The Lord will Judge the Enemy (Isaiah 10:5-34)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/31/2013 9:54 AM

My Worship Time                                                             Focus:  The Lord will Judge the Enemy

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Isaiah 10:5-34

            Message of the verses:  Today’s SD is from the third sub-point under the third main point from Dr. Wiersbe’s outline of the second chapter of his commentary on the book of Isaiah.  This third main point is named after one of Isaiah’s sons and is entitled “Shear-jasub: A Promise of Mercy” and it covers chapters 9:1-11:16, so that means we have one more sub-point to look at in the next SD.

            The Lord will Judge the Enemy (Isaiah 10:5-44):  “5 ¶  Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hands is My indignation, 6  I send it against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My fury To capture booty and to seize plunder, And to trample them down like mud in the streets. 7 Yet it does not so intend, Nor does it plan so in its heart, But rather it is its purpose to destroy And to cut off many nations. 8 For it says, "Are not my princes all kings? 9 “Is not Calno like Carchemish, Or Hamath like Arpad, Or Samaria like Damascus? 10  "As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, 11  Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols?" 12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, "I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness." 13 For he has said, "By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, For I have understanding; And I removed the boundaries of the peoples And plundered their treasures, And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants, 14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest, And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped." 15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood. 16 Therefore the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors; And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame. 17 And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day. 18 And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body, And it will be as when a sick man wastes away. 19 And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number That a child could write them down.

    “20 ¶ Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. 21 A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. 22 For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23 For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord GOD of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land.

    “24 ¶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, "O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. 25 “For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction." 26 The LORD of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt. 27 So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness. 28 He has come against Aiath, He has passed through Migron; At Michmash he deposited his baggage. 29 They have gone through the pass, saying, "Geba will be our lodging place." Ramah is terrified, and Gibeah of Saul has fled away. 30 Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of Gallim! Pay attention, Laishah and wretched Anathoth! 31 Madmenah has fled. The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge. 32 Yet today he will halt at Nob; He shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. 33 Behold, the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash; Those also who are tall in stature will be cut down And those who are lofty will be abased. 34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe, And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.”

            As I listened to this chapter last night I was having a great deal of trouble understanding it, so I hope to learn things from this section as I study it this morning.

            The Assyrians were a tool in the hand of God to discipline Judah and also the Northern Kingdom, but when they go to the Southern Kingdom they were using too much power and so they were not giving glory to the Lord for being used by Him.  Thus the Lord, through Isaiah begins this section by saying “Woe to Assyria.”  When we read that word “woe” in the Bible it is often times a judgment by God upon a people or a nation as it is in this section a woe upon Assyria. 

            I posted another post on the second blog that I have and it was entitled “Pride,” and it covered a section from the ninth chapter of Judges, and as I read this section of Isaiah I can also see the pride of Assyria, and we have talked about pride before that is something that God hates, as pride does not leave any room for giving glory to God, but gives glory to the person or in this case the nation and not to God.  We can see in verses 8-14 of the boasting of the Assyrians.

            Not it was because of their arrogant attitude, or their pride that God would judge Assyria as shown by the workers having mastery over His tools.  We see this type of language seen in this section of Isaiah’s prophecy, as Isaiah used words like a blazing forest being burnt down, and that forest would be Assyria, and her soldiers.  As we fast forward to when Hezekiah is king of Judah we will see that God will strike down 185,000 Assyrians in one night by an angel of the Lord.  The Assyrian’s would eventually fall in 609 B. C.

            Dr. Wiersbe writes these very important words in his commentary on this section:  “In spite of Assyria’s conquest of the Northern Kingdom and its intention to destroy Judah, God would save a remnant so that ‘the twelve tribes’ would not be annihilated (Acts 26:7; James 1:1; Rev. 21:12).  ‘The remnant shall return’ (Isaiah 10:21) is the translation of the name of Isaiah’s older son Shear-jashub.”  This is important to understand because there are some who say that there are ten lost tribes of Israel, and some even say that those tribes are part of the British royalty. 

            As we look at verses 28-32, we see some names of towns or cities that are very hard to pronounce, and these towns trace the way that the Assyrian army was marching towards Jerusalem.  Isaiah the following “O My people that dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian!” to assure them that God was in control of what was going on, and Isaiah will give this message again to King Hezekiah later on in his life. 

