12.30.08

Isaiah - Day 176

Posted in General | 20:22

Scripture:  Isaiah 9:12 (NIV):  "Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have devoured Israel with open mouth.  Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised."

Thought:  To me, God the Father's continuing anger is a strong message of His disapproval. 

Question:  Why might God's anger not be turned away from me?

Israel is now surrounded by enemies from both sides.  They move in and "devour" Israel "with open mouth."  God has allowed both the Arameans and Philistines to assault His people.  Why?  To reach them, to teach them.  Only when we have all that we construct for ourselves removed and broken down do we begin to have our eyes opened.  The judgments of God are a stripping process.  At times we need to be stripped to our most fundamental, prideless position before our Maker so that we will truly listen to Him.  The erring child must be arrested from his wrong behavior by the riveting attention the "rod of correction" suddenly brings.  And it is painful. 

Another scripture speaks of an enemy who seeks to devour us Christians:  I Peter 5:8:  "Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  The "open mouth" of a roaring lion is a constant threat to the children of God.  But it is not necessary to come to the end that Israel experienced here--to be devoured and yet remain so irritating to God that His "anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised."  What an awful condition!  They are devoured by Satan and displeasing to the LORD, both in the same moment!  We need to take heed of this warning:  how totally empty and pointless the life of one who rejects God to the point of angering Him while simultaneously becoming the total victim of Satan.  Who is the loser in this picture? 

Let us not fall victim today to the violence of the devil!  Let us not become "devoured" by "the open mouth" of the evil all around that could consume us in a moment!  As I Peter 5:9 goes on to say:  "Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."

Why would God's anger remain and His hand continue to be upraised?  Because Israel, for all this allowed conquest, still has not repented, still has not turned to God, still has not listened to God's Word, still has not cooperated with their Maker and refuses to let go of their own will.  Notice that back in Isaiah 5:25 the same words were used:  "Threfore the LORD's anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down.  The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.  Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised."

Let us learn from this.  Let us, unlike stubborn Israel, discover what God is trying to say and become immediately obedient.

Prayer:  Great Father, teach me to yield to You.  Show me how to end such stubborn, prideful resistance.  Prevent me from becoming the devoured victim of Satan.  Do not allow me to be the small person under Your upraised hand of anger.  Rather, Lord, show me how to resist the enemy and stand firm in my faith.  Amen. 

(1) comments    (0) Trackbacks    Permalink  Print View