday's blog) is the "it" of today's verse. This fire, as we saw yesterday, is literally God Himself as a Holy Light becoming fire in order to destroy evil. Yesterday the destruction (verse 17) began with "thorns and briers" which we took to mean Sennacherib's military officers. Today in verse 18 the "forests and fertile fields" are the next to be destroyed. I take this to refer to the army's troops--masses of foot soldiers that stand somewhat like trees and cover large areas such as fields, spreading out perhaps as far as the eye could see. God will "completely" destroy "the splendor" of this army. Assyria's "splendor" is replaced by God's!
I am encouraged in this symbolism of forests and fields representing soldiers by the phrase, "...as when a sick man wastes away." It is not the land or properties of Israel that God is combatting; it is the Assyrian agressors. And God will "completely destroy" them effectively--exactly like the death process of a sick man. We may have witnessed irreversible disease at work in a human life: often there is nothing to prevent the inevitable end. For the Assyrians there was this same sense of no escape.
"And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few that a child could write them down." Again, the wording "trees of his forests" (whose?--Sennacherib's!) supports the symbolism of soldiers and an army in this verse, to me. God will effectively wipe out so many troops that only a handful remain. How far can a pre-schooler count? Up to 5 or 10? But how well can he "write them down"?
Prayer: King of Kings, who can stand against You? I am so glad we can shoose to be on Your side: I'd rather have You defend me than stand one second in Sennacherib's shoes! Help me every day Father, to make You more and more, the King of every part of my life. You deserve to be! Amen.
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01.28.09
Posted in
General
| 18:19
Scripture: Isaiah 10:17 (NIV): "The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers."
Thought: To me, the Light of God shines like a purifying fire of Holy power!
Question: Do I thank God for His destruction of my unseen enemies?
Who, or what, is "The Light of Israel" in this verse? "The Light of Israel", or, as repeated immediately, "their Holy One", is none other than God. He "lights up" the nation! And He is The Only One Who is "Holy." Thus, God Himself "will become a fire", "a flame", to destroy the enemy, Assyria. Fire is destructive. It reduces many different kind of things to useless, gray ash. The enemy will be wiped out and made useless!
"...in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers." When God does finally act He moves very quickly. The destruction He initiates takes one day to be accomplished. "His thorns and his briers", referring to Sennacherib, to me are the officers in his military force. God will come against the entire assembly effectively: by beginning a destruction of its leadership first.
God is our Light and our Holy One as well. He is there for us like a protective lighthouse and/or a cleansing bonfire. Israel had been extremely sinful: (review Isaiah, chapters 1 - 4 and 8 and 9), yet God does not hesitate to spring into quick destruction of their enemy, Assyria. Yes, He may wait or linger, permitting the enemy to attack for a time to encourage correction, but He stands solidly faithful for Israel's preservation throughout the process--and He will do the same for us.
God will attack our enemy, Satan because we are God's children joined to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. He will begin His defense of us by destroying our "thorns and briers", that is, (to me), the dominions and principalities (wicked leaders or "officers" in Satan's "army") first. This is, to me, a great comfort. God fights for me where I cannot begin to! I'm sure Israel felt the same way.
Prayer: Light of my life and my Holy God, I bow before Your goodness! How quickly You acted for Israel, destroying their enemy in a single day. I thank You that You will do the same for me! Amen.
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01.27.09
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General
| 20:38
Scripture: Isaiah 10:16 (NIV): "Therefore, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; under his pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame."
Thought: To me, God examines not so much what we do, but why we do it.
Question: Can any of us escape the judgment of God?
Now comes to Sennacherib, King of Assyria, the consequences of his arrogant attitude. "Therefore, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors..." Whose warriors? Sennacherib's! Judgment comes to the King of Assyria now; not so much because he rose up against God's beloved Israelites, but because he did so with a prideful spirit, mindfully separate from God and thinking all along how strong and powerful he was and would continue to be as he oppressed, robbed and conquered others. Look to Isaiah 9:8 - 14 and you will see that God directed these warriors against Israel for Israel's correction. Also in Isaiah 10:5 we recall God saying that Assyria is but a "club" of God's own wrath--a tool that God used. From this we can safely conclude that the judgment about to hit Sennacherib's army is not because God is angrily protective of the Jews; no! God SENT Assyria to the Jews!