            Dr. Wiersbe concludes his commentary on this section with these words:  “God used Assyria to discipline His people, but He would not permit this godless nation to go beyond His purposes.  God may use unbelievers to accomplish His will in the lives of His people, but He is always in control.  We need never fear the disciplining hand of God, for He always disciplines in love (Hebrews 12:1-11). 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The portion in Hebrews 12:1-11 speaks of the discipline of God upon His children as He does it in love, like a parent is to do for their children, and we know that discipline is not something we look forward to.  Remembering when I was a child and remembering that if I got a spanking in school I would get another at home makes me think how unpleasant discipline is.  Kids don’t have to worry about this today because our country is so “advanced” that we cannot spank kids in school today.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to give me great wisdom to make right choices in my life today.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-8.

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should be changed, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake with its swelling pride.  Selah.  4 There is a river whose streams make glade the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the most high.  5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved, God will help her when morning dawns.

            6 The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  7 The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.  8 Come behold the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the earth.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Heaven” (2Kings 2:11).

Today’s Bible Question:  “Who was called ‘a mighty hunter before the Lord?’”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/31/2013 10:43 AM

The Lord Judged Israel for their Sins (Isaiah 9:8-10:4)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/30/2013 11:44 AM

My Worship Time                                                     Focus:  The Lord judged Israel for their sins.

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Isaiah 9:8-10:4

            Message of the verses:  As we study the book of Isaiah we will come to longer sections that we will try to get through in one SD, and this is one of those sections.  We have to remember that Isaiah’s primary ministry was to those of the Southern Kingdom, which was both Judah and Benjamin but in this section he will focus on what will happen to the Northern Kingdom when Assyria conquers them, which will surely be an object lesson to those in the Southern Kingdom.

            The Lord judged Israel for their sins:  (Isaiah 9:8-10:4):  “8 ¶ The Lord sends a message against Jacob, And it falls on Israel. 9 And all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart: 10 “The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with smooth stones; The sycamores have been cut down, But we will replace them with cedars." 11 Therefore the LORD raises against them adversaries from Rezin And spurs their enemies on, 12  The Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west; And they devour Israel with gaping jaws. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out. 13 Yet the people do not turn back to Him who struck them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts. 14 So the LORD cuts off head and tail from Israel, Both palm branch and bulrush in a single day. 15 The head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail. 16 For those who guide this people are leading them astray; And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion. 17 Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men, Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out. 18 For wickedness burns like a fire; It consumes briars and thorns; It even sets the thickets of the forest aflame And they roll upward in a column of smoke. 19 By the fury of the LORD of hosts the land is burned up, And the people are like fuel for the fire; No man spares his brother. 20 They slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry, And they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied; Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, And together they are against Judah. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.

    1 ¶  Woe to those who enact evil statutes And to those who constantly record unjust decisions, 2  So as to deprive the needy of justice And rob the poor of My people of their rights, So that widows may be their spoil And that they may plunder the orphans. 3 Now what will you do in the day of punishment, And in the devastation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your wealth? 4 Nothing remains but to crouch among the captives Or fall among the slain. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.”

            The object lesson that I mentioned that Isaiah is giving to Judah is that God does not take sin lightly.  We must remember that the nation of Israel was given more light than any other nation was given, as they were given the Law of the Lord, along with the prophets and priests.  They were given many godly kings including David to whom God gave a covenant with David that would bring the Messiah into the world through His line.  To much is given much is expected of them, and even though Israel were God’s people, when they sinned He had to discipline them.

            I have highlighted a number of sections in this long section of Scripture, and the most important is repeated a number of times which says “For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.”  The outstretched hand of the Lord was His judgment and not His mercy, and this is important to note and understand.  One of the reasons that God would judge them is because of pride, and we know that God hates pride, and it was the sin of pride that was the first sin committed by Lucifer, who would then be known as Satan or the Devil, and then it was the sin of pride that was the first sin committed by humans on this earth.  Another reason God judged them was because they did not respond to His longsuffering, as they refused to repent and turn back to God.  This showed that Israel had a very hard heart.  I have mentioned that Israel, and then eventually Judah would be led astray by false prophets, and they believed the lies that the ungodly leaders would teach them, and therefore would be judged. 

