AWAKE BIBLE IN A YEAR JULY 10
Read Isaiah 9-10
How many times Isaiah saw Christ, before he was ever born or had ever lived!
First he was afflicted by grief then he was in awestruck by glory. Isaiah is a man chosen by God to speak to kings.
First Isaiah’s guilt was cleansed, then he was sent.
It is Isaiah, who knows the names of Jesus, who knows the very location the LIGHT will come! The very location, Jesus, first miracle will begin. Water to wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. Not only that, but 37 miracles are in Galilee! Isaiah 9:1-2 is powerful. Jesus ministry will begin in this exact location of Galilee and Isaiah calls it out.
Ahaz the king of the southern kingdom of Judah refuses to stand in faith. Ahaz vacillates and looks for Assyrian help instead of looking to God for victory. Read it here 2 Kings 16:5–6. Isaiah‘s message was exercise patience, and trust God. ‘Two roads diverged in a wood; and I took the one less traveled by, and it is made all the difference.’ Robert Frost. Hard choices face all of us! In the midst of it ask yourself one comes from faith? Which one comes from fear?
“The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ ”” Isaiah 7:9 NIV Isaiah is saying to Ahaz, without firm faith, you will not be firmly established. The word faith is EMUNAH, which means belief in, or faith in God‘s faithfulness. This sort of faithfulness is promised in Psalm 89:24.
The plan the planned siege fails, not without loss of life. However, the word God spoke through Isaiah was true.
Ahaz refuses to trust God’s prophet. The Israelite people are consulting mediums and not GOD. This darkness is a pollution of the land, yet in the middle of it all, Isaiah sees salvation. Isaiah sees the glory of GOD. “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light: those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Is. 9:2)
“BUT [in the midst of judgment there is the promise and the certainty of the Lord’s deliverance and] there shall be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time [the Lord] brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He will make it glorious, by the way of the Sea [of Galilee, the land] beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined. [Isa. 42:6; Matt. 4:15, 16.]” Isaiah 9:1-2 AMPC
We too, can stand firmly believing God is faithful. We can stand undefeated on the promise given after the resurrection. Christ offers it boldly in Matthew 28:20.
I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
PRAYER TO PRAY FOR your friend who just shared some tough news: First off, you know I’m sorry. Second I’m praying right now, you are able to stand in faith, I STAND with you, JESUS is working this circumstance for good. SOMEHOW. IN THE UNSEEN good is on the way.
