Devotions

his voice and his arm

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:29-33

²⁹ There will be a song for you as at night when a holy festival is kept, and a gladness of heart like one who goes with the flute, to go to the mountain of Yahveh, to the rock of Israel. ³⁰And Yahveh will cause the majesty of his voice to be heard, and he will cause the lowering of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, a cloudburst and a rainstorm and a storm of hail. ³¹ Indeed, Assyria will be shattered by the voice of Yahveh; he strikes with the rod. ³² And every strike of foundation staff that Yahveh lays will be on it with drums and lyres, and he will fight against it with battles, showing off his strength. ³³ Because Topheth was already prepared yesterday; indeed, it is made ready for the king. He makes its pile of wood deep and wide; he stockpiles fire and wood. The breath of Yahveh burns on it like a stream of sulfur.

his voice and his arm

Topheth was a place where sacrifices were made, and became a symbol for the ultimate destruction of God’s enemies. David Guzik writes, “The Valley of Hinnom served as Jerusalem’s garbage dump, and the combination of disgusting rubbish and smouldering fires made it a picture of hell. The Hebrew word for hell (gehenna) comes from the word for the Valley of Hinnom. Therefore, God says He has a special place in hell for the Assyrian king!”[1] That king did not have to wait until the universal judgment to experience that hell. He lost 185,000 of his men in one night, fled back home, and was assassinated by his own sons as he worshipped in the temple of his god, Nisroch.

In one fell swoop, the sound of the LORD’s voice and the lowering of his arm gained victory for the Israelites. This does not always happen. Sometimes the enemy wins. But even when the enem.y seems to be winning in our lives, we can have a song in the night. Because judgment day is coming, and no enemy will be able to resist that.

LORD, we will sing even in the darkest of nights, because your voice will be heard, and your arm will lower to destroy all your enemies

[1] Guzik, David. “Commentary on Isaiah 30:1”. “David Guzik Commentaries on the Bible”. http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/guz/view.cgi?bk=22&ch=30. 1997-2003.

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winnowing out worthlessness

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:23-28

²³ And he will give rain for your seed which you plant in the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, and it will be rich and full. On that day, your cattle will graze in a wide pasture. ²⁴ and the oxen and the donkeys that are tilling the ground will eat silage, feed that has been winnowed with shovel and pitchfork. ²⁵ And there will be streams on every high mountain and elevated hill, watercourses of water, on a day of great slaughter, when towers fall. ²⁶ And the light of the full moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, on that day when Yahveh binds up the breakage of his people, and he heals the wound of his blow. ²⁷ See! The name of Yahveh comes from afar, his anger burns and heaviness of cloud. His lips shout full indignation, and his tongue like a devouring fire. ²⁸ And his breath like an overflowing river; it reaches up to the neck to shake nations, winnowing out worthlessness; and a bridle that turns them away is attached to peoples’ jaws.

winnowing out worthlessness

Isaiah first talks about the blessings of that await Judah if that nation will only reject the lure of Assyria’s paganism and return to a covenant relationship with him. Then, when God comes in judgment, Judah will enjoy the fullness of abundant crops and herds. He makes a point of saying that the animals will eat feed that has been winnowed, not just any old grass that happens to be growing.

Next, Isaiah describes the judgment itself. The short view is Yahveh’s judgment and overthrow of Assyria. So, Isaiah says that God is going to winnow out worthlessness. He is going to take away that chaff and restore purity and value to his people.

The long view that Isaiah describes is the coming judgment which Christ will bring with him when he returns. God’s people will know the joy of his fullness and pleasure. They will know the joy of a pure faith, where all the false allegiances and worthless thinking is winnowed out. That is why even though the Lord’s coming will be a terrible time of judgment and destruction, we still welcome it.

Come, Lord Jesus.

