ISAIAH 24
CHAPTER: ISAIAH 24
Final judgment during Tribulation period verse 1-3
Behold – the LORD makes the earth EMPTY – and makes it WASTE
and turns it UPSIDE DOWN
and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof
And it shall be – as with the people – so with the priest
as with the servant – so with his master
as with the maid – so with the mistress
as with the buyer – so with the seller
as with the lender – so with the borrower
as with the taker of usury – so with the giver of usury to him
The land shall be UTTERLY EMPTIED – and UTTERLY SPOILED
for the LORD has spoken this word
Reason for this final judgment verse 4- 6
The earth MOURNS and FADES AWAY
the world LANGUISHES and FADES AWAY
the HAUGHTY people of the earth do LANGUISH
The earth also is DEFILED under the inhabitants thereof
BECAUSE they have TRANSGRESSED the laws
CHANGED the ordinance
BROKEN the everlasting covenant
THEREFORE has the curse DEVOURED the earth
and they have dwell therein are DESOLATE
THEREFORE the inhabitants of the earth are BURNED
and few men left
Countryside will be judged verse 7- 9
The new wine mourns – the vine languishes
all the merry hearted do sigh
The mirth of tabrets CEASES
the noise of them that rejoice ends
the joy of the harp ceases
They shall not drink wine with a song
strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it
City will be judged verse 10- 12
The city of CONFUSION is broken down – every house is shut up
that no man may come in
There is a crying for wine in the streets
all joy is darkened – the mirth of the land is gone
In the city is left desolation
and the gate is smitten with destruction
Righteous remnant will rejoice verse 13- 15
When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people
there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree
and as the gleaming grapes when the vintage is done
They shall lift up their voice
they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD
they shall cry aloud from the sea
WHEREFORE glorify you the LORD in the fires
even the name of the LORD God of Israel
in the isles of the sea
No place to run from judgment verse 16- 20
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs
even glory to the righteous
But I said
My leanness – my leanness – woe to me!
the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously
YEA – the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously
Fear – and the pit – and the snare – are upon you
O inhabitant of the earth
AND it shall come to pass
that he who flees from the noise of the fear
shall fall into the pit
and he that comes up out of the midst of the pit
shall be taken in the snare
for the window from on high are open
and the foundations of the earth do shake
The earth is utterly broken down – the earth is clean dissolved
the earth is moved exceedingly
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard
and shall be removed like a cottage
and the transgression shall be heavy upon it
and it shall fall – and not rise again
Rulers gathered and punished verse 21- 22
AND it shall come to pass IN THAT DAY
that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones
that are on high
and the kings of the earth upon the earth
And they shall be gathered together
as prisoners are gathered in the pit
and shall be shut up in the prison
and after many days shall they be visited
Christ will reign in Jerusalem verse 23
THEN the moon shall be confounded – and the sun ashamed
when the LORD of hosts shall REIGN in Mount Zion
and in Jerusalem – and before his ancients gloriously
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof. (1238 “empty” [baqaq] means to pour out, to depopulate, make void, or lay waste.)
DEVOTION: The earth is judge. The people of the earth are judged. Isaiah is foretelling of a day when the people of the earth will be judged because of transgression of God’s law. They have changed the ordinances of God. They have broken the everlasting covenant that the LORD established with HIS people.
This is a judgment of the children of Israel in the future. Men are going to be burned with few left. There is going to be confusion. People are going to run. Desolation is going to be judgment of the day.
However, there is going to be a remnant, which is going to sing to the majesty of God. This remnant is a group of people that are singing are going to glorify the LORD. This group is righteous.
Those outside this group are going to be taken to the pit. The earth is going to be broken down. The earth is going to be moved. The earth is going to reel to and fro like a drunkard.
When this judgment is happening, the LORD is going to judge the “high ones.” The LORD is going to judge the “kings of the earth.” They are going to be prisoners for a time period. While they are prisoners, the LORD is going to reign on the earth.
This chapter has just described the Tribulation period or the time of Jacob’s trouble or the seventieth week of Daniel. The people of God are going to be judged. They had the covenant and broke it.
At the end of the seven years of Tribulation, the LORD is going to reign in Jerusalem for a thousand years or millennium. After the reign of a thousand years, the people in prison will be visited again to appear before the Great White Throne Judgment where all those without Christ will stand before the LORD for their final judgment to the lake of fire for eternity.
