Isaiah 7

Plot against Jerusalem verse 1

And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz – son of Jotham

son of Uzziah = king of Judah – that Rezin – the king of Syria

Pekah – son of Remaliah – king of Israel

went up toward Jerusalem to war against it

BUT could not prevail against it

People of Jerusalem fearful verse 2

And it was told the house of David – saying

Syria is confederate with Ephraim

And his heart was moved – and the heart of his people

as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind

Isaiah instructed to find King Ahaz verse 3- 6

THEN said the LORD unto Isaiah

Go forth now to meet Ahaz – you – Shear-jashub your son

at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway

of the fuller’s field

And say unto him

Take heed – and be quiet – fear not

neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these

smoking firebrands

for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria

and of the son of Remaliah

Because Syria – Ephraim – son of Remaliah

have taken evil counsel against you – saying

Let us go up against Judah – and vex it

and let us make a breach therein for us

and set a king in the midst of it

even the son Tabeal

Isaiah given a message for King Ahaz verse 7- 9

Thus says the Lord GOD

It shall not stand

neither shall it come to pass

For the head of Syria is Damascus

and the head of Damascus is Rezin

and within threescore and five years

shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people

And the head of Ephraim is Samaria

and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son

If you will not believe – surely you shall not be established

Isaiah sent a second time to King Ahaz verse 10- 11

Moreover the LORD spoke again unto Ahaz – saying

Ask you a sign of the LORD your God

ask it either in the depth – or in the height above

King Ahaz refused to ask for a sign from the LORD verse 12

But Ahaz said

I will not ask neither will I tempt the LORD

Isaiah gives the sign from the LORD: birth of a child verse 13- 16

And he said

Hear you now – O house of David

Is it a small thing for you to weary men

but will ye weary my God also?

THEREFORE the Lord himself shall give you a sign

Behold a virgin shall conceive – and bear a son

and shall call his name IMMANUEL

Butter and honey shall he eat

that HE may know to refuse the evil

and choose the good

For before the child shall know to refuse the evil

AND choose the good

the land that you abhor shall be

forsaken of both her kings

Isaiah informs King Ahaz that Assyrian is coming verse 17

The LORD shall bring upon you – upon the people

upon your father’s house – days that have not come

from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah

even the king of Assyria

LORD uses Assyria as a tool of judgment verse 18- 20

AND it shall come to pass IN THAT DAY

that the LORD shall hiss for the FLY that is in the uttermost

part of the rivers of Egypt

and for the BEE that is in the land of Assyria

And they shall come – and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys

and in the holes of the rocks – upon all thorns – upon all bushes

IN THAT SAME DAY shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired

namely – by them beyond the river – by the king of Assyria

the head – and the hair of the feet

and it shall also consume the beard

Judgment will affect the land of Israel verse 21- 25

And it shall come to pass IN THAT DAY

that a man shall nourish a young cow – and two sheep

And it shall come to pass

for the abundance of milk that they shall give

he shall eat butter

for butter and honey shall every one eat that is

left in the land

And it shall come to pass IN THAT DAY- that every place shall be

where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings

it shall even be for briers and thorns

With arrows and with bows shall men come thither

Because all the land shall become briars and thorns

And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock

there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns

BUT it shall be for the sending forth of oxen

AND for the treading of lesser cattle

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. (8252 “quiet” [shaqat]] means be calm, be undisturbed, to rest, be still, tranquil or undertake nothing.

DEVOTION: The city of Jerusalem was under attack. The LORD sent Isaiah to calm King Ahaz. With an army coming to defeat the city he was concerned about his safety. Isaiah gave a message from the LORD that there was not going to be an invasion.

Isaiah gave the message of the LORD to Ahaz. The LORD wanted him to take heed to what Isaiah said and not to worry. HE wanted Ahaz to trust in HIM to deliver him from these armies. HE wanted him to rest in the fact that the LORD was stronger than any enemy.

In fact, HE compared this invading army to a fire that was made up of more smoke than flame. It was just a weak fire. It had no power to burn anything up. These kings had no power to defeat the LORD.

When we face trials we need to realize that the LORD is stronger than any force the enemy can send our way. HE will provide a way to escape any temptation. HE will give us the strength to face any problem HE sends our way to cause us to grow. HE promises to never leave us or forsake us. We are HIS children. HE cares for us.

