Isaiah 40:26-9: "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God'? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
When we are faced with those "dark nights of the soul" in which we struggle for deliverance from the circumstances that burden us, we can fall prey to the fallacious notion that God is either not able or willing to carry us through our ordeals. We cry out to God, asking "Why? . . . Why God are you letting this happen to me? Where are you God? Are you even there? Are you listening?" In our depression, we can be tempted to give up on God and become numb to our reality as we just seem to "exist" through our life experience. We move into an apathetic spirit as we simply don't care anymore; we hate the notion of God as the lover of our souls because we don't believe He really cares for us (if He is even real at all).
The prophet Isaiah records for us in the above cited verses that God genuinely is concerned with every detail of our lives, and He commits Himself to us during those most trying times which rock the foundations of our being. The prophet, writing under the inspiration of God, asks us to look to the heavens to reclaim a right perspective on the Lord Almighty. As we look toward the starry hosts, too numerous to count in their expansiveness, we are reminded that not only did God create these heavenly bodies, but He calls each of them by name and knows where each of them are. God in His infinite knowledge is able to know the intricate details of each extraterrestrial body; and in His infinite love, He is able to devote His attention to their unique circumstances. God neither is unable nor indifferent to each ingredient in his unfathomable creation.
With this in mind, Isaiah questions why we then would falsely conclude that our specific circumstances are somehow hidden and/or disregarded by the Lord. Again, Isaiah reminds us that God is the Sovereign Creator who knows all things, has the power to intervene in all circumstances, and has infinite love for us. He is never wearied by the expansiveness and the complexity of our circumstances. Instead, God is ready to grant us His strength and power to face our obstacles in life, no matter what they might be. What we must do is put our hope in Him as Lord . . . it is only then that we are able to be renewed by His glorious strength, so that we can "soar on wings like eagles" in the midst of our painful trials.
The Apostle Paul echoes these words of advice when he encourages us to put on "faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet" (I Thessalonians 5:8). These metaphorical expressions of a soldier's armor are intended to remind us that our best defense against the onslaught of grief is to put our faith, love, and hope in the Lord. He will shield us from capitulating to our circumstances in despair and careless resignation. With the Lord's loving care, we are able to weather the storms of life and be strengthened in our resolve to trust in Him as our Lord and Savior, no matter what befalls us. And in this way, we bring the best glory to God, for we are living lives of surrender to Him, no matter the circumstance.
When we find ourselves spiraling into the abyss of hopeless depression, let us take time to look to the heavens and be reminded of the stars and God's focused attentiveness to each one of them. Let us be reminded that not only is God able to care for each of us, but He earnestly desires to reach out to us in our darkest moments and shower us with His loving presence. Let us be strengthened through His grace in order that we can soar on wings like eagles, gliding on the power of the currents of His eternal love for us. If we are willing to be carried along by His Spirit, we will find ourselves experiencing the joy of our salvation in truly supernatural ways; and this joy will guide us through life until the day of our glorification.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
If You Expect to Receive, You First Must Ask
Isaiah 38:4-6: "Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 'Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.' ' "
Hezekiah was the king of Judah about 700 years before Christ. 2 Kings 18 tells us that this king, unlike many of his predecessors, "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD . . . (for Hezekiah) trusted in the LORD." Hezekiah removed the pagan shrines that his forefathers had constructed to worship, in defiance against the One True Lord.
To be sure, King Hezekiah had seen the mighty hand of God work supernaturally to protect His people against the mighty Assyrians. This was an army that was so indomitable that no nation had been able to stop its advances; and as the Assyrians entered the region of Palestine, its leaders arrogantly announced to Judah that it must surrender, for no nation nor its gods had been able to thwart the purposes of the mighty Assyrians. Hezekiah knew that his only hope for his people's deliverance was from the Lord. As the king tore his clothes in mourning, he approached the presence of the Lord at the temple, pleading that God would bring deliverance for his people, "so that all kingdoms on earth may know that the Lord alone is God" (2 Kings 19:19).
When God responded by destroying the Assyrian army in one night, it was a time of thanksgiving for the Lord's rescue; however, the celebration would be short lived, for in the next chapter, we find that Hezekiah became ill to the point of death. Only to reinforce the terminal nature of the king's illness, the prophet Isaiah visited the king and presented God's proclamation that the king should put is house in order, for he would die.
Hezekiah was not willing to acquiesce to such a declaration; he turned his face toward a wall and cried out to the Lord for deliverance. Hezekiah petitioned the Lord not to forget the king's unwavering devotion and obedience, and he asked that the Lord would rescue him from his pending demise.
Before Isaiah exited the middle court of the palace, the Lord instructed the prophet to return to the king and tell him that the Lord had seen Hezekiah's tears and heard his prayers. The Lord would heal the king and give him 15 more years of life.
Later, the king in a reflective writing about the ordeal would say, "Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction . . . . The living, the living-they praise you, as I am doing today" (Isaiah 28:17a,19a).
We have a good word of instruction in this story, for we find that Hezekiah's healing was the Lord working responsively to the king's earnest prayers for deliverance. The Lord specifically instructed the king that his healing was predicated upon his offering of prayer to the Lord . . . implicit in this Divine dictate is the reality that had Hezekiah resigned himself to his demise and not offered a prayer to the Lord, he would have died. The king's prayer was catalytic in God changing the normal course of events (which could only have been changed by God's supernatural intervention).
