Jeshurun

"...Do not fear, O Jacob My servant, and you Jeshurun whom I have chosen."  Isaiah 44:2


So who is Jeshurun?  This name is most likely unfamiliar to most Christians, and understandably so, as it only appears a few times in the entire Bible (three times in Deuteronomy and the above reference in Isaiah).  At first glance, it appears to be a synonym for the nation of Israel.  This is a correct assumption, but we would rob ourselves if we chose not to go any deeper than that!

When "Jeshurun" appears in Deuteronomy, it always occurs in poetic form.  The first time is in Deut. 32:15, when Moses teaches the rest of Israel a song written by God Himself (see 31:19-22).  God told Moses that once He brought His people into the Promised Land, their prosperity and abundance will cause them to fall away from Him, so this song would serve as a reminder to turn back to Him.  They were also to teach this song to their descendants for the same purpose.  And indeed, the verse that mentions Jeshurun (verse 15) describes the nation of Israel growing "fat, thick, and sleek" and forsaking God.  The other two references in Deuteronomy occur in the blessing Moses speaks over Israel before he dies; both describe God as the "king" or "God of Jeshurun" (see verses 5 and 26).

So what's the point here?  All these instances of the name Jeshurun are poetic, occurring in songs, blessings, or prophecies.  They don't occur in narratives or historical accounts.  God uses the name Jeshurun almost as a nickname for His chosen people.  When I googled the word "Jeshurun," here's what I found on its origins and meanings (and yes, this is mostly from Wikipedia; it was difficult to find reliable religious commentaries on this subject, believe it or not!).  My sources came from here and here.

• Derived from a root word meaning "upright, just, or straight."  You may have noticed that the song mentioned above came after a long list of rules and commandments.  God set standards for His people to live by, and although He knew that they would fall away at times, His ultimate vision was for them to embrace His standards, realize they couldn't fulfill all of them by their own power, and therefore depend on Him for the help they needed to be "upright, just, and straight."  He knew Jeshurun would forsake Him, but He used His nickname for them anyway because He also knew all they could be once they turned back to Him.
• Can mean "beloved one."  We often give nicknames to the people we love.  It suggests a closeness, or an intimacy with someone if we have a special name just for them.  God called Israel "Jeshurun" for a reason...because He loved them.  It's amazing to me that He would still use His nickname for them in the midst of sin and rebellion, but that just emphasizes the fact that His love is stronger than any sin.  And the same is true for His children today.  Our sin hurts Him, and it's not what He wants for us, but He will still call us His "beloved one" to draw us back to Him.
• A new name that brings a new chance at life.  By the end of Deuteronomy, Moses is about to die, and a new generation of Israel will soon cross over to the Promised Land.  If you're familiar with the events that happened prior to this, you'll remember that God waited until everyone from Moses' generation died before He would let Israel take possession of the land He had promised them.  This came as a result of sin and rebellion.  When God spoke through Moses and allowed him to impart His blessing on the younger generation, He used the name "Jeshurun" to drive home the fact that with the new land came a new life.  A life that would be full of blessings as long as it included Him.  The same goes for Israel in Isaiah's prophecy; although they have fallen away again and again, God offers to refresh them by "pouring out His Spirit" on their descendants.  Once again, He highlights the younger generation and tells them they have a chance for a new life, and so uses a new name to reflect that.

If you're a child of God, you've been given a new name.  It's a name that not only tells how loved you are by God, but also the unlimited potential you possess with His Spirit inside you.  Grab hold of the new life that comes with this name and allow God to lead you.

new things.

"Behold, the former things have come to pass.  Now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."  Isaiah 42:9

Am I the only one who's immediately transported back to circa 1993 when reading this verse?  Come on, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.  If you were in any kind of youth group back then, you know everyone was all over dcTalk and sang "Nu Thang" with reckless abandon.  Or maybe that cassette was released before 1993, and I was just very slow with that trend.  Who knows.  Guess that's why I said "circa."  But I digress.  :o)

The first part of Isaiah 42 is a really awesome prophecy about Jesus (another reason why I love my New American Standard Bible; this version capitalizes pronouns attributed to the Trinity, so there's no confusion about who the writer is talking about!).  Jesus is described as God's chosen one (verse 1) who will "faithfully bring forth justice" (verse 3).

And how will he bring forth justice?  By opening the eyes of the blind and releasing captives from prisons (verse 7).  I used to read this in a literal way, but God has shown me lately that there are more ways to be blind than in a physical fashion, and there are myriad of internal or spiritual prisons that can hold us captive.

Really, until we find Jesus and trust Him with our lives, we are all blind to the fact that we need a Savior.  We can be blind to the needs of the poor or blind to patterns of sin in our lives.  Jesus came to open our eyes to these "spiritual cataracts" so nothing will blur our focus on Him and what He wants to do with us.  He trades our blind eyes for new eyes, in a way.

