February 27, 2011
New feature!
Insomnia's getting the best of me tonight, so I decided to take the time to add labels to all of my posts according to subject matter and main Scriptural references. Hopefully that will make it a little easier if you are trying to find a post on a particular subject or from a particular book of the Bible. If you find that I left out an important tag, let me know!
February 22, 2011
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.
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.
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.
February 8, 2011
Being real.
I like to think I'm an open person. But sometimes I lean more toward being private. This is why it's SO hard for me to share this, but I feel like God wants me to. I attend a Tuesday morning Bible study, and this morning someone quoted, "Sometimes your greatest message is the mess of your life." Meaning that God can take the messy parts of our lives and use them to minister to others.
Not too long ago I did a guest post on the blog "Or So She Says" that chronicled one particular messy part of my life. I feel like God wants me to share it on my own blog too. I don't know who this is supposed to speak to, or why He wants me to do it, except maybe to help me finally get over the shame and guilt I still sometimes feel when I think back to this time in my life. You can find the link to my guest post here.
I hope it ministers to you! God Bless.
Not too long ago I did a guest post on the blog "Or So She Says" that chronicled one particular messy part of my life. I feel like God wants me to share it on my own blog too. I don't know who this is supposed to speak to, or why He wants me to do it, except maybe to help me finally get over the shame and guilt I still sometimes feel when I think back to this time in my life. You can find the link to my guest post here.
I hope it ministers to you! God Bless.
February 5, 2011
Longing
"The Lord longs to be gracious to you..." Isaiah 30:18
What God showed me today seemed simplistic at first. Of course He longs to be gracious to me. He loves me. Didn't He "so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life?" That sounds a lot like GRACE to me.
But what caught my eye in this verse was the word "longs," and with that one word came a deeper glimpse into God's character. I've always believed that He loves me. I've always believed that He pours measure upon measure of grace upon all of us, an endless supply of a very precious commodity none of us deserves. But when was the last time you thought about God longing for you?
He sees how many times we mess up. He sees how many times we struggle with doubt. He sees all of our pain and sin and still longs to shower grace on us. And not only that, but to have compassion on us too (also in verse 18). What's the difference between being gracious and having compassion?
To me, God is gracious when He forgives my sin when I ask Him...again.
He has compassion when He wipes away the tears and bandages the self-afflicted wounds and whispers His love in my ear.
He could just show grace to us by forgiving us when we ask and leaving it at that. "Don't worry, my Son's blood covered that sin. You're off the hook. Catch you next time." Kind of like a friendly uncle that gets you out of trouble every now and then, but not someone you share an actual relationship with. No, God goes a step further and shows us compassion when we sin. He mixes His love with His grace until we realize that He is not just in the business of forgiving sins, He is also in the business of loving us, cherishing us, and having a relationship with us.
Why does this matter? To me, God seems a lot more personal when I see and feel evidence of His compassion in my life. His graciousness to forgive is awesome enough, but He goes that step further to show compassion in a special, unique way just for me.
If you stop and think about it, grace and compassion are two amazing things that we don't deserve without the blood of Jesus. And we love and serve a God who longs to do both in our lives, if only we ask Him. That's the key word: ASK. He knows the desire of our hearts, and He knows when we've sinned and need to ask for forgiveness, but so much of His moving in our hearts and lives depends on us speaking up in the first place! I'll close with verse 19 to really drive that last point home:
"He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you." Isaiah 30:19
February 1, 2011
Connections
Today I read the first half of Isaiah 30. I only had time to read half because I had a Bible study this morning, so I read verses 1 through 17. Later that morning a sister in Christ quoted verse 18 of Isaiah 30, so I figured that was a good indication from God that I need to finish this chapter up soon!
But first, something cool God showed me about the first half. God uses this prophecy to warn Judah through Isaiah because they are forming an alliance with Egypt instead of turning to Him. In fact, verse 2 says they didn't even consult Him before doing so! The latter part of that verse caught my attention though:
"...To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!"
I read that phrase a few times, thinking, It seems to me I've read these words before. Sounds like a psalm I've read a bunch of times. I'll admit, I couldn't remember which one exactly. Definitely looked it up in the back, and discovered the one I was thinking of was Psalm 91.
Check out Psalm 91:1...."He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty." The words "shelter" and "shadow" are what jogged my memory in the first place, and here they are in Psalm 91! The fact is, we all seek shelter somewhere, especially when life gets difficult. We can find our refuge in the comforting shadow of God who covers us with His mercy and love, or we can settle for something far less and deal with the pain that inevitably follows when we place our trust in someone or something other than our Lord. How cool is it that God uses the same terminology in two different books of the Bible to get that point across!
But the connections don't end there. Read on to verse 6, where God's people are described as carrying their "riches" and "treasures" on the backs of their beasts of burden to Egypt, "a land of distress and anguish, from where come the lioness and lion, viper and flying serpent." And yeah, I totally got distracted with the whole "flying serpent" idea. Hopefully you did too. That way I won't feel so silly. But anyway, I looked back in Psalm 91, and in verse 13 it reads, "You will tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down." Again, similar terminology yet very different circumstances. In Egypt (or at least on the way to Egypt), God's people are prophesied to encounter lions and snakes, and I can only surmise by the tone of the prophecy as a whole that the creatures pose a real danger to them, yet they are so determined to be allies with Egypt that they don't realize that maybe these animals are simply obstacles God put in their way. If only they chose to align themselves and their "riches and treasures" with God, then the once-threatening lions and snakes would become the hunted instead (Psalm 91:13).
