September 26
Isaiah 48:12-50:11 | PS 69:1-18 | Prov 24:5-6 | Eph 4:17-32
Each of us must make a decision as to whom we choose to listen to, for we all receive our marching orders from someone. The majority of individuals will choose worldly counsel. They seek medical experts, climate experts, media voices whom they trust, certain politicians, etc. We read in Isaiah 47:8,10,13: ““Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’;…“For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’…You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall come upon you.” Well, these were their respected counselors in the day of Isaiah (roughly 700 years before Christ). Let’s see how it turned out for them in 47:14-15, “Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before! Thus shall they be to you With whom you have labored, Your merchants from your youth; They shall wander each one to his quarter. No one shall save you.”
Or else you can choose to follow a seemingly unlikely Commander in Chief. In the book of Isaiah, there are four Servant Songs, depicting the first coming of Jesus. There are many passages which depict Jesus’ second coming, as He conquers and reigns on earth. But here in Isaiah we get a good picture of His first coming, as a servant, coming to die for mankind, conquering sin not by a show of strength but in submission. These 4 passages are in Isaiah 42:1-9, 49:1-13, 50:4-11, 52:13-53:12 (this last profound portion will be discussed at a later time). In Matthew 3:17, as Jesus is baptized in the Jordan, we see Isaiah 42:1 alluded to. Then we get a picture of His mission which is quoted in Matthew 12:18-20, as He came not to break or destroy us, but restore and heal us. In the second Servant Song, we see many things including His being a light to the world and to the Gentiles, who as of that time were seen as worthless dogs. In the third song we get a picture of His suffering for our sake, as we read in Isaiah 50:6, “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.”
Yes, a choice. One appears to have it all: the accolades of the masses, popular support, a seemingly winning formula for personal acceptance and success. But as we read this formula, this running with the majority will prove your downfall. The other represents the minority, the remnant who place their Hope and trust on One who seemingly lost the earthly fight. On earth He was beaten, mocked, and killed. Yet, His submission offers us life. He conquered sin and death on the cross. We read in Philippians 2:8-11, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In reality, there is only one choice, but sadly most are too blind and deaf to see it.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: