Good day Saints in Christ Jesus.
We give glory to God for the gift of another brand new week, for the privilege of life and for God’s unending mercy and grace upon us always. Praise God!
STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE – PART 388
The Book of Isaiah continued…
Before we close Chapter 28, we need to quickly pay attention to something very important.
Remember, we learnt yesterday about how God presented “REST” figuratively to the Israelites (especially their leaders/rulers) and how they rejected Him and also became stubborn?
I was shocked to see the extent of their stubbornness as I was meditating on verse 15. These people went just too far. Let’s read…
Isaiah 28:15 TPT
For you have said, “We have made a covenant with death and a pact with the underworld, so when the overwhelming scourge sweeps over us, it will not harm us. For we have made lies our refuge and find our shelter in falsehood.”
I simply see the above statement as a foolish statement – a statement uttered from a mind filled with pride and ignorance. So, they actually knew God’s judgement was coming and they deliberately made up their minds to reject the only Way of Salvation and follow lies from the the devil and his cohorts.
How can a reasonable person reject Everlasting Life offered by God and claim he has signed an agreement with the devil to protect him from dying or from disaster?
It’s so pathetic…
Are we not seeing the same thing playing out today? Of course, it’s playing out.
Many leaders (both religious and political), have sold their souls to the devil (some ignorantly and some deliberately) just to feel belonged, to have money, fame, influence and power. And they have also succeeded in initiating majority of their followers in the process in order to subjugate them.
This is why when you preach against lies in our today’s world, these people will come against you. Even their brainwashed followers will attack you verbally or by any other means. You will notice many of them on social media platforms. Such people don’t serve God. They serve their leaders.
But then, let’s read this:
[16] Here’s what the Lord God says: “Behold, I set in place in Zion a Foundation Stone, fully tested and proven to be faithful and secure. And written upon this precious cornerstone is this: ‘Those who trust in him will not act in haste.’
If you carefully look into the Hebrew transliteration for stone mentioned here, you will see something like this:
“Eben” and it means “to build” Those bearing Eben as a name actually have a good name – You are a builder. But we must be careful of what we build.
Now, this “Eben” transliteration takes its root from another Hebrew transliteration called: “Bânâh”
Bânâh means to build or obtain children or sons.
In this case, Isaiah was using figure of speech to say God would have a Son (The Messaiah). This Son has been tried, tested and proven to be worthy of the assignment He was to do.
And those who trust in Him, will never be put to shame. This Son (Jesus Christ), will also produce many other Sons for God (i.e we Believers).
That’s what Apostle Peter explained when he quoted Prophet Isaiah in 1Peter 2:4-5
1 Peter 2:4-5 TPT
So keep coming to him who is the Living Stone-though he was rejected and discarded by men but chosen by God and is priceless in God’s sight. [5] Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices that he readily accepts through Jesus Christ.
Isaiah continues…in verse 17 of Chapter 28
[17] I will set justice as the true measurement and integrity its plumb line. My hailstorm will sweep away your refuge of lies, and my floodwaters will overwhelm your hiding place.
Note that “Hailstorm” is a Biblical Metaphor for God’s judgement against the devil and his lies and those he recruits into those lies.
Now, pay attention to verse 18. This is another place where many Pastors are misusing the Scriptures.
[18] Then your covenant with death will be annulled and your pact with the underworld will not stand. And when the overwhelming scourge sweeps over you, it will sweep you away!
Did you notice what Isaiah meant in the above verse?
He was not praying against death for anyone as so many Pastors and Prophets are fond of quoting this verse to pray against death. Yes, it is good to pray against death, but we must pray the right prayer and interpret the Word of God correctly.
Remember these stubborn and rebellious people rejected God’s offer for help. They rejected “Rest” (Christ that would give them Eternal Life) that God offered and they claimed they have signed a pact or agreement with death and the underworld to protect them.
It’s this agreement that the Foundation Stone or Chief Corner Stone (Christ), would destroy and Jesus already did that the moment He resurrected.
So, because Jesus Christ has disarmed the devil and his cohorts, these stubborn people will have nothing to rely on again and when judgement comes, it would sweep them away.
[19] As often as disaster passes by, it will carry you away; morning by morning, day after day, it will sweep you away!” When you fully understand this message, it will bring nothing but terror to you!
[20] Your bed is too short to stretch yourself out on, and your covering is too narrow to wrap yourself in.
Note: The bed mentioned above is a metaphor for their lies and source of lies, which will not be able to save them unless they embrace God’s only Way of Salvation. Those who trust in the devil and his lies can never be comfortable. That’s the meaning of bed too short and covering too narrow.
The rest of the Chapter describes God’s magnificent Way of rescue made available for as many as possible that would receive Him. He even used a Famer planting to explain it figuratively.
God’s way is the only sure way.
To be continued…Praise God.
Let’s declare this together:
Thank you O God, my Father, for putting me on the only sure Way revealed in your Son Jesus Christ, which gives me the privilege of becoming your son also. I trust and believe in You my God and I will never be put to shame. Amen.
Enjoy your home service everyone and stay blessed now and always.
Bible readings for today: Matthew Chapters 14, 15 & 16 with Psalm 64
I call you blessed now and always.
Sunday April 19, 2020 (DDMI)
