Isaiah 2
Millennial reign of Christ verse 1- 5
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem
And it shall come to pass in the LAST DAYS
that the mountain of the LORD’S house
shall be established
in the top of the mountains
shall be exalted above the hills
AND all nations shall flow to it
AND many people shall go
and say
Come you – and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD
to the house of the God of Jacob
AND HE will teach us of HIS ways
and we will WALK in his paths
for out of Zion shall go forth the law
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem
AND HE shall judge among the nations
and shall rebuke many people
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks
nation shall not lift up sword against nation
NEITHER shall they learn war any more
O house of Jacob – come you
and let us WALK in the LIGHT of the LORD
Israel needs to repent verse 6- 9
THEREFORE you have forsaken your people the house of Jacob
BECAUSE they be replenished from the east
and are soothsayers like the Philistines
and please themselves
in the children of strangers
Their land also is full of silver and gold
neither is there any end of their treasures
their land is also full of horses
neither is there any end of their chariots
Their land also is full of IDOLS
they worship the work of their own hands
that which their own fingers have made
AND the mean man bowed down
AND the great man humbled himself
THEREFORE FORGIVE THEM NOT
Warning of coming judgment verse 10- 11
Enter into the rock – and hide you in the dust
for FEAR of the LORD
and for the GLORY of HIS MAJESTY
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled
and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down
and the LORD alone shall be EXALTED
in THAT DAY
Day of the LORD [Tribulation] verse 12- 18
For the DAY of the LORD of hosts shall be
upon every one that is proud and lofty
and upon every one that is lifted up
and he shall be brought low
and upon all the cedars of Lebanon
that are high and lifted up
and upon all the oaks of Bashan
and upon all the high mountains
and upon all the hills that are lifted up
and upon every high tower
and upon every fenced wall
and upon all the ships of Tarshish
and upon all pleasant pictures
AND the loftiness of man shall be bowed down
AND the haughtiness of men shall be made low
AND the LORD alone shall be EXALTED
in THAT DAY
AND the idols HE shall utterly abolish
Hiding from the wrath of the Lamb verse 19- 22
AND they shall go into the holes of the rocks
and into the caves of the earth
for FEAR of the LORD
for the GLORY of HIS MAJESTY
when HE arises to shake terribly the earth
IN THAT DAY a man shall cast his idols of silver
and his idols of gold
which they made each one for himself to worship
to the moles and to the bats
To go into the clefts of the rocks
and into the tops of the ragged rocks
for FEAR of the LORD
and for the GLORY of HIS MAJESTY
when HE arises to shake terribly the earth
Cease you from man – whose breath is in his nostrils
for wherein is he to be accounted of?
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (3384 “teach” [yarah] means instruct, direct or inform)
DEVOTION: Isaiah was given a vision of the future. This time period is thought to be the time period called the Millennium. This is the Thousand Year reign of Christ after the seven year Tribulation time period.
The next event to happen is what is called the Rapture of those who are genuine believers or the church. This church is different from the church on the corner of many cities. It is the church universal. It is made up of all those individuals who have repented of their sins and trusted in Christ alone for salvation. It is faith plus nothing equals salvation. The works that those who are followers of Christ do after salvation are offering of thanks to HIM for their salvation. Salvation is a gift given by Christ.
Next comes a time period called the Day of the LORD which is the time of the wrath of the Lamb and of God. This is a seven year period when the world is judged for their rejection of Christ and the final opportunity for some to become followers of Christ. There are 144,000 witnesses sealed at the same time as the church is RAPTURED. These are Jewish witnesses from all of the tribes of Israel except Dan. This is described in the verses later in this chapter.
During the time period covered here we find that one of the activities of the Millennium is a time of training. The LORD will give instructions regarding the way of truth. HE gave it to HIS disciples for the three year training period before HIS death on the cross. Even in an environment where Christ is reigning on the earth and when the devil is in chains people still need training to deal with the final area of temptation: their flesh.