Our God is in control of our world and can do anything HE wants to with it. HE has a plan for the future of this world. HE is going to judge the world in a time period called the TRIBULATION.
Isaiah is giving a prophecy regarding this time period that will hit this earth after the time of the Gentiles. We are presently living in the time of the Gentiles. Then seventieth week of Daniel will be fulfilled. HE has twisted it or turned it upside down to fit into HIS mold.
Sometimes HE turns our personal world upside down to show us that HE wants our attention. Has HE got our attention? Christ is coming again, are we ready?
Prophecy is important. There are areas of disagreement regarding the future but most believe that there is a time of judgment coming and a reign of Christ. You need to study to show yourself approved of God. Once you know what you believe you have a message to share about avoiding eternity in the lake of fire. Warn those you love that a day is coming when judgment will come.
CHALLENGE: The birth pangs of judgment seem to be coming quick. Prepare your family and friends for that time period. Many who think they are believers are not because their fruit is not evident.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they havetransgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. (2610 “defiled” [chaneph] means polluted, profane, godless, apostasy, desecrated, or corrupt.)
DEVOTION: Some people seem to think that God acts with no reasons. They think that HE just does things that make HIM happy. They think that HE doesn’t care about some people. These are wrong beliefs.
God cares about every human being. HE has given the world two plans to work with regarding HIMSELF. Both plans center around the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
The first plan was for the children of Israel to be HIS chosen people who would worship HIM in spirit and in truth according to the guidelines HE set down before them in the Old Testament. The children of Israel even went to foreign nations to tell of HIS plan. They could become followers of the LORD if they made that choice.
The second plan was given to the church. The individuals who become followers of Christ through their personal repentance of sin and turn toward the LORD were given the status of being part of the chosen people of God in the New Testament.
Both Testaments give instructions as to what God expects of those who live on this earth. They can either follow the instructions or disobey the instructions and pay the consequences.
Here we find that the LORD is going to judge the world. HE gives HIS reasons for the judgment. HE has been longsuffering to all those who are alive. HE has given them plenty of time to repent. They have chosen to life their lives without giving honor to the LORD. As a result of their actions they have to pay the consequences.
The first consequence is a judgment on the whole world. This is still in the future and will be a time when only a remnant will be praising the LORD. The majority will “transgress” HIS laws without even caring. They will change all HIS rules to their own rules for personal pleasure. They will not care about HIS covenant with the human race. They will laugh at HIM.
However, when judgment comes they will want the rocks to fall on them because of the judgment. They will try to hide from God but it will not happen.
God is going to judge the world in HIS time. HE has warned our world enough times for them to get the message but they just don’t care. The problem is that many believers don’t care to warn their families and friends of this coming judgment in a loving manner. We need to be speaking the truth in love to all those around us.
CHALLENGE: Give those you care about the reasons why God is coming in judgment. Help them to realize that you are telling them in love.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before HIS ancients gloriously. (2204 “ancients” [zaqen] means old, aged, elders, dignitary, or advanced in years.)
DEVOTION: When judgment finally comes to our world there will be a remnant of individuals who will be entering into the time of the reign of Jesus Christ. The others will be waiting for judgment before they enter into the lake of fire for eternity.
This verse states that sun and the moon will not be needed during the reign of Christ because HE will provide the light necessary to conduct all that is necessary during that time period.
HE is going to reign in Jerusalem for the thousand years as was promised and planned before the foundation of the world. There is going to be a time of judgment before HIS reign and it looks like we are getting closer and closer to that time period. We don’t know the date and we can’t predict a date because that would be sin.
We are to be prepared whether it happens in our lifetime or after we are in heaven waiting for that day. What is necessary is that it could happen at any moment and we need to be actively serving the LORD while we are still alive and waiting. This is not a time to rest but to be actively seeking to win those who will listen to a saving knowledge of the LORD. We are not to produce religious people but genuine believers. There is a difference and on the day of judgment who think they are on their way to heaven will be surprised to hear from the LORD “I never knew you!”
CHALLENGE: The question all of us have to answer is “Am I a genuine believer?” If so, does my life show it!!
