Tag: ministry

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Jerusalem Convicted; The Gap; Two Prostitutes: Samaria and Jerusalem

Read: Ezekiel 22-23

We’re nearing the end of the words against Jerusalem through Ezekiel, hard words to read for sure. Don’t miss Ezekiel 22:30 if you read nothing else.

Judgment on Jerusalem’s Sins

Chapter 22 provides a summary and list of offenses found in the holy city of Jerusalem, the choice place for the chosen people.

You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries. Ezekiel 22:3-4

Just in case they wanted to point the blame on the invading armies, Ezekiel makes it personal with eight examples, “in you,” statements: “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood. (Ezekiel 22:6)

  1. In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;
  2. In you they have oppressed the foreigner and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.
  3. In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood;
  4. In you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts.
  5. In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;
  6. In you are those who violate women during their period, when they are ceremonially unclean.
  7. In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife, another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law, and another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.
  8. In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign Lord.

These attributes are part of the people of God. They are graphic and deplorable. I wonder how close they are to contemporary times?

In The Gap

One of the most profound verses in the Bible, wrapped in Ezekiel’s prophecy against Jerusalem,

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. Ezekiel 22:30

Who will stand in the gap? What gap is before you today? In his book, In the Gap: What Happens When God’s People Stand Strong, Wilfredo De Jesús provides a snapshot of nine people in the Bible that stood in the gap. It’s a quick read if you’re interested, probably a sermon series he published, and a good reminder that God calls us to stand in the gaps. Here’s the important piece: we have to see the gaps and be strong and courageous enough to stand with no guarantee of outcome in human terms. We have to deny ourselves for God’s purpose.

Chapter 23 — Two Prostitutes

This is really a harsh chapter to read. I pray that as you read this with young children, God will help you!!

  • Samaria: “Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted. They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her. Ezekiel 23:9-10
  • Jerusalem: “Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister. Ezekiel 23:11

It gets worse, at least R-rated, I’ll let you read the rest, but here’s a preview:

When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister. Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. Ezekiel 23:18-19

Ezekiel must have had few friends in ministry, I can’t imagine people standing next to him as these words were spoken among the people. Did anyone ever say, “great sermon Zeek!” Not likely!

An end to this profanity:

And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands. Ezekiel 23:44-45

I know Ezekiel is using adultery as a metaphor, but for a moment, I want to consider a very real thought on adultery. The atheist would have us believe that there is no morality based on the Bible, that we have merely built rules of acceptability out of some survival instinct. But as we read the Bible we see time and time again the sin of adultery is presented in the harshest of words, in analogy and in reality. God’s desire for marriage is consistently portrayed throughout scripture: one man and one woman, the two become one, to be stronger because of their bond, to share intimacy within the marriage covenant. Adulterous affairs must terribly displease God as they are so often used to make a point. Lord, keep us far from violating the sanctity of marriage.

Don’t let the world sway us from what you have designed from the very beginning. Help us to stand in the growing gap between your desire for your people and the world’s desire to tear us apart.

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Ezekiel Symbolizes the Exile of Jerusalem

Read: Ezekiel 12-14

 

Ezekiel is told to demonstrate what the exile will look like:

“Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious people. Ezekiel 12:3

Most will not understand, most are lost in their own world, but some are paying attention. It must be extremely difficult to go about your daily ministry knowing that most of those around you are not with you.

26 The word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’ 28 “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” Ezekiel 12:26-28

The people think that Ezekiel’s prophecy is for years to come, far in the future, but the Lord assure him that is not the case, then is now.

Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Ezekiel 13:2-3

Every time I read about the false prophets, I have to wonder how the people discerned who was the Lord’s prophet and who was false. There are those in the Christian community that seem fake, self-serving, but who am I to judge? But if they are modern false prophets, should I be silent? The examples we are given here often take years to unfold, in other words, these false prophets go on and on for a long time before they are punished or broken.

Another metaphor is used to describe these false prophets, those who whitewash walls with words the placate the people. The Lord will not let this go unpunished.