            As we look at verses 18-19 Isaiah describes Ephraim’s wickedness that will destroy the nation like a fire destroys a forest or a field.  The problem is that the sinners would be the fuel for this fire that God would kindle.  I remember while going to one of the many Moody’s Founders Week that in one of the messages the speaker said that the Northern Kingdom was a very rich nation that was depending on their riches and not depending upon the Lord.  Soon this “rich” nation would be destroyed by Assyria. 

            One of the things that we read from the Scriptures is that God will take care of the orphans and the widows, but in the Northern Kingdom even the widows and orphans were doing wicked things, but we learn from Isaiah 10:1-4 that God is  holding responsible them for not caring for the widows and the orphans. 

            Let’s look at Isaiah 10:3 “Now what will you do in the day of punishment, And in the devastation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your wealth?”  Isaiah asks three questions in this verse, three questions that Dr. Wiersbe says that these questions “ought to be pondered by every person who wants to be ready when the Lord comes.”    He concludes his commentary on this section with these words:  “If God cannot bring us to repentance through His Word, then He must lift His hand and chasten us.  If we do not submit to His chastening, then He must stretch out His hand and judge us.  God is long-suffering, but we dare not temp Him by our careless or callused attitude.  ‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’ (Hebrews 10:31).”    

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There are things in this section, as far as what the Northern Kingdom, and the Southern Kingdoms of Israel were as far as their distance from the Lord that are seen in our country today, and this makes me fear for our country.  People think that because we have “the bomb” that we are so powerful, and yet one of the attributes of God is that He is all powerful, so that makes “the bomb” like a little toy to Him. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to help me make decisions that will bring glory to Him.  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-8

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.  4 There is a river whose streams make glade the city of God, the dwelling place of the most high.  5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved, God will help her when morning dawns.

            6 The nations make and uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.  8 Come and see the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the earth. 

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “The angel of the Lord” (Luke 1:28).

Today’s Bible Question:  “Where did a whirlwind take Elijah?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/30/2013 1:07 PM

The Lord Promised them a Redeemer (Isaiah 9:1-7)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/29/2013 8:29 AM

My Worship Time                                                    Focus:  The Lord promised them a Redeemer

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Isaiah 9:1-7

            Message of the verses:  This is the first sub-point under the third main point in the second chapter of Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on Isaiah.  I follow the outline in Dr. Wiersbe’s “Be” series books to do my Spiritual Diaries.  The third main point is entitled “Shear-jasub:  A Promise of Mercy” and it will cover Isaiah 9:1-11:16. 

            This name of one of Isaiah’s son’s Shear-jasub means a remnant will return, and of course this is a promise that God will bring a remnant back from the Babylonian exile.  When the Assyrian’s captured the Northern Kingdom of Israel they were never returned to their land and from those mixed people came what was called the Samaritans of which we learn more about from the New Testament.  It is good to be noted that there were no lost tribes of Israel then and there still is no lost tribes of Israel now for we read in the book of Revelations that God will chose 12,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel to work for Him in the tribulation period which is described in chapters 6-19 in Revelations.  After the splitting of Israel into two countries after the death of Solomon many of the people from the ten tribes in the North moved to the Southern Kingdom because they could not follow the way of new worship that was set up in the north.

            Dr. Wiersbe writes at the end of his beginning commentary on this section the following:  God’s mercy to His people is seen in four ministries the Lord performed for them.”  We will look at the first one this morning.

            The Lord promised them a Redeemer (Isaiah 9:1-7):  “1 ¶ But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. 3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4 For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. 5 For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. 6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

            We continue the theme of light and darkness from chapter eight and verses twenty through twenty-two in this section of chapter nine.  Those who read the Bible on a regular basis will identify that a portion of this section is quoted in the NT and that it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The area identified in verse one is part of the land that the Assyrians had devastated.  Jesus made His headquarters in this region and in Matthew 4:15 (NIV) we read “Galilee of the Gentiles” and we see the Lord’s loving ministry to these people which brought light and joy to them.

