Resource Manager Posted June 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2017 26 June 2017 1 Samuel 5; 6Isaiah 51Revelation 12; 13 "LISTEN TO ME YOU WHO KNOW RIGHTEOUSNESS" How few there are today who "know righteousness"! This is because there are few who meditatively read God's word – to absorb it into their hearts. We read today of the LORD's appeal to us to "know righteousness" – it is in Isaiah 51. We meditate on the contexts in which the word "know" is used in God's word. We remember the challenging message God gave to Israel we read a few days ago in Isaiah 43. "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he." [isaiah 43:10] Do we "believe … and understand" as an outcome of the way we "know" God? Ponder that question carefully! To "know" God and His "righteousness" is clearly of a higher dimension that knowing within human experience. We read last week the woman's of Boaz to Ruth, "all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman." [Ruth 3:11] Consider how our Isaiah chapter starts! "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD …" They are then reminded of Abraham and Sarah and way they "knew" God. Then comes God's challenge to "Listen give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me …" [isaiah 51:4] They do not "hear" God actually speaking – but they heard the prophet speaking on his behalf – and we "read" and in that way "hear" God's speaking! Are we really, fully, giving attention? We must each, individually answer that question. God's message through Isaiah is so critical that he repeats it with added emphasis in Isaiah 51:7. "Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man …" Hear is a vital question for us today! Do we "know righteousness"? We do, IF we have pursued it! A vital factor in doing that is to read – and meditate on God's word every day. We started by looking at Isaiah 51 - have a look at it now – as we finish our thoughts.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted June 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2017 27 June 2017 1 Samuel 7; 8Isaiah 52Revelation 14 "GOOD NEWS OF HAPPINESS" The nature of present human happiness and its causes are in total contrast to the "good news of happiness" that God will bring about – as we read in Isaiah 52 today. But first the chapter describes the lament of the LORD, "all the day my name is despised" [isaiah 52:5] followed by the declaration, "Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak" [isaiah 52:6] – then we read prophetic words that obviously apply to the transformation of life "in that day" after the dramas at the return of Christ. Isaiah 52:7 tells us, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns." Jesus will reign for God, "but then comes the end" writes Paul, "when he delivers the kingdom to God … then the Son himself will be subjected to him … that God may be all in all." [1 Corinthians 15:24-28]. On Saturday in Revelation 21 we will read John's vision of the ultimate time when "the dwelling place of God is with man … God himself will be with them as their God … for the former things have passed away." [Revelation 21:3-4] The "good news of happiness" will at last be here for those who have been longing for God's kingdom. Returning to Isaiah's chapter, see the nature of the happiness that is to happen. They "sing for joy (they) break forth together into singing … for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm (Christ) before the eyes of all nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." [isaiah 52:9-10] Let us take God's words into our hearts. Finally, note how the next chapter starts, "Who has believed what they heard from us?" Well, who has? We prove what we believe by the reality of the faith we have in our hearts and how, as a result, we eagerly anticipate, the "good news of happiness."-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted June 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 28 June 2017 1 Samuel 9Isaiah 53Revelation 15; 16 "YET IT WAS THE WILL OF THE LORD" Today we meditated at length on Isaiah 53, one of the best known and most meaningful chapters in the Bible. It is the message Isaiah received about the suffering saviour of mankind that God so wondrously brought into being. How challenging for us, who have absorbed God's scripture into our hearts, to see God at work – working in ways that cause humans to think and search their hearts as to the meaning of life: – to see it from God's perspective and, in the process, to see the part God is seeking for them, for us, to take in the greater picture which he sees – and which we can only dimly see most of the time. Jesus saw this "picture" perfectly – and we have his example to try to follow. We have been, and maybe some still are, among those who "like sheep have gone astray … have turned everyone to his own way" [isaiah 53:6] He alone was "like a lamb" that "was led to the slaughter" for "it was the will of the LORD to crush him" [isaiah 53:10]! Then we come to the contrast: "he shall see his offspring … the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." The whole sequence of events was mapped out in the farseeing mind of God and then put into effect through the willing co-operation of His only Son. We particularly noted Isaiah 53:11! "By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities." Think about the word "knowledge." Think of the "knowledge" of Jesus of God's will and his commitment to do it. The same challenge is made to us – to gain a true knowledge of "the will of the LORD" through reading his word and then putting that knowledge into action in our lives. This made us think of Job and his struggle to understand the ways of God – and the challenge God made to him, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" [Job 38:2] This leads to Job's final confession, "I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted" [Job 42:2] The more we learn of "the will of the LORD" the more we will say the same as we wait to see "the will of the LORD" for this present evil world! But even more, as we look to see God's will for us in the ways we can be more fully among those "working together with him" [2 Corinthians 6:1].-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted July 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 29 June 2017 1 Samuel 10Isaiah 54Revelation 17; 18 "FOR IN A SINGLE HOUR" Our chapters in the thought-challenging book of Revelation are now moving towards a climax – those we read today portrayed God's final judgements on godlessness. The centrepiece of the action is described as God's judgement on Babylon! But what are we to understand by that word? It is very interesting to realise that the word Babylon in Hebrew – is – Babel [Genesis 11]. Remember what happened to the original Babel – this was the first "monument" to human self-centredness! God acted to bring it to nothing. So these verses in Revelation are telling us about the fate of the latter day Babylon (Babel)! It pictures how those who "who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail and stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, "Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come." And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn …" [Revelation 18:10-11] The prophetic verses we read in Isaiah 47 a week ago jump into our minds! Isaiah 47:1 refers to "the virgin daughter of Babylon who is to sit in the dust." Then Isaiah 47:10-11 "You felt secure in your wickedness … your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray … But evil shall come upon you ruin shall come upon you suddenly." We are in awe as to how this is going to apply to the "latter day" Babel of today! And how suddenly – "in a single hour"! Back in Revelation 18 we see further reference to this latter day "single hour" in Revelation 18:17 which tells us that "in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste." Again Revelation 18:19,20 "Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich … For in a single hour she has been laid waste … God has given judgment for you against her!" Life in the 21st Century has "ships" in the air! Life is dominated by those living to acquire "wealth." But it is a fragile illusory wealth, it is not gold and silver – it is very largely financial figures on a computer and already, such as in 2008, there have been times of anxiety for those who trust in this wealth. Our final thought comes from the words of Jesus in Luke 18:24 "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God"!-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted July 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 30 June 2017 1 Samuel 11; 12Isaiah 55 Revelation 19; 20 "SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND" Seeking the LORD is an act of faith. When it is clearly seen that Jesus has returned the whole situation will change for human beings. Our chapters in the book of Revelation describe, symbolically, all the causes of godlessness. We are told sin is "bound …for a thousand years" [Revelation 20:3] and "those who had not worshiped the beast" (the symbol of atheism) came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. [Revelation 20:4] This is a vision of the kingdom to be established when Jesus returns. It is not just a New Testament vision, in Isaiah 55, our second Old Testament reading today, it has a wonderful appeal for all those seeking the reason for their existence, all such they know in their hearts there must be a Creator, all the wonders that are around us could not have come into being by accident! Isaiah 55:6-7 there is this "heart-searching" appeal! "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Some will ask – how do I seek? In Hebrews 11:6 we are challengingly told, "Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Believing in the existence of God is an act of faith! We must recognise that we have just two options! There is either a God, a Creator – or there isn't! We stress again, to believe (!?) that all that exists is the outcome of an enormous series of utterly remarkable accidents is impossible for the really thinking mind to accept! Those who do believe this – are really worshipping "the beast"! What or who are you worshipping?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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