ISAIAH 25:1 - 28:13
WHEN GOD JUDGES THE WORLD: No matter how bad things get, there will always be a REMNANT who love God and know how to cling to Him for deliverance. Rather than give this a FUTURISTIC interpretation, thus putting it beyond our reach, I prefer to take "all Scripture" as being "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim 3:16-17) This means there are TWO WAYS to interpret this passage: literally as referring to the immediate time of judgment against Israel and the surrounding nations at the time, and then spiritually as being a time of judgment that is a PROCESS in me against the FLESH, and around me against the WORLD-SPIRIT.
We know from reading Ecclesiastes and from reading the NT that we live in a fallen, twisted, incomplete, and upside-down world (Rom 8:19-25) that is "subject to vanity". We also know that it takes God's wisdom and God's power to navigate through it in victory. We define "victory" NOT as the ability to ESCAPE hardship, but as the ability to go THRU hardship and be changed by it (for the better). We aren't SURVIVORS, we are a REMNANT.
What makes Isaiah 25, 26, and 27 so rich is that Isaiah is writing this in the midst of seeing the enemy at the gates, the Northern Kingdom already destroyed and taken captive. The people around him are heading for destruction and don't pay any attention to his warnings. Yet he writes, "I will praise Thy Name, for Thou hast done wonderful things..."
What can we learn about looking beyond our circumstances?
(1) True peace comes through knowing our salvation and deliverance comes from the Lord.
(2) God is faithful.
(3) God's grace is sufficient.
(4) God is able to deliver us, either from it or through it.
(5) God is just and will make "all things work together for good...." (Rom 8:28)
(6) It is SAFE, good and right to trust God.
(7) God sees it all.
(8) God will guide us through everything that comes along.
(9) God will erase the hurtful memories of our past "taskmasters" that held us in bondage.
(10) We will rise again, either in this life or in the next.
(11) God will judge the evildoers and the world-spirit of antichrist that influences them. (He already judged Satan.)
***(12) The purpose of being "smitten" is to purge the flesh, not to destroy us or "teach us".
(13) Every branch that does not bear fruit will be gathered up and burned. (John 15:6)
(14) During a time of judgment, many "outcasts" and prodigals will return to the Lord.
DISCIPLINARY SUFFERING: Chapter 28 begins a section of "WOES" against deep-seated hardness of heart and "forgetting" God. The sharp teeth of God's plow are to break up the hardness of our hearts - not to destroy us. The pain lasts only until He completes His purpose in us. The depth of pain is proportional to how "bullheaded" we are. God does not crush the grain; He only frees it from the chaff. By the way: Isaiah mentions "strong drink" here again - even among the clergy! And they've vomited on the tables. V.13: When we frustrate God's grace, we "go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken."
"A COVENANT WITH DEATH AND WITH HELL": Judah pledged allegiance to Egypt even to the death if she will protect them. We would say that we have chosen to preserve SELF, even against the Truth of the Gospel. As a result, God will lay "In Zion for a foundation, a Stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone..." NAMED JESUS. And all who trust in Him will not panic and run when trouble comes. We will stand and go THROUGH, being purged, cleansed, refined of the FLESH.
RESPONSE: We can come easy, or we can come hard. Sometimes I feel like I "survived another day". And that's not what God wants. He wants me to CHANGE. Learn to trust Him, and to quit trying to "manage" everything! All this judgment stuff is out of Isaiah's control (and mine). What did we think would happen when we prayed, "Thy will be done...." ? The things we depended on, that "worked" before, won't help us now! God is doing a new thing! Little things matter. And if they matter to God, they had better matter with us! Obey God in the little things.
GALATIANS 3:10-22
SELF-EFFORT LEADS TO FAILURE: (1) Keep your eyes on the Cross! It will contrast sharply with self-interest and error. (2) Don't reject the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the One Who makes everything possible in our hearts. (3) Remember the suffering you've already gone through in living according to faith in the "Truth of the Gospel". All you've "won" in your spiritual life came by faith - don't surrender it now! Trying to live the Christian life by self-effort is pledging yourself to do the impossible! The Law actually had nothing to do with Abraham's promises! The "law-keeper - legalist" tries to make God believe in him - - - The righteous by faith believe in God!
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH: "Righteousness of faith" is older than Law; it began with Abraham, 430 years before the Law was given. Righteousness, covenant, promise, blessing - all rest on this: who are the children of Abraham? His children include "ALL NATIONS", "the heathen". God FORETOLD the Gospel going to ALL NATIONS. BUT....the "all nations" are included "by faith". "The just shall live by faith" - and everyone else is cursed and will die. The blessing of Abraham is RIGHTEOUSNESS. Before the Law, Abraham was made righteous because he trusted God's gift of grace, and God dealt with Abraham as a righteous man. FAITH IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!!! Faith in God is not in lieu of righteousness. This is not a tricky use of words. God GIVES what He demands. The "righteousness of faith" comes from self-surrendering trust in God's grace. We yield ourselves to this truth with "the obedience of faith". Faith unites me to the Source of righteousness. Unbelief severs me from it. Righteousness of character results from BEING righteous. (I say "meow" because I'm a cat! I don't say "woof" because I'm no longer a dog!) The ENABLEMENT or EMPOWERMENT for the righteous character is the "promise of the Holy Spirit by faith."
ONE SEED, ONE COVENANT: There is not a "natural seed" and a "spiritual seed". There is ONE SEED, and that is JESUS. And He is the only heir. There are not TWO COVENANTS or TWO PROMISES: There is ONE COVENANT, ONE PROMISE - and that is JESUS. Jesus does not have two bodies, but ONE BODY. Jesus is the Promise, the Seed, the Land, the Inheritance, and He has ratified our covenant.
RESPONSE: If "the promise" and "the blessing of Abraham" were given because of certain laws or rules we had to keep, then Abraham himself is excluded because he was born way before the Law was given! I am righteous because God said I am and I believed Him! The Law gives me NOTHING just because I believe in it. I must DO it. Because God calls me "righteous", I DO righteous deeds, emanating from a grateful heart of faith and love. Sometimes I surprise myself!
PSALM 61:1-8
WHEN I AM OVERWHELMED: When I feel muffled by trouble and am submerged in thick darkness, "lead me to the Rock" because I can't get there by myself! I must reaffirm God as my shelter and refuge: "I will cry to God", "I will abide", "I will trust in God to shelter my emotions", I will sing praise to His Name forever". It is WICKED to lose my hope in God; it is MIS-trust and unbelief.
PROVERBS 23:17-18
The "fear of the Lord" is the antidote to envying sinners (for their popularity, their wealth, etc). We wouldn't really want to trade places with them! We have hope for our future, they don't.
RESPONSE: My heart was overwhelmed by an "impossible" situation yesterday. No one knew what to do. I felt buried in pain, hopelessness, grief, sorrow, frustration, and darkness. Talking about it ("venting" - which is something I do NOT advocate!) only made it worse! Thankfully, my mother (who lives here), "led me to the Rock" and we prayed. And we prayed. And I stated my firm conviction that God can be trusted with my heart, with the situation, with the other people involved. He had a solution, but we just didn't see it yet. The solution came from a totally unexpected source, and it brought peace, resolution, and joy. I say again, "it is WICKED to lose my hope in God."
I repent. God, please forgive me. I was so wrong. I should never mistrust You. You ALWAYS come to my aid. I may not like Your solution; but I always say, "there are only two ways to do anything - - - God's way and the wrong way." Thank you for not letting me down. Again.
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