So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’ Ezekiel 13:15-16

The penalty for these lies is severe:

By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live. Ezekiel 13:19

Some of these are elders, respected in the community:

“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Ezekiel 14:3

Have I put up idols in my heart? Have I been swallowed up in some sort of self-righteous rage?

How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals! Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. Ezekiel 14:21-22

Ultimately Ezekiel stands among the prophets as one of the major prophets because his calling was true. As for the others, “They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 13:9).

 

 

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Ezekiel’s Ministry Begins with a Vision

Read: Ezekiel 1-3

The world was turning upside down during Ezekiel’s ministry. Major power shifts were in play as Assyrians are defeated by the Babylonians and Medes, then the Egyptians assert their influence as our ancestors were defeated over and over again. It was a particularly bad time to be a prophet, especially on the heals of shifting allegiances in Jewish leadership.

Ezekiel’s target audience was focused on the Jews who were taken captive in Babylon. The NIV Study Bible divides Ezekiel into three parts:

  1. Messages of Judgment against Israel (chapters 1-24)
  2. Messages of Judgment Against the Nations (chapters 25-32)
  3. Messages of Consolation for Israel (chapters 33-48)

God is faithful to the covenant, but punishment is not averted, Israel will suffer great loss as Isaiah and Jeremiah foretold.

The Vision

Ezekiel receives an incredible vision right at the beginning of the narrative, basically chapters 1-3. The imagery described is hard to picture in my mind, perhaps I’m a bit to close to visualizations and graphic design as a technical art and too far from being an artist that can comprehend the detailed description included here.

4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved. Ezekiel 1:4-9

I want to see this thing, but it’s beyond my imagination. I guess I’ve watch too many sci-fi movies! Perhaps the point is that it is impossible to describe–it is simply wonderful and vivid in Ezekiel’s mind, etched in great detail and described as best he could with words.

Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Ezekiel 1:28

The Call

The voice of the Lord spoke to Ezekiel:

“Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. Ezekiel 2:3-5

For they are a rebellious people… I love to point my finger at these rebellious ancestors and pretend I’m not one of them, but I wonder who blind I may be. For the moment, I’ll not wander down that path and stick to the text at hand.

The Lord explains to Ezekiel that he must not rebel, that he must be God’s voice for the people and though they will not receive him kindly, he must simply be the spokesperson, the vessel, that conveys God’s words: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.” (Ezekiel 3:4)

His response to the vision is interesting:

The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord on me. I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed. Ezekiel 3:14-15

I can only imagine, shudder to think, what it must be like to be shown the future then plopped back into the present. To see beyond the veil of that which blinds us to the truth of human thoughts and desire, the selfishness with which I pursue each day. Deeply distressing for sure.

The Watchman

Ezekiel sat there for a week trying to take in the message. Always patient, the Lord speaks to Ezekiel:

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. Ezekiel 3:17-18

Furthermore, Ezekiel was told he could not speak except when the word of the Lord was provided, “Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse” (Ezekiel 3:27).

The clarity of Ezekiel’s mission could not be more precise. I’m not so sure this is a wonderful calling as a watchman, but it is the mantle placed on Ezekiel.

What would happen if we saw the lost in the world with such clarity? Not that I’m envious of Ezekiel’s calling, but I do long to know precisely what I should be doing this day, week, month, etc. Lord, help me to learn from Ezekiel’s commitment to you. Spirit speak to your servant’s heart with images that can’t be described by words, yet soothing to remove the heaviness I feel today.

 

 

 

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Drought, Disaster and Comfort

Read: Jeremiah 14-17

From prayers for relief during a drought to remembering the Sabbath, Jeremiah reminds us to turn to God for all of our needs. He even pauses to ask God for consideration for himself as his ministry is not so popular (to say the least). No doubt there are seasons in our lives when we just want to ask God for some assurance that we’re really doing that which he has called us to do.

There is a period of drought in the land, things are not going well at all,

Judah mourns,
her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.

Although our sins testify against us,
do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.
For we have often rebelled;
we have sinned against you.
Jeremiah 14:2,7

Do something, Lord! How many times have I made that plea? Looking around as everything seems to be going to dust, things are falling apart — do something, only do not forsake us.

