Short Reflection from Isaiah 11-23

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟙:𝟙𝟞

"And there will be a highway from Assyria For the 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕟𝕒𝕟𝕥 of His people who will be left, Just as there was for Israel In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt."

God saved only the remnants. There aren’t many who are faithful, only a few. The Bible is about remnants. Narrow Gate, Narrow Way!

Even, there are few faithful Bible readers in this world, in our churches, even in this group! While it is not a sufficient indicator of our salvation or even spiritual discipline, it corroborates the truth that there are only a few faithful people.

Btw, even the world knows that the top of the ladder is never crowded!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟚:𝟙

"Then you will say on that day, ‘I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me.’"

Every night I get to sleep and every morning I get to wake up, it's the sure testimony that God has turned away His wrath upon me, for I don't deserve forgiveness to sleep and to have a new day. But God.

Blessed be His name!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟛:𝟙𝟚

"I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold And mankind than the gold of Ophir."

I would be perishing in this declaration had the Lord not rescued me! The world is complaining about population! A day will come when people will be fewer than gold! Even now in a peaceful time, birth rates are decreasing, and infertility, selfishness, and abortions are knocking off. Diseases can wipe off the population. War can. Natural Disasters can. God shall fulfill what He promised!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟘

"They will all respond and say to you, ‘Even you have been made weak as we, You have become like us.’"

One of the scariest comments in the Bible. The mighty become like the weak. The "pseudo-godly" perishing with the wicked. The rulers suffer with the oppressed.

This is what God will do to the ones who do not fear Him!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟝:𝟝

"My heart cries out for Moab; His fugitives are as far as Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah, For they go up the ascent of Luhith weeping; Surely on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress over their ruin."

Oh! Who will cry for these sinners around: for the Hindus, for the persecutors, or for the homeless beggars in prayer for they are lost and without hope?

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟞:𝟞

"We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false."

God really hates pride. No matter what your assessment is, all sinners are proud ones. In the truest sense, the most prideful Christian is more humble than any unrepentant sinner, be Gandhiji, or whoever!

As long as we are not glorified, we shall still struggle with pride. We are to battle pride every day!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟟:𝟟

"In that day man will have regard for his Maker And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel."

Those who are disappointed, angry, and upset with God do not really know the judgment of God.

I have learned from history and my own experience that as long as we complain, we still have strength in our body. When we are too weak, or too afraid, or too desperate, we have no complaints, we want only deliverance.

God's judgment will be so severe that the people will seek God's intervention.

If you are still complaining in life, I have bad news and good news: worse things will come to you, will beat you black and blue; but the good news is that you will learn to be grateful, and when you do that, you will see the abundant grace of God.

God won't surrender, it's we who have (and will be brought) to surrender. Recall the story of Job.

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟠:𝟜

“For thus the LORD has told me, 'I will look from My dwelling place quietly Like dazzling heat in the sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.'”

Wow! What a picture!

Two comforting truths concerning God:

1. God is not sleeping. He is watching over us.

2. God is not panicking. He is watching us quietly because everything is under His grand plan!

Let's learn to wait on God!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟡:𝟚𝟜-𝟚𝟝

"In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, 'Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.'"

God shall judge everyone accordingly. Those who fear Him will be made to worship Him, to be His people.

Those who neglect Him shall be removed, replaced, and be in ruin!

May we be those who fear Him, who delight in Him!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟘:𝟛

"And the LORD said, 'Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush'"

How many of us would like to be mightily used by God? We are inclined to think of it in positive (famous, powerful) terms. What about, like Isaiah, to live like a beggar? No sandals, no pants for 3 years!

When I signed up for (responded to the call of) the Gospel Ministry 10 years ago, I said yes! But I told God that my wife and children (if I ever get married) might not cope with me like that.

Well, I still haven't heard any answer yet🙂😂 but definitely Psalm 37:23-26 say, "Do not fret!"

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟙:𝟡

"Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs. And one said, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.’"

A time will come when all the gods and goddesses of all the human civilizations will be shattered as they were of Babylon, as it was of the Philistines. God shall be exalted above all names, powers, and thrones!

How blessed to be His people!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟚:𝟙𝟚-𝟙𝟜

"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."

Instead of crying in repentance, they were enjoying self-indulgence. This is what sinners do. The godly weep over their sins and cry out for mercy.

The joy of the Lord is not found in partying. Romans 14:17 says the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking. Joy in the Lord is walking with the Lord, obedient to all His teachings. That's also the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20.

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟛

ℍ𝕞𝕞! 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢!

