Ezekiel 32 - Live By The Sword; Die By The Sword

We read, yet, another chapter declaring Egypt's destruction. She has killed many by the sword and she will die by the sword. Assyria will be the sword that causes her such great destruction.

So much killing. So much destruction. Often, I hear how the world has gotten so much worse that we must be near the end of time. But, read the Old Testament and you will see that humans have always been violent. We have lusted after more of everything: more wealth, more power, more military strength. We have always served false gods. We have always tended to be prideful. We have caused our own problems and our own demises. We have not served the one true God. We have not listened to His will for humankind.

May God have mercy and bring to this world a peace wherein we can live together without destroying each other and ourselves. Those who live by the sword risk dying by the sword. Trouble begets trouble. That, my friends, is a no brainer... Be kind to one another so that you might live in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 31 - Trees Falling

"Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
    with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
    its top above the thick foliage." (Ezekiel 30:3 NIV)

Pharaoh is warned, even though Egypt stands tall like a tree towering over everything; Assyria once stood even taller. But, for its pride it came crashing down at the hand of God. So shall Egypt fall.

There was a huge pine, over 80 feet tall, not many feet from our home. It was a beautiful tree, towering above the others. It existed until this summer. It had grown so large that we knew if it ever fell that there would be nothing left to our home. It had grown too big and had become a danger. We had it taken down this summer so that it would not come crashing down on us. Sometimes God's people (and governments) get too big... We are in danger of causing others harm and God has to cut us down to size (prune us) or let us crash where we can do the least harm to others. 

Again, those who have ears, hear the warning from Proverbs: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 36 - Let The People Hear The Truth

Again, Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem are warned that because they falsely trust Egypt to save them, they will be overthrown by Assyria. The commander of Assyria provides this warning and threat. He reminds them that it is their own God, who is turning them over to them because of their infidelity. The commander tells them, boldly and in front of all the people, "Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it." (Isa 35:10 NIV)

Now the leaders of Israel would really prefer that this commander were speaking in another language, in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, so that the ordinary people would not hear and understand the dire straights that they were in. But, the commander refuses. The people are going to hear. If they are going to suffer the same judgment as their leaders than they really should have a heads up on what is going on and what is coming!

That goes not only for that day, but for ours as well. I believe that we have a right to know what our government is planning. I believe we have a need to know about potential threats and what our government plans to do about it. Listening to the news, as I cleaned house last night, I could not help but think that we have a few too many government agencies who are doing top secret things that maybe we (the people) should know more about before they even begin these activities. Top Secret is beginning to sound more akin to doing something that the people may not approve of or maybe God does not approve of, so lets keep it a secret so the ordinary people don't know what trouble we are leading them into.

As most of you know, the media can drive me nuts at times. They seem to do a lot of surmising without a lot of facts. However, it is beginning to be revealed that this surmising sometimes brings out truth that would otherwise be hidden from the ordinary people, the average voter. It reminds me of the commander of the Assyrian Army speaking to the leaders of Israel in full hearing of the people on the wall and telling them that the people need to know so that they can understand the consequences of the leaders' decisions. Some of the decisions being made today appear to have some possible far reaching possibilities for negating the constitutional freedoms and rights of the people. There may be many consequences for us all that we have not even begun to imagine by trusting in a government before trusting in God.

This morning, as detestable as some of the things I hear on the news is (and some of it sadly is mere gossip), I am thanking God that there are whistle-blowers out there who report on not so constitutional activities of the government and a media that is not afraid to report it.

May we all be so truthful so that we can all be prepared for whatever may befall us in our tomorrows.

God's Peace - Pr. J

BTW - did you notice how in the face of internal problems with our own government, we don't hear so much about North Korea? Why is that, I wonder?

Sorry if I offend anyone this morning. As a reminder, this blog, is to remind you to read the chapter for the day and I will comment as it stirs up thoughts in my own heart and mind. These are my thoughts this morning....

Isaiah 32 - Fruit Of Christ's Righteousness Is Peace

Our Worship and Music Committee spent a little bit of time after Worship yesterday selecting hymns for the months of July through September. "When Peace Like A River" was selected as a favorite hymn for most of the month of September.  A few of those lessons during September are pictures of anything but peace. Even as we thought about changing the hymn, we remembered that the peace that Christ brings is not the same peace that the world strives for. The peace of God is more like a calmness of heart or spirit in the midst of a storm. There may be trouble in the world, but there is peace within the one who knows Jesus.

It doesn't sound so good for Israel. Isaiah prophecies a storm. There is trouble brewing. The Assyrians will definitely bring chaos to the complacent people of the land who have felt secure in themselves. They may as well get rid of their fancy clothes now and beat their breasts for a storm is about to rage in on them.

