Devotions

no burden

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 46:1-13

Bel bows down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to overworked animals. ² Together they bend low and bow down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves go into captivity. ³ “Listen to me, O family of Jacob, all you who are left from the family of Israel, you who have been carried from birth, you who have been supported from the time you left the womb. ⁴ Even when you are old, I will take care of you, even when you have grey hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you. ⁵ To whom can you compare and liken me? Tell me whom you think I resemble, so we can be compared! ⁶ Those who empty out their gold from a purse and weigh out their silver on the scale hire a metal worker, who makes it into a “god.” Then they bow down and worship it. ⁷ They put it on their shoulder and carry it; they put it in its place and it just stands there; it does not move from its place. Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply; it does not deliver him from his distress. ⁸ Remember this, so you can be brave! Think about it, you rebels! ⁹ Remember what I accomplished in antiquity! Truly I am God, I have no peer; I am God, and there is none like me, ¹⁰ who announces the end at the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred, who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire,’ ¹¹ who summons an eagle from the east, from a distant land, one who carries out my plan. Yes, I have decreed, yes, I will bring it to pass; I have formulated a plan, yes, I will carry it out. ¹² Listen to me, you stubborn people, you who distance yourself from doing what is right. ¹³ I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will decorate Israel with my splendour.”

no burden

Yahveh speaks through Isaiah to explain the difference between himself and the “gods” of the nations – and the gods that the rebellious Israelites had followed.

The idols were heavy objects that could not carry themselves. They became burdens for the animals to carry from place to place. Those animals are moving to a new place, a place pf slavery and submission, and they carry the idols with them. Yahveh is no burden. In fact, it is he who has carried Israel for every generation.
The idols take pompous names like “lord” (Bel). But they are not the sovereign Lord. They bow and bend the knee to Yahveh.
The idols make no plans, and could not carry them out if they did. Yahveh has made a plan to deliver his people, and invites them to watch him carry his plan out.

LORD, our idols are different today, but they are still weak and incapable of delivering us. Help us to break cleanly from these idols, and trust our lives to your plan.

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ignoring the evidence

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 45:20-25

²⁰ Gather together and come! Approach together, you refugees from the nations! Those who carry wooden idols know nothing, those who pray to a god that cannot deliver. ²¹ Inform me! Present the evidence! Let them consult with one another! Who predicted this in the past? Who announced it beforehand? Was it not I, Yahveh? I have no peer, there is no God but me, a God who vindicates and delivers; there is none but me. ²² Turn to me so you can be delivered, all you who live in the earth’s isolated regions! Because I am God, and I have no peer. ²³ I solemnly make this oath– what I say is true and reliable: every knee will definitely bow to me, every tongue will solemnly affirm; ²⁴ they will say about me, “Yes, Yahveh is a powerful deliverer.”‘” All who are angry at him now will cower before him then. ²⁵ All the descendants of Israel will be vindicated Yahveh and boast in him.

ignoring the evidence

Isaiah expresses God’s anger and frustration at a generation who refuses to accept the truth that he alone is God, and that he alone can deliver. Is it not logical to conclude that God would be just as angry and frustrated with this generation, who refuses to accept the same truth? Today, the theological backdrop is normally one of secular atheism. But the end result is the same: God’s existence and sovereignty is ignored. No doubt many who ignore God today excuse themselves by imagining that if God wanted to make himself known to them, he should do so. But God has made himself known, by creation, by the 66 books of the Bible, and by the Christ-event. The God who is peerless challenges all of us to present the evidence. He has more evidence than we can begin to answer.

LORD, forgive us for ignoring all of your evidence. Give us courage to express your frustration with this world content on ignorance.