And we might find ourselves trapped in prisons of addiction, temptation, out-of-control emotions, or those same patterns of sin mentioned before.  I know one of my main "prisons" is depression.  God has had to release me from that prison again and again, and really it's only because of Him that I'm walking free of that today.  Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10); a life in prison does not allow for any kind of abundance, unless it's an abundance of pain and regret.   With our release from prison comes a new lease on an abundant life, and the realization that as long as we're walking in-step with Jesus, there's no reason that we have to go back to our prison again. 

The best part is, God declares the "new things" He has in store for us before they even happen (check out verse 9 again)!.  Meaning He won't wait until your eyes have been opened or the prison door swings open to show you the promise He has planned out for you.  That's His blessing for us.  He may not reveal specifics, but He does offer the promise of new things again and again.  In the midst of our pain and darkness, He peels back the curtain just a bit to reveal the light on the other side, which illuminates the new things He wants to do in our lives if only we ask Him to help us see with new eyes and walk in new freedom.

Trust in Him.  He holds the salve for your blinded eyes and the keys to your prison cell.  He wants to do a new thing for you!

At ease?

"Rise up, you women who are at ease, and hear my voice; give ear to my word, you complacent daughters."  Isaiah 32:9

I've been struggling with a spirit of complacency lately.  I look at my life, I see things that need to change, and I know in my heart what I need to do to change, but I don't always make the effort.  Or sometimes God tells me to pray for someone or a situation, and discouragement takes over.  "Why try?  I might mess it up."  And often, too often, things stay the same.

These "women at ease" who are warned in Isaiah 32 seem to have the same problem.  Trouble is coming in the form of an Assyrian invasion, and rather than ready themselves for it, they remain complacent and do nothing.  Instead of trembling and trading their clothes for sackcloth (verse 11), they maintain the status quo.  How many times have I done the same when a troubling world event or another clear sign of the end times comes across my radar?  I don't always take it seriously; I make silly excuses ("I'm just not into politics," "Someone else can take care of that," "I have too much going on to think about that right now") instead of allowing the fear of the Lord take over and pray.

Which is what I think these complacent women are supposed to do.  The culture and the time in which they lived prevented them from doing much else than maintaining a household, supporting their husbands if they were married, and praying and serving the Lord.  Granted, most of us ladies have a lot more on our plate in the here and now, but it should really always come back to these basic duties.  And if I devote myself to praying for anything and everything He instructs me to, all three of those excuses I named earlier are rendered null and void.

• "I'm just not into politics" -- Well, guess what?  Even if I'm not that knowledgeable about this particular matter I can still pray that His will will be done.  
• "Someone else can take care of that." -- But I should still pray in case everyone else gives that same excuse.  And since when is it a negative thing for more than one person to pray for something anyway?
• "I have too much going on to think about that right now." -- We can't all live in a house of prayer and focus only on intercession day in and day out, but we can certainly pray in the midst of our daily lives.  Even a quick prayer is heard by the Lord if it's a heartfelt one.

Believe me, this post is mostly serving to just nail me.  I think it's something I needed to write for myself since these verses seemed to jump off the page when I read them earlier today.  As we go further and further into these end times, more and more "Assyrian invasions" are going to happen; things like war, famine, persecution, disease, and death may jump off my radar and into my own backyard, and I don't want to be caught with a complacent spirit.  With times as serious as these, complacency could easily lead to unpreparedness, timidity, and ultimately, a hardened heart.  We may not always know what or how to pray, but if we yield to His Spirit He will intercede for us (Romans 8:26-27).  

And speaking of the Holy Spirit, check out verses 15 through 18 of Isaiah 32.  It describes the wilderness becoming a "fertile field," and righteousness and peace pervading the "peaceful habitation" God's people will find themselves in when "the Spirit is poured out upon [us] from on high."  He saves His people through divine intervention, but He also pours out His Spirit in order to usher in a period of righteousness and security.

Because this chapter is all prophecy and no narrative, we don't really know if these women stayed complacent or if they rose up and interceded for themselves and for their people.  But I know this serves as a reminder for myself.  Whether a particular hardship is imminent or everything looks comfy on the horizon, I had better make my prayerlife a top priority.  Even if a situation is complex or unclear, even if my day is packed with errands and to-do lists, even if I simply don't feel like it, I know I need to get on my knees and pray.  We all do.  If you can't find the words to pray, ask for the Holy Spirit to help you; God gives His Spirit without measure (John 3:34) so I'm pretty certain He never tires of us asking!  And pray that the same Spirit who is interceding for you will also move in a powerful way over the subject of your prayer.  So rise up and say good-bye to complacency.  Maybe a fertile field will rise out of those briars and thorns.

Where do you dwell?

"Terror and pit and snare confront you, O inhabitant of the earth." Isaiah 24:17

The prophecy in the twenty-fourth chapter of Isaiah concerns the entire earth, not just a selected kingdom or group of people. It has several parallels to prophecies outlined in the Book of Revelation, but one of them stuck out at me in particular.