This is what the Lord says about this people:
“They greatly love to wander;
they do not restrain their feet.
So the Lord does not accept them;
he will now remember their wickedness
and punish them for their sins.”
Jeremiah 14:10

 

We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
and the guilt of our ancestors;
we have indeed sinned against you.
For the sake of your name do not despise us;
do not dishonor your glorious throne.
Remember your covenant with us
and do not break it.
Jeremiah 14:20-21

It’s somewhat surprising to read the next few verses:

Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! Jeremiah 15:1

Four destroyers will come and winnow the people with a winnowing fork at the city gates; God will not be mocked anymore by the very people he rescued.

Jeremiah continues to preach the message God has given him, but it seems that he is troubled by the response, or lack of response, he gets as a result.

Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth,
a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!
I have neither lent nor borrowed,
yet everyone curses me.
Jeremiah 15:10

I would not want to be Jeremiah! Yet God assures him he will take care of him, though his enemies will increase.

“I will save you from the hands of the wicked
and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”
Jeremiah 15:21

Day of Disaster

From bad to worse, the message simply doesn’t improve: “Both high and low will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, and no one will cut themselves or shave their head for the dead. (Jeremiah 16:6). When the people ask why, the response suggests this is a multigenerational problem:

‘It is because your ancestors forsook me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and followed other gods and served and worshiped them. They forsook me and did not keep my law. But you have behaved more wickedly than your ancestors. Jeremiah 16:11-12

When we look at our current generation and wonder if it could get worse, the words here give me some indication that the answer is yes, it can get worse as the next generation builds on the shaky ground of the current. God’s promise and hope is that of restoration–he will restore his people eventually.

The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
“I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10

Psalm 139 comes to mind (yet again). Search me and know my heart, Lord, but remember that I’m merely a man stumbling along trying to make a way in this world, attempting to make a small difference in the garden I’m planted in.

Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved,
for you are the one I praise.
Jeremiah 17:14

Remember the Sabbath

It’s fitting to end today’s reading with a reminder to keep the Sabbath, words I say to myself over and over again. God is serious about the Sabbath, but our busy lives, well, in the life I have perhaps made so busy, it seems the Sabbath gets little attention. Lord, help me to figure out how to get this rhythm into the weekly routine for my life. I have a lot to learn!

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Sin and Punishment

Jeremiah 8:4-9:26: Sin and Punishment

This rather somber reading may be characterized by Jeremiah 8:11: “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.” So many times I’ve joked at the wrong time and wrong place, words that burned because I didn’t weigh the thought before speaking. I forget how serious ministry is at times, how precious each soul is to God, his great desire to see all come to Christ.

My prayer today is that this will wake us up from our sleep, that we would insert our names in the text and be stirred to action. Read the words, but don’t dismiss them as “they did such and such.” Lord, help me to take this to heart and be changed as a result.

I have listened attentively,
but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent of their wickedness,
saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course
like a horse charging into battle.
Even the stork in the sky
knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush
observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know
the requirements of the Lord.
Jeremiah 8:6-7

May we stop running in every direction, pursuing personal interests rather than working together cohesively. There are many ways to effectively minister to people, but we must be on the same page. We can’t do everything, but we can do that which is most important. Lord, help us to be a community of faith that works together on the course you have plotted.

Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen;
they will be brought down when they are punished,
says the Lord.
Jeremiah 8:12

I am ashamed of my sin, but don’t let me wallow in self-pity, nor allow me to keep on sinning. I am not proud of my transgressions, my sinful thoughts and desires. You, Lord, are perhaps the only one who knows, but that shouldn’t give me peace. Lord, I pray that we develop deep relationships that would allow us to confess our sin to one another in complete trust.

Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
I mourn, and horror grips me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no healing
for the wound of my people?
Jeremiah 8:21-22

As we (Healthy Growing Churches) continue to press hard into the space of helping dying churches, these words are on our hearts just like Jeremiah: “Since my people are crushed, I am crushed.” Our hearts should break for churches that have lost their effectiveness. We don’t stand in judgment, we stand with a sincere desire to help.

