Category Archives: Prophecy

Blessed, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Prophecy, Through Prophets

In Yeshua, We Find Joy!

Isaiah 35 looks ahead to the joy and celebration we find in our Messiah, Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus). It is cause for celebration and hope! It is cause for joy even today!

Isaiah 35

Zion’s Happy Future

1The wilderness and the desert will be glad,
And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom;
Like the crocus

      2It will blossom profusely
And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of the LORD,
The majesty of our God.

      3Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.

      4Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
But He will save you.”

      5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

      6Then the lame will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.
For waters will break forth in the wilderness
And streams in the Arabah.

      7The scorched land will become a pool
And the thirsty ground springs of water;
In the haunt of jackals, its resting place,
Grass becomes reeds and rushes.

      8A highway will be there, a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.

      9No lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;
These will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there,

      10And the ransomed of the LORD will return
And come with joyful shouting to Zion,
With everlasting joy upon their heads.
They will find gladness and joy,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

It is encouraging to put our hope and focus on Yeshua. Let it transform you. Do not miss it. He has come. The Spirit dwells with us now. Do not miss out on the joy we find in Yeshua, waiting only for the second coming. Yes, there is a joy to be had then, but our eternity with the LORD has already started when we submitted our lives to Him.

Take a few minutes in prayer. Thank God for sending Yeshua. Spend time thanking and praising God for making a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Yeshua. Reflect on the joy and hope you should be experiencing even today. If you are not experiencing that joy, ask God to help you and show you why. Put your full trust in Him.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Hope, Prophecy, Suffering / Adversity

The Glorious Future Can Give Us Peace Even Today

The opening verses of Isaiah 32 appear to look forward to a time when Yeshua and those who follow Him are reigning. What a glorious time that will be! As we get further into the chapter, there is a reminder that we will continue to see struggles in this world until the Spirit is poured out from on high.

Isaiah 32

The Glorious Future

1Behold, a king will reign righteously
And princes will rule justly.

      2Each will be like a refuge from the wind
And a shelter from the storm,
Like streams of water in a dry country,
Like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land.

      3Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.

      4The mind of the hasty will discern the truth,
And the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.

      5No longer will the fool be called noble,
Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

      6For a fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart inclines toward wickedness:
To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry person unsatisfied
And to withhold drink from the thirsty.

      7As for a rogue, his weapons are evil;
He devises wicked schemes
To destroy the afflicted with slander,
Even though the needy one speaks what is right.

      8But the noble man devises noble plans;
And by noble plans he stands.

      9Rise up, you women who are at ease,
And hear my voice;
Give ear to my word,
You complacent daughters.

      10Within a year and a few days
You will be troubled, O complacent daughters;
For the vintage is ended,
And the fruit gathering will not come.

      11Tremble, you women who are at ease;
Be troubled, you complacent daughters;
Strip, undress and put sackcloth on your waist,

      12Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,

      13For the land of my people in which thorns and briars shall come up;
Yea, for all the joyful houses and for the jubilant city.

      14Because the palace has been abandoned, the populated city forsaken.
Hill and watch-tower have become caves forever,
A delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks;

      15Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,
And the wilderness becomes a fertile field,
And the fertile field is considered as a forest.

      16Then justice will dwell in the wilderness
And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.

      17And the work of righteousness will be peace,
And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

      18Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation,
And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places;

      19And it will hail when the forest comes down,
And the city will be utterly laid low.

      20How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,
Who let out freely the ox and the donkey.

You can study this chapter in more detail in various ways. Of course, you can always do an internet search, but there are also commentaries available on most of the major Bible websites such as Biblehub.com and Biblegateway.com.  One such commentary that is easy to digest is the Matthew Henry Concise .

Take a few minutes in prayer to relect with God on what it will be like when Yeshua returns and rules over us. Let that hope and expecation flow through you and bring you peace today. Yeshua is LORD even today. Embrace Him now. Let His peace settle over you. There is nothing that is beyond God.

Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Prophecy, Prophecy, Through Prophets

When Preparing for Battle, Focus on God In Addition to Carnal Preparations

Preparing for battle, Judah made many carnal preparations. They provided water in the city. They repaired the walls. God had brought them to this hardship to lead them to regret and repentance. Instead, they celebrated and feasted, “because tomorrow we may die”. They made physical preparations. They did not turn to the LORD, repent, and ask Him to forgive and protect them.

When we face our battles, literal or otherwise, let’s do all these preparations, but first and foremost let us seek God and call upon Him for His protection.  Unless the LORD is with us, we labor in vain.

Isaiah 22

The Valley of Vision

      1The oracle concerning the valley of vision.
What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops?

      2You who were full of noise,
You boisterous town, you exultant city;
Your slain were not slain with the sword,
Nor did they die in battle.

      3All your rulers have fled together,
And have been captured without the bow;
All of you who were found were taken captive together,
Though they had fled far away.

      4Therefore I say, “Turn your eyes away from me,
Let me weep bitterly,
Do not try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

      5For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day of panic, subjugation and confusion
In the valley of vision,
A breaking down of walls
And a crying to the mountain.

      6Elam took up the quiver
With the chariots, infantry and horsemen;
And Kir uncovered the shield.

      7Then your choicest valleys were full of chariots,
And the horsemen took up fixed positions at the gate.

      8And He removed the defense of Judah.
In that day you depended on the weapons of the house of the forest,

      9And you saw that the breaches
In the wall of the city of David were many;
And you collected the waters of the lower pool.

      10Then you counted the houses of Jerusalem
And tore down houses to fortify the wall.

      11And you made a reservoir between the two walls
For the waters of the old pool.
But you did not depend on Him who made it,
Nor did you take into consideration Him who planned it long ago.

      12Therefore in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing,
To shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth.

      13Instead, there is gaiety and gladness,
Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep,
Eating of meat and drinking of wine:
“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”

      14But the LORD of hosts revealed Himself to me,
“Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you
Until you die,” says the Lord GOD of hosts.

      15Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts,
“Come, go to this steward,
To Shebna, who is in charge of the royal household,

      16‘What right do you have here,
And whom do you have here,
That you have hewn a tomb for yourself here,
You who hew a tomb on the height,
You who carve a resting place for yourself in the rock?

      17‘Behold, the LORD is about to hurl you headlong, O man.
And He is about to grasp you firmly

      18And roll you tightly like a ball,
To be cast into a vast country;
There you will die
And there your splendid chariots will be,
You shame of your master’s house.’

      19“I will depose you from your office,
And I will pull you down from your station.

      20“Then it will come about in that day,
That I will summon My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,

      21And I will clothe him with your tunic
And tie your sash securely about him.
I will entrust him with your authority,
And he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

      22“Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder,
When he opens no one will shut,
When he shuts no one will open.

      23“I will drive him like a peg in a firm place,
And he will become a throne of glory to his father’s house.

24“So they will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, offspring and issue, all the least of vessels, from bowls to all the jars. 25“In that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “the peg driven in a firm place will give way; it will even break off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken.”

It is encouraging to see that even as the LORD plans rebuke and punishment intended to draw the people back to Him, He is also planning who and how He will bring about restoration! What the LORD opens, no one will shut. What the LORD shuts, no one will open.

What hardships and challenges are you facing in your life? Are you turning to God wholeheartedly or are you trying to handle it all on your own?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for disciplining us to bring us back to the right relationship with You. Thank You for preparing a way to restore us to You! Your plans are perfect. Your ways are right. We put our full trust in You, even during hardship. I pray this in the name of Yeshua, our savior. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Prophecy, Prophecy, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Through Prophets

God Is Stronger than Any Enemy You Face

As we continue to read Isaiah, we see the same theme continuing in chapters 20-21. God can humble even the mightiest of those who stand against His people.  In Isaiah’s time, it was nation-states. That may still be the case for some of us, depending on our home country. Many nations persecute followers of Yeshua aggressively or simply fail to protect them. In nations like the USA, many, including government and businesses have a tendency to persecute Christians. It may not be a threat to your life, but rather it may be an attack on your business.