            I have mentioned that there are times in the OT prophets that they write about the first coming of Christ and then go to things that will happen in the second coming of Christ, for they actually did not know that there would be two comings of the Messiah.  We see this in this section in verses 3-7.  What we see in these verses is described by Dr. Wiersbe “Instead of protecting a small remnant, God would enlarge the nation.  Instead of experiencing sorrow, the people would rejoice like reapers after a great harvest, soldiers after a great victory, or prisoners of war after being released from their yoke of bonding.”  We know that some of these things happened when the Lord defeated Assyria in the deliverance of Jerusalem, but the main portion of this prophecy will happen still yet in the future.  7/29/2013 8:58 AM  7/30/2013 12:23 AM

            Dr. Wiersbe concludes his commentary on this sub-section with these words:  “If His name is ‘Wonderful’ then there will be nothing dull about His reign!  As Counselor, He has the wisdom to rule justly and as the Mighty God, He has the power to execute His wise plans.  ‘Everlasting Father’ does not suggest that the Son is also the Father, for each Person in the Godhead is distinct.  ‘Father of eternity’ is a better translation.  Among the Jews, the word ‘father’ means ‘originator’ or ‘source.’  For example, Satan is the ‘father [originator] of lies’ (John 8:44, NIV).  If you want anything eternal, you must get it from Jesus Christ’ He is the ‘Father of eternity.’”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is good for me to understand better the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as given from this section of verses in Isaiah.  Names mean a lot in the Bible and so as I better understand the names of Jesus Christ, I better understand who He is.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-8.

            1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

    6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “He shall be in danger of the council.”  (Matthew 5:23)

Today’s Bible Question:  “Who said, ‘Hail, thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee:  Blessed art thou among women’?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/30/2013 12:34 AM

Maher-shalah-hash-baz: A Warning of Judgment PT-2 (Isaiah 8:11-22)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/28/2013 8:33 AM

My Worship Time                         Focus:  Maher-shalal-hash-baz:  A Warning of Judgment PT-2

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Isaiah 8:11-22

            Message of the verses:  We continue looking at the second sub-point under the second main-point in today’s SD.

            They chose a snare instead of a sanctuary (Isaiah 8:11-15):  “11  For thus the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, 12  "You are not to say, ’It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. 13 “It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. 14 “Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 “Many will stumble over them, Then they will fall and be broken; They will even be snared and caught.’”

            God is telling Isaiah not to follow these people, and the reason is that they are trusting in the Assyrians to keep them safe from harm, but in fact it will be the Assyrians who will try to conquer Judah and come close to doing so. 

            I want to look at some NT verses that use these verses in them.  “13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14  But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, (1 Peter 3:14-15).  “4 ¶  And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5  you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6  For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 7  This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," (1 Peter 2:4-7).”  just as it is written, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED,’ (Romans 9:33),”  The verses that I am trying to commit to memory go along with this section as they speak of the Lord:  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  Isaiah speaks of the Lord being a sanctuary, and a rock that is a refuge for believers, but on the contrary for unbelievers, for to them He is a snare.

            They chose darkness instead of light (Isaiah 8:16-22):  “16 ¶ Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17 And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. 21 They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. 22 Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.” 

            Dr. Wiersbe begins his commentary from this section with these words:  “The nation had rejected Isaiah’s message, but that didn’t mean that his ministry was a failure.  The true disciples of the Lord received God’s Word and treasured it in their hearts.  By faith, the prophet was willing to wait patiently for God’s Word to be fulfilled.”  On the note of Isaiah’s ministry not being a failure, we still have it as a part of the Word of God and so that makes it a success.

            When we look at the names of Isaiah and his family we can see that their names would mean a lot to those who were soon going to be in captivity.  Isaiah means “Jehovah is salvation” his son Maher-shalal-hash-baz means “quick to plunder, swift to spoil” and this pointed to the fall of Syria and also the Northern Kingdom.  Isaiah’s older son’s name means “A remnant shall return,” and this surely was fulfilled. 

            Verse 18, which I highlighted has much meaning and is quoted in Hebrews 2:13-14 and the author of Hebrews applies it to our Lord Jesus Christ.  “13 And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME."  14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”

            We see from this section that when a crisis came the people consulted demons and those who could speak to the dead, something that God forbids in His Law.  The book of Ezekiel shows that the leaders of Judah were sitting in the temple of God consulting demons, as God would show the prophet.  Isaiah writes the following in verse 20 “If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”  Judah’s leaders were not speaking according to the word. 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Trust in the Light, for Jesus tells us in John’s Gospel that He is the Light, and even though times can be difficult I need to continually look to the Light.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust in the Light at all times.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-8

            1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

    6 ¶ The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Two years” (Acts 28:30).