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from riches to rags

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:19-22

¹⁹ Because a people will live in Zion; in Jerusalem, you will not keep on weeping. Surely he will be gracious to you; when he hears the sound of your cry, he will answer you. ²⁰ And the master might give you distress for bread and oppression for water, but your teachers will not hide themselves any longer. And your eyes will be seeing your teachers. ²¹And your ears will hear a word from behind you, saying, “here is the way; walk in it,” when you go to your right and when you go to your left. ²² And you will scrape off the plating from your silver idols and the covering from your gold image. You will throw them away like a menstrual rag, saying to them, “Get out!”

from riches to rags

Isaiah speaks to a people who had overdosed on their own wealth. They had become so corrupted by the pagan nations around them that they prided themselves on the silver and gold plating on all the idols they had in their homes. But Isaiah could see into the not-too-distant future when those signs of affluence would be viewed differently. The pagan nations that they had sought to be like would become their masters. Suddenly, the Israelites will remember that their parents and grandparents always had a sure ethical word from the LORD, and they will want that more than those stupid idols. So, even while in exile and under pagan domination, the Torah teachers will come back. Those idols which had been signs of wealth will be then seen as signs of foreign domination. The Israelites will take those idols and scrape off the gold and silver plating, throwing the wooden idols away like a woman does a used menstrual rag.

Isaiah’s message for us today is to look around us and see what is valued in the societies in which we live. Some of those symbols of wealth and luxury are designed to keep us under Satan’s domination. When we finally realize that God’s word is what really matters, we will have the courage to throw those stupid things away.

LORD, give us an eye and an ear for the things that really matter in life. Give us the wisdom to rid ourselves of the symbols of satanic domination.

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when running away is wrong

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:15-18

¹⁵ Because the Lord Yahveh, the holy one of Israel, said this: “By returning and resting you will be delivered; your strength will be shown by quietness and by trust.” But you were not willing, ¹⁶ and you said, “No! because we plan to run away by horse!” For this reason, you will run away! And, “We will escape by fast horse!” For this reason, your pursuers will be fast! ¹⁷ One thousand of you will run from the face of one opponent, from the face of five opponents you will flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill. ¹⁸ For this reason, Yahveh waits to show grace to you, and for this reason he will rise up to show you mercy, because Yahveh is a just God; all those who wait for him will be blessed.

when running away is wrong

The inhabitants of Judah had an escape plan. They did not much trust the prophets, who kept telling them that they were doomed to face invading armies because of their rebellion against God. But, just in case the prophets turned out to be right, they had a plan B. They had fast horses tethered up outside their homes, ready for a quick departure. But God knew all about their escape plans. He had invading armies, with equally fast horses, ready to hunt them down. Isaiah tells this people that the only safety they can find is not in running away, but in returning to Yahveh, and resting faithfully in the covenant they had rejected.

Ultimately, judgment will come on this entire planet. What is your escape plan? There is only one way to escape God’s judgment and destruction in hell. The Fast horse is not. The fast car is not it. Being good is not it. Return to God, and his covenant, paid for by the blood of Christ. Wait on God to rescue you.

LORD, we surrender our plans for survival. We have decided to give your plan a go.

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smashed

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:12-14

¹²For this reason, the holy one of Israel says this: “Because you sit there rejecting this word and you trust in oppression and wrongdoing and you rely on it, ¹³ for this reason, injustice will come for you like a breach about to fall, bulging out on a high wall whose breaking comes suddenly, just like that. ¹⁴ And he breaks it like a container which its creator breaks, it is crushed; he has no compassion, and nothing usable found among its fragments for the taking away of fire from a fireplace, or for the collecting of water from a well.”

smashed

Isaiah had just given his readers the potter and clay analogy,[1] and he continues to stress the dark side of that metaphor. We are used to hearing the positive side of the metaphor – the fact that we are God’s workmanship. But, here, because we are the creation of a divine creator, Isaiah says he has the right to smash us if we are not serving his purpose. Isaiah inserts this encouraging bit of advice after he had revealed that his listeners are rejecting his words because that are not comfortable with them. They had cried foul when Isaiah dared suggest that their God would judge them instead of the nations around them. Surely, they thought, God would not do that to his own people. But the LORD is not just a God of love, he is also a God of holiness. If his creation does not measure up to his holiness, he is free to smash it and start over.

[1] 29:16.

