Date:
Saturday,
July 25, 2015
Chapters: Isaiah 1-3
Message Title: God's Warnings To A Sinful Nation
Hello My Friend,
The Book of Isaiah is the twenty-third book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains sixty-six chapters. The author of the book is Isaiah and it was written to Judah and all believers. The timeline of these events took place approximately 766 BC to 679 BC. The purpose of the book was to teach correction and reproof to all believers. What we are to learn from the book is that rebellion leads to destruction, but repentance leads to restoration. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” - Isaiah 1:18.
The Book of Isaiah is actually a mirror of the entire Bible. The Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters, the Old Testament has 39 books covering the history and sin of Israel, the first 39 chapters of Isiah cover the same. The New Testament has 27 books describing the ministry of Jesus Christ, including the new heaven and earth, the last 27 chapters of Isaiah describe the same. The book of Isaiah begins with God in deep mourning over the sinful and corrupted state Israel, He pleads with them to change their ways and return to Him before it's too late.
“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” - Isaiah 1:4-6,9,19,20.
If you ever wondered why God allows so much evil to remain in the world, it's because His very own people are living wicked, sinful lives. He's done with chastening them, they must deal with the consequences of their sins on their own. Now, He does want them to repent, in fact, He encourages them to turn from their sin, but He's not wasting His time trying to convince them to do right when they only rebel more. If it were not for His faithful few, who will not bow down to the devil, our nation would be destroyed right now. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” - Romans 1:28,32.
All throughout the Old Testament we learn of Israel falling in and out of sin, getting themselves into trouble, seeking God's help, only to fall worse the next time. God will forgive us a million times if we are truly trying, he knows our hearts and what we are really doing, but He will not be mocked. While He is gracious and merciful, and gives all a chance to repent, there does come a time when He stops. God gives Isaiah a glimpse of Christ, who will judge every one of us.
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” - Isaiah 2:2,10-12,20-22.
What a day it will be when Jesus reigns as our King, and every nation will bow to Him, and live peaceably and uncorrupted for eternity. One way or another, every knee will bow to Christ, and we will give an account of our lives. Those who are saved will account for what they did after they were saved, those who are not, everything including the times they rejected Him. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:11,12.
God was about to take away every bit of support He had given Jerusalem and Judah, the city where He shined was to be completely destroyed. Through Isaiah, God foretells His judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, and encourages them to repent before that day comes. “For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.” - Isaiah 3:8-13.
There is only one person who can save us from judgment, Jesus Christ. When we receive Him as our Saviour we are under His watch and protection, even if we are in the midst of a nation no longer under God. While we will never be cast into the lake of fire, we are accountable for our actions until God takes us to heaven or Jesus comes to get us. People who worship God in vain suffer deeply until they repent, but those who remain faithful to Him will have much more to enjoy we join Him in His Kingdom. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” - Hebrews 10:36-39.
Today's Prayer: God, Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to make the atonement for our sins a permanent one. We no longer have to seek atonement continuously because we are redeemed by the precious blood of Your Son upon our souls. Our redemption does not give us a free pass to live in sin and not suffer for it. Lord, lead us and guide us, help us to seek Your truths and live by them so we can be One Nation Blessed Under God. Put Your hedge of protection around Your faithful, and give us the strength and courage to boldly proclaim Your Son to the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Chapters: Isaiah 1-3
Message Title: God's Warnings To A Sinful Nation
Hello My Friend,
The Book of Isaiah is the twenty-third book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains sixty-six chapters. The author of the book is Isaiah and it was written to Judah and all believers. The timeline of these events took place approximately 766 BC to 679 BC. The purpose of the book was to teach correction and reproof to all believers. What we are to learn from the book is that rebellion leads to destruction, but repentance leads to restoration. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” - Isaiah 1:18.
The Book of Isaiah is actually a mirror of the entire Bible. The Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters, the Old Testament has 39 books covering the history and sin of Israel, the first 39 chapters of Isiah cover the same. The New Testament has 27 books describing the ministry of Jesus Christ, including the new heaven and earth, the last 27 chapters of Isaiah describe the same. The book of Isaiah begins with God in deep mourning over the sinful and corrupted state Israel, He pleads with them to change their ways and return to Him before it's too late.
“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” - Isaiah 1:4-6,9,19,20.
If you ever wondered why God allows so much evil to remain in the world, it's because His very own people are living wicked, sinful lives. He's done with chastening them, they must deal with the consequences of their sins on their own. Now, He does want them to repent, in fact, He encourages them to turn from their sin, but He's not wasting His time trying to convince them to do right when they only rebel more. If it were not for His faithful few, who will not bow down to the devil, our nation would be destroyed right now. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” - Romans 1:28,32.
All throughout the Old Testament we learn of Israel falling in and out of sin, getting themselves into trouble, seeking God's help, only to fall worse the next time. God will forgive us a million times if we are truly trying, he knows our hearts and what we are really doing, but He will not be mocked. While He is gracious and merciful, and gives all a chance to repent, there does come a time when He stops. God gives Isaiah a glimpse of Christ, who will judge every one of us.
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” - Isaiah 2:2,10-12,20-22.
What a day it will be when Jesus reigns as our King, and every nation will bow to Him, and live peaceably and uncorrupted for eternity. One way or another, every knee will bow to Christ, and we will give an account of our lives. Those who are saved will account for what they did after they were saved, those who are not, everything including the times they rejected Him. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:11,12.
God was about to take away every bit of support He had given Jerusalem and Judah, the city where He shined was to be completely destroyed. Through Isaiah, God foretells His judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, and encourages them to repent before that day comes. “For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.” - Isaiah 3:8-13.
There is only one person who can save us from judgment, Jesus Christ. When we receive Him as our Saviour we are under His watch and protection, even if we are in the midst of a nation no longer under God. While we will never be cast into the lake of fire, we are accountable for our actions until God takes us to heaven or Jesus comes to get us. People who worship God in vain suffer deeply until they repent, but those who remain faithful to Him will have much more to enjoy we join Him in His Kingdom. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” - Hebrews 10:36-39.
Today's Prayer: God, Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to make the atonement for our sins a permanent one. We no longer have to seek atonement continuously because we are redeemed by the precious blood of Your Son upon our souls. Our redemption does not give us a free pass to live in sin and not suffer for it. Lord, lead us and guide us, help us to seek Your truths and live by them so we can be One Nation Blessed Under God. Put Your hedge of protection around Your faithful, and give us the strength and courage to boldly proclaim Your Son to the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Subscribe: Daily Devotion
Ready To Follow Jesus?: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
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