JUNE 24 READINGS...Isaiah 8:1-11:16
As Isaiah begins his prophecy he first deals with what will happen to Israel, the northern kingdom. As you have noticed in your reading, while Judah has had some kings whose hearts were after God, all the kings of Israel have been wicked. The Lord gives Isaiah a sign, as after he sleeps with his wife and she bears a son, he is to call his name, “Maher-shalal-hash-baz”…meaning, “swift to plunder and quick to carry away”. Isaiah tells Israel that it will do them no good to muster armies, or to go to distant nations for help…for the judgment has been set and the outcome is determined. Here is a great thing that Isaiah says that we ought to apply to the day in which we live, “The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does.” His instructions include, don’t call everything a conspiracy…make the Lord holy in your life…know that the Lord will keep you safe…preserve the teaching of God…and wait upon the Lord. The Lord reminds through Isaiah that the people ought not to seek information from mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. They should look to God’s instructions and teachings. This is so needful today…back to the Word of the Lord. Stop moving with the crowd…stop seeking advice and counsel from those who are spiritually dead. Seek the Lord! Isaiah begins chapter 9 with the wonderful promise of the Messiah…those that have walked in darkness have seen a great light…PTL! For unto us a child is born, and a Son is given…the Messiah! The promised One, who is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. We need to hear the words of Isaiah in our day, and seek the Lord while He may be found…stop looking in all different directions and fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. There really is nowhere else to go…all other sources of truth and hope are futile.
The Lord makes it clear the Assyria is His tool for judgment against Israel…He also makes it clear that they will go too far and will be punished for doing so. Even in the midst of the judgment of Israel God tells us that there will be a remnant…He will always preserve His own special people. Chapter 11 speaks of what He will do with that remnant, I would also encourage you to consider the correlation of this chapter with the 11th chapter of Romans. Isaiah prophesies the coming of Messiah…He will be from the family of David, and the seven-fold Spirit of God will rest upon Him (another description of Jesus given by John in Revelation 3:1). The seven-fold Spirit of God is the Spirit of wisdom…the Spirit of understanding…the Spirit of the Lord…the Spirit of counsel…the Spirit of might…the Spirit of knowledge…and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord. When He comes and establishes His kingdom all the earth will be changed…I believe Isaiah is talking about the Millennial reign of Christ here on this earth…this is the thousand years spoken of by John in Revelation 20. We see in this time a restoration of creation, and a reconciliation for Israel and Judah. These prophesies remind us that the Lord has a prophetic purpose for Israel, and that the covenant that He made with Abraham remains intact until the fulfillment of that covenant. Of course, we have seen much of the promise fulfilled in the first Advent of Christ the Messiah, but the complete fulfillment will come in His second Advent. Until then we must keep our hearts and minds upon the Lord…we must not look to any earthly source for either truth or security…our hope is in the Lord!
Please share any thoughts you have from today’s readings. Join with me in being determined to follow Jesus and no one else.
TOMORROW’S READINGS…Isaiah 12:1-6 & 17:1-14 & 2 Chronicles 28:16-21 & 2 Kings 16:10-18 & 2 Chronicles 28:22-25 & 2 Kings 18:1-8 & 2 Chronicles 29:1-2 & 2 Kings 15:30-31 & 2 Kings 17:1-4 & Hosea 1:1-2:13