Regardless of whoever may oppose you, be encouraged that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! God is mighty and unmatched. He is sovereign and can humble anyone at the time of His choosing.

Isaiah 20

Prophecy about Egypt and Ethiopia

      1In the year that the commander came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him and he fought against Ashdod and captured it, 2at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet.” And he did so, going naked and barefoot. 3And the LORD said, “Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush, 4so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. 5“Then they will be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and Egypt their boast. 6“So the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, such is our hope, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and we, how shall we escape?’”

Isaiah 21

God Commands That Babylon Be Taken

      1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea.
As windstorms in the Negev sweep on,
It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land.

      2A harsh vision has been shown to me;
The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.
Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media;
I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.

      3For this reason my loins are full of anguish;
Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor.
I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.

      4My mind reels, horror overwhelms me;
The twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling.

      5They set the table, they spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;
“Rise up, captains, oil the shields,”

6For thus the Lord says to me,
“Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees.

      7“When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,
A train of donkeys, a train of camels,
Let him pay close attention, very close attention.”

8Then the lookout called,
“O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower,
And I am stationed every night at my guard post.

      9“Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.”
And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground.”

      10O my threshed people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor!
What I have heard from the LORD of hosts,
The God of Israel, I make known to you.

Oracles about Edom and Arabia

      11The oracle concerning Edom.
One keeps calling to me from Seir,
“Watchman, how far gone is the night?
Watchman, how far gone is the night?”

      12The watchman says,
“Morning comes but also night.
If you would inquire, inquire;
Come back again.”

      13The oracle about Arabia.
In the thickets of Arabia you must spend the night,
O caravans of Dedanites.

      14Bring water for the thirsty,
O inhabitants of the land of Tema,
Meet the fugitive with bread.

      15For they have fled from the swords,
From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow
And from the press of battle.

      16For thus the Lord said to me, “In a year, as a hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate; 17and the remainder of the number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken.”

Regardless of what or who you face. Be encouraged and put your hope and faith in God! He is a loving Father. He does not make mistakes. We can often grow stronger through trials.

Romans 8:28

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, You are worthy of all praise! There is none like you! Help us to put our trust in You and You alone. Thank You that we are invited to be in a relationship with You through Yeshua. Thank You for Your grace, mercy, and forgiveness toward us. Thank You for being our shield and or refuge! In Yeshua’s name, I pray. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Discipline / Guidance From God, Faithful, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Prophecy, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God

The LORD Has Power to Destroy and Restore

The LORD has the power to destroy or restore. His power and authority are absolute and unrivaled. If you are facing difficult enemies or situations, be encouraged. If you line up your life with God through Yeshua, You will do well. He is an ever-present helper.  He will not leave us or forsake us!

However, if you are not pursuing God, take warning. Those who do not have an intimate relationship with Him may not find His help and further may find some correction coming their way.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!

Isaiah 19

Message to Egypt

      1The oracle concerning Egypt.
Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence,
And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

      2“So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians;
And they will each fight against his brother and each against his neighbor,
City against city and kingdom against kingdom.

      3“Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them;
And I will confound their strategy,
So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead
And to mediums and spiritists.

      4“Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master,
And a mighty king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

      5The waters from the sea will dry up,
And the river will be parched and dry.

      6The canals will emit a stench,
The streams of Egypt will thin out and dry up;
The reeds and rushes will rot away.

      7The bulrushes by the Nile, by the edge of the Nile
And all the sown fields by the Nile
Will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.

      8And the fishermen will lament,
And all those who cast a line into the Nile will mourn,
And those who spread nets on the waters will pine away.