God is angry with the motives of Sennacherib's heart. Reviewing Isaiah 10:5 - 12 clearly reveals that. Also the use of the word "therefore" at the beginning of today's verse links verses 13, 14 and 15 to the reason for God's judgment. Sennacherib's lack of humility and lack of reverence for God is the reason for a "wasting disease" being sent to his troops.
Notice too that "the Lord, the LORD Almighty" is sending this judgment. These are names meaning both Master (Lord) and Triune God (LORD - Elohim). This decision and directed catastrophe comes down to Sennacherib's warriors all the way from "the top"!
I also find it interesting that "sturdy warriors" can be knocked flat in creative ways. Who would have thought that a "wasting disease" could hit them "en masse"? Well, God did!
"...under his (Sennacherib's) pomp a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame." Webster defines "pomp" as "ostentation" which, in turn, means "pretentions ("claiming excellence") or excessive display." In other words, God is going to burn away Sennacherib's arrogant actions from the bottom up! Anyone knows fire burns things "up"; so if God lights the fire "under" Sennacherib, as it were, then all his efforts will be destroyed thoroughly. Fire speaks of judgment and it is indeed a thorough consumer.
Prayer: Great God Almighty, thank You for showing Yourself strong in Scripture! Help me to learn the lessons You have so faithfully delivered through Your Word. Keep me from the sins of pride. Keep me from the fires of Your judgments. Amen.
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01.26.09
Posted in
General
| 19:41
Scripture: Isaiah 10:15 (NIV): "Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it, or the saw boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood!"
Thought: To me, mankind continually attempts to play the role of "God".
Question: When I pray, do I tell God to do my will?
The voice of God now questions Sennacherib's behavior. The Assyrian King has acted very pridefully, (see past blogs, Isaiah 10:7 - 14), but arrogance cannot go on indefinitely. God's first question: "Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it?", clearly shows the heart of the issue: who is "swinging the ax"? God is! Sennacherib is only the lowly ax head--a created, God-made tool. God is the One Who aims and swings! Wake up, Sennacherib! Guess what? You are not the big cheese or center of the universe: God is!
The next question from God: Does "the saw boast against him who uses it?" If any work is accomplished by the "saw" (man in God's hand), who gets to boast about it? The tool? No! Only He Who directs the action of that tool upon the task and performs His own will in the work has any right to "boast." And dare that "saw" boast "against" God? How very disrespectful! Not only does the "saw" have no right to boast, he also has no understanding or right to criticize how he is used. God is God--how dare any of us critically question how or what He does!
"As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood!" The somewhat sarcastic tone of the prophet Isaiah is coming through. Why? Because, in the created order of things, even nature reveals that it is ludicrous to think that objects can rebel against their use at the hands of human beings. Objects and tools cannot operate their Creator as though He were the tool! The "rod" cannot "wield" God-- the "club" cannot "brandish" God. God is not an object made from wood to be treated as an instrument.
(Notice how that each example of tool listed here is an instrument of war and destruction. These are the very weapons Sennacherib used against Israel and God is drawing attention to the fact that He used Sennacherib as His instrument!)
If I seem to belabor these points it is only to encourage our meditation on a very important, central truth: God is the Creator and we, the created ones. Sennacherib was losing sight of this vital doctrine. We would do well not to!
Prayer: Lord high above, I bow before You. You are the Mighty, Almighty Maker of heaven and earth and of me! Draw me back to this truth, Lord, every moment and in all that I do. Amen.
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01.25.09
Posted in
General
| 17:57
Scripture: Isaiah 10:14 (NIV): "As one reaches into a nest, so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations; as men gather abandoned eggs, so I gathered all the countries; not one flapped a wing, or opened its mouth to chirp."