We are all tempted by the world, the flesh and the devil while we live each day. The only power we have for victory is through Jesus Christ in our heart and the indwelling Holy Spirit who teaches us all truth. We are not good learners. We are like the children of Israel who had to be reminded regularly of their responsibility to the LORD. Many of them failed to follow the LORD but there was a remnant that did follow and walked in the path that the LORD lead them.
CHALLENGE: God has a plan for the present and future. HE knows the future and has warned all humans that they will face HIM one day. Preparation is necessary. Teach others.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 O house of Jacob, come you, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. (1980 “walk” [halak] means manner of life, proceed, to live or behave in a certain manner, to go forward, or travel)
DEVOTION: Isaiah is asking the people around him to correct their manner of living. They are doing things wrong and he wants them to turn in a different direction and start doing things right according to the standard the LORD has given them throughout the history of Israel.
They have the Ten Commandments to follow. They have the worship commands to follow regarding what is proper in their times of worship. They have commands regarding prayer. They need to reeducate themselves in the truths that are found in the truths God has given throughout their history.
We have the same problem today. Too many people who think they are believers because they have said a prayer or go to church or don’t do some things that are considered wrong that they are OK with God. It is not the truth and they are following the lie of a religion of self.
God has given light through HIS Son Jesus Christ that we find in the New Testament that gives us enough truth to cause us to get on our knees before the LORD and ask HIS forgiveness for our shallow religious life. HE wants a life that is pleasing to HIM and that requires a total commitment to HIS teachings.
We are not to be like society that likes to pick and choose what it wants to believe is found in the Bible. We have to dig into the Word of God and see what HE expects of us and then live that way. It is not easy but HE has given us the Holy Spirit to help us confess our sins and process in the right direction. It is work!! It is a challenge!! It is TRUTH!!!
CHALLENGE: Are we following the standard of church or society or the standard of the Word of God. Many churches are giving into society and not following the Word of God correctly. We will face the LORD one day!!!
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: 9 And the mean man bows down, and the great man humbles himself: therefore forgive them not. (7817 “humbles” [shachach] means bow down, crouch, have to stoop, cause to collapse, to be prostrated, be reduced, or weakened)
DEVOTION: Here we find that there will come a time in the future when men both high and low, rich and poor will bow down to worship idols.
These will be idols made by the hands of men. So even in the end times there will be idolatry with soothsaying, covetousness and the worship of the beast and his image. This sin will not be forgiven.
Today we have antichristian worshippers but in the end times there will be more of this practice than even now.
Isaiah doesn’t want the LORD to forgive these false worshipers. These are people who think they don’t need the Creator of the Universe. They need to be humbled before the LORD and Isaiah wants it to happen.
It is because even in the end times false worship will be great. It seems that Israel has not learned from the past just like Christians are not learning in the present that the only one we should be worshiping and obeying is the LORD.
Our God is a forgiving God but there comes a time when even HE will not forgive people who will not worship HIM. HE is longsuffering today and will be in the future but there is a limit and it is reached in the end times.
We need to warn our family and friends that the day is coming when this time period will start and if there is no confessions of sin and following of the LORD their will be no more time in the future.
CHALLENGE: Our warnings today come on deaf ears most of the time but even during the end times their will be deaf ears even when everything is falling apart most will continue to serve Satan. Sad but true!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down; and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
(7682 “exalted” [sagab] means be excellent, be safe, lofty, be too strong, or in the state of high status)
DEVOTION: This word is used in both this verse and verse eleven in this chapter. The first part of this chapter describes a coming time in which the LORD will reign in Jerusalem. It is thought to be the millennial time period. World peace will be established.
However, Isaiah is living in a time when the children of Israel need to be judged. In the coming day of the LORD there is judgment. In that that day only one will be given high status. Only one will be strong enough to face all those who are evil. That ONE is the LORD. HE alone will be lifted up. Man thinks that they can lift up themselves. Man thinks that everything that happens, happens because they make it happen. These individuals will be surprised. Man is not God even though some teach that he can become a god. This is a false teaching that many want to believe.