This chapter is basically a sandwich in structure...it starts with chaos and destruction, has a few verses that glorify and praise God there in the middle, and then ends with more chaos and destruction. Verse 13 starts the praise section, describing a "shaking of an olive tree" and "the gleanings when the grape harvest is over." Basically God's judgment has already began its terrifying work, and numerous people have been wiped out. However, there is a remnant of His people leftover who "raise their voices and shout for joy" (verse 14). In the midst of unfathomable death and despair, they choose to marvel at God's majesty and righteousness and praise His name, saying "Glory to the Righteous One" (verse 16).

The latter part of verse 16 immediately shifts focus once again to fear and trembling, saying "woe to me," and verse 17 warns the inhabitants of the earth of the "terror and pit and snare" that will inevitably find them. When I looked up this verse using an online commentary (found here) it referenced Revelation, in which there are several verses that mention those who inhabit the earth (3:10, 6:10, 11:10, 13:12, and 13:14). There is also one verse that mentions those who dwell in heaven (13:6). The first group will experience the horrific consequences of their sin and the Antichrist's deception during the end times. The latter group will be with God in heaven and sit in His presence.

Here's the point....where we dwell now affects where we will dwell later. Whether we live long enough to see the prophecies in Revelation and Isaiah carried out or not, where we choose to dwell has a huge impact on our lives and our walk with God. If we choose to be an inhabitant of the earth, we will make worldly things our focus. We will strive and chase after wealth, live for our desires, and experience the consequences of our sin in both this life and the next. If we choose to sit with God in the heavenly places, we will chase after Him. We will live for Him. And we will experience the peace and comfort that can only be possible in the midst of terrible suffering because it's from Him.

And please don't let it escape your notice that we can be seated with Him in heavenly places in the here and now. This happens the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior (Ephesians 2:6). Although we live out our earthly lives wrapped up in flesh, our spirits are already in His presence, seeing Him face to face. Jesus lived a human life but continuously lingered in His Father's presence; why shouldn't we each enjoy the same privilege?

So as you go about during this busy week before Christmas, ask yourself, "where do I dwell?" Are you seated with Him in the heavenly places and letting His majesty and peace envelop everything you do, or are you dwelling on the earth and settling for whatever semblance of comfort it can try to scrape together for you? Dwell with Him. Talk with Him. Praise Him. Then even in the midst of hardship and despair, your first impulse will be to worship and glorify Him. I can think of no better attitude to have in a time such as this.

harlot's wages

"Her gain and her harlot's wages will be set apart for the Lord..." Isaiah 23:18

Today's passage is Isaiah 23...yep, I'm still in Isaiah. Maybe one day I'll move on to the other prophets.... :o)

This chapter contains the prophecy regarding the city of Tyre, which one commentator describes as "the mart of the nations" since it was established near the sea and it served as a place for merchants to buy and sell (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, found here). The city is destroyed due to the pride of its inhabitants and their unwillingness to turn to God (verses 9-11). However, after a period of seventy years, God will again "visit" Tyre and show mercy to the city and its people (verse 17). But Tyre goes back to its old ways. It is described as "playing the harlot with all the kingdoms of the face of the earth" (also in verse 17), which is pretty much what it was doing before. Here's the kicker...Tyre's "harlot's wages" are described as being "set apart for the Lord" (verse 18). My first reaction upon reading this was, huh?

So I looked in the margin of my Bible since the phrase "set apart" had a couple of other references; I mainly studied the first reference, which is found in Exodus 28:36. In this passage God is instructing His people regarding the construction of His temple and all of its elements, specifically the priestly garments. Verse 36 describes a plate of pure gold that has the phrase "Holy to the Lord" engraved on it. This plate is then to be fastened on a blue cord and put on the front the turban that Aaron, the chief priest, was to wear. Aaron was to wear this plate because he would bear "the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel consecrate...that they may be accepted before the Lord" (verse 38). All of the sacrifices and gifts that the priests brought to the temple were still defiled in a way since they were human and had a sinful nature. But if Aaron, the appointed priest, brought the sacrifices to the Lord in His appointed way, God would accept them (phrasing borrowed from here).

I think at this point I may have uttered another huh? How in the WORLD can you compare the wages of a harlot to a chief priest bringing sacrifices before the Lord? The phrase "set apart" is used in both of these instances, so they must have something in common, right?

If we read further in Isaiah 23:18, we find out what Tyre's gains are to be used for: "food and choice attire for those who dwell in the presence of the Lord." And furthermore, these wages are described as "sufficient" for this purpose, and are not to be hoarded or stored up (also in verse 18). So basically although the people of Tyre will ultimately return to their old ways, their profit will be used for the furthering of God's kingdom.

Here's where it gets a little trickier. To me, it's not clear whether this new monetary exchange is really endorsed by the people of Tyre. Are they giving their wages over to God voluntarily or are they just accepting the fact that their money is not their own anymore and doing so begrudgingly (which I would almost be afraid to do, given the massive wrath and destruction their city saw seventy years earlier)? Different commentaries say different things; some say this passage is a lesson about being a good steward no matter what your calling is, and others say it is an example of God allowing His people to slip back into their old ways but yet also furthering His kingdom by doing so.