There Is A Balm In Gilead, is a hymn I will never forget. Earl Reynolds, a true tenor in our little church choir, sang this song every year during Easter. “There is a balm in Gilead to save the sin-sick soul.” When I’m most discouraged, I want to hear his voice sing this song, I want to be reminded that Jesus did in fact die to save my sin-sick soul. Thank you, Lord, for that experience, the the years that church poured into my soul.

The sad state of God’s chosen people is captured by these visceral words:

“Beware of your friends;
do not trust anyone in your clan.
For every one of them is a deceiver,
and every friend a slanderer.
Friend deceives friend,
and no one speaks the truth.
They have taught their tongues to lie;
they weary themselves with sinning.
You live in the midst of deception;
in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:4-6

There are days when we need a prophet like Jeremiah to show up and remove the covers that hide our thoughts. Why should we be afraid of that concept? Because we know full well that our names would be included on the list. Here’s a thought: let’s change our thoughts and be the church Jesus commanded us to become. Lord, help me take personal responsibility for these words.

12 Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross? 13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. 14 Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.”
Jeremiah 9:12-14

Perhaps this is why the Pharisees were so bent on laws that define laws. They didn’t want to stand accused of forsaking the laws of God, so they created rules about keeping the law. Over the course of many generations they lost sight of their goal, but I can see how they overreacted to the troubles of their ancestors.

In our modern world, it seems we’ve done the same thing with our laws. You can sue anyone for anything, to be sure, and there are regulations and statutes that describe how to enforce the laws–many of which are based on great experience. But here’s the warning: when God is completely removed from our courthouses and a generation is raised that does not know God, new laws will override the old and we, as a people will wander from the ways God has approved. We will relive the words of Jeremiah.

Sadly, this will be our children and our children’s children if we do not correct our course of action. I have no idea how to do this, but it is not beyond the capability of the Lord, however, it must not escape the minds of mere mortals for it seems that God does not favor those who refuse his commands.

We pick up the theme of circumcision of the heart again as we close this morning:

25 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”
Jeremiah 9:25-26

Penetrate our hearts, Lord, and make us new. We can’t do this without you, it’s futile to try, but with your help, Lord, we choose to follow the path you have established.

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Self-Deception

Read Jeremiah 4-5

Jeremiah’s message is direct, blunt and forceful. He is trying to wake the people from their senseless state, God’s people, our ancestors. Hear his relentless words of persuasion that seem to fall on deaf ears:

“Break up your unplowed ground
and do not sow among thorns.
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
circumcise your hearts,
you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire
because of the evil you have done—
burn with no one to quench it.
Jeremiah 4:3-4

 

Circumcise your hearts — permanently change your heart! Yes, it will be painful for a time, but the mark of God will be indelibly marked, you will not forget. When we circumcise our hearts we change from the inside out. In Mark 7:18-23, Jesus explains this clearly:

For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Mark 7:21-23

Change me from within, deep within. Lord, I pray that you will remove all that which defiles us for we know you will uphold you end of the covenant, but we are hard-headed.

“My people are fools;
they do not know me.
They are senseless children;
they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil;
they know not how to do good.”
Jeremiah 4:22

God’s wrath will be swift. Those who listened to the false prophets will be swept away, they will not be able to hide their sin.

“Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
but do not destroy them completely.
Strip off her branches,
for these people do not belong to the Lord.
The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have been utterly unfaithful to me,”
declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 5:10-11

“The whole land will be ruined,
though I will not destroy it completely.
Therefore the earth will mourn
and the heavens above grow dark,
because I have spoken and will not relent,
I have decided and will not turn back.”
Jeremiah 4:27-28

Do not destroy the land completely…some will remain, though these people seem incapable of listening.

The title associated with chapter 5, “Not One is Upright,” aptly depicts the hearts and minds of those who ignore warning and flagrantly oppose God. “Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.” (Jeremiah 5:2) They know how to act, the words and phrases to say, but their actions are far from sincere. They refused to repent and Jeremiah wonders if these were merely fools, but such was not the case.

Those who were reputed as wise, the ones who sat as prophets, had the hardest of hearts and refused to listen.