      9Moreover, the manufacturers of linen made from combed flax
And the weavers of white cloth will be utterly dejected.

      10And the pillars of Egypt will be crushed;
All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul.

      11The princes of Zoan are mere fools;
The advice of Pharaoh’s wisest advisers has become stupid.
How can you men say to Pharaoh,
“I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”?

      12Well then, where are your wise men?
Please let them tell you,
And let them understand what the LORD of hosts
Has purposed against Egypt.

      13The princes of Zoan have acted foolishly,
The princes of Memphis are deluded;
Those who are the cornerstone of her tribes
Have led Egypt astray.

      14The LORD has mixed within her a spirit of distortion;
They have led Egypt astray in all that it does,
As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

      15There will be no work for Egypt
Which its head or tail, its palm branch or bulrush, may do.

      16In that day the Egyptians will become like women, and they will tremble and be in dread because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He is going to wave over them. 17The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt; everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it, because of the purpose of the LORD of hosts which He is purposing against them.

      18In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction.

      19In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD near its border. 20It will become a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them. 21Thus the LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. 22The LORD will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the LORD, and He will respond to them and will heal them.

      23In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

      24In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”

As we close, take time to consider your relationship with God. Are you receiving hope from an intimate relationship that keeps growing closer to Him? Do you feel distant from Him, as if you are not making Him a priority in your life? Do you see the growth in your relationship with Him or is it stagnant?  Ask God to give you insight.

Commit to seeking the LORD more consistently and passionately in your life and then make a plan to do so. Start today!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for encouraging us and warning us in Your word. Help us not to rationalize our behaviors and attitudes, but truly challenge them so that we can continue to change and draw nearer to You. Thank You for helping us when we are struggling or overwhelmed! You are an ever-present hope for those who believe.  I pray this in the name of Yeshua. Amen.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Father / Yahweh, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Prophecy, Prophecy, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Though God May Seem Distant, He Simply Waits for His Timing

Sometimes God may seem disengaged from our trials and challenges for a time. However, in His timing, He will come against the enemies of His people. He does so in a way that brings honor and glory to His name.

Take heart and be encouraged if you are in a situation where it feels like God is distant. He has not changed. He is still sovereign. You need only focus on your relationship with God and trust in Him. He will come in His timing.

Isaiah 18

Message to Ethiopia

1Alas, oh land of whirring wings
Which lies beyond the rivers of Cush,

      2Which sends envoys by the sea,
Even in papyrus vessels on the surface of the waters.
Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth,
To a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation
Whose land the rivers divide.

      3All you inhabitants of the world and dwellers on earth,
As soon as a standard is raised on the mountains, you will see it,
And as soon as the trumpet is blown, you will hear it.

4For thus the LORD has told me,
“I will look from My dwelling place quietly
Like dazzling heat in the sunshine,
Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

      5For before the harvest, as soon as the bud blossoms
And the flower becomes a ripening grape,
Then He will cut off the sprigs with pruning knives
And remove and cut away the spreading branches.

      6They will be left together for mountain birds of prey,
And for the beasts of the earth;
And the birds of prey will spend the summer feeding on them,
And all the beasts of the earth will spend harvest time on them.

      7At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the LORD of hosts
From a people tall and smooth,
Even from a people feared far and wide,
A powerful and oppressive nation,
Whose land the rivers divide—
To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, even Mount Zion.

God is always in control. God is always aware of our challenges and cares for us. In some cases, He is using tough situations to grow or shape us or draw us back near to Him. Trust in Him and focus on Him in any trials!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your word. Thank You for the assurance that You will never leave nor forsake us. Thank You that we can trust in You even in difficult times! Thank You that You rescue us in Your timing to accomplish Your purposes, for we know that You love us. I pray this in the name of Yeshua. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Father / Yahweh, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Prophecy, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Have You Ever Felt Overwhelmed?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges and perhaps enemies you feel are coming before you? I suspect Judah felt that way when Israel and Syria were aligned against them. However, Isaiah 17 reminds us that God is all-powerful. He is able to bring down your enemies before you and remove what obstacles you are facing. Put your faith in the LORD. Follow His ways. Be encouraged.