Either way, there is a question to be asked of yourself. Just how much are you giving to His kingdom? Are you hoarding your wages or worse, playing the harlot and spending them on idols for your own personal gain? And this goes beyond money. These "wages" can encompass a bunch of different things, such as how you spend your time, how you set your priorities, and where you focus your attention. If there is one thing to be learned from the prophecy against Tyre, it is that God can set apart anything as holy to Him. No matter how worldly something may seem, it is not beyond God consecrating it and using it for His kingdom. So will you give it willingly and take part in the blessing that comes as a result, or will you try to withhold it with a clenched fist and feel the pain of it being taken away? God wants to further His kingdom, and will use whatever means He thinks necessary to get us to be a part of it, but I believe it truly blesses His heart when we do so with a willing and loving heart. It's time to give, even if it's just the wages of a harlot.

delightful plants?

"For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants and set them with vine slips of a strange god. In the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in, and in the morning you bring your seed to blossom; but the harvest will be a heap in a day of sickness and incurable pain." Isaiah 17:10-11

Sobering prophecy, isn't it? And what does it mean for us? Let's break it down, phrase by phrase, to get to the heart of the matter:

• "you have forgotten the God of your salvation" : The sin that starts it all. This act will have a profound effect on the events described in the rest of the passage. In what areas of your life to you tend to "forget" God?
  
• "you plant delightful plants" : Often, we try to control what we will reap by choosing what to sow. We want what is pleasant and desirable, so we plant "delightful plants" instead of ones that might require some work (or worse, ones that might come with thorns or thistles). What "plants" are you choosing in your life, and what "plants" are you trying to avoid?
  
• "set with vine slips of a strange god" : Not only do we try to rely on our own judgments and abilities, we often call on the help of another ("strange god") rather than the help of God. What's worse, these "vine slips" we use to bolster our efforts will most likely corrupt what we've started. What we've planted will become our worst nightmare once harvested because of this corruption. Even though we've planted flowers, we will harvest weeds. What "vine slips" are you allowing to corrupt your garden?
  
• "you carefully fence it in" : This sounds like a last-ditch effort to really make sure we've got everything under control. Rather than trust God, we "carefully fence in" what we've planted in order to protect it from the elements. But by fencing in one area of our lives, we end up fencing every area in until we are completely blocked off from all that God has for us. We protect our plants, but at what cost? What areas of your life do you try to "fence in," and just what are you trying to protect yourself from?
  
• "you bring your seed to blossom" : At this point, everything seems to be going to plan. We've thought of everything we need, and everything appears to be in place for some delightful plants to grow. We see the results of our labor in some blossoms, but these provide a false sense of security and will most likely result in complacency. "Look at all that I've accomplished on my own. I don't need God's help with this. Looks like I can make it to harvest without Him." Do you ever catch yourself thinking these thoughts?
  
• "the harvest will be a heap..." : The inevitable occurs here. Our best-laid plans crumble before our very eyes, and the plants we reap bring sickness and pain. The word "heap" in this verse suggests that the harvest was barely gathered up before its effects (sickness and pain) hit those who harvested it. Rather than bundle the crop up and bring it elsewhere (whether it is the threshing floor, a press, a marketplace, or a storehouse), the workers have hastily abandoned it where it was reaped. While we were expecting abundance and prosperity from our plants, all we are left with is a messy heap of weeds, the pain of regret, and the consequences that come with not relying on the One who created us. Can you look back on your life and see a "heap" where there was supposed to be a harvest?

We've all had times like this. They may not have always resulted in "sickness and incurable pain," but they most likely caused pain to a degree. As mentioned in a previous post, God can use that pain to draw you back to Him. And if you ask for His wisdom and guidance in everything that you do, He will be faithful in providing a wonderful harvest when the time comes. Rely on Him.

Striking to heal

"The Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the Lord, and He will respond to them and will heal them." Isaiah 19:22


I'm ashamed to point out the obvious...I haven't posted anything on this blog in two months. So much has happened during that time, from my sweet boy learning how to crawl, the internet in our house not working for weeks at a time, and on my part, a bout of just sheer apathy. However, the Lord is faithful, and even though I often leave Him waiting on our time together, He is always there when I return to Him.

The nineteenth chapter of Isaiah describes a prophecy regarding the great nation of Egypt. The prophet describes a time of great turmoil, where the inhabitants will turn against each other (verse 2) and will suffer under the rule of a cruel king (verse 4). Top that off with some plagues against nature (including the rivers drying up as described in verse 6 and the fields becoming desolate in verse 7), and the nation will really hit rock bottom. Because the wisest of men cannot explain what is happening to Egypt and how to overcome it (verse 12), the people are left to literally tremble in the wake of God's hand "which He is going to wave over them" (verse 16).