Prayer is such a powerful resource for us today, and it is a great tragedy that we do not exercise this privilege of communing with the Lord consistently. James 4:2 tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. Let us recommit ourselves to seek the Lord first when we are faced with difficulties in life. Let us lay our burdens before His glorious throne and give Him the prerogative to intervene in such a way that will be consistent with His glorious will . . . which is ultimately the best result for us (see Romans 8:28).
Hezekiah was the king of Judah about 700 years before Christ. 2 Kings 18 tells us that this king, unlike many of his predecessors, "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD . . . (for Hezekiah) trusted in the LORD." Hezekiah removed the pagan shrines that his forefathers had constructed to worship, in defiance against the One True Lord.
To be sure, King Hezekiah had seen the mighty hand of God work supernaturally to protect His people against the mighty Assyrians. This was an army that was so indomitable that no nation had been able to stop its advances; and as the Assyrians entered the region of Palestine, its leaders arrogantly announced to Judah that it must surrender, for no nation nor its gods had been able to thwart the purposes of the mighty Assyrians. Hezekiah knew that his only hope for his people's deliverance was from the Lord. As the king tore his clothes in mourning, he approached the presence of the Lord at the temple, pleading that God would bring deliverance for his people, "so that all kingdoms on earth may know that the Lord alone is God" (2 Kings 19:19).
When God responded by destroying the Assyrian army in one night, it was a time of thanksgiving for the Lord's rescue; however, the celebration would be short lived, for in the next chapter, we find that Hezekiah became ill to the point of death. Only to reinforce the terminal nature of the king's illness, the prophet Isaiah visited the king and presented God's proclamation that the king should put is house in order, for he would die.
Hezekiah was not willing to acquiesce to such a declaration; he turned his face toward a wall and cried out to the Lord for deliverance. Hezekiah petitioned the Lord not to forget the king's unwavering devotion and obedience, and he asked that the Lord would rescue him from his pending demise.
Before Isaiah exited the middle court of the palace, the Lord instructed the prophet to return to the king and tell him that the Lord had seen Hezekiah's tears and heard his prayers. The Lord would heal the king and give him 15 more years of life.
Later, the king in a reflective writing about the ordeal would say, "Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction . . . . The living, the living-they praise you, as I am doing today" (Isaiah 28:17a,19a).
We have a good word of instruction in this story, for we find that Hezekiah's healing was the Lord working responsively to the king's earnest prayers for deliverance. The Lord specifically instructed the king that his healing was predicated upon his offering of prayer to the Lord . . . implicit in this Divine dictate is the reality that had Hezekiah resigned himself to his demise and not offered a prayer to the Lord, he would have died. The king's prayer was catalytic in God changing the normal course of events (which could only have been changed by God's supernatural intervention).
Prayer is such a powerful resource for us today, and it is a great tragedy that we do not exercise this privilege of communing with the Lord consistently. James 4:2 tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. Let us recommit ourselves to seek the Lord first when we are faced with difficulties in life. Let us lay our burdens before His glorious throne and give Him the prerogative to intervene in such a way that will be consistent with His glorious will . . . which is ultimately the best result for us (see Romans 8:28).
Friday, January 23, 2009
Prayer Can Make a Difference
Isaiah 37:21b-22, 29, 35: "Because you (King Hezekiah) have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, this is the word the LORD has spoken against him . . . . I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came . . . . I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant."
In the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (approx. 701BC), the mighty Assyrians swept across the Fertile Crescent to the Palestinian region and laid claim to its territories. After the Assyrians had captured the fortified cities around Jerusalem, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent a field commander with a vast army to the Judean capital in order to terrify its people into submission and defeat.
When the invading army arrived at Jerusalem, the field commander brazenly cried out, "On what are you basing this confidence of yours?" As a representative of the Assyrian king, the field commander made a mockery of Judah and its God; he decried any nation that would think it could overcome the mighty Assyrian army. Specifically he said, "Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?" (36:18). King Hezekiah tore his clothes in mourning at such blasphemy and prayed to the Lord that this seemingly insurmountable threat of military defeat and occupation might be thwarted. His prayer was earnest: "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see, listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God . . . . Now O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
God responded to Hezekiah's prayer through the prophet Isaiah. He sent the prophet to proclaim that the LORD would intervene because Hezekiah sought the LORD for deliverance. The king knew that God alone would be his salvation; he did not rely upon his own abilities to remedy his own problems.
Later, God sent the angel of the LORD to destroy the army of Assyria, putting to death 185,000 of its troops. Sennacherib, having been overwhelmed at his misfortune, withdrew his forces and returned to Nineveh where he stayed until his unexpected death. Apparently, the king of Assyria was so devastated by his military demise that he went to seek answers from his own pagan god (which was no god in reality); and as he was worshipping in the pagan temple of his god, he was assassinated by his own sons. Within fifty years of the Sennacherib's invasion of Judah, the kingdom of Assyria would be invaded by the Babylonians, ultimately leading to its utter destruction. The once mighty kingdom of Assyria would soon be no more!
There obviously is a good word for us here. We need to remember that in our own life experiences, prayer is the only hope that we have against the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that we encounter. When the trying circumstances come our way like an invading army, we must run to the Lord and cry out for His protection and deliverance. What we find assuring is that God hears our prayers; in fact, He will be waiting for our response to Him in faith so that He can demonstrate His mighty power leading to our deliverance.
