Devotionary

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Ep 834 – Isaiah 47:1-15 Mar 30, 2019

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There's no place for cockiness or arrogance in the life of a Christ-follower. And for anyone who believes in the sovereignty of God, it makes no sense for them to think of themselves as being self-made. Yet, how easy it is to become infatuated with our own significance and over-confident in our own abilities. And this tendency to place far too much weight on our own worth is nothing new. The people of Judah struggled with this same tendency. And, as we'll see in Isaiah 47:1-15, they were not alone. God is going to reveal that the Babylonians were going to struggle with inflated self-worth and a false sense of security. Operating under the sovereign will of God, they were going to enjoy unprecedented military success, defeating virtually every nation who dared to oppose them. Even the nation of Judah would fall before the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, they had no reason to gloat. Their boasting was uncalled for and premature, because God had other plans in store for Babylon. No matter how much success they enjoyed, they were no match for God Almighty.

Ep 833 – Isaiah 46:1-13 Mar 29, 2019

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Judah's very existence as a nation was due to the will of God. If God had not called Abram out of Ur and led him to Canaan, there never would have been a people known as Israel. And the kingdom ruled by Solomon would never have split in two, resulting in the creation of the southern kingdom of Judah. So, as Isaiah continues to deliver his message of repentance to the rebellious citizens of Judah, he attempts to remind them of their total reliance upon God. He was their maker. Without Him, they would not exist. And in Isaiah 46:1-13, God will personally confront the people of Judah, reminding them of His unequalled status as the God of the universe. There are no other gods besides Him. He has no equal. In fact, God has already addressed the unparalleled nature of His existence. Back in chapter 40, Isaiah records God's rhetorical question: "To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" And here in chapter 46, God reiterates His incomparable nature, reminding the people of Judah that He has made them, and that it is He who will bear, carry, and save them.

Ep 832 – Isaiah 45:14-25 Mar 28, 2019

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Sometimes we think of the gospel as being relegated to the pages of the New Testament. But the good news of God's redemptive plan for mankind is found throughout the Bible, from the pages of Genesis to the closing chapters of the book of Revelation. God's plan for the world and its inhabitants is redemptive in nature. God created all things for His glory, including man, and He will not be satisfied until all creation worships Him for who He is: The One True God. And in Isaiah 45:14-25, God reveals that a day is coming when all men will acknowledge Him as God. In the meantime, the world continues to reject His Lordship and substitute Him with a wide array of false gods and unreliable saviors. The people of Judah had turned their backs on God and were suffering His judgment as a result. But God wanted them to know that He would remain faithful to them in spite of their unfaithfulness to Him. He was going to redeem them and restore them to a right relationship with Himself. And He wanted them to know that the day was coming when all nations would honor Him as the one true God.

Ep 831 – Isaiah 45:1-13 Mar 27, 2019

Show notes

Everybody has opinions and most of us have no problem sharing them – even with God. Let's be honest, there are times when we find ourselves at odds with what appears to be God's will for our lives. And when things happen that we don't particularly like, we are quick to let God know. We even give Him unsolicited advice on how to the remedy the situation. But in Isaiah 45:1-13, God is going to let the people of Judah know that His will for their lives is not up for debate and He doesn't require their permission or approval. God is all-knowing and so, He is never at a loss as to what to do. He never finds Himself stymied by a problem and in need of advice. He is never surprised or caught off guard by the events surrounding our lives. He is in control of all things, at all times – even those things that we see as unwelcome and of no apparent value. In the case of Judah, God was even going to use an unlikely source to accomplish His will regarding His people: The pagan king of a foreign nation. He will even refer to this king as His servant. And while none of this made sense to the people of Judah, it was the sovereign will of God Almighty.

Ep 830 – Isaiah 44:21-28 Mar 26, 2019

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No one likes to be forgotten. Whether it's remembering our birthday or noticing when our presence is missing, we all want to be remembered. But there are those times when we can feel neglected or simply taken for granted – as if we don't really matter. But in Isaiah 44:21-28, God wanted the people of Judah to know that He had not forgotten or forsaken them, in spite of all that was happening to them. It was only natural for them to assume that the presence of the Assyrian army in their backyard was a sign that God had abandoned them. It appeared as if He had turned His back on them. But He wanted them to know that He was there and that He cared. Yes, He was punishing them for their sin and rebellion, but He was not giving up on them. And in these verses, we have a series of powerful statements from God, designed to remind His people of His persistent presence in their lives throughout the centuries. The same God who created the heavens and the earth had formed them into a nation. And while defeat and exile was in their immediate future, restoration and redemption were part of God's long-term plan for them