One might ask what the purpose of all this devastation might be. It seems to be a common theme in most of Isaiah's prophecies thus far, in fact. Shouldn't a loving God use love to call His people to Him? Surely that would have been enough to get Egypt's attention, right?

I'm thinking no. We're talking about Egypt here, one of the greatest empires in history. Because of its affluence and wealth, it would have been all too easy for Egypt's citizens to bask in the glow of their own pride. Sometimes God allows hardship to come upon His people in order to get them to the place where turning to Him is really the only option. C.S. Lewis described pain as God's "megaphone to rouse a deaf world" (The Problem of Pain). At times it is simply the only means to get our attention.

Pain and hardship does have its purpose, though. Check out the rest of Isaiah 19, starting in verse 18. The tone of the prophecy shifts to a more promising end for the nation. It describes five Egyptian cities as "speaking the language of Canaan" and "swearing allegiance to the Lord of hosts." They will build an altar and cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors (verses 19 and 20), and then He will send the greatest Gift of all, His Son Jesus. God will "make Himself known to Egypt" through Jesus, and they will offer praise and sacrifice to Him in return (verse 21). He strikes Egypt in order to heal them. He allows them to have temporary pain and oppression, but then gives them Himself as the ultimate salve for their wounds.

Not only that, He adds Assyria and Israel in a three-fold blessing, saying "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance" (verse 25). Although Egypt was once prideful, worshiping idols and their own intellect, God will raise them up to be a nation of blessing and promise. He allows the nation to suffer for a time, but because of the spiritual longing of five cities, He will bring healing and restoration to their land.

Return to Him. Even if whatever you're going through seems to burn you inside and out, return to your Healer and He will allow beauty to rise out of the ashes.

Living Water

"Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation." Isaiah 12:3

Isaiah 12 is a brief but poignant chapter that focuses on thanksgiving. In the previous chapter, Isaiah prophesies about the reign of Jesus and how His faithful remnant will be restored. Such words of promise can only lead to songs of praise!

In verse 3, the prophet says that because God is our salvation and we have no reason to fear, we will "joyously draw water from the springs of salvation." I noticed in my Bible that the phrase "draw water" had a couple of New Testament references as well, both in the Gospel of John:

• John 4:10: Jesus is talking to the Samaritan woman at the well and tells her that living water comes from God.
• John 7:37-38: Jesus cries out in the midst of a feast, saying "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me...'from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"

Furthermore, the phrase "spring of salvation" has another Old Testament reference, this time in the book of Jeremiah:

• Jeremiah 2:13: God says through His prophet Jeremiah that His people have forsaken Him, "the fountain of living waters," and have made their own cisterns that have no hope of holding any water.

Guess you can already tell that there is a theme here. LIVING WATER shows up in all these verses. Which got me thinking...how would we explain the term "living water" to the average person? This is my weak attempt at doing so:

• The water we draw from His springs of salvation is living water. It comes from Jesus Himself; His death and resurrection allowed us access to the living water. We draw from His spring with both JOY (Isaiah 12:3) and BELIEF since we obtain the living water by believing in Jesus (John 7:37). It is active and constant, and flows through our hearts. We have a thirst that can only be quenched by a constant supply of living water. Living water brings us not only salvation, but a deeper revelation of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God Himself. Forsaking the true Source of living water causes drought in our lives, and attempting to find it on our own (via "broken cisterns") also leads to drought.

In short...God saves us when we believe in His name; that's the first time we draw His living water from His springs of salvation. However, in order to see deeper revelations of His love, mercy, grace, and other aspects of His character and His relationship with us, we need to be constantly drawing from that spring. Much like actual water, we don't find satisfaction (or even the ability to continue existing!) by just one isolated drink. We draw living water from His spring by prayer, meditation on His words, and reading His Word. And if we maintain a full cup of His living water on a daily basis, we can't help but spill that water out onto other people through humble service, encouraging words, and the exercising of our spiritual gifts.

So seek after that living water that can only come from Him. Allow your thirsty spirit to partake of the only water that will truly satisfy. And remember, one drink is never enough!

"My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1

Arrogant Axes

"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?" Isaiah 10:15

In the tenth chapter of Isaiah, God turns His anger on the Assyrians, a nation that He initially uses as His "instrument" to attack His own people because of their prideful ways. Apparently arrogance is a universal thing, no matter who you are or who you follow, because God speaks these words through Isaiah concerning the Assyrian ruler: "I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness" (verse 12). The king gives himself credit for everything his nation has plundered and destroyed, saying, "by the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this" (verse 13). God compares the king's blatant and unapologetic pride to an axe that "boasts itself over the one who chops with it" in verse 15. An axe, like any other inanimate object, cannot perform its purpose without a more powerful entity taking it up and manipulating it in such a way as to create a result. An axe cannot chop wood by itself. Similarly, the nation of Assyria, and more specifically its king, could not have successfully invaded and plundered Israel without God's intervention.