Thought: To me, the "swollen head" of pride causes bodily "imbalance" and next thing you know, you've taken a fall!
Question: Whom do I fear more: Satan or God?
Sennacherib, King of Assyria, is still gushing on in his pride! He brags how easily he subjugated nations. "As one reaches into a nest, so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations"; he says. To me, this is a scene of robbery! He is out of line to meddle in places he has no right to touch--like a boy stealing robin eggs.
"...not one flapped a wing, or opened its mouth to chirp." The cruelty and aggressive power of the Assyrians silenced their victims. They apparently offered little, if any, resistance. Probably they were broken in spirit simply by the intimidation that went before Sennacherib. (Usually our fears are biggest in our perceptive minds than in actual reality.)
Mother and father birds will put up quite a ruckus when their young are threatened, and this is true across the board in nature for any parent. Watch a mother bear defend her cub! To have this natural self-defense broken down in humans is interesting to observe and speaks volumes about the power and presence these Assyrians must have carried with them as they moved across the land.
Satan may send us into a paralyzing fear at times as well. He may arrogantly pursue us as our spiritual enemy. Christians who fail to protect themselves with the "armor" Christ provides may fall victim to his tactics and may fail to "flap a wing" or even "open the mouth to chirp." What we need to remember is that God will be like the furious Mother Bear, and quickly and strongly defend us whenever necessary. All we need to do is cry out to Him!
Assyria's King is full of pride. We've seen this throughout this series of verses (Isaiah 10:7 - 14), but now this pride has become presumptuous arrogance. It's almost as though Sennacherib is declaring, "I can do anything--there's no stopping me!"
And it is exactly at such a saturation of selfishness that God initiates Sennacherib's fall. God has had enough--God has reached His limit.
Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the armor You have provided for my spiritual protection in and through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to put it on every day. As to pride, Lord, please open my eyes to see if I am on a road of arrogance in any part of my life, and help me to get off that road, humble myself under Your Mighty hand, and return to a place that is pleasing to You! Amen.
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01.24.09
Posted in
General
| 14:54
Scripture: Isaiah 10:13 (NIV): "For he says: 'By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their kings.' "
Thought: To me, pride was Lucifer's original sin and is, potentially, the spark of every sin of mine.
Question: Do I thank God for the gifts He has given me?
Today's verse begins with that little word "for", connecting it as a supporting reason for the punishment mentioned in Isaiah 10:12. God will punish Assyria because Sennacherib, it's prideful King, says: "By the strength of my hand I have done this..." If we scan just this verse for today we find five "I's" recorded. This guy is pretty arrogant and self-centered! "I have done this...", "I have understanding...", "I removed the boundaries...", "I plundered...treasures...", and "I subdued...kings..." His ego is super-inflated!
God records Sennacherib's selfish words for the reader's benefit. Power and success gone to the head has blinded this Assyrian King; his pride has brought him to the brink of a great fall. God warns us of the cost of this kind of behavior: punishment directly from God Almighty Himself is on the way!
Sennacherib claims to have superior knowledge. "...by my wisdom, because I have understanding..." he says. The proper position for any created human being is to credit his Maker with wisdom and understanding--not himself. True humility credits wisdom to God Who is the Source of all life. In opening his mouth to declare his understanding, Sennacherib has only succeeded in proving his foolishness, even as the near future events are about to affirm.
This arrogant King goes on to list his so-called accomplishments, a list that bulges with thievery, inconsideration and oppression: removing the boundaries of nations, ripping off their treasure and bringing foreign kings under his thumb. He sounds like a control freak to me! What a trip he has had! And God has permitted it...for a time and for a purpose. But now the jig is up.
Many leaders down through history have done exactly the same things. They've done it in the name of national honor, eminent domain, Divine right or just plain selfish egotism. And God permits it. Other biblical kings have done it: Nebuchadnezzar, Ahab, Herod and many more. And God allows it. Their pride preceded their fall--the record is there in each case to remind us.