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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)
Cry verse 14
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Harp verse 8
Sing verse 14, 16
Glorify verse 15
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Laws verse 5
Ordinance verse 5
Everlasting covenant verse 5
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 3, 14, 15, 21, 23
Creator verse 1
Majesty of the LORD verse 14
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 15
LORD God of Israel verse 15
LORD of hosts verse 23
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Reign in mount Zion verse 23
Jerusalem verse 23
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)
People verse 2
Priest verse 2
Servant verse 2
Master verse 2
Maid verse 2
Mistress verse 2
Buyer verse 2
Seller verse 2
Lender verse 2
Borrower verse 2
Taker of usury verse 2
Giver of usury verse 2
High ones verse 21
Kings of the earth verse 21
Prisoners verse 22
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Usury verse 2
Haughty verse 4
Transgressed the law verse 5
Changed the ordinance verse 5
Broken the everlasting covenant verse 5
Curse verse 6
Merry hearted verse 7
Strong drink verse 9
Confusion verse 10
Treacherous dealers verse 16
Leanness verse 16
Fear verse 17, 18
Transgression verse 20
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Rejoice verse 8
Joy verse 8, 11
Glorify the LORD verse 15
Righteous verse 16
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mount Zion verse 23
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Pit verse 17, 18, 22
In that day verse 21
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QUOTES regarding passage
The city of meaninglessness (24:1–20). We can discover the meaning of this passage through its structure. It begins and ends on the theme of the devastated earth (1–3, 18e–20); the withering of the world in verses 4–6 is balanced by the wasting individual in 16c–18d; and at the centre the song that is stilled (7–12) matches the song that is heard (13–16b). The background to the whole passage is found in the flood narrative in Genesis 6–9. Both passages refer to the ‘windows’ of heaven (floodgates, 18c; Gen. 7:11) and to the everlasting covenant (5; Gen. 9:16); the curse (6) in the context of the ‘vine’ theme (7) looks back to Noah the vinedresser and to the postdiluvian curse (Gen. 9:20ff.). Isaiah is forecasting a divine visitation on the same world scale, obliterating an old order because of its sin. In a broader but deeply significant way the contraction from the devastation of the world (1) to the downfall of the city (10) reflects the movement from the universalism of Genesis 9:19 to the particularism of the city-building of Genesis 11:1–9, linked by the motif-word ‘scattering’. The sin at Shinar was humankind turning to humankind for security and community. The new technology of bricks and mortar put into people’s hands the means of their own salvation: they could create community and safety, and curb their perceived tendency to scatter by living within a wall of their own making. The city, therefore, is the human attempt to impose order and create security without reference to God. As Isaiah sees the End, this fever of self-salvation will be worldwide, and the whole earth (1) will be as it were a global city (10). As at Shinar in the beginning, and throughout human history, this is the point at which the Lord says a decisive ‘No’ and comes in judgment. There is another link also with the flood background: at the time of that judgment, grace isolated Noah and his family (Gen. 6:8); so also, at the End, the truly deathly silence of the fallen city (8–10) is broken by song (13–16b), the song of the remnant (13). Thus this opening element in the five-part cantata matches its opening predecessors in the earlier series, not only in the Babylon-city theme (13:1–14:27; 21:1–10), but also in the great truth that the Lord in wrath remembers mercy, so organizing the world, its history and its destiny as to save and secure his own people (14:1–2; 21:10). (Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, pp. 183–184). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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24:1–3. The coming desolation and ruin of the whole earth (“earth” is mentioned 16 times in this chap.) will be by the direct intervention of the Lord, and will level all of society. No advantage will come from having a high rather than a low position, for all will come under God’s hand of judgment (v. 2). The world will be laid waste and totally plundered (v. 3; cf. Rev. 6; 8–9; 15–16). This is certain because the Lord said so. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1072). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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1. The Lord will judge His enemies (Isa. 24:1–23)
The result of God’s judgment will be a world that is empty, laid waste, and distorted, and whose inhabitants are scattered. The prophet may have had Genesis 1:2 and 11:9 in mind when he wrote this. Nobody on earth will escape, for “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). Position, power, and wealth are no protection against the wrath of God. God merely speaks the word and, like a dying invalid, “the world languishes and fades away” (Isa. 24:3–4, NKJV). People who are proud of their wealth and position will find themselves poor and without power.
