Isaiah 26
COMMENTARY:
: 2 Open you the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. (529 “truth” [‘emuwn] means faithful, trusting, trustworthiness, the quality of being faithful, reliability, a state or condition of being dependable and loyal to a person or standard, or a person that is dependable to a person or standard.)
DEVOTION: The LORD is looking for a nation that will be dependable. HE wanted the children of Israel to be faithful to HIM but that only happened for short time period during their history.
There is coming a day in the future where there will be such a nation. The children of Israel have been sporadic in their obedience to the LORD throughout their history. This is also true of the church today.
There are times when a revival has affected the children of Israel and the church. It has happened at different times in the history of both groups. It is sad that the time of revival didn’t last very long and that those who claim to be followers of the LORD would go back to not serving HIM faithfully.
We need to realize that we are going through these times even today. There are times of revival in the church today but at present it seems to be only in a few churches that are on fire for the LORD. Most churches seem to settle for going through the motions rather than having a genuine love for the LORD.
One of the signs of a revival is a time of spreading the truth of the Word of God and many individuals making genuine commitments to the LORD and going out and telling their loved ones and friends about the gift the LORD has given them.
We need to be sharing the truth of the Word of God and presenting truth to those we know and those who are living around our church, so that, they can make a choice to become a follower of Jesus Christ.
We need new people entering into the Biblical churches in every nation and become genuine followers of the LORD. A revival can happen even today if God’s people with the help of the Holy Spirit start spreading the truth of the provision of salvation.
Some thing that it is impossible to have a revival even today but those who are genuine followers of the LORD know that a revival can break out at anytime that God’s people pray and genuinely worship HIM in spirit and in truth.
Remember the majority of people are going to spend eternity in hell because they have never made a commitment to the LORD. We can reach a few with the help of the Holy Spirit.
CHALLENGE: We can pray for revival even today if we are willing to act when the LORD gives us instruction to share the truth of the Word of God with all those we meet on a daily basis.
: 3 YOU will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on YOU: because he trusts in YOU. (3336 “mind” [yetser] means thought, purpose, impulse, tendency, the content of thinking and reasoning, motivation, or form.)
DEVOTION: We live in a world full of chaos. The country is in chaos over money. The church is in chaos because of all the false teachers who are on the radio and television and in many of our churches. People don’t seem to study the Bible for themselves and so they listen to every voice. Families are in chaos because our world doesn’t think marriage and family are important. It is more important for an individual to think only of themselves. Even married couples are not on the same page. One thinks it’s all about them and the other thinks the same.
There are therapies out there for every kind of addiction. There are personal counselors who will help people with pills and pillow talk. There are places to go and hide from reality. Some people look to drugs, sex or alcohol to bury their problems.
It seems that what people can’t find is an internal peace in their given situation. They are looking for answers in all the wrong places.
The only place that perfect peace comes from is in a proper relationship with the LORD. Our thought life trusts our belief in the total safety that the LORD can provide. HE will provide salvation for eternity. With this salvation nothing that happens to this body matters because our life is only for a short time. We would like to have power, fame and riches in this life but that doesn’t bring peace. Each of them bring their own problems.
Isaiah informs us that our form of thinking has to begin and end with the LORD as our central figure of help. If our thinking is correct we will realize that the LORD will not let anything happen that isn’t for our good. We need to not fret or worry about what is going on around us. Isaiah was an example of that. Just get the message of salvation out to our world. Leave the results to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: This is a great memory verse but we need to apply to our heart. Then we can have the strength to face each day.
: 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
: 10 Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. (3925 “learn” [lamad] means to be taught, be trained, instruct, skillful, or gain information and respond properly to it with regular action.)
DEVOTION: Isaiah is instructing the people of God regarding the future time, when the LORD will judge the world.
There will be singing on the part of the righteous even during the time of judgment. Those who concentrate on the LORD will have perfect peace during the time of Tribulation on the earth. They will trust the LORD to see them through this time period of seven years.
The two verses stated above deal with the fact that the unrighteous will learn about how righteous God is by the judgment HE is giving to the world. They would not learn any other way. HE has shared HIS grace with them before the Tribulation but they would not listen to HIM.
HIS majesty will be manifested to the whole world at this time. Following the Tribulation there will be a time of singing praises to the LORD.
What about now? Isaiah was warning the Israelites of a future judgment.
He was also telling them of a future victory for those who are trusting in the LORD.
We are presently living in a time period called the Church Age. This time period will end and the time of Jacob’s trouble will begin. Our responsibility is to share the truth of the gospel with all those around us or in our world. The freedom of speech in this country is slowly coming to an end. People don’t want to hear anyone saying that they have the only way to heaven. They think that there are many ways to heaven. The Bible states that their view is false. They are following the enemy even when they know and hear the truth.
Judgment is coming. It may be soon. It is not a time to rest. It is a time to trust and obey. Are we doing our part?? Are we learning righteousness daily????
Our responsibility is to speak the TRUTH in LOVE. Our attitude toward people shows on our faces. Most will not accept the truth, but we have to try.
CHALLENGE: Be an Isaiah. Reread Isaiah 6 and put it into practice in your life. HE is sending you into a world that doesn’t want to hear the truth.
:16 “LORD, in trouble they have visited You, They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: Adversity can be our best instructor! Even people of faith sometimes begin to enjoy the luxury and pleasure that this world brings. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the bounty of the Lord’s blessings as He pours out His goodness in our lives. We can rejoice and be thankful for those things, yet in times of difficulty it seems we return to the Lord and pour out our heart to Him. The blessings and prosperity He gives can cause us to forget the very source of those items, The Lord! Yet when difficulty arises we are so quick to pour out a prayer and come back in full reliance to the Lord. Perhaps the Lord has been blessing you in various ways and you are beginning to slip in your praise and adoration to the God of your salvation. Today might be a good time to just spend a few moments thanking Him.
CHALLENGE: Adversity drives us to our knees but it doesn’t have to be the only time we kneel. Take a moment and thank the Lord for all His work in your life. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
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