The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 17:7-8,
"In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made."
Isaiah's prophecy turns to a time when Damascus (Syria) and Ephraim will suffer the Lord's judgment. This is due to what we read in verse 10, "You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress."
"In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made."
Isaiah's prophecy turns to a time when Damascus (Syria) and Ephraim will suffer the Lord's judgment. This is due to what we read in verse 10, "You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress."
The outcome of God's judgment of them, following Damascus being reduced to a heap of ruins, "the cities of Aroer" becoming deserted, the removal of the "royal power from Damascus", Jacob fading away, verse 4, they will "look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel"!
Here is a principle regarding the nature of mankind that is repeated throughout the Scriptures: when a people exist in peace and affluence, they often turn from God to chase fantasies that lead to sinful rebellion (just as we see in our nation today). The collective sin nature of a people prompts them to turn from God.
When a people experience the judgment of God corporately in this life, they turn to him in cries for relief, for respite from the very difficult times God's judgment brings. Possible famine, threats from other nations, military occupations, etc. have all led Israel back to her God in a cycle so often repeated. This principle is no more clear than the very many times we see it at play in the book of Judges. Peace and affluence leads to God's people abandoning him, as they abandon God, it leads to his bringing judgment on the nation. The suffering from his judgment leads to a repentance of the people, a cry to God for his mercy. As this repentance leads to God's rescue of his people, it results in peace and affluence which starts the cycle all over again.
The cycle goes like this: peace and affluence - rebellion - judgment - repentance - deliverance - peace and affluence, etc.
The reality is that where we pray for peace and affluence, it is often the very difficulties we face that drive us to our Creator, to seek him out, to look for him in the role he wants us to find him in: our Savior!
God's judgment in this life is often an expression of his love for us in disguise - in it he leads us back to him, the best possible place we can find ourselves!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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