Why does God punish the inhabitants of the world? Because they have defiled the world by their sins. When Adam sinned, God cursed the ground as a part of the punishment (Gen. 3:17–19; Rom. 8:20–22); and God warned the people of Israel that their sins polluted the Promised Land (Num. 35:33). Today we see man’s greed polluting land, water, and atmosphere, as well as exploiting the earth of its God-given treasures. Sin has consequences in nature as well as in human character and conscience.
For centuries, mankind has polluted the world by disobeying God’s laws and violating His statutes. This was the reason for the Flood (Gen. 6:5, 11–13). Long before Moses gave the Law, people knew that it was wrong to lie, steal, and kill (Rom. 1:18–2:16); but they did these evil things anyway. The “everlasting covenant” of Isaiah 24:5 refers to what we generally call “The Noahic Covenant” (Gen. 8:20–9:17) and deals primarily with our care of God’s world and our treatment of fellow humans. Isaiah 24:16 suggests that God will also judge the world because people are treacherous and do not keep their word. The people of the world have abused both the earth and its inhabitants, and they will pay for it.
Verses 6–13 give a vivid picture of what it will be like on the earth during the Day of the Lord. In Israel, the harvest was generally a time for great joy; but there will be no joy because there will be no harvest. God’s judgments will destroy the crops as well as the workers who would till the soil. (See Rev. 6:8 and 9:15.) “The city” is mentioned at least eight times in these chapters (Isa. 24:10, 12; 26:5; 27:10) and should be taken generically rather than as a reference to any one particular city. Whether people live in rural areas or in the cities, they will not escape God’s wrath.
Like a farmer harvesting the last olive or the last grape, God will do a thorough job of judging sinners (24:13). The only singing during His harvest will be done by the believing remnant who trust God and are delivered (vv. 14–16a). The doctrine of “the remnant” is an important part of Isaiah’s message (1:9; 10:20–22; 11:11, 16; 14:22, 30); Isaiah’s eldest son was named “a remnant shall return” (7:3).
The prophet changed the image in 24:17–18a when he described the futile attempts of frightened animals to avoid the hunters’ traps. But apart from faith in the Lord, there will be no place of escape in that great day of judgment. No matter where sinners go, they will not be able to hide from the wrath of God (Rev. 6:15–17).
The opening of the windows of heaven (Isa. 24:18b) reminds us of the Flood (Gen. 7:11). Jesus said that, before the “Day of the Lord,” society would be as it was in the days before the Flood (Matt. 24:37–42). In that day, God will shake everything; and anything man has made will stagger like a drunk and collapse like a flimsy hut (Isa. 24:20; see 1:8). The weight of guilt will be too heavy for people to carry.
But the Day of the Lord will affect not only the earth and its people but also Satan and his hosts. God will judge “the powers in the heavens above” as well as “the kings on earth below” (24:21, NIV). These judgments will be part of the spiritual battle that has been waging for centuries between the Lord of hosts and the armies of the devil (Gen. 3:15; Luke 10:17–24; Eph. 6:10ff; Rev. 12). Isaiah 24:22 parallels Revelation 20:1–3, an event that will take place just before the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ (Isa. 24:23; Rev. 20:4–10). The word “visited” in Isaiah 24:22 (KJV) means “released” (cf. NIV margin). The climax of the “Day of the Lord” will be “the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mt. Zion” (v. 23). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (pp. 59–61). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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24:1 waste … distorts … scatters. The prophet generalized and broadened the destruction about which he had written more specifically in chaps. 13–23. The Lord is to deal with the whole earth more severely than He did at the tower of Babel or through the Noahic Flood. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Is 24:1). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Palestine is often described in Scripture as a land flowing with milk and honey, but here we see it as the very opposite, a land parched and dry, no longer able to sustain its inhabitants who flee in terror because of the judgments of the Lord. Note the expression, “the Lord … turneth it upside down.” Everything that unbelieving Israel has trusted in will be broken to pieces. All the hopes in which they have indulged will prove to be but idle dreams because of the fact that Israel will have returned to their own land, even as they are doing now, in unbelief, counting on their own ability and prowess to enable them to build again a great nation in the home of their forefathers. But there are greater disasters ahead of them than they have ever known in the past. Not until they turn to the Lord and look upon Him whom they have pierced will their hopes be realized. Till then they are doomed to one terrible disappointment after another, a disappointment in which all classes of the people shall share.