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here’s my right hand

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 45:1-19

¹ This is what Yahveh says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold in order to restrain nations before him, and disarm kings, to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed: ² “I will go before you and level mountains. I will shatter bronze doors and I will hack through iron bars. ³ I will give you hidden treasures, riches stashed away in secret places, so you may recognize that I am Yahveh, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel. ⁴ For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me. ⁵ I am Yahveh, I have no peer, there is no God but me. I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me. ⁶ I do this so people will recognize from east to west that there is no God but me; I am Yahveh, I have no peer. ⁷ I am the one who forms light and creates darkness; the one who brings about peace and creates calamity. I am Yahveh, who accomplishes all these things. ⁸ O sky, rain down from above! Let the clouds send down showers of deliverance! Let the earth absorb it so deliverance may grow, and deliverance may sprout up along with it. I, Yahveh, create it. ⁹ One who argues with his creator is in big trouble, one who is like a mere scrap among the other scraps on the ground! The clay should not say to the potter, “What in the world are you making? Your work lacks skill!” ¹⁰ Danger awaits one who says to his father, “Who in the world are you fathering?” and to his mother, “Who in the world are you bringing forth?” ¹¹ This is what Yahveh says, the sovereign king of Israel, the one who formed him, concerning things to come: “How dare you question me about my children! How dare you tell me what to do with the work of my own hands! ¹² I made the earth, I created the people who live on it. It was me–my hands stretched out the sky, I give orders to all the sky’s lights. ¹³ It is me–I stir him up and commission him; I will make all his roads level. He will rebuild my city; he will send my exiled people home, but not for a price or a bribe,” says Yahveh, who leads armies. ¹⁴ This is what Yahveh says: “The profit of Egypt and the revenue of Ethiopia, along with the Sabeans, those tall men, will be brought to you and become yours. They will walk behind you, following along in chains. They will bow down to you and pray to you: ‘Truly God is with you; he has no peer; there is no other God!'” ¹⁵ Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden, O God of Israel, deliverer! ¹⁶ They will all be ashamed and embarrassed; those who fashion idols will all be humiliated. ¹⁷ Israel will be delivered once and for all by Yahveh; you will never again be ashamed or humiliated. ¹⁸ For this is what Yahveh says, the one who created the sky– he is the true God, the one who formed the earth and made it; he established it, he did not create it without order, he formed it to be inhabited– “I am Yahveh, I have no peer. ¹⁹ I have not spoken in secret, in some hidden place. I did not tell Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I am Yahveh, the one who speaks openly, who makes reliable announcements.

here’s my right hand

The great empire of Babylon — that impenetrable fortress that conquered the earth — was itself to be conquered. The prophet not only knew that this was going to happen, he knew how it was to happen . He also knew who would be God’s instrument — his anointed — to accomplish his will. His name would be Cyrus. This is not prophecy after the fact. The whole point Isaiah is making is that God challenges the nations to give up their useless idols and follow him. Why? … because he is God, and he can save his people. He can take a future Gentile king, call him by name (3-4), take him by the right hand (1) and cause him to conquer the world. God will do this in spite of the fact that Cyrus does not know him (4). He does it “so people will recognize from east to west that there is no God but” him. (6).

This same Yahveh wants to take us by the hand and accomplish his will. Will we let him?

LORD, take us by the hand as you did to Cyrus. accomplish your will through us.

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remember these things

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 44:21-28

²¹ Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you to be my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. ²² I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud, the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. Come back to me, because I will protect you.” ²³ Shout for joy, O sky, for Yahveh intervenes; shout out, you lower regions of the land. O mountains, give a joyful shout; you too, O forest and all your trees! For Yahveh protects Jacob; he reveals his splendour through Israel. ²⁴ This is what Yahveh, your protector, says, the one who formed you in the womb: “I am Yahveh, who made everything, who alone stretched out the sky, who fashioned the earth all by myself, ²⁵ who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers and humiliates the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men and makes their advice seem foolish, ²⁶ who fulfils the oracles of his prophetic servants and brings to pass the announcements of his messengers, who says about Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up,’ ²⁷ who says to the deep sea, ‘Be dry, I will dry up your sea currents,’ ²⁸ who commissions Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd to carry out all my wishes and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.'”

remember these things

The role of Isaiah’s predictive prophecies was to serve as a sign that the God who created all things is still at work in the lives of his special people. He will send his appointed shepherd, Cyrus, and will see to it that Jerusalem is rebuilt and the temple reconstructed. He will do this because he wants his people to know that he is able to remove, guilt just like he removes clouds on a cloudy day, by the blowing of his wind upon them. The prophecies, now fulfilled, continue to remind us of God’s power and wisdom, but we must be careful that we do not forget that these things are demonstrations of his heart for the lost.

LORD, we are amazed at what you have done. May we never forget the reason that you have done it. May we seek to save the lost by bringing them to you.