Are there going to be days when we think that an enemy is coming into our life that seems too powerful for us to defeat? YES! If we understand the examples of those who faced enemies like David facing Goliath. We know that it takes more power than we have to defeat our giants.

Remember prayer is necessary to defeat our giants. When we pray we show our dependence on the LORD. HE wants us to show this. HE has promised that HE will be with us through every trial HE allows in our life. HE never breaks HIS promises.

So we need to be calm in every storm that comes into our life. HE wants to give us the peace that passes understanding that the world can’t understand but we can because we know who we are depending on.

CHALLENGE: Trusting in the LORD when there are giants at the door shows those who doubt our LORD that HE can be trusted. It is our witness to the world that God is real. Be calm during your present storm.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. (5254 “tempt” [nacah] means test, try, prove, venture or make a trial.)

DEVOTION: Here we have a king of Judah that is not walking with the LORD and Isaiah comes to him to give him encouragement. However, it is not in his nature to ask the LORD for help. He tells Isaiah that he would never put the LORD on trial. It was a lie.

His problem was that he didn’t want to follow the LORD and he didn’t want to ask the LORD for anything. He had his own plans and was going to work his own life his own way. It was the statement of a man who didn’t love the LORD but was leading the LORD’S people in the wrong direction.

Too often we find that there are many in our churches who have a challenge in front of them and they don’t want to look at the way the LORD wants to lead them in this challenge. They want to handle it in their own way and in their own time. Most if these individuals are not genuine believers. Some are believers who have not learned to trust the LORD in every situation.

We need to watch our attitude toward the LORD if we are genuine believers. We need to ask HIM for help in all of our challenges instead of trying to do it our way without HIM. HE should be the first way we turn in every situation. HE doesn’t want any false righteousness but HE wants genuine righteousness.

CHALLENGE: Are you willing to prove the LORD when you are facing a challenge HE has sent your way? Are you working with the LORD first?

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (5959 “virgin” [almah] means a lass, damsel, maid, or young woman.

DEVOTION: Isaiah was to offer Ahaz a sign from the LORD. Ahaz refused to ask for a sign from the LORD. He thought it was something wrong to do because others had asked for the wrong reasons. The problem was that the LORD offered a sign and so HE wanted to give a sign that HE was going to take care of the nation.

The LORD gave a sign anyways. Isaiah was showing what would happen to these two kings that came up against Judah. The LORD was going to defeat them. Assyria was going to invade Syria before the son was old enough to know the difference between good and evil. There would be a birth in the time of Isaiah to fulfill this promise from the LORD to King Ahaz.

A young woman who was married having a son by her husband is represented in this birth. However, when Matthew quotes this verse from Isaiah, there was no male relationship with Mary.

The Bible states, that “before” Mary and Joseph came together she was with a child from the LORD. It also states that Joseph was told to take Mary as his wife but not know her in a marital sense until after the baby was born.

So here we have a prophecy that has a double fulfillment. It was fulfilled in the time of Isaiah but also fulfilled in the time of Christ. The sign was meant for both occasions.

Isaiah will have many more references to the coming of Christ and HIS ministry. His book is called the “gospel of the Old Testament.” Those who witness can quote verses from Isaiah to tell others of the need to be a follower of Immanuel. This is especially good when witnessing to those who are Jewish.

Are we learning all we can to be good witnesses for the LORD? We celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas time because it is the main reason for celebrating. Without Christ we have no reason to celebrate. We also celebrate the resurrection of Christ because without a risen Savor we don’t have a message to share. Remember to praise HIS name all year long.

CHALLENGE: Studying prophecy helps us understand that God has a plan and is working HIS plan in our world. Share these truths with others.

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: 15 Butter and honey shall HE eat, that HE may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. (3988 “refuse” [ma’ac] means despise, abhor, become loathsome, to reject with contempt, or being in a state of having feeling of aversion or great displeasure)

DEVOTION: Isaiah’s second wife had a son that they named “Immanuel” which means God with us. This was to remind Ahaz that the LORD was with the children of Judah and with those who were following the LORD.

The “butter and honey” was representing the diet of Judah after the invasion of Judah by Assyrians. So, they were able to eat in spite of the enemy being at their doorstep. The LORD was providing.

This birth strengthened the king to trust in the LORD even while the invasion was coming. God was with them and they would know it if they were willing to trust HIM. They would refuse the evil and choose the good. It is not hard to discern between things that re morally good and evil and even children are capable of doing it in some measure.