One more. Verse 17 of Isaiah 30 says that the rebelliousness of God's people will become their destruction, in that "one thousand will flee at the threat of one man." In the previous verse, Isaiah prophesies that the people of Judah will not take God's call for repentance seriously, and will instead put their trust in acquiring more "swift horses." (Ever tried to cling to something worldly rather than just repent and turn to God? I know I have.) As a result, they use those horses to try to outrun their enemies, and it seems they're not very successful since all it appears to take is one man to cause a thousand more to flee (verse 17). Look back in Psalm 91. Verse 7 says, "A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it [destruction] will not approach you." This verse, and the psalm as a whole, describes the peace and security we have access to when we abide with God and put our trust in His hands. Instead of being one of those thousand people fleeing from one singular enemy, we can be one singular person causing a thousand ememies to flee! Remember, Romans 8:37 says that in the face of any hardship or danger we are more than conquerors; the NASB says we overwhelmingly conquer. That means overcoming on a large scale. Why cause one nagging temptation to flee when you can cause a thousand to flee? With His help, we can.
It's always cool to me when I find similar words and phrases in different books of the Bible. The fact that they're there stresses the fact that the Bible is indeed God-breathed. Who else could have inspired such subtle yet powerful connections? It also stresses the fact that we should read the Bible as a whole, instead of picking and choosing certain books or passages or stories. True, we have our favorites, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that; it helps with memorization, application, prayer, and sharing God with others when we read and re-read our favorite sections of Scripture until they are imprinted on our minds and hearts. But especially after what God has shown me today with these two passages, one a sobering prophecy and the other a sweet song of thanksgiving, I for one want to start delving into the parts of His word that I seldom consider reading. Seeing one idea reinterated or rephrased in a different manner from one passage to another can lead to deeper understanding, more meaningful application, and more powerful prayers. Those are all things I desire in my walk with God. May His Word always speak to me in new and exciting ways.
But first, something cool God showed me about the first half. God uses this prophecy to warn Judah through Isaiah because they are forming an alliance with Egypt instead of turning to Him. In fact, verse 2 says they didn't even consult Him before doing so! The latter part of that verse caught my attention though:
"...To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!"
I read that phrase a few times, thinking, It seems to me I've read these words before. Sounds like a psalm I've read a bunch of times. I'll admit, I couldn't remember which one exactly. Definitely looked it up in the back, and discovered the one I was thinking of was Psalm 91.
Check out Psalm 91:1...."He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty." The words "shelter" and "shadow" are what jogged my memory in the first place, and here they are in Psalm 91! The fact is, we all seek shelter somewhere, especially when life gets difficult. We can find our refuge in the comforting shadow of God who covers us with His mercy and love, or we can settle for something far less and deal with the pain that inevitably follows when we place our trust in someone or something other than our Lord. How cool is it that God uses the same terminology in two different books of the Bible to get that point across!
But the connections don't end there. Read on to verse 6, where God's people are described as carrying their "riches" and "treasures" on the backs of their beasts of burden to Egypt, "a land of distress and anguish, from where come the lioness and lion, viper and flying serpent." And yeah, I totally got distracted with the whole "flying serpent" idea. Hopefully you did too. That way I won't feel so silly. But anyway, I looked back in Psalm 91, and in verse 13 it reads, "You will tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down." Again, similar terminology yet very different circumstances. In Egypt (or at least on the way to Egypt), God's people are prophesied to encounter lions and snakes, and I can only surmise by the tone of the prophecy as a whole that the creatures pose a real danger to them, yet they are so determined to be allies with Egypt that they don't realize that maybe these animals are simply obstacles God put in their way. If only they chose to align themselves and their "riches and treasures" with God, then the once-threatening lions and snakes would become the hunted instead (Psalm 91:13).
One more. Verse 17 of Isaiah 30 says that the rebelliousness of God's people will become their destruction, in that "one thousand will flee at the threat of one man." In the previous verse, Isaiah prophesies that the people of Judah will not take God's call for repentance seriously, and will instead put their trust in acquiring more "swift horses." (Ever tried to cling to something worldly rather than just repent and turn to God? I know I have.) As a result, they use those horses to try to outrun their enemies, and it seems they're not very successful since all it appears to take is one man to cause a thousand more to flee (verse 17). Look back in Psalm 91. Verse 7 says, "A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it [destruction] will not approach you." This verse, and the psalm as a whole, describes the peace and security we have access to when we abide with God and put our trust in His hands. Instead of being one of those thousand people fleeing from one singular enemy, we can be one singular person causing a thousand ememies to flee! Remember, Romans 8:37 says that in the face of any hardship or danger we are more than conquerors; the NASB says we overwhelmingly conquer. That means overcoming on a large scale. Why cause one nagging temptation to flee when you can cause a thousand to flee? With His help, we can.
It's always cool to me when I find similar words and phrases in different books of the Bible. The fact that they're there stresses the fact that the Bible is indeed God-breathed. Who else could have inspired such subtle yet powerful connections? It also stresses the fact that we should read the Bible as a whole, instead of picking and choosing certain books or passages or stories. True, we have our favorites, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that; it helps with memorization, application, prayer, and sharing God with others when we read and re-read our favorite sections of Scripture until they are imprinted on our minds and hearts. But especially after what God has shown me today with these two passages, one a sobering prophecy and the other a sweet song of thanksgiving, I for one want to start delving into the parts of His word that I seldom consider reading. Seeing one idea reinterated or rephrased in a different manner from one passage to another can lead to deeper understanding, more meaningful application, and more powerful prayers. Those are all things I desire in my walk with God. May His Word always speak to me in new and exciting ways.
December 20, 2010
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.
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.
December 13, 2010
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.
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.
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