Today’s Bible Question:  “What did Jesus advise if one should say to his brother, ‘Raca?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/28/2013 9:23 AM

           

           

           

Maher-shalal-hash-bas: A Warning of Judgment PT-1 (Isa. 8:1-10)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/27/2013 12:02 PM

My Worship Time                         Focus:  Maher-shalal-hash-bas:  A Warning of Judgment PT-1

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Isaiah 8:1-10

            Message of the verses:  We begin today to look at the second main point in the outline from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary and it would be good to be reminded what he wrote at the end of his beginning commentary on this 2^nd chapter from his commentary.  “Four symbolic names are involved in Isaiah’s messages, each of them with a very special meaning:  Immanuel, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, Shear-jashub, and Isaiah.”

            Introduction:  Isaiah 8:1-4 “1 Then the LORD said to me, "Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it in ordinary letters: Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey. 2 “And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah." 3 So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the LORD said to me, "Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; 4 for before the boy knows how to cry out ’My father’ or ’My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.’”

            We learned in a previous SD that Dr. Wiersbe believes that it was Isaiah who would marry a virgin and that she would give birth, which also had a meaning in the future when Jesus Christ would be born to the virgin Mary.  Isaiah obeyed what the Lord said and by the time his son was two years old both Pekah and Rezin were dead (see Isaiah 7:1).  His son’s name means “quick to plunder, swift to the spoil,” and this speaks of the future judgment when Assyria would conquer Syria and invade both Israel and Judah, and when Babylon would take Judah into exile.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “In the remainder of this chapter, Isaiah used three vivid contrast to show the rulers of Judah the mistake they were making by trusting Assyria instead of trusting the Lord.

            They chose a flood instead of a peaceful river (Isaiah 8:5-10):  “5  Again the LORD spoke to me further, saying, 6  "Inasmuch as these people have rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah; 7  "Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates, Even the king of Assyria and all his glory; And it will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks. 8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.  9 "Be broken, O peoples, and be shattered; and give ear, all remote places of the earth. Gird yourselves, yet be shattered; Gird yourselves, yet be shattered. 10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.’”

            When Assyria defeated the nation of Syria Judah though they did the wise thing in putting their trust in Assyria, but we learn here and from history that it was a large mistake, and should have trusted the Lord who is represented by the slow moving Shiloah River.  Now Judah will have to face the raging Euphrates River which represents Assyria, and eventually Babylon who will take Judah into exile in three different stages, 605, 597, and 586 B. C. 

            Dr. Wiersbe writes about the latter verses in this section:  “But Isaiah saw no permanent victory for the invading army.  After all, they were entering Immanuel’s land, and God was with His people and would deliver them for His name’s sake.  Assyria might plan its strategy, but God would thwart its every move.  Sennacherib’s army camped around Jerusalem, certain of victory, but God wiped them out with a single blow (Isa 37).”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today: I am reinforced in the truth that God is in control, and the word history means “His Story.”  God controls all things that are going on, and there are many things going on in the Middle East at this time, including a mess in Syria, but we can take hope because God is still on His throne and no one can move Him from it.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-7

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.  4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the most high.  5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved, God will help her when morning dawns.

            6 The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Some false prophets,” (1 Kings 22:1-12).

Today’s Bible Question:  “How long did Paul live in Rome before the end of the book of Acts?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/27/2013 12:34 PM

Immanuel: A Message of Hope PT-3 (Isaiah 7:17-25)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/26/2013 9:13 AM

My Worship Time                                                      Focus: Immanuel: A Message of Hope PT-3

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Isaiah 7:17-25

            Message of the verses:  We will look at the third and last part of this first main section in today’s SD.

            A Warning to Judah (Isaiah 7:17-25):  “17 "The LORD will bring on you, on your people, and on your father’s house such days as have never come since the day that Ephraim separated from Judah, the king of Assyria." 18 In that day the LORD will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19 They will all come and settle on the steep ravines, on the ledges of the cliffs, on all the thorn bushes and on all the watering places. 20 In that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard. 21 Now in that day a man may keep alive a heifer and a pair of sheep; 22 and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone that is left within the land will eat curds and honey. 23 And it will come about in that day, that every place where there used to be a thousand vines, valued at a thousand shekels of silver, will become briars and thorns. 24 People will come there with bows and arrows because all the land will be briars and thorns. 25 As for all the hills which used to be cultivated with the hoe, you will not go there for fear of briars and thorns; but they will become a place for pasturing oxen and for sheep to trample.”

