I love reading the Old Testaments prophets because you really get the whole truth of who God is and how God thinks and what God has done and will do to His people to bring them back to Him. Of course, the Old Testament prophets are speaking about Israel and to Israel mostly, but God is still the same God as He was then as to sin and rebellion. Christians think that because we, the Church of Jesus Christ, have ‘grace’ on our side that God somehow has lowered His standard and expectation on how we live with each other, treat our bodies, and serve Him.
We are not bound to the old rules and regulations of worshipping the Lord God. Colossians says, “Do not let anyone judge you BY what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are ALL a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ Jesus.” Col. 2:16-17
“The ministry Jesus has received is superior…. since the NEW covenant is established on better promises.” Hebrews 8:6
Christ, in Himself (flesh and blood, death and resurrection) fulfilled ALL the rules and regulations of the ‘first order’ which Israel was bound to in worship and serving God. It was ALL the shadow of the One to come: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, Son of man, Beloved of God.
Interesting that here we see His “shadow” coming to them - before there is the Person present. A shadow FOLLOWS a person. This tells me that all these Old Testament rules and regulations would NOT FOLLOW Jesus Christ WHEN HE APPEARED as the Savior of the world. Christ started a new order of worship and service, which is what the New Testament teaches.
In this morning’s reading of Isaiah 10, we see how God uses the wicked against His people to ‘whip us into shape,’ you could say. He uses our enemies against us so that we will return to Him: repent of our wicked ways, get rid of our idols, commit to serving Him wholeheartedly with all His favor and blessings upon us. How can God bless that which we do that He hates, OR that which we ‘fail’ to do, that He would have us do as His people?
When our Lord God brings our enemies against us and completes His purpose for it, getting the results He wants in our lives, then He turns on our enemies! “I will punish them for the willful pride in their heart and the haughty look in their eyes. For He says: ‘By My strength and wisdom I have done this.” (Isaiah 10:12-13)
The Lord refers to our enemies in Isaiah 10 as the “ax, rod, saw, club in His hand” that He uses against us. “Does the ax (our enemy) raise itself above the person (the Lord) who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood!” (Isiah 10:15)
As I consider what has happened in and to America, and to Christians in America - I felt this passage in Isaiah hitting home. God putting in place a president of “open borders” with all kinds of enemies filing in: deadly drugs through drug cartels/sex traffickers/terrorists/diseases. Even our president is acting as an enemy to America with the shutting down industry of our natural resources, causing inflation, unfair raising of taxes, forcing electric cars on us before the infrastructure is ready, releasing criminals back on streets, lawlessness allowed/law officers unable to do their jobs, two-tiered justice system, friends with China as they inject our country with deadly poisons hidden in our drugs that we get from them, and Russia taking advantage of our weak and unsuspecting WH administration. I don’t know about you, but it sure feels as if God is using evil to “whip us into shape!”
BUT THEN GOD SAYS, “My people, do not be afraid of these enemies…. Very soon My anger against you will end and My wrath will be directed to THEIR destruction. I will lash THEM with a WHIP…. their yoke and burden removed from you.” Isaiah 10:24-27 (in part)
Maybe with this next WH administration this will happen, I hope so. If not…. PREPARE! Be also encouraged because the Lord’s ‘humbled’ people have this promise from Him: “Since you have kept My Word and have NOT denied My Name…. and you have kept MY command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the ‘hour of trial’ that is going to come on the ‘whole world’ to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Revelation 2:10-11
I believe these questions are crucial to know the answers to: What is this “hour of trial? What are people on “trial” for? What does a “test” reveal? How can “your crown” be taken? What “crown” is the LORD JESUS CHRIST referring to? (I have my own answers based on study and comparing Scripture to Scripture.)
The Lord wraps up all His 7 letters to the Church with “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the SPIRIT of GOD says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22) The Holy Spirit is the One who guides us into all truth within God’s Word, Who tells us of the things to come, so we can be prepared to endure our time of tribulation, and Who lives in us to testify of Jesus Christ, and Who reminds us of all that Jesus has done and said that is written in God’s Holy Word. (John 15:26 – 16:15)
As I look at all that is happening all over our world it truly feels like God is wrapping things up for His Son’s Return to reign as KING of kings and LORD of lords! (Revelation 19-22)