We need to realize that no matter how bad it seems that we can trust the LORD and do what is right in HIS sight and HE will honor us today as HE honored Judah back during this time period.

Too often we look at all the bad that is happening and forget to look to the LORD for strength to also look for the good that is happening. We are promised blessing if we honor HIM.

CHALLENGE: We can honor the LORD whether the times are good or bad. We have to trust HIM to lead us in the right direction if we are praying and reading the Bible for direction each day. HE knows our hearts.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Ask verse 11

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 3, 7, 10- 12, 17, 18

GOD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal verse 7

Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master) verse 7, 14, 20

Lord GOD verse 7

Lord GOD is not going to let it happen verse 7

LORD spoke against Ahaz verse 10

God – Elohim verse 11, 13

can you weary God

Sign of the LORD verse 11

LORD your God verse 11

ask a sign

Lord will give a sign verse 14

Virgin shall conceive

Bear a son

Call his name Immanuel

LORD shall hiss verse 18

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Immanuel (God with us) verse 14

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Rezin – king of Syria verse 1, 4, 5, 8

Son of Remaliah

Fierce anger of Rezin

Judah verse 5

Syria, Ephraim and son of Remaliah

have taken evil counsel against

Ahaz – king in Judah verse 5, 9

Son of Tabeal verse 6

Damascus – capital of Syria verse 8

Head of Damascus is Rezin verse 8

King of Assyria verse 17, 20

Rivers of Egypt verse 18

Land of Assyria verse 18

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Fainthearted verse 4

Evil verse 5, 15, 16

Vex God’s people verse 6

Not believe verse 9

Not pray verse 12

Tempt the LORD verse 12

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Take heed verse 4

Be quiet verse 4

Fear not verse 4

Neither be fainthearted verse 4

Promise verse 7

Believe verse 9

Sign verse 11, 14

Ask verse 11

Hear verse 13

Virgin verse 14

Refuse evil verse 15, 16

Chose good verse 15, 16

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Days of Ahaz verse 1, 3, 5, 6, 10-

Told to ask a sign of the LORD you God

Said he would not ask for a sign

he didn’t want to tempt the LORD

Jotham verse 1

Uzziah – king of Judah verse 1

Pekah son of Remaliah – king of Israel verse 1

Jerusalem verse 1

House of David verse 2, 13

Ephraim verse 2, 5, 8, 9, 17

shall be broken in 65 years

not be a people

Isaiah verse 3

God told him to meet with Ahaz

Tell Ahaz to be quiet

Fear not

Neither be fainthearted

Shearjashab – son of Isaiah verse 3

Judah verse 6, 17

Son of Tabeal verse 6

Samaria verse 9

head of Ephraim

Immanuel verse 14- 25

butter and honey shall he eat

know to refuse the evil

and choose the good

land shall be abhor-rest shall be

forsaken of both her kings

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

In that day verse 18, 21, 23

In the same day verse 20

It shall come to pass verse 21- 23

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QUOTES regarding passage

7–9 The message of reassurance in v.7 is clear, and the NIV has brought out the sense by its insertion of the word “only” (not in the Hebrew) in vv.8–9. The rulers of the two small kingdoms to the north were but human beings; they could not stand against the decree of the sovereign Lord (v.7). The parenthetical statement of v.8b has been variously interpreted. It is probably best to view the prophecy as fulfilled in a series of events that included Tiglath-pileser’s imminent invasion, the Fall of Samaria to Sargon II, and eventually the racial mixture introduced to Ephraim by yet another Assyrian emperor, Esar-haddon, just about sixty-five years after this oracle. See Young (Book of Isaiah, in loc.) for a fuller discussion of the time reference here.

The verbs translated “stand firm in your faith” and “stand” are closely related in Hebrew. The assonance of these two words makes Isaiah’s closing words both striking and memorable. They would have stayed in the mind of Ahaz as a somber summary of the message he had received and rejected (cf. vv.12–13, 17). (Grogan, G. W. (1986). Isaiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, pp. 60–61). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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7:7–9. In response to the Aram-Israel threat the Sovereign Lord had an answer: It (the attack) would not take place; it would not happen. The reason was that both of those nations were headed by mere (only, vv. 8–9) men. Ironically Isaiah referred to Pekah by name only once (v. 1). Four other times he called him “the son of Remaliah” or Remaliah’s son (vv. 4–5, 9; 8:6). He and Rezin could not thwart God’s plans.