They have lied about the Lord;
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
we will never see sword or famine.
The prophets are but wind
and the word is not in them;
so let what they say be done to them.”
Jeremiah 5:12-13

Lord, I pray that our words are your words, the we will not be like these prophets, full of wind and no thoughts of you. It’s no wonder Jeremiah’s ministry was one of loneliness. History proves his words were accurate, but no doubt hard to swallow at the time.

“A horrible and shocking thing
has happened in the land:
The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
Jeremiah 5:30-31

“And my people love it this way.” Let that sink in for a while.

This is Sunday morning. All across our country, people will make their way to churches as part of their weekly routine. Some will do this with great sincerity, some out of habit, most will visit church buildings because they “love it this way,” it is convenient. It’s easy to check the box, [_] Went to Church. But the heart was not circumcised. Change didn’t happen. Not because the Jesus didn’t show up, indeed, where two or more are gathered (Matthew 18:20) he is faithful, but did we who stand against this box-checking mentality do something different? Don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t think I have it all figured out, but at the very least, I hope to do more than just fill a position on Sunday morning. Lord, help us to be your church.

 

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Judgment, Redemption, Salvation and Hope

Isaiah 63-66

Today we finish our journey through the book of Isaiah. It’s hard to appreciate the kind of ministry prophets had back in those times. They didn’t publish books or go on speaking tours. In fact, most of the time when they showed up it was more a threat than a treat. The last chapters remind us of judgment and hope, of the time when all will be called to account for the choices made that fly in the face of God.

Isaiah 63:1-6: God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

Thoughts of Revelation 19:11-21 come to mind when reading this first section of chapter 63.

I looked, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm achieved salvation for me,
and my own wrath sustained me.
Isaiah 63:5

The day of judgment will surely come, but I’m in no hurry for that day. Yes, there will be no more pain and suffering and it will be a glorious new dawn for those who have put their faith in Christ. However, for those I dearly love and for the great number who don’t know Jesus, this day will not be welcomed. No, I don’t look forward to this for that reason. Be patient with us Lord and help us to reach out to those who have not accepted your grace and forgiveness.

Isaiah 63:7-64:12: Praise and Prayer

Isaiah’s mini-sermon extols the wonders of the Lord in remembrance and calls out to have his mighty hand return and guide his people.

For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
Isaiah 64:3

I love the notion of this verse, “awesome things that we did not expect.” I’m sure if I were in closer step with the Lord, I’d see how many things happen that we don’t expect. Honestly, I think I’m so focused on my own little world that I miss the glory of God by majoring in the minors, by concentrating on little things that have no kingdom impact.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
for we are all your people.
Isaiah 64:8-9

Please remember, Lord, that we are your clay. Do not be angry when I say stupid things or think thoughts that are misguided. Our intentions are often good and true, help us to align our actions with our words.

Isaiah 65:1-16: Judgment and Salvation

The painful truth of this passage is hard to deny:

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name,
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
All day long I have held out my hands
to an obstinate people,
who walk in ways not good,
pursuing their own imaginations—
Isaiah 65:1-2

“Pursuing their own imaginations…” Such an appropriate depiction of sin that covers so much. Our society in particular encourages such behavior under the banner of inclusiveness. While the concept has worthwhile roots in compassion and understanding, Satan has used this foothold to corrupt many by whispering into ears that whatever feels right is right. The great tempter has misled many this way, feeding into the imaginations of intelligent and powerful people that make those of us who call upon Christ look like fools. My speech is slow, I’m not capable of rapid-fire rebuttal, I guess that why I type slowly each morning, but I pray for salvation and believe God’s hands are at work where I cannot see.

Bless this land, Lord, bless your people again in bold strokes that are inviting to those who are far from you!