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bowl of ashmeal

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 44:9-20

⁹ All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they find enjoyment are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame. ¹⁰ Who forms a god and casts an idol that will prove worthless? ¹¹ Watch, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are mere men. Let them all assemble and take their stand! They will panic and be put to shame. ¹² A blacksmith works with his tool and forges metal over the coals. He forms it with hammers; he makes it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his energy; he drinks no water and gets tired. ¹³ A carpenter takes measurements; he marks out an outline of its form; he scrapes it with chisels, and marks it with a compass. He patterns it after a man, like a well-built man, and puts it in a shrine. ¹⁴ He cuts down cedars and acquires a cypress or an oak. He gets trees from the forest; he plants a cedar and the rain makes it grow. ¹⁵ A man uses it to make a fire; he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he starts a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. ¹⁶ Half of it he burns in the fire– over that half he eats meat; he roasts a meal and fills himself. Yes, he warms himself and says, ‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’ ¹⁷ With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it, saying, ‘Rescue me, for you are my god.’ ¹⁸ They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern. ¹⁹ No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves: ‘I burned half of it in the fire– yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a revolting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’ ²⁰ He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’

bowl of ashmeal

The big ideological giant of Isaiah’s day was idolatry. It was the worldview and mindset that had captured the societies all around Judah, and was also taking hold of the inhabitants of Judah. It was tied to the belief that there were spirits inhabiting all the material world, and that those spirits had power that could be harnessed and manipulated through rituals, taboos, sacrifices and spells. The idols of wood and stone were fashioned as representatives of the unseen spirits. Like a voodoo doll, it was believed that whatever happened to the likeness of the spirit would happen to the spirit. So, people lavished gifts, praise and respect on their idols, in hopes that the spirits would bless and protect them in return.

In this passage, Isaiah points out the stupidity of that kind of thinking. He likens the idolaters to people who feed on ashes, expecting to stay healthy. A bowl of ashmeal is not a healthy breakfast. There is still a considerable lot of folks around the world who are sitting down to a steaming bowl of idolatry every day. Isaiah’s ridicule still fits them.

But before we pat ourselves on the back saying we are not as stupid as they are, perhaps we should check our pantry. What ideological stuff are we feeding ourselves. In the secular, atheistic mindset, there are no gods and no spirits. There is no higher power to appeal to for help, and power is for those who are fit enough to take it. “Christians” who “just never find time to pray” are quacking like that duck. To use Isaiah’s analogy, they are feeding on ashes as well.

What happens when people who say they believe in God actually take a look at his promises, and trust his word, and seek him for help? Let’s find out.

LORD, forgive us for feeding on the ashmeal of secular atheism. We choose to seek you, to pray for you to meet our needs, and to nourish ourselves on your message.

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prophecy as witness

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 44:6-8

⁶ This is what Yahveh, Israel’s king, says, their protector, the LORD who leads armies: “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but me. ⁷ Who is like me? Let him make his claim! Let him announce it and explain it to me– since I established an ancient people– let them announce future events! ⁸ Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid! Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God but me? There is no other protector; I know of none.

prophecy as witness

Interpretation options for verse seven are numerous, but here is my take on it: God is challenging the false idol to prove that it is the same as God. He is also challenging his own people – the ancient people whom he has established – to prophesy what he tells them to predict. This is how the Israelites in Isaiah’s day were to be his witnesses.

Fast forward a few centuries to the New Testament era, and we have Jesus challenging his followers to be his witnesses. That would involve prophesying as well. Because the message of Christ in the gospel is not just about what Jesus had done on the cross. It also includes what he is going to do in taking back this world. He is its rightful king.

LORD, give us insight into what you have told us in scripture about the future, and give us courage to proclaim that truth to a world which is not ready.

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inspired future

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 44:1-5

¹ “Now, listen, Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!” ² This is what Yahveh, the one who made you, says– the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen! ³ Because I will pour water on the parched ground and cause streams to flow on the dry land. I will pour my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your children. ⁴ They will sprout up like a tree in the grass, like poplars beside channels of water. ⁵ One will say, ‘I belong to Yahveh,’ and another will use the name ‘Jacob.’ One will write on his hand, Yahveh’s,’ and use the name ‘Israel.'”

inspired future

John Piper said in reference to the promise in this text: “Our future can look bleak for two reasons: one is the prospect that misery is coming; the other is the prospect that happiness is not coming. And isn’t virtually all the work of the human heart exhausted by these two things: fearing future misery and thirsting for future happiness? If so, then Isaiah’s promise is just what we need: when the Spirit is poured out into our heart, fear is taken away and thirst is satisfied. Or to put it another way, if the Spirit has taken away what is fearful out of our future and put what is soul-satisfying into our future, then he has given to us the full assurance of hope.”[1]

The Holy Spirit comes into the lives of believers, replacing their fear of the future, and giving them a reason to hope for something better than what they feared. If you are a parent, and you struggle because your children just don’t seem to get it, it is easy to fall for that fear and be disillusioned by dissatisfaction. But the LORD wants you to know that this same Holy Spirit who has empowered you is also available for your offspring. Pray for your children, not just that they learn how to behave, but they will truly take the LORD’s name, and follow him.