Granted, the hearts of the Assyrians are hardened; Isaiah even says that the nation does not "intend" to trample God's people, but does so because "it is its purpose to destroy and to cut off many nations" (verse 7). Much like it is the axe's purpose to cut wood, it is the Assyrians' purpose to destroy; they face their own destruction because of their haughtiness and godlessness. However, we as God's children can learn from this mistaken way of thinking; in fact, it is the Israelites' pride that caused the Assyrians' attack to begin with (see previous post and Isaiah 9:8-21). Exalting ourselves for the blessings God gives us is not only wrong, but harmful to our relationship with Him. We become deluded into thinking that we have everything under control and can do anything using our own power and devices. Remember the vine and the branches? Jesus said, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). God wants to use us for His purposes, and it can be very exciting to see just what we're capable of with His help and grace. But the minute we choose to take credit for what He's done or to exalt ourselves using the gifts He gives us, we become no better than the Assyrians. Our hearts will become hard and we will bring about our own destruction.

Ask God for His help; come before Him as His child who is helpless without Him. Bring Him your empty hands to be filled with His gifts, and ask Him what He would have you do for His kingdom. And most important, exalt the One who allows you to represent Him in such wonderful and astounding ways. Remember, we are but axes who need powerful hands to fulfill a great purpose; apart from Him we can do nothing.

Cedars and Smooth Stones

"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." Isaiah 9:10

Ever tried to go your own way instead of God's? For me, it's an everyday struggle to lay my so-called "best-laid" plans at His feet, as well as to resist snatching them back up once He reveals what He actually has in mind for me!

We walk a dangerous path when we choose not to ask God for His direction and will for our lives. The book of Proverbs even goes as far as to say, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (14:12 AND 16:25. That's right, it appears twice. Must be important then, huh?). Let's face it, God knows what's best for us. The sooner we figure that out and apply it in our daily lives, the better off we'll be and the closer we'll be to Him.

In the ninth chapter of Isaiah, God's people walked the path of arrogance to the point where prophecies of death and destruction were foretold about them. In verse 10, they ignore a message from God that says they are too prideful, and then attempt to rebuild structures using different materials, trading smooth stones for bricks and cedars for sycamores. The Message translation puts it this way: "Things aren't that bad. We can handle anything that comes. If our buildings are knocked down, we'll rebuild them bigger and finer. If our forests are cut down, we'll replant them with finer trees." Rather than turn back to their God who has delivered them time and time again, they ignore His warnings and instead try to prove that they can take care of themselves without His help. All we have to do is read further to see that this arrogance greatly angers God and they encounter the grave consequences of their pride and of their unwillingness to depend on Him. They confirm the truth that we read two different times in Proverbs; their way certainly leads to death.

I'm not saying that if you decide to go play tennis instead of reading your Bible, God's going to strike you down right there on the court mid-serve. However, I am saying that there are always consequences to ignoring God and instead doing what we think is right. We may choose a more precarious path that causes us to stumble, we may walk the path alone instead of with others who could have benefited from our companionship, or we may find ourselves at a dead end and completely lost. Gratefully, God is very merciful and more often than not He disciplines like a father would His child (Deuteronomy 8:5). We serve a God of love, and He disciplines us out of His love for us: "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, therefore be zealous and repent" (Revelation 3:19). Allow Him to teach you through His discipline so in time it will become easier and more second-nature to ask Him for His direction before you take a step. Remember that our ultimate goal in everything we do should be to glorify God; He would know best of all how to help us glorify Him, so why not ask Him first?

"Lead me, O Lord...make straight Your way before me." Psalm 5:8

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8

"Commit to the Lord whatever You do, and Your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

Lasting

"If you will not believe, you surely shall not last." Isaiah 7:9a

In the seventh chapter of Isaiah, the prophet is given words from the Lord to give to Ahaz, the king of Judah. Rival kings are threatening Judah with almost-certain invasion and war, and the Lord tells Ahaz through the prophet Isaiah to "take care and be calm" (verse 4), and that ultimately the evil plan "shall not stand nor shall it come to pass" (verse 7). However, He also provides a warning to the king in verse 9, saying "If you will not believe, you surely shall not last."

Interesting word, "last." My bible has a sidenote that says the phrase "be established" can be used in place of it. So if Ahaz does not believe, he shall not "be established." Here we see the true consequences of unbelief: not only will we see our demise (the end), it will be as if we never got established (the beginning) in the first place!

We see something similar in 2 Chronicles 20. In this case, Judah is also facing invasion of their enemies. King Jehoshaphat fervently prays to God before an assembly of his people, saying, "we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You" (verse 12). His prayers are answered when the Spirit of the Lord falls on a man named Jahaziel, who says that this battle is not theirs but the Lord's, and that if they face this great multitude He will be with them (verses 14-17). When the people of Judah go to fight their enemies, Jehoshapat reminds them, "put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed" (verse 20). Appointed worshippers go out before them and praise the name of God, causing their enemies to ultimately destroy one another.