Whoever invokes a blessing in the land
will do so by the one true God;
whoever takes an oath in the land
will swear by the one true God.
For the past troubles will be forgotten
and hidden from my eyes.
Isaiah 65:16

Isaiah 65:17-25: New Heavens and a New Earth

I do look forward to this glorious day:

“See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind…

The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.
Isaiah 65:17,25

Isaiah 66: Judgment and Hope

The words of judgment are nothing to be excited about. Those who have fallen into Satan’s trap can be redeemed. There is no denying that we see people every day, that we know of those who have chosen their own self-righteous paths:

They have chosen their own ways,
and they delight in their abominations;
so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring on them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me.”
Isaiah 66:3-4

O Lord, forgive us when we do these things! Help us to reveal this truth to others that don’t see the err of their ways. Give me the right words to guide them back to you. My heart is heavy when I think about your just judgment.

My preference is to dwell on this promise more than the annihilation of those who denied Christ:

For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 66:12-13

Lord, may our message be heard: Grow your church, Holy Spirit, may it stretch across this land and all people be glad. Let this generation be the generation that makes a difference. May we be the people they talk about when the tide was turned, not for fame, but for your glory. You have done it before, Lord, do it again today!

 

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Sin, Favor, New Heavens and New Earth; Beulah Land

Isaiah 59-62

From recognition of my many sins to the image of Beulah Land, through the land of despair and discouragement, today’s reading was a challenge for me for deep personal reasons. God is so faithful as I read this morning. I hoped He would speak to me in these verses and then it happened–nearly the last verse. I end this blog today with wonderful memories of worshiping Him some 25 years ago. I even remembered the names of the leaders, a wonderful couple: Udell and Janet Meyers. I count this as a blessing with the assurance that I will one day worship with endless joy, so I may as well start with joy this morning.

Isaiah 59: Sin, Confession and Redemption

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.
But your iniquities have separated
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:1-2

The mirror doesn’t lie, my sins are ever before the Lord, clear as day, my iniquities are many.

The blindness is frustrating,

Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
Isaiah 59:10

But God was not satisfied to see people lost and lonely. His creation, those he endowed with eternal spirits were too precious to leave in the darkness, so He himself provided a new light:

He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
Isaiah 59:17

Hear the Gospel proclaimed hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus!

“The Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”
declares the Lord.
Isaiah 59:20

Repentance is available to all. No sin is too great. But the world closes eyes to iniquities and makes us believe in our own self-righteousness. God will not be fooled. In our short time on earth, we make choices. I pray we would choose wisely.

Isaiah 60: The Glory of Zion

The very thought of this sunrise is captivating:

“Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
Isaiah 60:4-5

The Lord has arisen and all nations come to him. Hearts throb and swell with joy as Jesus is honored above all else.

Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more;
the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow will end.
Then all your people will be righteous
and they will possess the land forever.
Isaiah 60:20-21

I can’t lie, I am looking forward to the day when sorrows will end. Some days are just difficult.

Isaiah 61: The Year of the Lord’s Favor

Isaiah continues to paint the picture of a glorious future, this is the hope I’m holding onto:

Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
Isaiah 61:7

Everlasting joy, that’s a wonderful promise. Truthfully, I’d take a day full of joy right now! It’s hard to imagine such a time as this when all of God’s goodness is restored.

I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
Isaiah 61:10

My soul will be refreshed, will delight like never before. Moments of joy flutter by in this day and age. The future Isaiah speaks of is worth waiting for and worthy of telling others about. Lord, help me to sense this joy deep inside my heart so it shows in all that I do. Pour joy into my soul this morning. Let your light radiate for others to see.

Isaiah 62: Zion’s New Name

No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:4-5

Years ago, while serving the Air Force in England, we worshipped with a missional community out in the countryside rather than the base chapel (I hardly remember the details), but I do remember Udell and Janet Meyers who lead the ministry for a while there. A godly couple, wonderful people, good times. When they were reassigned (somewhere), we had a musical send off that included the song Beulah Land, by The Gaither Vocal Band. I’d never heard the term Beulah Land before, so I asked Udell. His response was classic: “look it up.” His ministry was more about teaching people to fish than it was about feeding us, though he certainly did both. “But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah.” We sang the song mostly a cappela, five of us with Udell taking lead and I sang low bass. The imagery was wonderful. The memory precious.