Let us not give up on praying to God. No matter how hopeless our circumstances seem to be, let us remember the incredible privilege that we have to lay our deepest concerns before the Almighty.
In the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (approx. 701BC), the mighty Assyrians swept across the Fertile Crescent to the Palestinian region and laid claim to its territories. After the Assyrians had captured the fortified cities around Jerusalem, King Sennacherib of Assyria sent a field commander with a vast army to the Judean capital in order to terrify its people into submission and defeat.
When the invading army arrived at Jerusalem, the field commander brazenly cried out, "On what are you basing this confidence of yours?" As a representative of the Assyrian king, the field commander made a mockery of Judah and its God; he decried any nation that would think it could overcome the mighty Assyrian army. Specifically he said, "Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?" (36:18). King Hezekiah tore his clothes in mourning at such blasphemy and prayed to the Lord that this seemingly insurmountable threat of military defeat and occupation might be thwarted. His prayer was earnest: "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see, listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God . . . . Now O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
God responded to Hezekiah's prayer through the prophet Isaiah. He sent the prophet to proclaim that the LORD would intervene because Hezekiah sought the LORD for deliverance. The king knew that God alone would be his salvation; he did not rely upon his own abilities to remedy his own problems.
Later, God sent the angel of the LORD to destroy the army of Assyria, putting to death 185,000 of its troops. Sennacherib, having been overwhelmed at his misfortune, withdrew his forces and returned to Nineveh where he stayed until his unexpected death. Apparently, the king of Assyria was so devastated by his military demise that he went to seek answers from his own pagan god (which was no god in reality); and as he was worshipping in the pagan temple of his god, he was assassinated by his own sons. Within fifty years of the Sennacherib's invasion of Judah, the kingdom of Assyria would be invaded by the Babylonians, ultimately leading to its utter destruction. The once mighty kingdom of Assyria would soon be no more!
There obviously is a good word for us here. We need to remember that in our own life experiences, prayer is the only hope that we have against the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that we encounter. When the trying circumstances come our way like an invading army, we must run to the Lord and cry out for His protection and deliverance. What we find assuring is that God hears our prayers; in fact, He will be waiting for our response to Him in faith so that He can demonstrate His mighty power leading to our deliverance.
Let us not give up on praying to God. No matter how hopeless our circumstances seem to be, let us remember the incredible privilege that we have to lay our deepest concerns before the Almighty.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Let's Have Open Ears . . . and Hearts
Isaiah 30:1-2, 9-11: "'Woe to the obstinate children,' declares the LORD, 'to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge . . . . These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction. They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!' and to the prophets, 'Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!'"
In the recent euphoria of the Presidential inauguration of 2009, America seems to be experiencing a level of of hope and celebration not seen in previous inaugurations. As 1.9 million people personally witnessed the 44th President taking his oath of office, a sense of national pride, joy, and unity seemed to envelop the crowd. People were crying and cheering this momentous occasion. To be sure, our nation is experiencing a milestone in that race no longer is an inhibitor to one being elected to the top political position in our nation; and for this reason, we do have cause to celebrate.
Still, we would do well to remember the Israelites from the passage cited above, that placed their confidence and security in political alliances and not in the Lord Almighty. These Israelites of Isaiah's day did not honor the commands of the Lord; instead, they willfully rebelled against the Lord, choosing to serve their own selfish desires (and in effect choosing themselves as their own gods). As these Israelites swelled with national pride and confidence, they refused to seek the ways of the Lord; in fact, they silenced Godly prophets who attempted to proclaim that the nation was not honoring the Lord (and therefore would be subject to His Divine judgment). The Israelites found pride in their political alliances with perceived world powers . . . they believed that they were invincible enough that they did not need the Sovereign Lord. Although the Lord desired to be compassionate and gracious to these people (see Isaiah 30:18), the Israelites shunned such offerings because they refused to surrender their own selfish wills to the One True Lord.
In the end, such obstinacy would bring sudden judgment from the Lord. Like a wall suddenly collapsing upon its residents bringing devastation, so too the Lord would bring calamity upon the people (Isaiah 30:13). For the covenant community's defiance to His Holiness and Sovereignty, the Lord's wrath would be poured out upon His covenant people.
Again, as much as we should rejoice in this historic Presidential election, let us not turn our eyes away from the Lord and believe ourselves impervious to His wrath. We already are witnessing our national rebellion against the statutes of the Lord through our irresponsible, irreverent, and immoral behavior (e.g. abortions, financial deceit, flagrantly inappropriate sexual relations, et al). Let us turn from such despicable ways and collectively yield ourselves to the Lord of Hosts. Let us not resist the eternal truths of God; instead, let us renounce any vain philosophies that would assert our own quest for lordship over the One True Lord. Let's open our ears and our hearts to His petition for us to return to Him and enjoy the intimate fellowship that He desires for us to experience with Him.
In the recent euphoria of the Presidential inauguration of 2009, America seems to be experiencing a level of of hope and celebration not seen in previous inaugurations. As 1.9 million people personally witnessed the 44th President taking his oath of office, a sense of national pride, joy, and unity seemed to envelop the crowd. People were crying and cheering this momentous occasion. To be sure, our nation is experiencing a milestone in that race no longer is an inhibitor to one being elected to the top political position in our nation; and for this reason, we do have cause to celebrate.