I think the Matthew Henry Concise commentary includes some good background on Isaiah 17 for those interested. I want to highlight a few sentences in particular to share.

“Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers, and the prosperity of their enemies, will be equally short; while the joy of the former, and the destruction of those that hate and spoil them, shall last for ever.”

Isaiah 17

Prophecy about Damascus

      1The oracle concerning Damascus.
“Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city
And will become a fallen ruin.

      2“The cities of Aroer are forsaken;
They will be for flocks to lie down in,
And there will be no one to frighten them.

      3“The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim,
And sovereignty from Damascus
And the remnant of Aram;
They will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,”
Declares the LORD of hosts.

      4Now in that day the glory of Jacob will fade,
And the fatness of his flesh will become lean.

      5It will be even like the reaper gathering the standing grain,
As his arm harvests the ears,
Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain
In the valley of Rephaim.

      6Yet gleanings will be left in it like the shaking of an olive tree,
Two or three olives on the topmost bough,
Four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree,
Declares the LORD, the God of Israel.

      7In that day man will have regard for his Maker
And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

      8He will not have regard for the altars, the work of his hands,
Nor will he look to that which his fingers have made,
Even the Asherim and incense stands.

      9In that day their strong cities will be like forsaken places in the forest,
Or like branches which they abandoned before the sons of Israel;
And the land will be a desolation.

      10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation
And have not remembered the rock of your refuge.
Therefore you plant delightful plants
And set them with vine slips of a strange god.

      11In the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in,
And in the morning you bring your seed to blossom;
But the harvest will be a heap
In a day of sickliness and incurable pain.

      12Alas, the uproar of many peoples
Who roar like the roaring of the seas,
And the rumbling of nations
Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

      13The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters,
But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away,
And be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind,
Or like whirling dust before a gale.

      14At evening time, behold, there is terror!
Before morning they are no more.
Such will be the portion of those who plunder us
And the lot of those who pillage us.

I want to close by coming back to the point highlighted above from the Matthew Henry Concise commentary.

“Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers, and the prosperity of their enemies, will be equally short; while the joy of the former, and the destruction of those that hate and spoil them, shall last for ever.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to remember You are my salvation. Help me to rely on Your power and grace. The trouble of believers and the prosperity of our enemies will be equally short. Our joy as believers will last forever as we draw nearer to You.  Help us to find peace by casting our anxiety and worries upon You for You care for us. I pray this in the name of Yeshua, Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Prophecy, Prophecy, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets

Focus on Your Relationship with God

We should keep our eyes on God and our relationship with Him. Further, how we relate to others is also a good indication of our relationship with God.  Do not let our attention wander to get distracted by those who may appear to be prospering even though they are far from God.  Truly our focus needs to remain on how we relate to God and as a reflection of that, how we relate to others.

God may allow His and your enemies to prosper for a time, but ultimately all will face their judgment and be held accountable. The history recorded in Isaiah reveals that God allowed Israel’s enemies to prosper and have victory for a while as part of His discipline for Israel. However, He also shows us that He is ultimately in control. He held them accountable for their actions.

Isaiah 15

Judgment on Moab

      1The oracle concerning Moab.
Surely in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined;
Surely in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.

      2They have gone up to the temple and to Dibon, even to the high places to weep.
Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba;
Everyone’s head is bald and every beard is cut off.

      3In their streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth;
On their housetops and in their squares
Everyone is wailing, dissolved in tears.

      4Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out,
Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz;
Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud;
His soul trembles within him.

      5My heart cries out for Moab;
His fugitives are as far as Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah,
For they go up the ascent of Luhith weeping;
Surely on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress over their ruin.

      6For the waters of Nimrim are desolate.
Surely the grass is withered, the tender grass died out,
There is no green thing.