LORD, we choose to trust your Holy Spirit; we choose to let him calm our fears, and satisfy our hopes.

[1] http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/a-precious-promise-the-outpouring-of-gods-spirit

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look at the replay

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 43:22-28

²² “But you, Jacob, did not call for me; you, Israel, did not long for me. ²³ You did not bring me lambs for your burnt offerings; you did not honour me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you with offerings; I did not make you weary by demanding incense. ²⁴ You did not buy me aromatic reeds; you did not present to me the fat of your sacrifices. Yet you burdened me with your sins; you made me weary with your evil deeds. ²⁵ I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember. ²⁶ Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate! You, prove to me that you are right! ²⁷ The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me. ²⁸ So I defiled your devoted princes, and handed Jacob over to destruction, and subjected Israel to embarrassing abuse.”

look at the replay

Isaiah prophesied to a nation of grumblers, who were always complaining that Yahveh did nothing for them. So, Yahveh speaks up through Isaiah and tells them to make their case. But remember, the instant replay will show that the people of Israel expected blessing without obedience, protection without worship. Meanwhile sins piled up and were (as it were) a burden on Yahveh’s back. The only thing God is guilty of is mercy, because he has chosen to forego the immediate punishment that Israel deserves.

What about you. Do you have a complaint against God? Go ahead, get out your laptop and play the video feed. Look at the replay of your life, and – if you are honest – you will have to admit there has been more mercy than you deserved.

LORD, forgive us for selfishly withholding our complete allegiance and worship. We have seen the replay, and your love is vindicated.

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don’t bother remembering

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 43:14-21

¹⁴ This is what Yahveh says, your protector, the sovereign king of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and make them all fugitives, turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. ¹⁵ I am Yahveh, your sovereign ruler, the one who created Israel, your king.” ¹⁶ This is what Yahveh says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters, ¹⁷ the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick. ¹⁸ “Don’t bother remembering these earlier events; don’t recall these former events. ¹⁹ “Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths in the wilderness. ²⁰ The wild animals of the desert honour me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness, to quench the thirst of my chosen people, ²¹ the people whom I formed for myself, so they might praise me.”

don’t bother remembering

The trouble with remembering the past is that it creates an expectation that some of the great events of the past will happen again. Many in our churches are so tied to their own glorious past that they miss opportunities to reach people for Christ in the present. Isaiah encouraged his people not to bother remembering the past events where God intervened gloriously to rescue his people. Instead, he encouraged them to focus of who their God is. True, their past miraculous events did explain that God loves them and wants to rescue them, but the difference is that God wants to express that love and covenant loyalty in a new way. He is about to do something new.

LORD, we know you love us, and want to rescue us in Christ. We are poised for you to act in our favour, but we don’t want our expectations to get in the way. Surprise us!

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what witnesses do

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 43:8-13

⁸ Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes, those who are deaf, even though they have ears! ⁹ All nations gather together, the peoples assemble. Who among them announced this? Who predicted earlier happenings for us? Let them produce their witnesses to testify they were right; let them listen and verify, ‘It’s true.’ ¹⁰ You are my witnesses,” says Yahveh, “my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe in me, and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me. ¹¹ I, I am Yahveh, and there is no deliverer besides me. ¹² I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses,” says Yahveh, ” that I am God. ¹³ From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; I will act, and who can prevent it?”

what witnesses do

Jesus told his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost, and that – as a result – they would be his witnesses to the whole planet.[1] But, what does a witness do? Isaiah had already given us the context we need to understand Jesus’ statement. God promised to do something spectacular, and that his people would be present to attest that God had promised it, and that it happened just as he promised. That is what witnesses do as it respects a promise of deliverance. So, the apostles (and those of us who follow after them) have the role of authenticating witness to what God did through Christ. The atoning work on the cross, and the promise of our coming resurrection as seen in Christ’s resurrection – that is what we are witnesses of. The Holy Spirit’s task was not to upstage Christ’s death and resurrection, but to empower us to proclaim it. As Yahveh put it “You are my witnesses … that I am God.” The role of a witness is to affirm something that someone else did.

Lots of Christians today are weighed down with guilt because they do not see powerful evidence of the Holy Spirit’s miracles in their lives. They feel that they have let God down, and that they are somehow to blame for their powerlessness. But God has not commanded them to raise the dead. God has not commanded them to walk on water. The only thing that God wants them (us) to do is tell the world what he has done in Christ. That is what Christian witnesses do.

LORD, forgive us for getting off track, and expecting more of ourselves than what you have commanded us. Show us how to declare what you have done to this blind and deaf world you want to reach.

[1] Acts 1:8.

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