Still, we would do well to remember the Israelites from the passage cited above, that placed their confidence and security in political alliances and not in the Lord Almighty. These Israelites of Isaiah's day did not honor the commands of the Lord; instead, they willfully rebelled against the Lord, choosing to serve their own selfish desires (and in effect choosing themselves as their own gods). As these Israelites swelled with national pride and confidence, they refused to seek the ways of the Lord; in fact, they silenced Godly prophets who attempted to proclaim that the nation was not honoring the Lord (and therefore would be subject to His Divine judgment). The Israelites found pride in their political alliances with perceived world powers . . . they believed that they were invincible enough that they did not need the Sovereign Lord. Although the Lord desired to be compassionate and gracious to these people (see Isaiah 30:18), the Israelites shunned such offerings because they refused to surrender their own selfish wills to the One True Lord.
In the end, such obstinacy would bring sudden judgment from the Lord. Like a wall suddenly collapsing upon its residents bringing devastation, so too the Lord would bring calamity upon the people (Isaiah 30:13). For the covenant community's defiance to His Holiness and Sovereignty, the Lord's wrath would be poured out upon His covenant people.
Again, as much as we should rejoice in this historic Presidential election, let us not turn our eyes away from the Lord and believe ourselves impervious to His wrath. We already are witnessing our national rebellion against the statutes of the Lord through our irresponsible, irreverent, and immoral behavior (e.g. abortions, financial deceit, flagrantly inappropriate sexual relations, et al). Let us turn from such despicable ways and collectively yield ourselves to the Lord of Hosts. Let us not resist the eternal truths of God; instead, let us renounce any vain philosophies that would assert our own quest for lordship over the One True Lord. Let's open our ears and our hearts to His petition for us to return to Him and enjoy the intimate fellowship that He desires for us to experience with Him.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Still Another Look at the Economic Downturn
Isaiah 33:6,14-17,22: "He (God) will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure . . . . The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: 'Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?' He who walks righteously . . . . His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him. Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar . . . . For the Lord is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us."
With all the discussion of the global recession (and possible depression) today, we would do well to seek God's Word and glean His Sovereign insight concerning our present problems. God is the only one from whom we will be able to find remedy to such a mess as we have today.
Much of the problem that we have economically has been fueled by unsound (even ungodly) behavior in our financial markets. Whether it has been the financial service industry leveraging too much money in unwise lending practices (something Proverbs 11:15 warns against) or brokers that abscond with people's retirement savings, there seems to be widespread chicanery spurred on by personal greed. Coupled with this self-absorption is a lack of regard for the will of God as clearly communicated in Scripture. Our society is consumed with itself, and it is willing to destroy anyone or anything that would impede its quest for veneration. As one person manipulates, cheats, sues, defrauds, or steals from his neighbor, we as a nation implode in the lost time and expense of our self-idolization. There is no unity of purpose and certainly no respect for the Lord and His ways.
As God has demonstrated historically in Scripture, He is a blessing to the nation that submits to Him as Lord, and He destroys the nation that would go its own way in defiance against His Sovereignty. To be sure, the Lord "longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion" (Isaiah 30:18); still, only the one who walks righteously will be supplied with his material needs (Isaiah 33:16b).
If we continue to chart our course in the direction that we have been travelling, we should not expect anything good to come from it; for, the hand of blessing from the Lord will not be with us. If we continue to propagate sinful, disobedience against the LORD and His commands, we will only see His hand of judgment upon our nation and its economy. Just as the wicked of Isaiah's day trembled at the sudden collapse of their nation, so too we should expect such loss unless we repent.
Let's consider our evil ways and return to the Lord, for He is gracious and just. He will forgive us of our sins and will heal our land if we simply surrender ourselves to His Lordship (2 Chronicles 7:14).
With all the discussion of the global recession (and possible depression) today, we would do well to seek God's Word and glean His Sovereign insight concerning our present problems. God is the only one from whom we will be able to find remedy to such a mess as we have today.
Much of the problem that we have economically has been fueled by unsound (even ungodly) behavior in our financial markets. Whether it has been the financial service industry leveraging too much money in unwise lending practices (something Proverbs 11:15 warns against) or brokers that abscond with people's retirement savings, there seems to be widespread chicanery spurred on by personal greed. Coupled with this self-absorption is a lack of regard for the will of God as clearly communicated in Scripture. Our society is consumed with itself, and it is willing to destroy anyone or anything that would impede its quest for veneration. As one person manipulates, cheats, sues, defrauds, or steals from his neighbor, we as a nation implode in the lost time and expense of our self-idolization. There is no unity of purpose and certainly no respect for the Lord and His ways.
As God has demonstrated historically in Scripture, He is a blessing to the nation that submits to Him as Lord, and He destroys the nation that would go its own way in defiance against His Sovereignty. To be sure, the Lord "longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion" (Isaiah 30:18); still, only the one who walks righteously will be supplied with his material needs (Isaiah 33:16b).
If we continue to chart our course in the direction that we have been travelling, we should not expect anything good to come from it; for, the hand of blessing from the Lord will not be with us. If we continue to propagate sinful, disobedience against the LORD and His commands, we will only see His hand of judgment upon our nation and its economy. Just as the wicked of Isaiah's day trembled at the sudden collapse of their nation, so too we should expect such loss unless we repent.
Let's consider our evil ways and return to the Lord, for He is gracious and just. He will forgive us of our sins and will heal our land if we simply surrender ourselves to His Lordship (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Let's Praise the Lord!
Isaiah 25:1,7-9; 26:3-4, 8-9: "O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago . . . . (you) will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; (you) will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken . . . . You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal . . . . Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you."