In our present age men are getting further and further away from the LORD. They want nothing to do with HIM. They feel that they don’t need HIM. They would rather live in a direct opposite position from what would be pleasing to HIM. They call good evil and evil good. There are many new Atheist in our world who are not happy that Christians are still around. The old atheist didn’t care, but these new Atheist want to rid the world of all Christians.
This verse uses three words in connection with man and the LORD. In regards to men there are two words that are used: loftiness and haughtiness. The result of these two words is that men are bowed down and made low because they think too highly of themselves. Both of these words give us the result of men thinking they are better than God. We are not to think more highly of ourselves. We like to be a people of importance in our circles. The LORD wants those who are HIS followers to be humble.
However, the only one of real importance in our world should be the LORD. We are here to give HIM the glory, not ourselves. How often we seek the glory. We need to be a people who raise the LORD on high. We need to FEAR the LORD. We need to give HIM glory. We need to remember HIS majesty.
There are too many Christians in our churches who think that they are more important than everyone else. They think they are less sinful than everyone else. They think that the church would die without them. This is WRONG thinking. God rewards us for proper attitudes toward HIM and toward other believers.
CHALLENGE: Sit in the lowest places with the lowest people in the congregation. Never think that you are more important than others. Compliment others as often as you can with genuine praise. The LORD will bless you for your actions.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Law verse 3
Word of the LORD verse 3
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 2, 3, 5, 10-12, 19, 21
LORD’S house verse 2
Exalted above the hills
All nations shall flow to it
Mountain of the LORD verse 3
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 3
God of Jacob verse 3
Teach us HIS ways verse 3
House of the God of Jacob verse 3
Word of the LORD verse 3
Judge verse 4
Rebuke many people verse 4
Light of the LORD verse 5
Forsaken the house of Jacob verse 6
Fear of the LORD verse 10, 19, 21
Glory of HIS majesty verse 10, 19, 21
LORD alone will be exalted verse 11, 17
LORD of hosts verse 12
Shake terribly the earth verse 19, 21
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
All nations verse 2, 4
Many people verse 2, 4
Philistines verse 6
Children of strangers verse 6
Mean man verse 9
Great man verse 9
Cedars of Lebanon verse 13
Oaks of Bashan verse 13
Ships of Tarshish verse 16
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Learn war verse 4
Replenished from the east verse 6
Soothsayers verse 6
Please themselves verse 6
Idols verse 8, 18, 20
Worship the work of their own hands verse 8, 20
Mean man and great man false worship verse 9
Lofty looks of man verse 11
Haughtiness verse 11, 17
Proud and lofty verse 12
Loftiness verse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Taught verse 3
Walk verse 3, 5
Rebuke verse 4
Walk in the light of the LORD verse 5
Forgive verse 9
Fear of the LORD verse 10
Humbled verse 11
Exalt the LORD verse 11, 17
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Isaiah – son of Amoz verse 1
Judah verse 1
Jerusalem verse 1, 3
Mountain of the LORD’S house verse 2
Exalted verse 2
House of the God of Jacob verse 3
House of Jacob verse 3, 5, 6
Zion (Jerusalem) verse 3
House of Jacob verse 5
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Last days [Millennium] verse 2
Beat their swords into plowshares verse 4
Spears into pruninghooks verse 4
Nation shall not sword against nation verse 4
Not learn war any more verse 4
Land full of silver and gold verse 7
Land full of horses and chariots verse 7
Land is full of idols verse 8
Not forgiveness for false worshipers verse 9
Day of the LORD of hosts verse 12
Idols shall be utterly abolished verse 18
Fear of the LORD shall cause people to
hide in holes of rocks and caves verse 19
In that day verse 20
men shall cast his idols of silver
and idols of gold verse 20
Worship to moles and bats verse 20
Day of accounting verse 22
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QUOTES regarding passage
Ver. 5. O house of Jacobs, &c.] This is either an exhortation of the prophet to the men of his generation, to attend to the light of the law, which the Lord had given them, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi; or rather, as the Targum and Jarchi suggest, an exhortation of the nations to the people of Israel, and are indeed the words of the converted Gentiles to the people of the Jews, being concerned for their conversion and spiritual welfare, as will appear in the latter day; when they will not only encourage one another to go up to the house of the Lord, as in the preceding verses, but will be very solicitous that the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, share with them in all that light and glory that shall be risen upon Zion; as follows: come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord; meaning either Christ, in whom the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given, and the glory of all the perfections of the divine nature is displayed; who is that light that dwells with the Lord, was sent forth by him, and came into this world as the light of it, and is given for a light to the Gentiles, as well as the glory of the people of Israel; and who is the author of all light; of corporeal light, in the first creation; of the sun, moon, and stars; of the light of nature in every man; of the light of the Gospel of the grace of God; of the spiritual light of grace in the hearts of his people; and of the light of eternal glory: or else the Gospel is intended, called she light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, 2 Cor. 4:4 by which some are only notionally enlightened, and some spiritually and savingly, when it is attended with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ: or rather, the light of the latter-day glory, which includes the other two; when Christ and his Gospel will be more clearly revealed and seen, not only by the watchmen, who will see eye to eye, but by all the saints; when the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun sevenfold as the light of seven days, and the whole earth shall be lightened with its glory, Isa. 30:26; Rev. 18:1 and to walk in this light, as it respects Christ, is to walk by faith in him, to go on in believing views of him, and to walk in imitation of him, and as he directs; and as it respects the Gospel, it is to embrace it, profess it, hold it fast, and hold it forth; and to walk as that prescribes and guides, and as becomes it; and to walk as children of the light, wisely and circumspectly; worthy of the vocation of God, of the grace he calls by, and the kingdom he calls to: and to walk in the light of the latter-day glory is to enjoy it, and share in all the blessings of it, with perseverance therein, through the grace of God; and such walking is pleasant and comfortable; such shall have the communion of God and Christ, and fellowship one with another, and at last enjoy the light of life. See John 8:12 and 12:35, 36; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 21:23, 24. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 14). London: Mathews and Leigh.
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5 offers The first exhortation: walk with the Lord (matched by a second exhortation in 2:22). In the light means in the light of the Lord’s favour (Num. 6:25), his presence and care (Ps. 27), his truth (Ps. 43:3) and his revealed word (Ps. 119:105). ( Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 60). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)
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5 Isaiah frequently accused God’s people of not walking in his ways (42:24; 58:2; 63:17). Micah (4:5) contemplated the idolatry of the nations and expressed, on the part of his people, Judah’s determination (probably superficial as far as they were concerned) to walk in the ways of the Lord. Isaiah viewed the future obedience of the nations to the true God as a challenge to the house of Jacob to walk in his ways. The nations are not yet coming to Jerusalem to be taught by the Lord, but Israel already has his word. How unthinkable then that she should continue to walk in darkness! The Christian is faced by the same kind of challenge in Ephesians 5:8–20. (Grogan, G. W. (1986). Isaiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 35). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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The temple of the Lord (Isa. 2:1–5). The prophet looked ahead to the time when God’s righteous kingdom would be established and the temple would become the center for the worldwide worship of the Lord. In Isaiah’s day, the Jews were adopting the false gods of the Gentiles; but the day would come when the Gentiles would abandon their idols and worship the true God of Israel. The nations would also lay down their weapons and stop warring. These promises must not be “spiritualized” and applied to the church, for they describe a literal kingdom of righteousness and peace. The Jewish temple will be rebuilt, and the Word of God will go forth from Jerusalem to govern the nations of the world.
In the light of the future glory of God’s temple, Isaiah appealed to the people to “walk in the light of the Lord” (v. 5). Christians today have a similar motivation as we await the return of Christ for His church (1 John 2:28–3:3). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (p. 22). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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2:1–5 The first of 3 pictures of Zion (Jerusalem) in this discourse that depicts her future exaltation.
2:2–4 The book of Micah contains this portion of Isaiah’s prophecy almost word for word (Mic 4:1–3), indicating that the younger contemporary of Isaiah may have obtained the words from him. Both passages present a prophetic picture of Zion in the future messianic kingdom when all people will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the world.
