One Body, One Nation

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, July 25, 2016
Chapters: Isaiah 16-19
Message: One Body, One Nation

Hello My Friend,

Right now the people of God are scattered all over the world. Who are we? The saved, born again souls who have accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ as their Saviour. We are not Jews, Greeks, Italians, or Americans, we are one body and one nation, united unto Christ through His blood, and one day, we will all meet together to live with Him in His Kingdom. “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” - I Corinthians 12:11-13.

Sin is what separated God from man, and if you think that His judgment is limited to Israel, whom He has His own dealing with, think again, God judges all nations. Through Isaiah, God continues to foretell the judgment upon the surrounding nations, now we see the judgment of Moab, this was a warning given to get them to see God is in control. Descendants of Lot, the children of Israel had their last encampment there before they entered the land of Canaan, and Moses was buried there. They have always been known for their false gods and idolatry, and it was time they knew the God of the Hebrews is the God of all creation.

“Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail. This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.” - Isaiah 16:3-6,12-14.

“but he shall not prevail.” You know, God does not want to bring judgment upon anyone, in fact, He does not, we do it all on our own because we refuse to acknowledge Him. God did this for two reasons, 1. To show them that, while judgment begins at the house of God, it shall not end there. 2. The God of Israel is the God of all nations. It is always typical for people to start praying when their lives are being threatened, we can pray all we want, but unless we are saved, God will not hear us. People all over the world are in churches representing God and praying, yet none of their prayers are heard because they do not know Jesus as their Saviour. We cannot get to God unless we know His Son. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” - John 14:6.

Now comes the judgment of Damascus, the capital of Syria, and the ten tribes of Israel who turned their backs on Him, but in the midst of judgment, a gracious promise that a remnant would be preserved.

“The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:” - Isaiah 17:1,6-10.

“Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it,” Just as the gathering of grapes or olives will leave a few that are inaccessible at the very top of the branches, only a few of the billions of people on the earth will look to their Maker and be saved. Mercy is only reserved in the midst of His judgment, for His remnant, who are the ones who put their faith and trust in His Son. This remnant shall be made holy, acknowledging God's hand in all things, giving Him the respect and glory due to His name. One day, even Israel will acknowledge Christ and a remnant of them will be saved.

The Jews, at present are cast off because of unbelief, but will in due time as a people be taken into God’s favor again, when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and when Christ returns. Every nation will fall, therefore, every nation is called to observe the judgment that is about to be inflicted upon them. Through Isaiah God tells of the desolation coming of a land or country not known, but also assures His people that He will protect them and give them rest and a dwelling place away from the desolation.

“For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.” - Isaiah 18:4-7.

“a nation meted out and trodden under foot,” Though God’s covenant people are trampled on as a nation, scattered and abused, no nation, however formidable, will be able to swallow them up. Though they are cast down, they are not utterly forgotten of God. This is not just Israel God is talking about, this is all nations, through Isaiah God even foretells the coming destruction of Egypt, but He also gives them some hope as well.

“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 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. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.” - Isaiah 19:1,22-25.

“Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria,” Jews and Gentiles alike shall not only unite with each other in the Gospel under Christ, they shall all be united as one nation. They shall all share in one and the same blessings, come to the same throne of grace, and serve with each other, ending all disputes and uniting the hearts of believers. “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” - Romans 11:26-32.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:” - Isaiah 17:10. Jesus is the Rock of our strength.

Today's Prayer: Jesus, You have never limited Your gift of eternal life to just a certain nation of people, You encourage and invite all who believe in You to receive it. Thank You for making a way for us to not only be saved from hell and destruction, but so that we can communicate with our Father as well. As we are scattered right now, be our voice to find others who want to join us, and be our strength and protection as judgment comes upon all nations. In Your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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