But, there is hope. A king is coming (in our case has come and will come again). He will reign with righteousness and justice. He is our refuge in all storms. And... as the LORD promised through Isaiah:

"The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
his righteousness live in the fertile field.
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest.
Though hail flattens the forest
and the city is leveled completely,
how blessed you will be,
sowing your seed by every stream,and letting your cattle and donkeys range free." (Isa 32:16-20 NIV)

Peace is the fruit of the righteousness of Christ. We know peace within when we know Christ, even if and while the world is in a raging war.  

God is our refuge and strength. He is the peace that has reconciled us to Him and the whole Body of Christ. The world cannot do this. Only the righteousness of Christ can.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 31 - The LORD Alone Saves

Again, we hear that those who trust in Egypt rather than God for their salvation from the Assyrians will fall.

But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God;
their horses are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped will fall;
all will perish together. (Isa 31:3 NIV)

All of the shepherds in the world will not be able to save God's people from the roaring lion (Assyria). There is only One who can save them. That is the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. Assyria will indeed fall, just as all who come against God's faithful people will fall. They will not fall by any plan of man, but because that is the lot of those who continue to refuse God's will.

How about you? How about your community? Is it the LORD's will that you are concerned about or is it man's will? Be aware! Do not encourage or enable those who choose their own way over the LORD's Way. I say it again:  there is only one way.  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6)

Return to the One you have so greatly revolted against. Reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made. (Isa 31:6-7) Return to the LORD and dwell under the shelter of His wings. (Psalm 61:4)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Isaiah 20 - By Word and Deed

Those of you who have heard my sermons have heard this exhortation quite often: "Go and proclaim the Good News by both word and deed."  The Gospel needs to be proclaimed so that other might hear and believe. But, in proclaiming it with our lips our actions need to fit what we preach. Our lifestyles are reflections of what we say. Others hear not only what we say, but what we do.

Prophets often took this "doing what you speak" to the extreme. According to God's word to Isaiah, the prophecy against Egypt and Cush was to be lived or acted out by Isaiah. He was to strip himself of the sackcloth and sandals that he wore as the prophecy that "the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt’s shame." (Isa 20:4 NIV)

I'm thinking that none of us quite measure up to being the dedicated and faithful servant of God as Isaiah was; none of us will probably be asked to strip as a sign that our enemies will be overthrown and shamed. I'm not sure how Isaiah managed it. But, I'm quite sure we'd be arrested long before three years was up and locked away someplace for some time to come.

While we may not be as zealous as some of the prophets called by God, that does not negate the fact that we have been called by God and are to share the good news of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ to people near and far. We do this with word and deed. We do this by sharing the story with those who would hear and by living our new life in Christ for all to see.

And, we are zealous about it. Maybe, not as zealous as Isaiah; but we zealously share this good news because it is Good News, indeed!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 19 - Brother Betray Brother or Peace?

Assyria had been warned and so today it is time to read the warning the LORD gave to Egypt, as well. The LORD is coming to Egypt. "See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear. 'I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian— brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.'" (Isa 19:1-2 NIV)

The Egyptians have turned their backs on God and against God's people. He, apparently, has determined to save some of them. Trouble is coming. Ultimately, five cities come to swear their allegiance to God, while others continue in their descent as they consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.

It is not uncommon that people who serve different gods come to have differences, even disputes. They will, even within families, betray one another in order to hide their own guilt, to justify worshipping their false gods. When Jesus entered the scene, was he not hated by the "religious" people of the day - the people who lifted the law and their own righteousness before God? Jesus' own people turned against him.

And... so it will be with those who follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death." (Matt 10:21) We will not be loved by all. We will, in fact, be hated by many. Our presence is a reminder that Jesus is LORD and not everyone is willing to accept that. They prefer to be their own gods, masters of their own destinies. There are many, even within our own families, who would betray us in order to try to hide or destroy the truth that Jesus Christ is our LORD and Saviour. He is the LORD of all the earth.

There is good news to be heard regarding the prophecy against Egypt. Egypt, Assyria and Judah, together will be blessesd.

"In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.'" (Isa 19:23-25)

May the LORD bless and keep you all in the unity found in Jesus Christ, our LORD.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

P.S. Yes,things like unity and reconciliation with one another is a gift from God. It is not something that can be conjured up by man. That kind of peace will not last. No matter how hard we try our own attempts at peace seem to only bring more division and dissenion. We are only truly united through the blood of Christ, an everlasting covenant.