      7Therefore the abundance which they have acquired and stored up
They carry off over the brook of Arabim.

      8For the cry of distress has gone around the territory of Moab,
Its wail goes as far as Eglaim and its wailing even to Beer-elim.

      9For the waters of Dimon are full of blood;
Surely I will bring added woes upon Dimon,
A lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon the remnant of the land.

Isaiah 16 

Prophecy of Moab’s Devastation

1Send the tribute lamb to the ruler of the land,
From Sela by way of the wilderness to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.

      2Then, like fleeing birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the Arnon.

      3“Give us advice, make a decision;
Cast your shadow like night at high noon;
Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive.

      4“Let the outcasts of Moab stay with you;
Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer.”
For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased,
Oppressors have completely disappeared from the land.

      5A throne will even be established in lovingkindness,
And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David;
Moreover, he will seek justice
And be prompt in righteousness.

      6We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride;
Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury;
His idle boasts are false.

      7Therefore Moab will wail; everyone of Moab will wail.
You will moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth
As those who are utterly stricken.

      8For the fields of Heshbon have withered, the vines of Sibmah as well;
The lords of the nations have trampled down its choice clusters
Which reached as far as Jazer and wandered to the deserts;
Its tendrils spread themselves out and passed over the sea.

      9Therefore I will weep bitterly for Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah;
I will drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh;
For the shouting over your summer fruits and your harvest has fallen away.

      10Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful field;
In the vineyards also there will be no cries of joy or jubilant shouting,
No treader treads out wine in the presses,
For I have made the shouting to cease.

      11Therefore my heart intones like a harp for Moab
And my inward feelings for Kir-hareseth.

      12So it will come about when Moab presents himself,
When he wearies himself upon his high place
And comes to his sanctuary to pray,
That he will not prevail.

      13This is the word which the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab. 14But now the LORD speaks, saying, “Within three years, as a hired man would count them, the glory of Moab will be degraded along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and impotent.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please teach me Your ways that I would know You and not rely on the often deceptive teachings of men. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for loving me enough to discipline me in order to help keep me on the right path in my relationship with You. I will stay focused on You and not be distracted when others prosper that are far from You. I put my full trust in You through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. My sins are forgiven through His stripes. Thank You for always providing a way back to a close relationship with You. Thank You for Your grace, mercy, and lovingkindness. In the name of Yeshua, I pray. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Prophecy, Prophecy, Repenting from Sin, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets

God Can Deliver You from Any Circumstance

We can trust in our LORD. He has power over all nations and peoples. Even those whom He uses to discipline us by giving them victory over us, He can in His own timing bring low. He is in control at all times, whether we are on top of the mountain, or down in the valley. He is in control whether we walk in victory or defeat. This is not only true in regard to nations and armies as in Isaiah 14 where God is laying out the defeat planned for Israel’s enemies. It is also true for any difficulty or challenge that faces you.

There is no circumstance from which God cannot deliver you. If you struggle with anger or addictions or demonic activity or family strife or abuse… none are too difficult for God. In all things focus on your relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Come to Him humbly with repentant heart and with strong faith knowing nothing is beyond Him.

Isaiah 14

Israel’s Taunt

      1When the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them as an inheritance in the land of the LORD as male servants and female servants; and they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors.

      3And it will be in the day when the LORD gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved,

4that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,
“How the oppressor has ceased,
And how fury has ceased!

      5“The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers

      6Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.

      7“The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They break forth into shouts of joy.

      8“Even the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’

      9“Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come;
It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.

      10“They will all respond and say to you,
‘Even you have been made weak as we,
You have become like us.

      11‘Your pomp and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you
And worms are your covering.’

      12“How you have fallen from heaven,
O star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who have weakened the nations!

      13“But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.

      14‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’

      15“Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.

      16“Those who see you will gaze at you,
They will ponder over you, saying,
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,

      17Who made the world like a wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’

      18“All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Each in his own tomb.