Prayer: Omnipotent God, You abhor pride and the haughty look! Forgive me for my sins of pride, Father. Humble me genuinely that I may look to Your sovereign hand in every movement around me and Your guidance to every decision from within me. Amen.
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01.22.09
Posted in
General
| 17:24
Scripture: Isaiah 10:12 (NIV): "When the LORD has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, 'I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.' "
Thought: To me, Sennacherib, the prideful King of Assyria, is just like Satan, and God is using him to correct His people.
Question: Do I believe God is sovereign--even over Satan?
And so Assyria's time of judgment from God comes in due order. God has been "using" Sennacherib to correct and discipline Judah, but now, "when the LORD has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem...", punishment comes against this King. The word "punishment" is a strong word. No similar word has been used against Israel/Judah, but here the hand of God comes down harshly. Why?
'I will punish the King of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.' As we have seen in verse 7 through 11, King Sennacherib of Assyria has acted with fullness of pride and arrogance. Now the time of "falling" has arrived; the fulfillment of Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." God hates pride and the "haughty look." Proverbs 6:16 through 19 says, "There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wiched schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers." Sennacherib is guilty of more than "haughty eyes"; he has also run to shed innocent blood at least. God hates these behaviors. He will act out real punishment for the hatred He experiences.
Timing is a vital element in this verse. The fall of Sennacherib will not take place until "the LORD has finished all his work..." with Judah. One could easily run this as a parallel truth to how God is dealing with each of us Christians on a day-to-day basis. Why does Satan still continue to run loose, wreaking havoc? Because God's real punishment of the devil is truly on its way, but only when, in His perfect timing, He has "finished all his work" on my heart and yours. Satan, like the King of Assyria, is an instrument in God's hand. We must never forget this!
Using Satan as a tool, God has allowed unbelievers and evil-doers to sometimes appear "freer" and more powerful than we Christians. But later on, in Heaven, the good seeds of patient endurance, under persecution and correction, will reap their eternal reward for us. And for those wicked ones comes an eternity of separation from God--a much greater loss by far.
Prayer: Father and King, if You are not LORD over even Satan, You are not LORD at all. Help me to understand that Your timing, even in the permission You grant the devil, is supremely wise. Help me to trust Your great plans, for in their final completion, Your righteousness will reign! Amen.
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01.21.09
Posted in
General
| 17:56
Scripture: Isaiah 10:10 and 11 (NIV): " 'As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols, kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria--, shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?' "
Thought: To me, a man who considers God an idol to be destroyed has made himself into a god.
Question: Am I the sole "decider" of my own agenda?
Sennacharib saw himself as a god-conqueror. He had defeated previous nations who had entrusted themselves to their idols. Upon overtaking those nations, the Assyrian felt he had also destroyed their gods forever. Why would Jerusalem be any different?
And so we have a man who has not discerned the True and Living God. He has not distinguished Jehovah as being greater than other gods. He displays his confident arrogance in these verses: "As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols...shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?"
"As my hand seized..." The Assyrian King gives himself all the credit for victory. He is quite "stuck on himself," isn't he?
God uses that (over)confident energy, though false and evil it may be. He directs the zealous Sennacharib toward His child, Judah, as corrective punishment.
Notice also that Sennacharib regards the idols of Jerusalem and Samaria to be much less excellent than other national idols. Within his pride is a measure of disdain for Jerusalem and its surrounding areas: the "god" of Israel does not measure up in his mind.
But let us remember Isaiah 10:5: "Woe to the Assyrian..." The woe yet to come upon Assyria is a direct result of this kind of unrestrained pride in self and scornful treatment of Jehovah, the True and Living God.
Prayer: Ruler of all and Father, please humble me! Bring me to a place where my pride is broken apart completely. Lord, You be the conqueror of my heart--may I never seek, intentionally or unintentially, to override You!. Amen.
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