July 18, 2012

He Casts Down the Unassailable City (7/18)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 23-27.

The following passage speaks of God’s judgment against the mighty Babylon, reminding us of the need to trust in the Lord.

“Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock. For He has brought low the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust” (Isaiah 26:4-5).

Man tends to place a lot of confidence in his own strength and accomplishments. The city spoken of here was supposedly “unassailable.” The people of the city may have felt very secure. Opposing armies that might have considered attacking the city may have seen it as a daunting task. But even a city that is thought to be “unassailable” is not totally secure.
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July 17, 2012

“Let Us Eat and Drink, For Tomorrow We May Die” (7/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 18-22.

Judgment was coming against the people of God. Yet instead of this warning being met with careful self-examination and repentance, the people ignored it and acted as if nothing was wrong and nothing would happen.

“Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, to shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth. Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.’ But the Lord of hosts revealed Himself to me, ‘Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you until you die,’ says the Lord God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:12-14).

Interestingly, these people recognized the brevity and uncertainty of life. They knew that though they were here today, they could be gone tomorrow. Yet their response to this reality was feasting and revelry as if there was no more to look forward to past this life.
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July 16, 2012

Taunt Against the King of Babylon (7/16)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 13-17.

God was going to use the kingdom of Babylon to punish His people (Isaiah 13:1-16). After this, the Medes would rise up against Babylon and would overthrow it (Isaiah 13:17-22), resulting in God’s people being released from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 14:1-3). The people were then instructed to “take up this taunt against the king of Babylon” (Isaiah 14:4). Part of this taunt was meant to ridicule the arrogance of Babylon.

“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth. You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15).

The leaders of Babylon had tried to put themselves in the place of God. They failed, and God overthrew them. However, this attempt was nothing new. Babylon had its beginnings in an attempt to ascend up to heaven and occupy the place of God.
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July 13, 2012

Those Who Guide This People Are Leading Them Astray (7/13)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 27; Isaiah 9-12.

“For those who guide this people are leading them astray; and those who are guided by them are brought to confusion. Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men, nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; for every one of them is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out” (Isaiah 9:16-17).

God’s people were in a wicked and sinful condition. The Lord indicted the spiritual leaders of the people as being the ones who led them astray. The Scriptures show us repeatedly that those who teach and those who hold positions of leadership will be held accountable, not only for their own sins, but for how they have influenced others (Ezekiel 3:17-21; Hebrews 13:17; James 3:1). These leaders had led God’s people into apostasy and would have to answer to Him for it.
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July 6, 2012

"Each Shall Be Put to Death for His Own Sin" (7/6)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25.

Amaziah became king of Judah after his father, Joash, was killed. When an appropriate time came, he punished those who were guilty of killing his father.

“Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his hand, that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father. But the sons of the slayers he did not put to death, according to what is written in the book of the Law of Moses, as the Lord commanded, saying, ‘The fathers shall not be put to death for the sons, nor the sons be put to death for the fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin” (2 Kings 14:5-6).

Amaziah could have reacted emotionally, rather than according to the Law. It would have been easy to do so since it was his father that had been killed. But rather than overreact and kill the children of the guilty men, he killed only those who were guilty. This was in keeping with the law (Deuteronomy 24:16).
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May 29, 2012

The Lord Sees and Knows (5/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Kings 1-2; Psalm 37, 71, 94.

David begins Psalm 94 by asking God to take vengeance upon those who show their contempt for the Lord by abusing others.

“How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult? They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; all who do wickedness vaunt themselves. They crush Your people, O Lord, and afflict Your heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger and murder the orphans. They have said, ‘The Lord does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed’” (Psalm 94;3-7).

The oppressors that David describes believe they can mistreat others without penalty. As long as they have the ability to abuse others, they have no sense of morality that restrains them and no fear of God that would keep them from acting so wickedly. They believe that God will not see their actions; therefore, they are free to do as they please. However, David made it clear that this was not the case.
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May 18, 2012

"Examine Me, O Lord" (5/18)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Psalm 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64.

David placed his complete trust in the Lord and relied upon Him for help in times of trouble. He regularly referred to his integrity as a reason why God should help him, even inviting God to examine him to prove his faithfulness.

“Examine me, O Lord, and try me; test my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.

“I do not sit with deceitful men, nor will I go with pretenders. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. I shall wash my hands in innocence, and I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving and declare all Your wonders” (Psalm 26:2-7).

What if God examined us? What would He find?
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