𝓖𝓾𝔂𝓼, 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓼, 𝓲𝓽'𝓼 𝓸𝓴𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓑𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰! 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓻𝓮𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓸𝓭𝓪𝔂. 𝓗𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻, 𝔀𝓮 𝓶𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓸𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓼 𝓪 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓬𝓲𝓹𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮. 𝓘 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝓲𝓽'𝓼 𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓺𝓾𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂! 😬😂😎👍

Short Reflection from Isaiah 1-10

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[2:59 pm, 01/01/2022] S.R: 𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙:𝟛

"An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand."

Israelites were bought and brought out of Egypt. God is their owner twice: first, He created them; second, He redeemed them from Egypt.

When we say "Lord" to Jesus, we are also confessing His ownership of us. Indeed, Jesus is our Owner, He has bought us with His life.

Pets (cats and dogs) love their owners, recognize their owners, and are happy to be with their owners. Humans who were created specially above all creations have fared poorly in comparison to animals. This is the lament, accusation, and a challenge! Let's know our God, much more, this year through His words!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚:𝟛

"And many peoples 𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝 ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕊𝕒𝕪, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕦𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜 𝕚𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕤." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

Notice the tense. It's future tense. This is what should happen and will surely happen!

Now, look at what they are doing! They love to go temple. They are inviting people. [And how many of us show up to church with friends gladly? Hmm!]

Look at their intention:  They go to the temple to be taught and to obey exactly! [Many professing Christians don't want to be taught. Even when they are taught, they don't learn anything, they don't obey anything nor remember anything! 😬]

Takeaway: Church is not for entertainment, nor for emotional satisfaction, or to meet friends primarily. It's to know the ways of God and walk/obey them!

 

[7:22 pm, 02/01/2022] S.R: @Anipe @Beckham Delhi @Dr Gailiang @Mermie @Gaijuan Delhi @Haoboi Geologist @Lalit Pune @Melody GCD @Pts Amit @Suanlal Delhi @Timothy Guwahati

Dear beautiful friends,

Since none of you have expressed your desire to leave this group even after multiple notifications, you are requested and required to put up your reading update for the next 30 days!

Do you remember Messi and Barcelona? Messi wanted out but had to stay back in Barcelona in 2020. Same Rule! 😎😂

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛:𝟙

"For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah Both supply and support, the whole supply of bread And the whole supply of water;"

It's God who let His city be plundered! Both prosperity and poverty, everything happens under the watch of our sovereign God!

This is God's world! In the words of Luther, even the Devil is God's devil! So, on heydays and doom days, good times and bad times, godly places and wicked places, around good people or bad people, anytime and every time, God is our very present help. He is never far, almighty to save!

[10:41 am, 03/01/2022] S.R: Dear @Beckham Delhi @Timothy Guwahati

It's already a New Year, Day 3, you are reminded, required, and requested to start your update for the next 30 days! 👍🙏

 

𝕀𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜:𝟛

"It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy--everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem."

Why do people want to be mainstream? Why do people want to stick with the majority?

Btw, Christianity is not a religion of the mainstream. It has a narrow gate. Not only the gate is narrow, but the way is also narrow. Not only the gate and way are narrow, but only a few also find them. Even among the few who find them, only a few enter through the narrow gate, the narrow gate to life.

The Bible always portrays God to be a narrow God, a God of remnants! Do you want to have a broad mind? Not in this matter, my friends!

Isaiah wrote that God will purge His city, and only the remnants will be saved, blessed, and prosperous!

Choose to live for God. Only a few among the few do that. You don't need to leave your profession. You can still serve God and glorify God even by killing people (enemies) if you are in legitimate military service. King David thanked God for training his hands to kill his enemies. Olympic gold medalist Eric Liddell ran for God's glory.

Worship God. Acknowledge God. Fear God. All these start with knowing God through His word. That's why we read our Bible every day and put up an update in this group to remind and encourage one another! 👍

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟝:𝟙

"Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill."

Isaiah referred to God as "My beloved." When was the last time you told people that God is your Beloved?

Do we address God with love language? Or do you love your spouse, gf/bf more than God?

Of course, I don't recommend you address God "babe" or "sweetheart" or "Choco-pie" 😬😂

But, let's come up with some loving words! Let's improve our vocabulary and affection for God!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟞:𝟠

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

Isaiah saw the glory of God and that changed him. He, an unworthy guy was made worthy. He, a fearful guy was made courageous.

John Piper was a timid guy, but when He realized the supremacy of the glory of God, he became a preacher!

We need to see the glory of God daily to strengthen our life!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟟:𝟟

Thus says the Lord GOD: "It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass."

Living in this world for quite some years has given me an observation that bad things happen easier and more frequently.