In fact Isaiah made the startling prophecy that within 65 years Israel would no longer even be a people because they would be so shattered (7:8). Isaiah gave this prophecy in 734 b.c., so 65 years later was 669. When Assyria conquered Israel in 722, many Israelites were deported to other lands by Assyria and foreigners were brought into Samaria (2 Kings 17:24). However, in 669 many more foreigners were transferred to Samaria by Ashurbanipal (Ezra 4:10), king of Assyria (669–626). This “shattered” Israel, making it impossible for her to unite as a nation (“a people”).

The second sentence in Isaiah 7:9 has been translated in various ways. But it challenged Ahaz to believe what Isaiah was telling him. Obviously Ahaz was not alive 65 years later. But he could have faith that God would fulfill both predictions: that Israel would be shattered 65 years later and that in his day the northern confederacy (Aram and Israel) would not overpower Judah. If he did not believe those predictions he too would fall. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1047). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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The prophet and his son Shear-Jashub (whose name signifies the hope that “a remnant will return”) meet Ahaz at the upper pool. Ahaz is shaken by the alliance and needs counsel (7:1–9).

Isaiah calls on Ahaz to face the crisis from God’s perspective. These two “mighty” kingdoms, Israel and Aram, are nothing more than “two smoldering stubs of firewood” (v. 4). Aram came to an end in 732 b.c. and Assyria exiled Israel in 722 b.c. The challenge (v. 9b) is a pun created by the assonance (in Hebrew) of the words stand firm and stand; the New International Version makes an attempt to reflect this. (VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Isaiah. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 480). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.)

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Ver. 7. Thus saith the Lord, it shall not stand, &c.] That is, the counsel they had taken against Judah to vex it, make a breach in it, and set a king of their own liking over it; so the Septuagint and Arabic versions render the words, that counsel shall not stand; the counsel of God shall stand, but not the counsel of men, when it is against him, Prov. 19:21; Isa. 46:10: neither shall it come to pass; or shall not be; so far from standing, succeeding, and going forward, till it is brought to a final accomplishment, it should not take footing, or have a being. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 40). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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7. It shall not stand. What he had formerly stated was intended to show more fully that the deliverance was great and uncommon; for when the Lord intends to assist us in our trials, he represents the greatness of the danger, that we may not think that he promises less than the necessity requires. He does not usually give a mitigated view of the evils which press upon us, but rather holds out their full extent, and afterwards makes a promise, and shows that he is able to deliver us, though we may appear to be ruined. Such was the method adopted by the Prophet; for he might have told them in plain terms what would happen, and might have encouraged the king and the nation not to be terrified or discouraged at the sight of those armies. But he opened up the scheme and design of those kings, with which he now contrasts the promise and decree of God, that his wonderful assistance may be more strikingly displayed.

This is the sacred anchor which alone upholds us amidst the billows of temptations; for in adversity we shall never be able to stand if God take away his word from us. Although, therefore, the king was almost overwhelmed with despair, Isaiah shows that there is nothing so dreadful that it may not be despised, provided that he fortify himself by the promise of God, and patiently look for that which is not yet seen, and which even appears to be incredible. He affirms, that whatever men attempt, after the manner of the giants, in rising up against God, it shall not stand. He uses the word תקום, (thākūm,) shall arise, in the same sense in which that metaphor is employed in the Latin language, that a work is making progress; and, in a word, he declares that such daring sacrilege shall not stand.

Still more emphatic is that which he adds, לא תהיה, (lō thihyeh,) it shall not be; that is, it shall be reduced to nothing, as if it had never existed. This mode of expression deserves notice, for it was the bare and naked word of God which was contrasted with the vast army and scheme of the kings. (Calvin, J., & Pringle, W. (2010). Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Vol. 1, pp. 235–236). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software)

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When Ahaz learned of the confederacy against him, his heart and the heart of his people were moved with fear, for Ahaz had walked in the ways of the kings of Israel rather than in those of the house of David. He had, therefore, little or no reason to expect divine help against his foes. But God’s heart was toward the people of Judah, for the time had not yet come to deliver them up to their enemies.