2:2 In the last days. The “last days” is a time designation looking forward to the messianic era (Eze 38:16; Hos 3:5; Mic 4:1). The NT applied the expression to the period beginning with the first advent of Jesus Christ (Ac 2:17; 2Ti 3:1; Heb 1:2; Jas 5:3; 2Pe 3:3). Old Testament prophets, being without a clear word regarding the time between the Messiah’s two advents, linked the expression to the Messiah’s return to establish His earthly kingdom, i.e., the millennial kingdom spoken about in Rev 20:1–10. The mountain of the house of the Lord. The reference is to Mt. Zion, the location of the temple in Jerusalem. The expression occurs two other times in the OT (2Ch 33:15; Mic 4:1).
2:3 mountain of the Lord. Isaiah frequently calls Mt. Zion the “holy mountain” (11:9; 27:13; 56:7; 57:13; 65:11, 25; 66:20).
2:4 swords into plowshares … spears into pruning hooks. With the Messiah on His throne in Jerusalem, the world will enjoy uninterrupted peaceful conditions. Warfare will continue to characterize human history until the Prince of Peace (9:6) returns to earth to put an end to it. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Is 2:1–4). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Let us walk. Let us live. The word walk is often used to denote human life or conduct; comp. ver. 3; Rom. 6:4; 8:1; 1 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 6:16, &c. (Barnes, A. (1851). Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah (Vol. 1, p. 87). London: Blackie & Son.)
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It is in view of this glorious fulfillment of Israel’s Messianic hopes that the exhortation of verse 5 comes in, “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” The house of Jacob, so long blinded because of their rejection of Christ when He came the first time, will then have their eyes opened to see the light which has been hidden from them.
….
In verses 10–22 the prophet speaks of the Day of the Lord when God shall arise in His might and His indignation to deal with wickedness and corruption wherever found. As depicted in the judgment of the sixth seal in Revelation 6, men may seek to enter into the rocks and hide in the ground, but their hope of escaping the fierce anger of the Lord will be in vain, for “the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (verse 11). (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (p. 20, 21). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 5. O house of Jacobs, &c.] This is either an exhortation of the prophet to the men of his generation, to attend to the light of the law, which the Lord had given them, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi; or rather, as the Targum and Jarchi suggest, an exhortation of the nations to the people of Israel, and are indeed the words of the converted Gentiles to the people of the Jews, being concerned for their conversion and spiritual welfare, as will appear in the latter day; when they will not only encourage one another to go up to the house of the Lord, as in the preceding verses, but will be very solicitous that the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, share with them in all that light and glory that shall be risen upon Zion; as follows: come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord; meaning either Christ, in whom the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is given, and the glory of all the perfections of the divine nature is displayed; who is that light that dwells with the Lord, was sent forth by him, and came into this world as the light of it, and is given for a light to the Gentiles, as well as the glory of the people of Israel; and who is the author of all light; of corporeal light, in the first creation; of the sun, moon, and stars; of the light of nature in every man; of the light of the Gospel of the grace of God; of the spiritual light of grace in the hearts of his people; and of the light of eternal glory: or else the Gospel is intended, called she light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, 2 Cor. 4:4 by which some are only notionally enlightened, and some spiritually and savingly, when it is attended with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ: or rather, the light of the latter-day glory, which includes the other two; when Christ and his Gospel will be more clearly revealed and seen, not only by the watchmen, who will see eye to eye, but by all the saints; when the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun sevenfold as the light of seven days, and the whole earth shall be lightened with its glory, Isa. 30:26; Rev. 18:1 and to walk in this light, as it respects Christ, is to walk by faith in him, to go on in believing views of him, and to walk in imitation of him, and as he directs; and as it respects the Gospel, it is to embrace it, profess it, hold it fast, and hold it forth; and to walk as that prescribes and guides, and as becomes it; and to walk as children of the light, wisely and circumspectly; worthy of the vocation of God, of the grace he calls by, and the kingdom he calls to: and to walk in the light of the latter-day glory is to enjoy it, and share in all the blessings of it, with perseverance therein, through the grace of God; and such walking is pleasant and comfortable; such shall have the communion of God and Christ, and fellowship one with another, and at last enjoy the light of life. See John 8:12 and 12:35, 36; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 21:23, 24. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 14). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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But a Christian hope isn’t a feeling. And it’s not wishful thinking. Hope comes from the certainty of God’s promises. These are promises like Romans 8:28 — “God works in all things for the good of those who love him.” Promises like Acts 16:31 — “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Promises abound for us about future realities. God has promised believers that Christ will come again, will redeem our bodies, will make us holy, will let us share in His glory, and will give us eternal life. This isn’t simple optimism. And it isn’t hope pinned to a fallible human leader. This is a firm hope in the Creator. When we don’t have a secure hope, we worry excessively about the future. But when our hope is secure, we are free to live in the fruits of hope. John Piper has identified four fruits of Christian hope. First, Christian hope bears the fruit of true joy. Unlike happiness, joy is not dependent upon circumstances. Second, Christian hope produces sacrificial love. When we aren’t obsessing over self-preservation, we are free to give ourselves to others. Next, Christian hope yields boldness. The hopeful Christian is realistic about the reality of the world’s problems, but it is also certain of God’s ultimate victory. (Chuck Colson, Got Hope?)