The prophet Isaiah lived in a transitory period in the life of the Jewish people. When God first called Isaiah to his ministry, the land of Judah had been experiencing prosperity under the rule of King Uzziah. But with the steady decline of the moral/spiritual condition of the people, God introduced political and economic turmoil eventually culminating in the utter destruction of the land by the Assyrians and Babylonians.
Despite in the decline of the nation of Judah, Isaiah was able to keep a proper focus on God, knowing that the Sovereign Lord had planned salvation for His people even before the beginning of time. Even though the righteous would have to endure the painful trials of this life, a day will come when the Lord will return to destroy sin, pain, and death once and for all. He then will wipe away the tears of the redeemed and usher them into His glorious presence forever. Hindsight will be perfectly clear as those saved by the grace of God will be able to see that their faith in their Lord was not in vain, for the Lord will fulfill His promise by rescuing them from their perilous condition in a world filled with wickedness and calamity.
Therefore, as the world of Isaiah's day seemed to be spiraling out of control, the prophet by faith assured the people that God would "make the way of the righteous smooth." Therefore, Isaiah (and the righteous with him) were able to follow the Lord in faithful obedience, waiting for the day of their salvation. They feasted on the intimate fellowship that they had with the Lord as they set aside time throughout the day to commune with the Almighty. Their souls yearned for the fellowship because they knew that only God could be the Rock that could bring comfort and peace in an otherwise turbulent time.
We today need to hear this timeless message. Our souls need to yearn for the Almighty throughout each day, and we need to commit focused time with the Lord in order that we might cultivate our love relationship with Him. And as the Lord keeps us steadfast in our faith, He will give us perfect peace in this life and a hope of the blessedness that is to come in eternity.
The prophet Isaiah lived in a transitory period in the life of the Jewish people. When God first called Isaiah to his ministry, the land of Judah had been experiencing prosperity under the rule of King Uzziah. But with the steady decline of the moral/spiritual condition of the people, God introduced political and economic turmoil eventually culminating in the utter destruction of the land by the Assyrians and Babylonians.
Despite in the decline of the nation of Judah, Isaiah was able to keep a proper focus on God, knowing that the Sovereign Lord had planned salvation for His people even before the beginning of time. Even though the righteous would have to endure the painful trials of this life, a day will come when the Lord will return to destroy sin, pain, and death once and for all. He then will wipe away the tears of the redeemed and usher them into His glorious presence forever. Hindsight will be perfectly clear as those saved by the grace of God will be able to see that their faith in their Lord was not in vain, for the Lord will fulfill His promise by rescuing them from their perilous condition in a world filled with wickedness and calamity.
Therefore, as the world of Isaiah's day seemed to be spiraling out of control, the prophet by faith assured the people that God would "make the way of the righteous smooth." Therefore, Isaiah (and the righteous with him) were able to follow the Lord in faithful obedience, waiting for the day of their salvation. They feasted on the intimate fellowship that they had with the Lord as they set aside time throughout the day to commune with the Almighty. Their souls yearned for the fellowship because they knew that only God could be the Rock that could bring comfort and peace in an otherwise turbulent time.
We today need to hear this timeless message. Our souls need to yearn for the Almighty throughout each day, and we need to commit focused time with the Lord in order that we might cultivate our love relationship with Him. And as the Lord keeps us steadfast in our faith, He will give us perfect peace in this life and a hope of the blessedness that is to come in eternity.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Reason for Our Tragedies
Isaiah 24:5-6: "The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt."
If there is one certainty in our world, it is the uncertainty that unfortunate (even tragic) circumstances present to us in life. When we are faced with an unexpected medical diagnosis, a financial catastrophe, or a natural disaster, our souls tremble at the lack of control over our lives. And in our helpless state, we burst forth with questions as to why these tragedies occur in the first place. After all, would not a Sovereign Creator who has the power to prevent such events intervene to remove such loss?
We find ourselves asking God the "Why" questions? "Why God did you not divert this catastrophe in my life?" ; "Why God do you let such a thing happen in the first place?"; "God, are you even there?"; "Are you even real?". When the cumulative effect of substantive loss begins to overwhelm us, we are tempted to disassociate ourselves from a God who presumably is either not real or not interested in us.
The cited passage above gives us an explanation as to why we experience tragedies in this life, both globally and personally; specifically, we find that God placed a curse upon His creation as a result of man's cosmic treason against God's rightful reign as the Sovereign Lord. To be sure, God had warned Adam (the first man), that his rebellion would bring a Divine curse leading to the death and destruction of man and his habitation. Whereas God originally gave man the blessing of a perfect, sinless environment in which he might live . . . free from the calamities that we've mentioned above, man chose to forsake God's blessings by determining to be a god himself. The consumption of the forbidden fruit was an assertion by man to claim his own divinity, in open defiance against the One True God . . . the One who created him and blessed him with his perfect habitation.
Man has no one to blame for such problematic circumstances in life but himself. It is our sin that drove us from the place of serenity and protection to a place of tragic uncertainty and pain. Now we and our world must bear the consequences of our rebellion against the Lord.