Joy filled the hearts of all present that afternoon and for a few hours we smiled at the thought of being homesick for a land we’ve never seen before, a land we’ve only heard about through the words of Isaiah. Thank you Lord for your amazing words through your great servant Isaiah.

Receive today’s benediction, words far better than any I could create:

They will be called the Holy People,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
the City No Longer Deserted.
Isaiah 62:12

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Prophecy Against Tyre: Pride

Isaiah 23

Day two at Exponential East 2017 is about to begin. The Healthy Growing Churches pre-conference was insightful and the opening sessions at Exponential was excellent as always. Words of wisdom from many who have taken on the mantle of ministry, those who have crossed the line and accepted the call to vocational ministry with complete trust that God would provide.

One of the themes I heard between the lines was the need to be humble and get to work doing what God has called us to do. We need to put down the pride that easily invades the heart when God provides the answer to our prayers, when we find success as the world defines it.  and we stop to marvel at the work of the Spirit as if we’re surprised!

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going,
when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
Acts 1:10

Albert Tate reminded us that it’s wonderful to marvel at what the Lord has done, the time has come for us to stop looking up at the sky and get to work!

Today’s reading from Isaiah shows us the mighty city of Tyre in ruins. From the great to the fallen; notoriously wonderful to publicly embarrassed.

The Lord Almighty planned it,
to bring down her pride in all her splendor
and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.
Isaiah 23:9

Tyre was critical to the success of Solomon’s building projects. Through these ports, massive amounts of materials flowed to Jerusalem to build the temple and palace over many years. The wealth and fame that accompanied such success will ultimately take them down. The wonder of such a great city will be put to ruin and “forgotten for seventy years” (Isaiah 23:15).

At the end of seventy years, the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes. Isaiah 23:17-18

Lord, help us to be humble and get to work doing that which you called us to do. Help us to stop looking for fame and fortune during our temporary time on earth and simply do that which you have called us to do. Thank you for the joy that fills our hearts as we get to do your work here.

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Holy, Holy, Holy; Immanuel

Isaiah 6-8 and Psalm 98

The reading today covers a lot of territory: Isaiah’s call to ministry, the infamous prophecy about the birth of Jesus and the warning to trust God above all others.

Isaiah’s ministry to the southern kingdom came at a time when the northern kingdom, a huge number of Israelites, was swept away into exile. Isaiah 6:1 pinpoints the date, “In the year that King Uzziah died,” to give us some perspective of the time in history. King Uzziah (Azariah) ruled the southern kingdom (from 792 to 740 BC) while Jeroboam II ruled the northern kingdom before the Assyrian invasions began (734 and 722 BC).

Isaiah’s call to ministry begins with a vision of God in his throne room; complete submission to the Creator:

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:5-8

I’ve heard this preached many times. The awe and wonder of the Lord of all that takes away the sin of the world. Incredibly amazing. I pray that my response would be like that of Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” Next week, thousands of pastors and supporting ministries will gather at Exponential and no doubt hundreds will hear the call and answer, “Send me” to plant a church, to expand Christ’s church on earth. Many churches will be birthed as a result. It’s an exciting time!

God sent Isaiah to advise Ahaz (Uzziah’s grandson) that the invading forces would fail, those who said, “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” (Isaiah 7:6). The Lord provided this answer:

“‘It will not take place,
it will not happen
Isaiah 7:5-7

The text suddenly switches from a contemporary issue to the future:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,
and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

The Remnant, a consistent theme throughout the prophets, ties the old with the new, the ancient with the contemporary. It also provides a warning that perhaps the masses are not right in their thinking. Following the crowds is obviously not always the best idea; careful consideration is required, great discernment is needed.

And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”
Isaiah 6:13

The ways of the world seem right to many, but they don’t often have a clue. The shocking news, not surprising, is often wrong:

This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me,
warning me not to follow the way of this people:
“Do not call conspiracy
everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,
and do not dread it.
The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
he is the one you are to fear,
he is the one you are to dread.
Isaiah 8:11-13

The call to look to God is the key, to lean on the prompting and teaching of the Spirit is more important than those who shout on the street corners or publish news to sell ads. Focus on God’s word, his teaching.

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