Two different kings facing very similar circumstances. Both instances involve possible conflict, a seemingly hopeless situation, and a call to believe and not fear. Jehoshaphat chose to believe God and to take Him at His word, therefore he succeeded and his kingdom was established in the Lord's name. If we believe God even in the midst of battle, we will be established in His eternal kingdom; what else can possibly last that long?

One more important point. Notice that it was only after the appointed singers started worshipping that their enemies began to destroy each other (see 2 Chronicles 20:21-23). Often God calls us to go that extra mile in the midst of a trial. It is one thing to believe Him, and it is another to believe AND worship Him no matter what the circumstances. We often face difficult situations in order to stretch us and to strenghthen our belief; why not use these times to stretch our worship muscles as well?

This chapter of Isaiah does not reveal the outcome of this impending war against Judah. Without further reading, we can't be sure right now whether Ahaz chooses to take Jehoshaphat's example and believe that God will take care of him, or whether he simply chooses to take matters into his own hands.

One thing is certain, we can all relate to Ahaz's situation. We all endure times of struggle that ultimately lead to a crossroads where the signs read "BELIEF" or "UNBELIEF" and face opposite directions. Which way will you choose?

Holy Stumps

In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, the prophet himself receives a vision from the Lord in which angels cleanse his mouth with coal and tell him his sins are forgiven. And when he hears the voice of the Lord asking, "Whom shall I send?" he readily volunteers. What follows is Isaiah's commission, along with some terrifying prophecies from the Lord.

God describes the majority of people as having "insensitive hearts, dull ears, and dim eyes" that prevent them from understanding His words and returning to be healed (verse 10). Because of their lack of knowledge and their refusal to change the status quo of their hearts, great destruction and desolation will take place until the "forsaken places are many in the midst of the land" (verse 12). However, God then describes a "tenth portion" left behind that actually resonates with the remnant described earlier in Isaiah 4. Here is the verse in its entirety:

"Yet there will be a tenth portion in it [the land], and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump" (6:13, NASB).

Notice that this remnant, though surviving the first burning, will suffer a second burning until only the stumps remain. The NIV says "it will again be laid waste," leaving no doubt that this tenth portion will also suffer devastation. Seems kind of hopeless, doesn't it? If it weren't for that last sentence in verse 13, this would indeed be a very somber prophecy. That little sentence, "The holy seed is its stump," offers hope and restoration for God's people.

Consider the idea of "holy seed." My bible references Deuteronomy 7:6 to expand upon this idea. In this verse, God is speaking through Moses in order to tell His people who they are in Him. He says that they are "a holy people to the Lord" and that God has "chosen [them] to be a people for His own possession [or special treasure]." To be "holy" means to be set apart. So in Isaiah's prophecy, those "stumps" with the "holy seed" are not doomed to face complete destruction. Sure, they will undergo painful trials of fire ("subject to second burning"), but they will not be wiped out completely. If the stumps remain, the roots remain. And as long as those roots dig deep into God's love and provision, these stumps will grow and rise up again as God's special treasures. But if the root dig into the dry land of unbelief, bitterness, and hopelessness, the stump will rot.

Maybe you're facing a painful trial right now. Or you're dreading the next painful trial to come. Or you're fearing the most painful trials of all that are sure to come as our prayers hasten the day of the Lord and the tribulations that precede it. This may sound weird, but remember the stumps of Isaiah's vision. They experienced multiple burnings but still contained holy seed, allowing them to grow again as long as their roots were in the right place. Ask Him for renewed eyes and ears to increase your knowledge of Him, as well as a sensitive heart in order to understand and accept that knowledge. Dig deep into His love, allow yourself to be healed, and know that He is never surprised by what happens to us. And though He may allow pain and trials into our lives, He will always leave a remnant for us to grow on. And we will be stronger because of it.

"For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its shoots will not fail." Job 14:7

The spirit of burning

"When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning..." Isaiah 4:4

The fourth chapter of Isaiah describes a time where God creates and protects a remnant of His children. The above verse caught my eye because my Bible indicated that the phrase "spirit of burning" had a similar occurrence over in the book of Matthew. This time, John the Baptist is the one prophesying. He says of Jesus, "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (3:11).

Two different prophets. Two different testaments. Two different references. Or are they actually very similar? Think about it. In Isaiah 4:4, "purge" also means to "rinse away," which reminds me of what happens during a baptism. Our sin is washed away by Jesus' blood when we believe in His name, and that "rinsing away" is demonstrated further when we are baptized in His name. In a way, we're using water to symbolize how God's fire actually works.

In addition, if you read one verse further in Matthew, you'll see that John the Baptist elaborates on this fire idea; he prophesies that Jesus will "clear His threshing floor" and "burn off the chaff with unquenchable fire" (verse 12). This mirrors with what we read in Isaiah 4; the "filth" and "bloodshed" are basically the chaff that is burned away by God's fire to create His remnant.

Notice the dual result of God's fire: It destroys what is evil, but it also cleanses and refines what is good. It "burns off" our sin and then purifies us so we can be more like Him. The same fire He will use to create His remnant on Mount Zion is the same fire He uses now when He baptizes us with His Holy Spirit.