There had been quite a measure of return to the Lord during the days of Jotham, the father of Ahaz, and God heard the prayers of His almost distracted people and sent the prophet Isaiah to meet Ahaz and give him a word of encouragement. Isaiah took with him his son Shear-jashub, whose name meant, “The remnant shall return.” All of Isaiah’s children seemed to have been named prophetically in order that they might be signs to the people of Judah. The message that came to Ahaz was one of trust and comfort. He was exhorted to take heed and be quiet, to fear not nor be fainthearted, because of the two kings who had linked their forces against him. In the sight of God they were but as two smoking firebrands soon to be extinguished. Their own wickedness and ungodliness was such that the Lord was about to deal with them in judgment; and, therefore, would not permit them to overcome Judah or subdue Jerusalem. It was in vain that they took counsel together against Ahaz and his people, and sought to make a breach in the defenses of Jerusalem.

The Lord God declared that their counsel should not stand nor come to pass, but that within a definite period of sixty-five years Ephraim’s power would be utterly broken; they would be no longer a people, and Syria would be unable to help them against the king of Assyria, who, in God’s own time, was to carry the northern kingdom into captivity. (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (pp. 44–45). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

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FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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SAVING FAITH

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Romans 10:3
The Apostle’s particular concern here is to explain why the Jews were, in the main, outside the Christian church, whereas the Gentiles had been coming in. The general trouble was that the Jews had a zeal for God but it was “not according to knowledge.” Now the word that Paul uses here which is translated “knowledge” is very interesting. It is the strongest word used in the Scriptures with regard to knowing. It does not merely mean a general acquaintance with something. It goes beyond that. It means a full, a correct, a precise and a vital knowledge, and the trouble with the Jews, says the Apostle Paul, is that they lacked it.
And there is one further idea in the word. It refers to a knowledge which has been arrived at as the result of a good deal of investigation and effort. So then, Paul says, the Jews lacked that full apprehension, that certain knowledge which is the result of a careful and a thorough examination of a teaching. They had a zeal, but not such a knowledge. Here, then, Paul again puts before us a most important principle, which is that an exact knowledge of the truth is essential to salvation. The Jews had not got it, so they were outside; they were lost and he prays and longs for their salvation.
Now this matter of knowledge is most important. I am of the opinion that the greatest danger confronting the Christian church and every individual Christian at this moment is to fail to understand and appreciate the absolute necessity of a precise, clear knowledge of the truth. I say this because we are living in days when there is a powerful reaction against all this.
A Thought to Ponder
The greatest danger confronting every Christian is the failure to understand the necessity of a precise, clear knowledge of the truth.
From Saving Faith, a sermon on Romans 10:3 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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I want you to meet some brave Christian leaders pledging their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

When thinking of the golden age of the Church, many of us hearken back to the book of Acts, when Peter and John stood up to the religious authorities, who told them to be silent about Jesus the risen Messiah. “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God,” they answered, “you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” Then they prayed for boldness, and the Church exploded across much of the ancient world.

But there’s a golden age for the church going on right now—with the same kind of courage, persecution, and Spirit-empowered growth. Where is it? In communist China.

World missions historians tell us that when all the foreign missionaries were kicked out of Mao’s China a few years after the Second World War, there were probably no more than 3 million believers in Jesus Christ in the whole, vast nation. But today, seven decades later, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life counts 67 million Christians of all kinds—35 million independent Protestants, 23 million Protestants in government-sanctioned churches, and 9 million Catholics. Other estimates go even higher.

Whatever the true number is, it’s almost as many as there are members of the Communist Party! Maybe that’s why the government is cracking down on Christians. According to Christianity Today and other news outlets, Under President Xi Jinping, China’s government has been tightening its grip on religious affairs.

In February, regulations aimed at religious groups have brought increased pressure on churches to be “Chinese” culturally and to submit to the authority of the Communist Party. Churches are being told to burn their crosses and replace them with Chinese flags and to display slogans praising the Communist Party. Some are being forced to join the government-sanctioned churches and permit video surveillance of their services.

Meanwhile, in Jiangxi province, authorities have forced at least 40 churches to display banners forbidding foreigners from preaching and anyone under 18 from attending. In August, they even published new rules stating, “Party members who have religious belief should have strengthened through education.”

In the spirit of Peter and John, a group of at least 250 Chinese pastors has publicly signed a joint statement opposing the new regulations. In the statement they declare that Jesus is Lord of all, offering eternal life to anyone who will repent and believe in Him.

But they also say, in a challenge to the Chinese communists, “God hates all attempts to suppress human souls and all acts of persecution against the Christian church, and he will condemn and judge them with righteous judgment.”