Romans 8:19f reinforces this idea when it tells us that God's created universe waits in eager expectation for Jesus' return, when it will be liberated from the bondage to which it was subjected as a result of the curse. In fact, the passage uses the imagery of the earth and its inhabitants "groaning as in the pains of childbirth" until the coming restoration/redemption of creation with the return of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ returns in ineffable glory, He will "make everything new"(Revelation 21:5); our Lord will make a new heaven and a new earth for the redeemed to inhabit for all eternity . . . freed from the bondage of this cursed creation. This is the hope to which we long; this is the eternal deliverance that we eagerly await.
Therefore, we must not ascribe culpability to God for the misfortunes that we experience in this world. We must understand that our tragedies are the result of original sin that brought the promised curse for such disobedience. Whereas we might not be able to control our circumstances in this life, we can rest in the assurance of Divine deliverance that is offered to us through God's gift of eternal life. When we surrender to God as our Righteous Lord and receive His gift of salvation solely through Jesus' death and resurrection, then we can press on in hope to our eternal glorification . . . a state in which we will not have to endure the ramifications of the earth's defilement from sin.
If there is one certainty in our world, it is the uncertainty that unfortunate (even tragic) circumstances present to us in life. When we are faced with an unexpected medical diagnosis, a financial catastrophe, or a natural disaster, our souls tremble at the lack of control over our lives. And in our helpless state, we burst forth with questions as to why these tragedies occur in the first place. After all, would not a Sovereign Creator who has the power to prevent such events intervene to remove such loss?
We find ourselves asking God the "Why" questions? "Why God did you not divert this catastrophe in my life?" ; "Why God do you let such a thing happen in the first place?"; "God, are you even there?"; "Are you even real?". When the cumulative effect of substantive loss begins to overwhelm us, we are tempted to disassociate ourselves from a God who presumably is either not real or not interested in us.
The cited passage above gives us an explanation as to why we experience tragedies in this life, both globally and personally; specifically, we find that God placed a curse upon His creation as a result of man's cosmic treason against God's rightful reign as the Sovereign Lord. To be sure, God had warned Adam (the first man), that his rebellion would bring a Divine curse leading to the death and destruction of man and his habitation. Whereas God originally gave man the blessing of a perfect, sinless environment in which he might live . . . free from the calamities that we've mentioned above, man chose to forsake God's blessings by determining to be a god himself. The consumption of the forbidden fruit was an assertion by man to claim his own divinity, in open defiance against the One True God . . . the One who created him and blessed him with his perfect habitation.
Man has no one to blame for such problematic circumstances in life but himself. It is our sin that drove us from the place of serenity and protection to a place of tragic uncertainty and pain. Now we and our world must bear the consequences of our rebellion against the Lord.
Romans 8:19f reinforces this idea when it tells us that God's created universe waits in eager expectation for Jesus' return, when it will be liberated from the bondage to which it was subjected as a result of the curse. In fact, the passage uses the imagery of the earth and its inhabitants "groaning as in the pains of childbirth" until the coming restoration/redemption of creation with the return of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ returns in ineffable glory, He will "make everything new"(Revelation 21:5); our Lord will make a new heaven and a new earth for the redeemed to inhabit for all eternity . . . freed from the bondage of this cursed creation. This is the hope to which we long; this is the eternal deliverance that we eagerly await.
Therefore, we must not ascribe culpability to God for the misfortunes that we experience in this world. We must understand that our tragedies are the result of original sin that brought the promised curse for such disobedience. Whereas we might not be able to control our circumstances in this life, we can rest in the assurance of Divine deliverance that is offered to us through God's gift of eternal life. When we surrender to God as our Righteous Lord and receive His gift of salvation solely through Jesus' death and resurrection, then we can press on in hope to our eternal glorification . . . a state in which we will not have to endure the ramifications of the earth's defilement from sin.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
God Humbles the Proud
Isaiah 23:9: "The LORD Almighty planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth."
When reading through the chapters just preceding the cited verse above, one finds an interesting dichotomy. In chapter 19, one reads that God brings judgment upon the Egyptians, but relents from His wrath when the Egyptians respond to the Lord's judgment with fear and surrender. Whereas they had vaunted themselves in brazen arrogance, feasting upon their status as a powerful nation and the material spoils that come with such dominance, now they "shudder with fear at the uplifted hand of the LORD Almighty against them" (19:16). As God began to punish the Egyptians for their self-consumption, the Egyptians responded with contrition and submission. They would build an altar in the heart of Egypt for the LORD and would cry out for deliverance from their oppressors. The Scriptures record that the LORD would hear the petitions of the Egyptians and would bring a savior to rescue them from their demise. The Egyptians would worship the Lord with sacrifices and offerings and they would make vows to the Lord and faithfully fulfill them. Because the Egyptians responded with surrender to the Lord's chastisement, the Lord would withdraw His punitive measures and would heal their land.
In Isaiah 22, one finds that the Israelites were faced with similar judgment from the Hand of the Lord, presumably for having the same arrogant, self-absorbed disposition as the Egyptians. The Israelites' disdain for the Lord and His commands would bring His wrath in the form of invading pagan armies from the north. Yet even as the defenses of the city of Jerusalem were being breached and the enemies of the Israelites were entering the City of David, the Israelites did not cry out to the Lord. Instead they attempted to remedy their own problems through their own efforts (e.g. they stored up water in reservoirs and strengthened the walls around the city). Still, the Israelites did not repent and surrender themselves to the LORD. Rather than mourning for their chronic rebellion against the Lord, the people feasted in "joy and revelry" . . . deciding that if they were to die, they would go out in style . . . drinking wine and eating rich foods. The LORD determined that such arrogance would not be atoned, and He would bring judgment upon the Israelites for their recalcitrance.