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speak comfortable things

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:6-11

⁶ A parable using the animals of the Negev: From a land of trouble and distress, lioness and lion come, from them snake and flying serpent; they carry their possessions on the male donkeys’ shoulder and their treasures on camels’ hump, to a people who cannot use them. ⁷ And Egypt’s “help” is useless and empty, therefore I have called this one “Rahab — they just sit there.” ⁸ Now go, write it on a tablet for them, and inscribe it on a scroll, and it may be for the distant future. ⁹ Because this is a rebellious people, dishonest children, children not willing to hear the instruction of Yahveh, ¹⁰ who say to those who do see, “You must not see!” and to the seers, “You must not see truth for us; speak comfortable things to us, see illusions, ¹¹ turn aside from that road, turn aside from that path, stop shoving the holy one of Israel in our face.”

speak comfortable things

The inhabitants of Judah wanted desperately to believe that things were going to get better, not worse. They had so convinced themselves that their political solution to their current crisis was going to work, that they issued a gag order to the prophets. The prophets were not allowed to see anything but a loving God who overlooked injustice and sin. They were not allowed to say anything that dared question the political correctness of seeking help from Egypt through a political alliance. Any suggestion that God’s people might be held accountable for their failure to live up to their covenant with Yahveh was strictly censured. Instead, the prophets were expected to speak only the comfortable, positive and encouraging message. So, Isaiah encouraged people to write down his words, because they were God’s words. They might not be accepted for a long time, but someday in the distant future, people would recognize that they were true and proper.

LORD, forgive us for seeking to isolate only the “good parts” of your message. Teach us how to read your word with maturity, and accept it all for our good, and discipline ourselves to live according to the whole truth of it.

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listening to the relics

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 30:1-5

¹ “Oh rebellious children!” (a declaration of Yahveh), “making a plan, but not from me, and pouring out a libation, but not to my Spirit, for the sake of adding sin to sin… ²going to go down to Egypt, but they do not enquire of my mouth, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt. ³ Then the protection of Pharaoh will cause shame to you, and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt, humiliation. ⁴ Because his officials are at Zoan, and his envoys reach to Hanes. ⁵ Everyone will start to stink because of a people who cannot profit them, not for help and not for profiting, but for shame and also for disgrace.”

listening to the relics

The politicians and strategists in Judah had determined that an alliance with Egypt would help to stabilize the insecure situation. So, they made plans to procure diplomatic relations with that foreign power. But they failed to enquire of the prophets of Yahveh. They assumed that the prophets of Yahveh were relics, religious old timers, who had no real practical advice to give. But Isaiah, one of those relics, told them that the plan was a mistake. Nobody listened, but he was right.

Our generation is just like that. They have a number of prophets who are speaking God’s word, but they have their own plans, and refuse to listen to the relics. Some of those new plans will lead to shame and humiliation for whole societies.

LORD, give us the wisdom to listen to those who are warning us against ignoring or rejecting your word.

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Jacob rolling over in his grave

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 29:20-24

²⁰ Because there will be no more tyrant, and the unbelieving critic will come to an end. And all those lying in wait for evil will be cut off; ²¹ those who mislead a person into sin with a word and set a trap for the defender in the gate and lead astray the innocent by hypocrisy. ²² For this reason, Yahveh, who redeemed Abraham, says this to the house of Jacob: “Jacob will be ashamed no more, and his face will turn pale no more. ²³Because when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will treat my name as holy, and they will treat the holy one of Jacob as holy, and they will stand fear the God of Israel. ²⁴And those who err spiritually will come to know understanding, and those who complain will learn instruction.

Jacob rolling over in his grave

I come from a Christian tradition that sees death as a period of unconsciousness from which everyone will be awakened at Christ’s return.[1] So, I do not believe that my ancestors are watching me, or are effected by what I say or do. However, that does not stop me from using the expression that “grandpa is rolling over in his grave.” It’s a colorful way of saying that someone’s actions or words are an embarrassment to his or her progenitors. That’s the way Isaiah is speaking here. He’s saying that if Jacob could see what his family has become, he would be extremely ashamed. But if he could see what was going to happen to Israel ultimately, he would be proud.

