Day By Day - Isaiah 25
By John Horsburgh
Opening Thoughts:
Through the whole book of Isaiah, there is so much that needs to be understood from the picture language used. These short devotions are not the in-depth studies that are needed to seek out every last nuance of meaning, but are here to guide our thinking towards our God and Saviour. For that very reason, I just love the manner in which this chapter opens, as it is simple, straight forward and a lovely expression of worship.
“Oh Lord, thou art my God: I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”
If we did nothing else but study this one verse, it would give us a great start to the day, as we too worship our King and focus our attention on Him.
But to quote those horrid screaming TV ads… “but wait, there’s more…”
Point 1: From V.s 4
“For you have been a strength to the poor, to the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm and a shadow from the heat…” WOW – this, in a time where it was assumed that position, power and fatness were the signs of God’s provision and favour. Later we hear the words of the Christ saying it is harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into God’s presence. As New Testament people, we can read these words from the prophet and be encouraged, not just to listen to them but to put them into practice. Remember that we are His hands and His feet and we should look to the second tier of this word. Yes, He will be a strength to us in our poverty BUT we also need to be as Christ to those around us in their poverty. Yes, He will be there for us in our distress but we also need to be as Christ to those about us in their distress.
Christ has given us so much to be grateful for and we need to make sure that we are not selfish with the grace and goodness He has given to us. Remember the parable of the Talents, are you multiplying what has been entrusted to you or are you burying it?
Point 2: Verses 6-8
In the midst of the Prophet's talk of the destruction of the ungodly, we also find some of these beautiful Messianic prophecies. One of the things I love about the Old Testament prophets is the manner in which their words were layered. On the basest level, it was current and meant something to the people they were speaking to in their own day, but from there it just keeps peeling back and there is substance and meaning that carries on down through the ages finding further fulfilment as history opens up until there is a final completion in the end of days.
I desire to see the day when the veil is lifted from the eyes of all men and we see the true glory of our God; and I find a glorious exhilaration when I reflect on what it will be like to see Him rising in that final victory where death is forever cast down and tears shall be wiped off ALL faces.
Point 3: Verses 9-10
There is a hint for us that this is for a time beyond the time of Isaiah when he says, “in THAT day”. In our day it is so true that, as the church, we have waited for, and are still waiting for, His return. The Jews failed to see the Messiah because they were seeking for a political saviour, a warrior king to triumph over Rome.
We need to be aware of the Lord and keep our eyes open to what He is doing in our own time and to rejoice in the salvation He brings. In vs. 10 we are told that, “in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest.” This mountain is Mt Zion which, in turn, is a reference to God’s people. Before Christ came as the Saviour, Zion was a reference to a specific place which was always symbolic of Israel, but with the New Covenant, there was a dynamic shift in the spiritual realm that required us to understand that Zion was and is God’s spiritual Israel, which now and forever is the Body of Christ. But we also need to know that as we await the final victory of Christ, it comes at the expense of the flesh. Vs. 10 makes a simple statement, “Moab shall be trodden down”. The use of Moab is a reference that the flesh shall be trodden down in order that the spirit can be fully released in praise, worship and rejoicing.
While we are waiting for Him to come again we can start now to build strength into our spirit by feeding it. We are body, mind and spirit but we need to change our emphasis so that we are led by the Spirit, and then the mind and body follow as we focus on God and walk according to His purposes.
Final Thoughts:
So much of this chapter gives us guidance to use in our own lives. The cross brought a major shift in the understanding of God and the change from the natural to the spiritual. Before Christ (B.C.), those who opposed God were seen as the natural enemies and now we understand that, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of the air.”
The time has come for us to fully embrace the truth that we should be a spirit-led people who are committed to doing God’s work for the benefit of the lost, the lonely and the broken. In other words, we are to be as Christ to the world…
Opening Thoughts:
Through the whole book of Isaiah, there is so much that needs to be understood from the picture language used. These short devotions are not the in-depth studies that are needed to seek out every last nuance of meaning, but are here to guide our thinking towards our God and Saviour. For that very reason, I just love the manner in which this chapter opens, as it is simple, straight forward and a lovely expression of worship.
“Oh Lord, thou art my God: I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”
If we did nothing else but study this one verse, it would give us a great start to the day, as we too worship our King and focus our attention on Him.
But to quote those horrid screaming TV ads… “but wait, there’s more…”
Point 1: From V.s 4
“For you have been a strength to the poor, to the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm and a shadow from the heat…” WOW – this, in a time where it was assumed that position, power and fatness were the signs of God’s provision and favour. Later we hear the words of the Christ saying it is harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into God’s presence. As New Testament people, we can read these words from the prophet and be encouraged, not just to listen to them but to put them into practice. Remember that we are His hands and His feet and we should look to the second tier of this word. Yes, He will be a strength to us in our poverty BUT we also need to be as Christ to those around us in their poverty. Yes, He will be there for us in our distress but we also need to be as Christ to those about us in their distress.
Christ has given us so much to be grateful for and we need to make sure that we are not selfish with the grace and goodness He has given to us. Remember the parable of the Talents, are you multiplying what has been entrusted to you or are you burying it?
Point 2: Verses 6-8
In the midst of the Prophet's talk of the destruction of the ungodly, we also find some of these beautiful Messianic prophecies. One of the things I love about the Old Testament prophets is the manner in which their words were layered. On the basest level, it was current and meant something to the people they were speaking to in their own day, but from there it just keeps peeling back and there is substance and meaning that carries on down through the ages finding further fulfilment as history opens up until there is a final completion in the end of days.
I desire to see the day when the veil is lifted from the eyes of all men and we see the true glory of our God; and I find a glorious exhilaration when I reflect on what it will be like to see Him rising in that final victory where death is forever cast down and tears shall be wiped off ALL faces.
Point 3: Verses 9-10
There is a hint for us that this is for a time beyond the time of Isaiah when he says, “in THAT day”. In our day it is so true that, as the church, we have waited for, and are still waiting for, His return. The Jews failed to see the Messiah because they were seeking for a political saviour, a warrior king to triumph over Rome.
We need to be aware of the Lord and keep our eyes open to what He is doing in our own time and to rejoice in the salvation He brings. In vs. 10 we are told that, “in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest.” This mountain is Mt Zion which, in turn, is a reference to God’s people. Before Christ came as the Saviour, Zion was a reference to a specific place which was always symbolic of Israel, but with the New Covenant, there was a dynamic shift in the spiritual realm that required us to understand that Zion was and is God’s spiritual Israel, which now and forever is the Body of Christ. But we also need to know that as we await the final victory of Christ, it comes at the expense of the flesh. Vs. 10 makes a simple statement, “Moab shall be trodden down”. The use of Moab is a reference that the flesh shall be trodden down in order that the spirit can be fully released in praise, worship and rejoicing.
While we are waiting for Him to come again we can start now to build strength into our spirit by feeding it. We are body, mind and spirit but we need to change our emphasis so that we are led by the Spirit, and then the mind and body follow as we focus on God and walk according to His purposes.
Final Thoughts:
So much of this chapter gives us guidance to use in our own lives. The cross brought a major shift in the understanding of God and the change from the natural to the spiritual. Before Christ (B.C.), those who opposed God were seen as the natural enemies and now we understand that, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of the air.”
The time has come for us to fully embrace the truth that we should be a spirit-led people who are committed to doing God’s work for the benefit of the lost, the lonely and the broken. In other words, we are to be as Christ to the world…
Posted in Isaiah