            I believe that we can sum up this short section of Isaiah by understanding that the problem with Ahaz is that he was putting his trust in the Assyrians and the Assyrians would eventually attack Judah and when they got done with their ravish of the land that the only thing lift for food would be the milk from the cows and sheep as there would be no more agriculture in the land.  This happened later on in Judah’s history, and when the Assyrians got to Jerusalem God would then kill 180,000 of them in one night thus sparing the city of Jerusalem for a while until the Babylonians would come in and destroy it in 586 B. C.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There are times when if we look at what the world around would say if we trust the Lord that we are crazy.  Ahaz must have felt that he could trust the Assyrians instead of trusting the Lord, and it would prove to be a very bad decision.  Trusting the Lord is difficult at times, for we as people want to decide to do things on our own, and when we do that then we get ourselves in a lot of trouble.

            Here is an example of trusting the Lord when it does not seem to make sense to do so.  In the very last chapter of John’s gospel Jesus is restoring Peter from denying Him three times and after this is done Jesus informs Peter of how he was going to die, and the following is how John describes this:  “18  "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, "Follow Me!"” Jesus is saying that Peter’s death would glorify God, and I don’t think that the “world” would ever understand a statement like that.  This is at the opposite end of what Ahaz was doing, for he was not trusting the Lord, but trusting the Assyrians.  We have to make a choice as to whether or not to trust the Lord even if by doing so will cost us our very lives as it did Peter.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-7

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.  4 There is a river whose streams make glade the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the most high.  5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved, God will help her when morning dawns.

            6 The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Numbers.”

Today’s Bible Question:  “Who encouraged Ahab to go and fight against Ramoth-Gilead?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/26/2013 9:51 AM

Immanuel: A Message of Hope PT-2 (Isaiah 7:10-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/25/2013 8:00 AM

My Worship Time                                                     Focus:  Immanuel: A Message of Hope PT-2

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Isaiah 7:10-16

            Message of the verses:  We will look at the second sub-point in today’s SD.

            A Sign to the house of David (Isaiah 7:10-16):  “10 ¶ Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" 13 Then he said, "Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. 15 “He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16  "For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.”

            I suppose that many people have received a Christmas card with the words of Isaiah 7:14 on it as this prophecy we are studying about was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ’s virgin birth.  Let’s first look at why the king did not want a sign from the Lord.  We mentioned in yesterday’s SD that he had made a secret deal with the Assyrians and therefore showing that he trusted in them instead of trusting in the Lord, and so he acted piously when given the opportunity to receive a sign from the Lord.

            The virgin birth of Jesus Christ shows that He was before the woman who gave birth to her.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “Jesus had to be born of a virgin apart from human generation, because He existed before His mother.  He was not just born into the world; He came down from heaven into the world (John 3:13; 6:33, 38, 41-42, 50-51).  Jesus was sent by the Father and therefore came into the world having a human mother but not a human father (4:34; 5:23-24, 30; 9:4).”  Way back in the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned God promised that the Seed would come from the woman, and therefore would not have a human father, for the sin nature is passed on by the father, thus the great importance of the virgin birth.

            Now the immediate fulfillment of this prophecy happened in Isaiah’s day as there was a virgin who was married and gave birth to a son who was named Immanuel. Dr. Wiersbe writes “The son would be a reminder that God was with His people and would care fro them.  It is likely that this virgin was Isaiah’s second wife—his first wife having died after Shear-jasub was born—and that Isaiah’s second son was named both ‘Immanuel’ and ‘Maher-shalal-hash-baz’ (8:1-4; note vv. 8 and 10).

            “Orthodox Jewish boys become ‘sons of the Law’ at the age of twelve.  This special son was a reminder that Syria and Ephraim would be out of the picture within the next twelve years.  Isaiah delivered his prophecy in 734 B. C.  In 732 B. C. Assyria defeated Syria, and in 722 B. C. Assyria invaded the Northern Kingdom.  The prophecy was fulfilled.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  God not only told us in the book of Genesis that the Messiah would be from the Seed of a woman, but now in Isaiah He tells us that the Seed would be born from a virgin.  This prophecy is also stated in the NT.  God wanted us to realize that what He was saying about His Messiah would be clearly understood and that has great meaning to me.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-7

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though the waters roar and foam, thought the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.  4 There is a river whose streams make glade the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the most high.  5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved, God will help her when morning dawns.