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Jesus is seen in a vision as a glorious, powerful, heavenly being.
INSIGHT
When Jesus came to earth, He came in poverty, humility, and obscurity. He willingly allowed men to victimize Him and to seemingly triumph over Him. But this is not a complete picture of who Jesus really is. In coming to earth, Jesus Christ left a state of glory and power, clothed Himself in humanity, and veiled His divine appearance. The book of Revelation gives us a broader picture of who He is by telling us a little about His divine appearance and nature(vv. 14-15). Although we cannot know how Jesus looked while on earth, this description of Him certainly discloses many of His divine traits (vv. 17-18).
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PRAY FOR HOLINESS
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.1 John 5:15
We can pray that all the precepts, all the promises, and all the prophecies in the Bible with respect to ourselves may be fulfilled in us. “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). And if you pray for sanctification, you can be sure that God will sanctify you. It is God’s will that we may know His love; ask Him therefore to reveal His love to you by the Holy Spirit, and you can be certain He will do so. And it is the same with all the various other promises that are in the Scriptures: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).
Are you concerned that you do not love as much as you ought? Tell Him about it; ask Him to shed His love abroad in your heart, and He will do so. Are you concerned about some sin that casts you down? Pray a confident prayer. It is the will of God that you should be delivered from sin; so pray for it. Are you concerned that your heart shall be clean? Well, offer David’s prayer (“Create within me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” Psalm 51:10), and I assure you, on the basis of the Word of God and His character, that He will answer you, and the blood of Christ will cleanse you from all sin and all unrighteousness. Go through your Bible, and make a list of the promises of God to you; then take them to God, use them in His presence, plead them, and you can be quite certain that you have your petitions. You already possess them, and in His own time and way God will give you a full realization of them and a full enjoyment of them.
A Thought to Ponder: We can pray that all the precepts, promises, and prophecies in the Bible may be fulfilled in us. (From Life in God, p. 125, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Soldier’s Duty
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
As Paul came to the end of his earthly life, he took great pains to encourage his disciple to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1) and to guard and pass on the precious teachings that Paul had taught him.
Paul compared Timothy’s life in the ministry of the gospel to the life of a soldier. The Greek word translated “endure hardness” is used twice more by Paul, each in this book. “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions [same word], do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul holds himself up as an example of such endurance when he claims: “I suffer trouble [same word], as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound” (2 Timothy 2:9).
As soldiers of Jesus Christ, we are to avoid entangling ourselves with something that will hinder our effectiveness. The word “entangled” means “entwined,” or “involved with.” The soldier must be able to draw his weapon freely and use it effectively, and cannot do so if something is clutching onto him, binding his arms and legs.
Our text follows the well-known admonition “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-2). The goal of a soldier is to please his leader. So must be our goal in the warfare at hand, preserving and passing on the truth. As Christians, we have been chosen to be in the army of the General who Himself died to assure our ultimate victory. He deserves our total devotion. (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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