So what does it mean to be baptized with His fire? The first thing that comes to my mind is POWER. The moment we are baptized with God's fire, we become more powerful for His purposes than we ever thought possible. The same Holy Spirit that fell on the disciples in Acts is the same that dwells in us, and when you read about all that happened AFTER that day of Pentecost, that's pretty incredible. So be confident in the One who gave you this fire and causes it to burn in you still. He has great plans for all of us if we would just allow His fire to work in us and through us for the good of His kingdom. Let His fire burn off the chaff within you so nothing will hold you back from all that He has intended for you. And allow it to cleanse you so you'll become more like Him.

Going up to Zion...

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths..." Isaiah 2:3

Ever sit down to read your Bible and all you can think is, "Shouldn't this feel more like a desire than a duty?" I do. I'm guessing it's a common problem every child of God encounters from time to time. Hectic schedules, family problems, job hassles, and other annoyances often crowd up our day to such an extent that by the time we finally get a chance to sit down, we'd rather watch TV or read a magazine. Studying God's law and learning more about His character doesn't always make it to the top of our to-do lists. And if we do get around to it, we're often too distracted anyway.

The second chapter of Isaiah describes a time in the "last days" where all the nations will gather at the mountain of the house of the Lord. Once they encounter God on this mountain of Zion, their chief concern seems to be learning more about God's laws. They want to become more acquainted with His ways and to "walk in His paths" (verse 3). True, a day of reckoning immediately follows (or perhaps coincides with) this gathering at the mountain, so one might argue that anyone might be more motivated to learn about God's laws in the midst of His terrible judgments. But there are plenty of reasons to study God's Word regardless of what is happening. Here's three of them:

• Learning and obeying God's law brings peace. I don't think it's a coincidence that the next verse in Isaiah describes the aftermath of not only God carrying out His judgment, but also of His people learning about His perfect law: they hammer their weapons into tools and "never again learn war" (verse 4). Knowing who we are in Him is the most peaceful place we can be. It helps us lay down our weapons of distrust and self-pity and to reshape them into tools that can be utilized in His kingdom.
  
• Learning and obeying God's law brings love to others. In fact, under the new covenant set in place by Jesus' death and resurrection, God's law IS all about love! Paul wrote to the Romans that "he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (13:8), and in James we learn that if we are obeying God's command to love others, we are "doing well" (2:8). And Jesus told His disciples that people would know that they are His followers if they had love for one another (John 13:35).
• Learning and obeying God's law helps us to work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12). While we are saved by His grace, His law is just as important if we are to know how to carry that salvation out in our daily lives. That's why the people were concerned not only about learning God's law, but also about walking in His paths. God wants us to continually seek Him and to do His will every day of our lives; knowing His laws is pivotal to doing this. That way we know if we're on the right path!

Whether we are reading the Bible, serving others, or just sitting at His feet and listening to Him intently, God can teach us all He wants us to know. We just have to be willing to climb that mountain and make it a priority. Want to climb it with me? :o)

watered-down truth

"Your silver has become dross, your drink diluted with water." Isaiah 1:22

Last night my husband and I started reading Isaiah together. It's a book full of prophetic utterances that are still relevant today in these end times. I skimmed over the above verse without thinking too much about it until my husband highlighted it for me, explaining that the "drink diluted with water" represents the act of diluting the truth with those things that are not true.

You can think of countless examples of this almost immediately. We are told through the media and through (unfortunately) popular opinion that an unborn child is not really alive until it is born, therefore abortion is okay. The production and distribution of pornography is really just "freedom of speech" being carried out. True, there are thousands of people living in poverty in the U.S. alone, but don't worry, take care of yourself. Everyday we are bombarded with some version of the truth, but it is often airbrushed, covered up, masked, or diluted with lies from those with ulterior motives.

The Enemy doesn't want us to seek after the truth, because he knows that it weakens his grip on our hearts and minds. Jesus called Satan the "father of lies" in the book of John, saying that lying is his native language (8:44). I once heard a saying that Satan will often tell us things that are true, but he never tells us the actual truth. Yes, it's TRUE that living here on earth is a struggle, but the TRUTH is that this place is not our home. The Enemy knows that if we only focus on what is "true," we will never go any further than that to seek out the full "truth."

On the other hand, all God tells us is the truth, and that truth is found on every page of His Word. Just take a look at the Gospels and how Jesus spoke to His followers. Go to www.biblegateway.com and type in "Jesus truth" in the keyword search. See how many examples pop up where Jesus says, "I tell you the truth"? And remember John 14:6 where He says He is the way, the TRUTH, and the life? The truth is, God IS the truth. "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill" (Numbers 23:19)?

If we are to be imitators of God, we are to walk not just in His love but in His truth. In a world that constantly presents us with watered-down truth, let us be the ones who are willing to speak God's truth AS IS as His unashamed children.

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. " Ephesians 4:14-15