When reading through the chapters just preceding the cited verse above, one finds an interesting dichotomy. In chapter 19, one reads that God brings judgment upon the Egyptians, but relents from His wrath when the Egyptians respond to the Lord's judgment with fear and surrender. Whereas they had vaunted themselves in brazen arrogance, feasting upon their status as a powerful nation and the material spoils that come with such dominance, now they "shudder with fear at the uplifted hand of the LORD Almighty against them" (19:16). As God began to punish the Egyptians for their self-consumption, the Egyptians responded with contrition and submission. They would build an altar in the heart of Egypt for the LORD and would cry out for deliverance from their oppressors. The Scriptures record that the LORD would hear the petitions of the Egyptians and would bring a savior to rescue them from their demise. The Egyptians would worship the Lord with sacrifices and offerings and they would make vows to the Lord and faithfully fulfill them. Because the Egyptians responded with surrender to the Lord's chastisement, the Lord would withdraw His punitive measures and would heal their land.
In Isaiah 22, one finds that the Israelites were faced with similar judgment from the Hand of the Lord, presumably for having the same arrogant, self-absorbed disposition as the Egyptians. The Israelites' disdain for the Lord and His commands would bring His wrath in the form of invading pagan armies from the north. Yet even as the defenses of the city of Jerusalem were being breached and the enemies of the Israelites were entering the City of David, the Israelites did not cry out to the Lord. Instead they attempted to remedy their own problems through their own efforts (e.g. they stored up water in reservoirs and strengthened the walls around the city). Still, the Israelites did not repent and surrender themselves to the LORD. Rather than mourning for their chronic rebellion against the Lord, the people feasted in "joy and revelry" . . . deciding that if they were to die, they would go out in style . . . drinking wine and eating rich foods. The LORD determined that such arrogance would not be atoned, and He would bring judgment upon the Israelites for their recalcitrance.
If there is a word of warning for us today, it is the guarantee that the Lord will humble the proud . . . those who would determine to dictate their lives according to their own selfish ways, with no regard for the Lord and His commands. It is only when a nation repents of its sins of rebellion against the Lord that He in turn will heal their land (see 2 Chronicles 7:14). Let us not bristle up in selfish determination to live in opposition to the will of God Almighty; instead, let us submit ourselves to Him as Lord and receive His blessed healing. We will never regret the decision to yield ourselves to His rightful reign in our lives.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
God the Almighty Will Accomplish His Purposes
Isaiah 14:27; 16:5; 17:13: "For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? . . . . In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it-one from the house of David- one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness . . . . Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale."
Whenever we as followers of Jesus Christ look at our world with its global unrest and ubiquitous profligacy we quickly can lose hope in our future. Despondency settles into our spirits leaving us with fearful expectations of what is to come. We lose the joy of our salvation, because in our faithless disposition, we begin to wonder if God is in fact the Sovereign One that He claims to be. These spiritual wars that we face need to be challenged by the truth of God's Word; in fact, we know from the Scriptures that our faith is fueled in the hearing of God's precious Holy Word (see Romans 10:17).
In the above cited Scriptures, we are able to see that no person, thing, or spiritual being will be able to thwart the purposes of God. Whereas God has permitted evil to exist in the world, His ultimate purpose is being accomplished through the establishment of the eternal Sovereign throne of Jesus Christ, who will be the Faithful Judge "seeking justice and speeding the cause of righteousness." Even though the nations would attempt to challenge the purposes of the Lord through their reckless, wicked rebellion to His rightful Lordship, in the end they will be destroyed. God's act of eternal redemption for those who have surrendered themselves to His Lordship and His righteous wrath poured out upon those who have challenged His Lordship will continue to be revealed until the Final Day of the Lord!
With this blessed assurance that has been given to us through the Word of God, let us not become weary in our obedience to the Lord, "for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Let us not become discouraged at the events unfolding in our world, but let us ever have the bold determination to be the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be the instruments that He uses to reflect His glorious light of truth to the darkened world around us. Let us glorify Him, knowing that our eternal purpose will be to praise Him as Our Sovereign King.
Whenever we as followers of Jesus Christ look at our world with its global unrest and ubiquitous profligacy we quickly can lose hope in our future. Despondency settles into our spirits leaving us with fearful expectations of what is to come. We lose the joy of our salvation, because in our faithless disposition, we begin to wonder if God is in fact the Sovereign One that He claims to be. These spiritual wars that we face need to be challenged by the truth of God's Word; in fact, we know from the Scriptures that our faith is fueled in the hearing of God's precious Holy Word (see Romans 10:17).
In the above cited Scriptures, we are able to see that no person, thing, or spiritual being will be able to thwart the purposes of God. Whereas God has permitted evil to exist in the world, His ultimate purpose is being accomplished through the establishment of the eternal Sovereign throne of Jesus Christ, who will be the Faithful Judge "seeking justice and speeding the cause of righteousness." Even though the nations would attempt to challenge the purposes of the Lord through their reckless, wicked rebellion to His rightful Lordship, in the end they will be destroyed. God's act of eternal redemption for those who have surrendered themselves to His Lordship and His righteous wrath poured out upon those who have challenged His Lordship will continue to be revealed until the Final Day of the Lord!