What is going to happen to stop Jacob from rolling over in his grave? A spiritual revival is going to happen. Tyrants will stop abusing their power for personal gain. Unbelieving critics will stop condemning the faith and the faithful. Those who live for violence will be no more. Those who use their legal or political or religious authority to promote sin and error and take advantage of others will be a thing of the past.

So, the real message Isaiah is teaching is not that people are alive after they die. It is the hope that people can revive spiritually after their society falls deep into sin and shame.

LORD, may this generation see a revival of true faith and holiness, which honors the faith of those who came before us.

[1] for an explanation of this view, see “Did you say ‘sleep’?”

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thinking backwards

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 29:15-19

¹⁵ Oy! Those who make a secret plan, to hide from Yahveh, and what they do is in a dark place. And they say, “Who sees us? And who knows us?” ¹⁶ You have it backwards! As if a pot’s creator is as dumb as the clay he uses! That product says about its maker, “He did not make me,” and a thing made into shape says of its creator “He does not know me.” ¹⁷ In a very short time, will not Lebanon change into a fruitful farmland, and the present fruitful farmland be regarded as forest? ¹⁸ And on that day, those now deaf will hear words from a scroll, and blind eyes will see out of gloom and darkness. ¹⁹ And those who are meek will experience joy in Yahveh, and needy people will celebrate the holy one of Israel.

thinking backwards

Isaiah was addressing a people who currently could pay their own bills, and solve their own problems, so they figured that they could ignore God. Their lives appeared to be under sufficient control that they could imagine a world without a creator. So, they decided to recreate God in their own minds. They imagined a God very much like the gods of the nations around them – a god who is fashioned from wood or stone, incapable of seeing or knowing them. Yes, that will do – a god I can manipulate to accomplish my will, and who cannot see what I do or hear what I think in secret.

Isaiah tells these powerful people that they are idiots. They have it totally backwards. In reality, we human beings are the clay, and God created, and is creating – us. Isaiah reminds the people who have their lives under control that God is the one who is really in control. If there is any changing or manipulating of this world, the LORD is the one who is going to do it. To illustrate that, Isaiah reminds them how quickly God can change a forest into farmland, and vice-versa. This is the same sovereign God who is now being trusted to make a difference in the lives of his true believers. They may be meek, and blind and deaf now, but they are trusting God is going to change them. These are the ones who are thinking in the right direction.

LORD, we know who you are and how you want to transform us. Keep us from the arrogance of thinking backwards about you.

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theological illiteracy

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Isaiah 28:10-14

¹⁰ Because Yahveh has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and he has shut your eyes (the prophets) and he has covered your heads(the seers). ¹¹ And this whole vision has become for you like words in a sealed document. When they give it to one who can read a document, saying, “Recite this!” He says, “I cannot, because it is sealed.” ¹² And when the document is given to someone who cannot read, saying, “Recite this now!” he says, “I cannot read a document! ¹³ And the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with its mouth, and with its lips it honors me, and its heart is far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men that has been taught, ¹⁴ for this reason, see, I am again doing something spectacular and a spectacle with this spectacular people. And the wisdom of its wise men will disappear, and the discernment of its discerning ones will keep itself hidden.”

theological illiteracy

Penny and I recently had a meeting with a missions consultant, who was bringing us up to speed on what was happening in an Asian country he had just visited. While there, he had been in a planning meeting with a mission, who had printed out a detailed budget for their organization, and went over each line with him. But he was in need of a translator, who could read each line, and tell him what each line said. Then, he wrote that English translation in the margins beside each line, so he could report it with us. Without those translated notes, the document would have been meaningless to us.

That was essentially the role of prophets in Isaiah’s day. They were the translators, serving as the eyes and ears of God’s people, explaining what God wanted, and letting the people know when they were straying from God’s standards. But, since the society had rebelled, their prophets had ceased to do that. God’s word and will had become an unreadable document. God was about to do something amazing, but Judah would be oblivious to it, because they could not read him. Their sin had made them theologically illiterate.

LORD, restore our sight and hearing. We confess that our sinful lives have made us incapable of understanding your word, and discerning your will. Restore us, so that we can bring our societies back from the darkness.

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