            6 The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Candace” (Acts 8:27).

Today’s Bible Question:  “Which book takes its name from the double numbering of the Israelites?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/25/2013 8:31 AM  

Immanuel: A Message of Hope PT-1 (Isaiah 7:1-9)

                                        SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/24/2013 9:28 AM       

My Worship Time                                                      Focus: Immanuel: A Message of Hope PT-1

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Isaiah 7:1-25

            Message of the verses:  In today’s SD we move back to our study of the book of Isaiah, and we will begin to look at chapter seven which is one of five chapters that Dr. Wiersbe looks at in his second chapter of his commentary on Isaiah, “Be Comforted.”  He entitles this chapter “God is with Us!” and remarks that the key verse in understanding this section (chapters 7-12) is Isaiah 8:18 which says, “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.”  Dr. Wiersbe writes “In his previous messages, Isaiah focused on the spiritual needs of his people, but in this section he deals with the political situation and the failure of the leaders to trust the Lord.  Four symbolic names are involved in Isaiah’s messages, each of them with a very special meaning:  Immanuel, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, Shear-jashub, and Isaiah.”

            A promise to King Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1-9):  “1 ¶  Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it. 2 When it was reported to the house of David, saying, "The Arameans have camped in Ephraim," his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind. 3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, on the highway to the fuller’s field, 4 and say to him, ’Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted because of these two stubs of smoldering firebrands, on account of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. 5 ’Because Aram, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has planned evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and terrorize it, and make for ourselves a breach in its walls and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it," 7 thus says the Lord GOD: "It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass. 8  "For the head of Aram is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin (now within another 65 years Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people), 9  and the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.’ ‘ “

            Dr. Wiersbe mentioned that this section was about political issues and chapter seven begins with a political issue between the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim), the Southern Kingdom (Judah) and also Syria (a nation that is been in the news for some time in our time).  We read in 2 Kings 16:5-9 that Ahaz had already made a secret deal or treaty with Assyria, and this was wrong because he was not trusting in the Lord and His promises to handle the problems he and Judah were facing:  “5 ¶ Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to wage war; and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6 At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath for Aram, and cleared the Judeans out of Elath entirely; and the Arameans came to Elath and have lived there to this day. 7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, "I am your servant and your son; come up and deliver me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me." 8 Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria. 9 So the king of Assyria listened to him; and the king of Assyria went up against Damascus and captured it, and carried the people of it away into exile to Kir, and put Rezin to death.”  (Aram is Syria.)  We see in this section that Ahaz took money from the temple of the Lord to pay the Assyrians to defeat both Syria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  What a shame he did not trust the Lord and the promises that the Lord had made to Israel, for if he would have then there would have been no need in stealing the Lord’s money from His temple.  Dr. Wiersbe writes this about what we should do when we are in trouble:  “Faith in God’s promises is the only way to find peace in the midst of trouble.  ‘You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You’ (Isaiah. 26:3).”

            The name of Isaiah’s son mentioned here is Shear-jashub and that names means “A remnant will return.”

            Isaiah’s message was a message of peace to Ahaz who was very nervous over what was about to happen as we see in verse 2b “his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.”  God tells him in verse four that these two kings he feared were nothing more than “smoldering stubs of firewood.”  Nothing for him to fear over, as God was surely in control.  God says that they will be off the scene soon and mentions sixty-five years for the Northern Kingdom to last.  Dr. Wiersbe writes the following to explain this:  “within sixty-five years, Ephraim (Israel, the Northern Kingdom) would be gone forever.  Isaiah spoke this prophecy in the year 734 B. C., Assyria defeated Syria in 732 B. C. and invaded Israel in 722 B. C.   They deported many of the Jews and assimilated the rest by introducing Gentiles into the land.  By 669 B. C. (sixty-five years later), the nation no longer existed.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The quote that Dr. Wiersbe made about finding peace in trusting the promises of the Lord is something I surely need to do more of.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust in the promises of the Lord, and one of them is Proverbs 3:5-6.

Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 46:1-7

            1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.  4  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling place of the Most High.  5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved, God will help her when morning comes.

            6 The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  2 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Answer to our last Bible Question:  “Decapolis” (Mark 5:20.

Today’s Bible Question:  “Which queen of Ethiopians is mentioned in the book of Acts?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

7/24/2013 10:16 AM