Unusual Commands From God

King James Daily Bible Study Devotional

Message Title: Unusual Commands From God
Date: Monday July 18, 2011
Chapters: Isaiah 19-20, Proverb 18, Psalm 38
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-18
Details of Today's Chapters: The burden of Egypt, looking forward, through desolation to Kingdom blessing with Israel, and the prophecies of the wasting of Egypt and Ethiopia by Assyria.

Hello My Friend/Guest,

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” - II Peter 3:9-14.

The heavens and the earth which now are, will be destroyed by fire, this is as sure to come as Jesus came to earth in the flesh the first time. In the blink of an eye Jesus will be here and when He does all will know that He truly is the Savior and judge of all. Why hasn't He returned yet? God is longsuffering in that none should perish, meaning He does not want to see anyone end up in hell. The word longsuffering means to be patient, not easily provoked, while God could send Jesus in an instant, He is patient, not willing to destroy the earth until every person who believes in His Son is presented before Him without spot. We can not stop His return, but we can be ready for it by making sure we and everyone we know personally knows the Savior.

Through Isaiah God foretold the coming destruction of Egypt, though the land of Egypt had of old been a house of bondage to the people of God, they kept up an alliance with them, which caused many of the Jews to forsake God and turn to them for help. For this reason Egypt would now face God's judgment.

“The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.” - Isaiah 19:1-4.

No nation escapes God's judgment, before Jesus returns, there will be much more destruction, and the cause of the destruction will be the people of that nation themselves. Everything going on in the world today is only the beginning, but no one has to fear His coming. Jesus said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows...But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” - Matthew 24:6-8,13,14.

While God did promise destruction to come upon Egypt, He also foretold their seeking Him and His acceptance of them. At a time which was to come, the Egyptians shall speak the holy language, the Scripture language, not only understand it, but follow it and tell it to others.

“In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them.” - Isaiah 19:19-22.

The Gentile nations shall not only unite with each other in the Gospel under Christ, the great Shepherd, they shall all be united with the Jews. They shall all share in one and the same blessing, meeting at the same throne of grace, and serving with each other, ending all disputes and uniting the hearts of believers to each other in holy love. “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” - I Peter 5:2-4.

Christians speak a different language than the world, those who know Christ, know God's Word, understand it, and teach it to others. Before one can know the language of God, one must know Christ, otherwise it is as a foreign language to them. It is usually when we are brokenhearted and have been afflicted by God that we learn the true meaning of repentance and salvation. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:7-10.

When we are doing as God commands, however strange, foolish, or unusual it may seem, we must trust Him for He truly knows what He is doing and it is usually to ours and others advantage as well. In an unusual attempt to show Israel what was to come of them God had Isaiah dress in some strange attire. He commonly wore sackcloth as a prophet, to show himself mortified to the world. He was to loose this from his loins to wear no upper garments, and to go barefooted.

“In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.” - Isaiah 20:1-4.

By his unusual dress for three years he had been a sign to his own people of the melancholy times that had come and were coming upon them, the Egyptians, and Ethiopians as they would be led away captives by the king of Assyria, thus stripped naked. The same lesson is in force now and where shall we look for aid in the hour of necessity, but to the Lord who removes our shame. The world will often deem believers as foolish, especially when singular in obedience to God, but God will support His servants under the most trying effects of their obedience. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God...For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” - Hebrews 12:1,2,6.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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