Saturday, September 21, 2013

Jereusalem Will be Delivered PT-1 (Isaiah 33:1-6)


SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/21/2013 11:17 AM

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Jerusalem Will Be delivered PT-1

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Isaiah 33:1-6

            Message of the verses:  We will begin to look at this second main point from Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary on the book of Isaiah, which comes from the 33rd chapter of Isaiah.  My prayer is that the book of Isaiah is not so mysterious to everyone after we get done with this study, and also that we will find things in this wonderful book to help us to know the Lord better and to better do His will in our lives.

            In the last chapter from Dr. Wiersbe’s book he broke up his different main points by looking at different “woe’s” in chapters 28-31, and said in his commentary that there was one more “woe” which is found in chapter 33, and this woe is directed against Sennacherib, the king of Assyria who was threatening the city of Jerusalem and saying blasphemous things about the Lord in front of the entire city. In the story that goes along with this situation which is found in 2 Kings we find that in chapter 18 and verses 13-15 that the godly king Hezekiah sinned by trying to buy off Sennacherib so that he would not attack Judah, but this did not work.  “14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong. Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear." So the king of Assyria required of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver which was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.”  God would judge Sennacherib for all of the harm that he was doing to others just as Galatians 6:7 states, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”

            Let us begin by looking at the first two verses of chapter 33, and noting that there is a prayer in verse two:  “1 Woe to you, O destroyer, While you were not destroyed; And he who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him. As soon as you finish destroying, you will be destroyed; As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will deal treacherously with you. 2 O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be their strength every morning, Our salvation also in the time of distress.”  The first verse is speaking of Sennacherib, while the second if from a godly remnant praying for deliverance from Sennacherib.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “Never underestimate the power of a praying minority.”  How true this is as we need that praying minority to pray for what is going on in our country and what is going on in Syria and Egypt.

            The Assyrian army swept through the region of the Middle East like the locusts did to Egypt as one of the plagues that God sent against them.  As with the problem with most dictators who have such power pride will get in the way, and so it was with Sennacherib when he boasted how he would destroy Jerusalem, for after all none of the other “gods” had protected the nations that he had already destroyed, so why would the God of Israel be any different.  He would find out that God is all powerful, and that God has a great problem with those who have such great pride.

            “3 At the sound of the tumult peoples flee; At the lifting up of Yourself nations disperse. 4 Your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; As locusts rushing about men rush about on it.  These two verses explain about his pride, but verse five is much different:  “5 The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.”  God is exalted; no one is like the Lord.  There is no human power that has done what the Lord has done or will do and the Assyrians will get a firsthand look at His power very soon. Dr. Wiersbe writes “We must remember that nations and individuals can have stability in uncertain times only when they trust God and seek His wisdom and glory.”  We looked at what King Hezekiah did and it was a foolish thing for him to do, and God is a forgiving God when we come to him confessing our sins before Him.  As we look at verse six keep in mind that “the fear of the Lord is [your] treasure,” for this is what Hezekiah discovered:  “6  And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Never stop praying for our country even though at times we are only a remnant in this country.  There is a great spiritual war going on in our country and we as believers need to do as Hezekiah did and lay out our requests before the Lord and trust that He will deal with them in the same way He dealt with the problems Hezekiah had.  There are terrible rulers in countries around the world today, and one day they will all face the wrath of the Lord if they don’t repent.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Today is the day for my meeting with the person that I have not seen for 38 years, and my prayer is that God will be lifted up and glorified through this meeting and a renewed friendship will come about, with this being the first step.  I am thankful that many people have been and are praying for this meeting.

Memory verses for the week: Review of 2 Peter 2:1-4

            1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

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

Today’s Bible Question:  “How long was David king?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

9/21/2013 11:59 AM

 

 

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