Isaiah
35:1–37:13, Luke
12:22–59, Job
8:11–22
Some say that Isaiah is not written in chronological
order. If that is true, then chapter 35 is like the end of the book compared to
chapters 36 and 37. It speaks of how God’s people will experience blessing
after all the trials of being chastened and purified . . .
“The wilderness and the dry
land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it
shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon
shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the
glory of the Lord, the majesty of
our God.” (Isaiah 35:1–2)
They will see God’s glory because “the
eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then
shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”
Besides all that, “Waters
break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand
shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of
jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a
highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean
shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if
they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any
ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed
shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord
shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their
heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee
away.” (Isaiah 35:5–10)
But the next two chapters are not so cheerful. Isaiah
writes of the King of Assyria’s invasion of Judah and his threats to take the
entire land. The king sought God’s will and God told Isaiah, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have
heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold,
I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own
land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.” (Isaiah 37:6–7)
The threats continued after today’s reading ends but for
me the instructions are plain: seek the Lord Jesus Christ when the peace He
gives me is threatened, no matter how those threats are shaped. His
promises for the future are anchored in the faithfulness of His character, so I
don’t need to be anxious.
Another advice comes from Job. Bildad tries to persuade
Job to repent thinking all of Job’s troubles are caused by sin. What he says
sounds good, but God said this was wrong: “Behold,
God will not reject a blameless man, nor take the hand of evildoers. He will
yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting. Those who hate
you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
(Job 8:20–22)
If Bildad thought Job was innocent, his words would have
been an encouragement, but God rejects true statements given with the wrong
motivation. This man was accusing Job, even though what he said was true. He
tried to manipulate Job using truth in the wrong way.
My instruction here is to watch my motivations because
God is viewing my heart. I cannot manipulate people with lies or even with
truth. Godliness is about being sincere and without guile.
Fearing threats and being manipulative are symptoms that I’m
not trusting God. Jesus tells me, “Therefore I tell
you, do not be anxious about your life . . . And which of you by being anxious
can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as
small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? . . . . Instead, seek his kingdom, and (what I
need) will be added to you . . . . Fear not . . . it is your Father’s good
pleasure to give you the kingdom . . . . For where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also.” (Luke
12: 22–31, 32–34)
What is my treasure? Is it me and protecting myself from
threats by manipulating others so as to be on top of things all the time? Or is
it to trust the Lord with all my heart, for everything, all the time?
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