There's even Murphy's Law, which says, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Even the famed movie, Interstellar made a reference to this law, though in a positive light!

However, this verse is a delivering light! God can stop. God can make certain things never happen. Trust God, Ask God, Pray to God, are some of the implications.

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟠:𝟙𝟛

"It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread."

God requires a courageous minister of God. The church needs courageous leaders. Our generation needs courageous people.

One thing I pray to God is to make me a courageous man! A courageous man is a fearful man of God.

Oh! Why fear what the world fears? The world fears government, diseases, power, poverty, insults, oppression, and so on. A man of God would suffer anything because his fear and dread is God. Paul Washer is right in suggesting to pray, "Increase in me to fear Thee!"

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟡:𝟚𝟙

"Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, And together they are against Judah. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out."

One of the recurring refrains in this chapter is "His anger does not turn away," at least 3 times. It reveals the nature of God's justice and judgment! No surprise, only the death of God's Son satisfied the wrath of God!

 

𝕀𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟘:𝟙𝟝

"Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood."

God hates the proud, yes even spiritual pride. Let's guard against pride!

Bible Reading Reflection from Isaiah 58-66

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (FG), a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟝𝟠:𝟜

"Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high."

A great chapter to read before every fasting program! There's an acceptable fasting and meaningless one! There's truth in the saying, "Some prayer will not reach farther than the floor of a chicken coop, not to mention heaven's door."

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟝𝟡:𝟙𝟞

"He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him."

Israel couldn't save itself. They don't even know the right way. And there's none that is interceding for them. There's no hope for Israel. So, God brings Salvation through the Suffering Servant, Messiah, Jesus Christ.

That's the true picture for all of us too. If there was no hope for Israel, what hope do the Gentiles have? And God brings Salvation for us too through Christ. Salvation is only of the Lord!

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟘:𝟙𝟘

"Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you."

This world is a fallen world: trouble, fear, pain, evil, suffering shall go on as long as it exists. A day will come when God will make everything beautiful. That's the hope. We live in hope.

We hope that tomorrow will come. Everything about the future (near or distant) is uncertain. We live by hope every second of our life. We can hope for the distant future too. And more hopeful because it's God who said so. God is wrathful, but merciful too. His mercy is upon those who hope in Him!

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟙:𝟚

"to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn"

If you are a supporter of any team in a football match, you want your team to score more with a goal difference of 2 or more (like 3-1 or 4-2). Not necessarily because you hate the other team, but because you want to make sure that the other team will not equalize it before the final whistle. We want certainty, assurance, confirmation.

Now, read this verse again. God promises not only God's favor upon the righteous but also vengeance upon the wicked. No more wicked to get the upper hand anymore.

BTW, Jesus quoted this of Himself, but He mentioned only the first part because this is the era of His favor to be saved. The second part will come just before the end of the world, the day of vengeance.

Now, the ungodly may prosper, but they will be like red hot charcoal put in the water. They shall vanish in no time soon. In the end, the righteous with God wins, and the universe is theirs!

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟚:𝟛

"You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God."

What a word picture! This is what God has purposed for His people!

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟛:𝟙𝟟

"O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage."

Both the godly and ungodly live in this same world. Both suffered. Both will die. Both committed identical sins. Both went astray. Both hardened their hearts. Both rebelled. Both grieve God. What's the difference? That could be said of Peter and Judas Iscariot.

From a divine perspective, it's God who preserves the other person, despite who they are. From our perspective, the godly acknowledge their sins and their need for God's mercy.

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟜:𝟞

"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Is there hope for mankind? None. Even the best deeds do not come close to God's standard. The best righteous deeds and the worst deeds may be huge in our eyes like a bucketful of water to a spoonful of water, but is there a difference when it is compared to a mighty ocean?

But, when God made a man righteous, his deeds are acceptable to God and will receive a reward for each good deed. Not just action-deeds but avoiding-deeds. When you hold your patience. When you decided to not gossip, to not insult, etc. those are good avoiding-deeds!

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟝:𝟚𝟝

“‘The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,’ says the LORD.”

And this line should have been added as well, "And mosquito shall not bite you anymore"🙂

 

𝕀𝕊𝔸𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟞𝟞:𝟚𝟚

“‘For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘So your offspring and your name will endure.’”

The 66th chapter of Isaiah speaks of the new heaven and the new earth. The 66th book of the Bible also speaks about them.

It's in the 22nd verse of the last chapter of Isaiah. It's in the 21-22 chapters of the last book of the Bible.

If you aren't impressed with the coincidence, just be impressed that heaven and earth will pass away no matter what climate change activists do to preserve the earth. And God will create a new heaven and new earth!

This world is definitely not our home!