Ep 829 - Isaiah 44:9-20 Mar 25, 2019

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They say, "Ignorance is bliss." They also say, "What you don't know can't hurt you." But both of aphorisms, while containing a degree of truth, are actually quite deceiving. Ignorance can actually be quite painful. Not knowing that touching a hot stove can result in a nasty burn can leave a toddler vulnerable to harm. And ignorance of a topic doesn't provide you with some magical protection from pain. I may not know that others are spreading lies about me, but when the news finally reaches my ears, it will be just as painful as if I had heard it first-hand. In Isaiah 44:9-20, God is going to confront the people of Judah about their ignorance concerning idols. They were seemingly blind to just how ridiculous their love affair with false gods really was. So, God goes out of His way to expose the absurd nature of their infatuation with false gods. Yet, they couldn't see it. They were ignorant of it. So, they just kept doing it. Sin has a way of deluding us and destroying our ability to see reality. They could take a single log and use part of it to create a god to worship, and another part to create a fire for warmth. And never see the absurdity of it all.

Ep 828 – Isaiah 44:1-8 Mar 24, 2019

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Anyone who has spent much time in and around the church, recognizes the significance of the term, "Redeemer." It's a common term, most often used in reference to Jesus Christ. He is the one who died on the cross, offering His Himself as a substitute for sinful mankind. In so doing, He provided a means of redemption for sinful men and women, offering them the opportunity to be freed from their captivity to sin and death. But redemption, while a familiar concept to most Christians, is not always fully appreciated or understood. And in Isaiah 44:1-8, God is going to reveal Himself as the Redeemer of the people of God. Despite their deception, lies, and dependence upon their own human effort, God would one day redeem them. The redemption of sinful man by a holy God is not something we should take lightly or treat flippantly. God doesn't have to redeem. He is not obligated to rescue sinful men. But He chooses to do so because He is a faithful, loving God who wants to manifest His glory and magnify His name among the nations of the world.

Ep 827 – Isaiah 43:14-28 Mar 23, 2019

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There's something about newness that appeals to all of us. Who doesn't love that new-car smell or enjoy seeing a newly released movie you've been dying to see? And while some of us don't mind the status quo or business as usual, most of us would prefer the new-and-improved over the tried-and-true every time. And in the 43rd chapter of Isaiah, verses 14-28, God is going to tell the people of Judah about something new He is going to do. They were mired in their same old habits of sin and rebellion. As a result, they were suffering the righteous judgment of God. In other words, they were going through the same old thing their ancestors had experienced. It was a case of déjà vu. But God was letting them know that He had plans in store for them that they would never have guessed. He was going to do something new. This merry-go-round of sin, rebellion, judgment, and restoration was going to one day come to an end. Their treadmill-like existence, running fast but never getting anywhere, was about to be replaced with something new and exciting. Something they didn't deserve, couldn't earn, and would hardly believe when it happened.

Ep 826 – Isaiah 43:1-13 Mar 22, 2019

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Sadly, in our modern-day context, saviors are like opinions – we all have one. And in some cases, we have saviors for virtually every circumstance and day of the week. But in Isaiah 43:1-17, God is going to remind His chosen people that they were to have no other saviors but Him. He was the one who had called them and set them apart as His own. He had showered them with His grace and mercy, redeeming them from slavery in Egypt and providing them with a land they could call their own – a land flowing with milk and honey. In other words, overflowing with natural resources and filled with the presence of God. But over the years, the people of Judah had decided to seek out their own saviors – in the form of false gods, military alliances with pagan nations, and an assortment of not-so-godly kings and leaders. But when all was said and done, God wanted them to understand that He was their only Savior. And He had promised to one day send His Son as the Servant/Savior who would rescue and redeem them once again. This time, not out of physical slavery in Egypt, but out of spiritual slavery to sin and death.

Ep 825 – Isaiah 42:18-25 Mar 21, 2019

Show notes

I sometimes refer to myself as being in God's remedial school for slow learners. It just seems that God keeps holding me back, not allowing me to move on to the next grade level because I haven't quite picked up the lessons He wanted me to learn. Sometimes, this is just a case of stubbornness on my part, not stupidity. And the nations of Israel and Judah suffered from the same tendency. As we read the Old Testament history of God's interactions with His chosen people, we can't help but notice that they seemed to go through the same painful lessons over and over again. But they never seemed to learn. And the book of Judges provides one of the greatest illustrations of the cyclical tendency of the people of Israel. They would sin and then suffer the consequences. That prompted them to cry out to God, who would send them a rescuer in the form of a judge. God would redeem and restore them. But, in a matter of time, the people would rebel again and the cycle would repeat itself. Ad nauseum. And in Isaiah 42:18-25, we have the serial unfaithfulness of Judah juxtaposed with the faithfulness of God.

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