With this blessed assurance that has been given to us through the Word of God, let us not become weary in our obedience to the Lord, "for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Let us not become discouraged at the events unfolding in our world, but let us ever have the bold determination to be the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be the instruments that He uses to reflect His glorious light of truth to the darkened world around us. Let us glorify Him, knowing that our eternal purpose will be to praise Him as Our Sovereign King.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Jesus: The Righteous Judge & Redeemer
Isaiah 11:1,3-5, 10; 12:1-2: "A shoot (Jesus Christ) will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his (Jessie's) roots a Branch will bear fruit . . . . He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist . . . . In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious . . . . In that day you will say: 'I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.'"
In our world today, we have rulers whose execution of justice is swayed by personal preference and benefit, even if that "justice" is not fair and just. One of the assurances that we have in Scripture is the justness of Jesus Christ, the Supreme Judge, who will judge the nations with the purity of His Righteousness and Holiness. We can have the security of knowing that Jesus is not fickle or preferential but will rule according to His eternal truths that have been made known unto man since the beginning of time.
What we do find in Jesus' Word is that He will bring judgment upon the wicked, who have treated His Holiness with contempt. Those who would attempt to assert their own will over the One True God will find that they will stand before the Righteous and Faithful God without the hope of deliverance. God in His Holiness will enact His wrath against those rebellious people, and that judgment will be eternal (see Revelation 20).
Still, we find in the above cited passage that the very One who will judge the wicked will offer Himself as a Banner of Protection for His people, and He will offer deliverance from His wrath by granting His chosen, entrance into His eternal rest (i.e. Heaven). Lest one think that he is able to merit this Divine favor by his own stature or accomplishments, one should look to Isaiah 12 to see why God's mercy has been bestowed to His remnant. Specifically, we find in that chapter that these people have received salvation not from their own doing, but from the Lord, who has offered Himself as the source of salvation. These redeemed have engaged in glorious praise of the Glorious Lord who has saved them from the eternal judgment that is due them (as with all of the wicked). As these people praise the Lord for His providing Himself as the ransom for their sins, they celebrate that God now is their Strength that drives away any fear of eternal damnation. They can't help but want to share with the world this incredible offering of redemption made possible to an unholy people by God's love and sacrificial atonement for their sins. This is love at its finest.
As we reflect upon our own status, we must conclude that none of us can stand before the Lord worthy of His eternal blessings, for all of us have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23); this is why God HAD to come into the world and offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:1-2). Jesus Christ, the Branch from the root of Jessie, came into the world in order that we might be justified freely by His grace, made manifest through His death and resurrection (Romans 3:24).
God's Faithfulness and Righteousness demand that all sin be judged. Were we left to our own defenses, we would stand condemned by His Righteousness. Therefore, our only hope of rescue is to surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ as Lord, repent of our sins of rebellion against His Holiness, and receive His offering of grace through His solely sufficient act of atonement. For those of us who are willing to yield ourselves to Him, we can celebrate with those in Isaiah 12 that He (Jesus Christ) is our Rescue, giving us the joy of "drawing water from the wells of (His) salvation" (12:3).
In our world today, we have rulers whose execution of justice is swayed by personal preference and benefit, even if that "justice" is not fair and just. One of the assurances that we have in Scripture is the justness of Jesus Christ, the Supreme Judge, who will judge the nations with the purity of His Righteousness and Holiness. We can have the security of knowing that Jesus is not fickle or preferential but will rule according to His eternal truths that have been made known unto man since the beginning of time.
What we do find in Jesus' Word is that He will bring judgment upon the wicked, who have treated His Holiness with contempt. Those who would attempt to assert their own will over the One True God will find that they will stand before the Righteous and Faithful God without the hope of deliverance. God in His Holiness will enact His wrath against those rebellious people, and that judgment will be eternal (see Revelation 20).
Still, we find in the above cited passage that the very One who will judge the wicked will offer Himself as a Banner of Protection for His people, and He will offer deliverance from His wrath by granting His chosen, entrance into His eternal rest (i.e. Heaven). Lest one think that he is able to merit this Divine favor by his own stature or accomplishments, one should look to Isaiah 12 to see why God's mercy has been bestowed to His remnant. Specifically, we find in that chapter that these people have received salvation not from their own doing, but from the Lord, who has offered Himself as the source of salvation. These redeemed have engaged in glorious praise of the Glorious Lord who has saved them from the eternal judgment that is due them (as with all of the wicked). As these people praise the Lord for His providing Himself as the ransom for their sins, they celebrate that God now is their Strength that drives away any fear of eternal damnation. They can't help but want to share with the world this incredible offering of redemption made possible to an unholy people by God's love and sacrificial atonement for their sins. This is love at its finest.
As we reflect upon our own status, we must conclude that none of us can stand before the Lord worthy of His eternal blessings, for all of us have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23); this is why God HAD to come into the world and offer Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 2:1-2). Jesus Christ, the Branch from the root of Jessie, came into the world in order that we might be justified freely by His grace, made manifest through His death and resurrection (Romans 3:24).
God's Faithfulness and Righteousness demand that all sin be judged. Were we left to our own defenses, we would stand condemned by His Righteousness. Therefore, our only hope of rescue is to surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ as Lord, repent of our sins of rebellion against His Holiness, and receive His offering of grace through His solely sufficient act of atonement. For those of us who are willing to yield ourselves to Him, we can celebrate with those in Isaiah 12 that He (Jesus Christ) is our Rescue, giving us the joy of "drawing water from the wells of (His) salvation" (12:3).
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