Then, like Peter and John, they pledge obedience not to the earthly authorities but to King Jesus, no matter what. “We declare that in matters of external conduct, churches are willing to accept lawful oversight by civil administration or other government departments as other social organizations do. But under no circumstances will we lead our churches to join a religious organization controlled by the government, to register with the religious administration department, or to accept any kind of affiliation.”

They close their incredible joint statement with the bracing yet sobering words, “For the sake of the gospel, we are prepared to bear all losses—even the loss of our freedom and our lives.”

Friends, is it any wonder that the church in China has grown, and continues to grow? What we’re seeing before our eyes is the golden age of the church in China. How can we not pray for these wonderful brothers and sisters? And more than that, how can we not emulate their costly faithfulness in our own little corner of God’s world?

BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life

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Follow the Instructions

The one who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe. PROVERBS 28:26, HCSB

A number of years ago while Christmas shopping, we came across one of those wooden swing sets on sale. Dirt cheap. The kids were outspoken in their desire to have one, and Barbara and I caved in. So later that day I returned to the store—without the kids—and picked one up.

In the box.

It was Christmas Eve before I finally got both arms into that “some assembly required” project. For someone like me who is not a real whizbang working with my hands, it took hours to put together. Barbara frequently stood alongside, calming me down, helping me read and interpret the instructions, encouraging me every step of the way.

And it was worth it. It was the hit of Christmas Day.

Marriage is a lot like that swing set. Most of us get married and try to put the thing together without ever consulting the printed instructions. Or if we do check the Scriptures, we tend to select only those portions that we want our spouse to follow. And we ignore what the instructions tell us about our responsibility.

Marriage is hard work. And many people are making it more difficult by overlooking the fundamental truth that marriage is a spiritual institution designed by God for two imperfect people to be joined together in their dependence upon Him and each other. If each of you wants to be “one who walks in wisdom” (Proverbs 28:26), you cannot ignore His instructions on how you build and maintain a spiritual union.

DISCUSS

Describe what it’s like living outside the Bible‘s teaching and influence. What are the benefits of building a marriage according to the divine instruction manual?

PRAY

Pray that God will instill in you a renewed craving for His Word, a hunger to read it, retain it, rehearse it through the day and apply it, both in your marriage and in your family. (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)

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It is a solemn and frightening thing in this world of sin and flesh and devils, to realize that about eighty or ninety percent of the people whom God is testing will flunk the test! (p. 40)

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God will speak to us if we read and study and obey the Word of God. But when He does speak, we should speak back to Him in prayer and devotion. That which we speak to Him is important, as we can see in the book of Psalms. Here is a man – an inspired man -speaking back to God! (p. 44)

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The word mediocre comes from two Latin words and literally means “halfway to the peak.” This makes it an apt description of the progress of many Christians. They are halfway to heaven but between the valley and the peak. They are morally above the hardened sinner but they are spiritually beneath the shining saint. (p. 46) (I Talk Back to the Devil by A. W. Tozer)

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Revelation 15
John begins a description of the earth’s judgment that continues in the following chapters.
INSIGHT

One of the sobering realities of Scripture is the prophecy of judgment on mankind at the end of time. While theologians debate timetables and exact meanings, they generally agree on one thing: Judgment is a central feature of the end times. While the depiction of judgment in Revelation is shrouded in symbolism and mystery, it is clear that it is paralyzingly unpleasant. Accounts of judgment are accompanied by warnings to men to take heed and prepare themselves to meet the Lord.

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We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.

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PRAYER AND PRAISE:

Prayer request policy: If you want the prayer request to be private or just between me and you please say so in the email. I will pray for those requests. If you don’t mind others praying for the request, then just send the request with no restrictions and I will put it in the devotional for other to pray. We don’t include last names in any of our prayer requests. Thank you.

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Please pray for those whose last name begins with the letter “G”

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Please pray for the Biblical Churches in the states of Maryland and Minnesota.

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Faith and Bible based ministry that encourages the faithfulness of the local church and their leaders to the LORD.

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Please invite friends to visit our website: www.smallchurchministries.org or visit our Facebook page at Small Church Ministries with a Bible logo.. If they would like to receive the devotions via email – please have them send their address to me with “devotional” in the message box. Also, if you don’t receive the devotions because you have visited our website or some other source please sign up. The devotions normally go out each covering a chapter of the Bible each day. In three and a half years the entire Bible is covered. Thank you.

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Faith and Bible based ministry that encourages the faithfulness of the local church and their leaders to the LORD.

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