      19“But you have been cast out of your tomb
Like a rejected branch,
Clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the pit
Like a trampled corpse.

      20“You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have slain your people.
May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever.

      21“Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter
Because of the iniquity of their fathers.
They must not arise and take possession of the earth
And fill the face of the world with cities.”

22“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and survivors, offspring and posterity,” declares the LORD. 23“I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of hosts.

Judgment on Assyria

      24The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand, 25to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them and his burden removed from their shoulder. 26“This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27“For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

      28In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came:

Judgment on Philistia

29“Do not rejoice, O Philistia, all of you,
Because the rod that struck you is broken;
For from the serpent’s root a viper will come out,
And its fruit will be a flying serpent.

      30“Those who are most helpless will eat,
And the needy will lie down in security;
I will destroy your root with famine,
And it will kill off your survivors.

      31“Wail, O gate; cry, O city;
Melt away, O Philistia, all of you;
For smoke comes from the north,
And there is no straggler in his ranks.

      32“How then will one answer the messengers of the nation?
That the LORD has founded Zion,
And the afflicted of His people will seek refuge in it.”

Take heart and be encouraged. There is no nation that has power over God. There is no situation too hard for Him. He is in control. Trust in Him. Turn toward Him. Build your relationship with Him through prayer, worship, Bible study, and service to Him. Put your hope and faith in God no matter your circumstance.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for encouraging us through Your word. Thank You for reminding us that You and You alone are sovereign over all things. There is no circumstance too tough for You. I come to You now in humility and with a repentant heart. I want to draw near to You. (If you are facing difficult situations in your life, bring them before the LORD now. Be open and honest with Him. He already knows. Ask for His help and believe He will help. This includes being willing to change yourself and your choices.) I thank You, LORD, in faith that You will help me in my difficulties. I pray this in the name of Yeshua, our LORD and savior. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Hope, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Through Prophets

Find Peace Today Reflecting on the Return of the King

Isaiah 11 refers to the 1,000-year rule of Yeshua on earth (also referenced in Revelation 20:4-6) after He comes a second time. God brings earth and its people back under His rule. It will be very much like the days of the Garden of Eden before sin entered through Adam and Eve. I find hope, joy and peace fill me when I seriously look forward to such a time. The more real I let it feel in my mind, the greater and more encouraging my experience. It is good to look ahead and understand where we will finish from time to time. It can help take away some of the stress of the current situation in the world.

Isaiah 11

Righteous Reign of the Branch

1Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

      2The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

      3And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

      4But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

      5Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

      6And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little boy will lead them.

      7Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

      8The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

      9They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.

      10Then in that day
The nations will resort to the root of Jesse,
Who will stand as a signal for the peoples;
And His resting place will be glorious.

The Restored Remnant

11Then it will happen on that day that the Lord
Will again recover the second time with His hand
The remnant of His people, who will remain,
From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath,
And from the islands of the sea.

      12And He will lift up a standard for the nations
And assemble the banished ones of Israel,
And will gather the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.

      13Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart,
And those who harass Judah will be cut off;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
And Judah will not harass Ephraim.

      14They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west;
Together they will plunder the sons of the east;
They will possess Edom and Moab,
And the sons of Ammon will be subject to them.

      15And the LORD will utterly destroy
The tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
And He will wave His hand over the River
With His scorching wind;
And He will strike it into seven streams
And make men walk over dry-shod.

      16And there will be a highway from Assyria
For the remnant of His people who will be left,
Just as there was for Israel
In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

Take some time to imagine yourself in this place in the future, under Yeshua’s rule on the physical earth. Experience the peace and hope in your mind and soul. Let it refresh you as you remember that God is ultimately in control of all that is going on around us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for showing us a glimpse into the hopeful future! Thank You for Your promise to gather us together again when You return. Thank You for blessing and showing favor upon Your remnant that we flourish even in difficult times. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen. 

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.