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But in the day when these judgments are falling upon that devoted land and the contiguous territory, a remnant will be separated from the mass of the people who will return to the Lord and yield glad subjection to His holy will, acknowledging their sins and trusting His word. To them the grace of God will be revealed, assisting and caring for them even as it were in a blazing world, and bringing them at last to their desired haven to dwell in peace in their own land. (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (pp. 141–142). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 1. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, &c.] Some, by the earth, only understand the land of Israel or Judea, and interpret the prophecy of the captivity of the ten tribes by Salmaneser, as Kimchi, and other Jewish writers; and others, of the destruction of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar; but some take in along with them the neighbouring nations who suffered by the same princes at the same time. Vitringa interprets the whole of the times of the Maccabees, as also the three following chapters; though it is best to understand it of the Papal world, and all the antichristian states; and there are some things in it, at the close of it, which respect the destruction of the whole world. The Septuagint version uses the word by which Luke intends the whole Roman empire, Luke 2:1 and the Arabic version here renders it, the whole world; the emptying of it is the removal of the inhabitants of it by wars and slaughters, which will be made when the seven vials of God’s wrath will be poured upon all the antichristian states; see Rev. ch. 16 and this being a most remarkable and wonderful event, is prefaced with the word behold: and maketh it waste; or desolate; the inhabitants and fruits of it being destroyed. R. Joseph Kimchi, from the use of the word in the Arabic language, renders it, and opened it; and explains it of the opening of the gates of a city to the enemy, so as that men may go out of it; to which the Targum inclines paraphrasing it, “and shall deliver it to the enemy:” and turneth it upside down; or, perverteth the face of it; so that it has not the form it had, and does not look like what it was, but is reduced to its original chaos, to be without form and void; cities being demolished, towns ruined, fields laid waste, and the inhabitants slain; particularly what a change of the face of things will there be in the destruction of the city of Rome! see Rev. 18:7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17. The Targum is, “and shall cover with confusion the face of its princes, because they have transgressed the law:” and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof; who will be obliged to fly from place to place from the sword of their victorious enemies. All is spoken in the present tense, though future, because of the certainty of it. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 133). 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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Self – will is a close relative of pride, and it will form a cloud that can hide the face of God. Actually, self-will can be a very religious thing for it can be accepted right into the church when you join. It can go right into the chamber with you when you pray. However, remember this – self-will is good-natured only hwen it can have its own way. Otherwise, it is grouchy and ill-tempered and cross. Under this cloud, we must examine ourselves and ask, “Is my surrender to God a complete surrender?” (p. 129
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The preacher ought not to be settled comfortably in his place with all of his ambitions getting priority. The preacher who is ambitious for himself will be found out. His pastorate, his preaching, his position – everything must be on the block and ready to be released if he is to know the smile and blessing of God! (p. 129, I Talk Back to the Devil by A. W. Tozer)
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Genesis 24
Isaac takes Rebekah as his wife.
INSIGHT
A steward is one who is commissioned to oversee the welfare and execute the affairs of another. The closer a steward is able to represent the mind of his superior, the better he fulfills his role. Therefore, when a steward is on assignment, ideally he has no personal mind or will; he strives to have the mind and will of his superior.
Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, was an excellent example of a faithful steward. His complete mindset was to represent the will of Abraham as faithfully as possible. As Christians, we are stewards of Christ, and as such, we are to strive to have the mind and will of Christ. In addition, we are always on assignment (1 Corinthians 6:20). By studying Eliezer, we can gain insight into how to be a more faithful steward of Christ. (Quiet Walk)
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THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. 1 Peter 1:23
In order to do His work, the Spirit uses the Word of God. First, He reveals, through the Word, the great love of God to sinners in general: “God…for his great love wherewith he loved us…” (Ephesians 2:4) and so on.
Second, He presents and offers salvation in Christ; through His people, He states the facts about Christ. That is the business of preachers of the gospel. It is to give the record of the life, the death, the resurrection, and the resurrection appearances of our Lord. What is preaching? It is proclaiming these facts about Christ. Not only that—it is an explanation of the fact, the meaning of the facts, how these facts constitute salvation and are the cause, the means, of salvation. So in the preaching of the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit, these facts and their interpretation are presented.
Then the Holy Spirit calls us to repentance. He calls everyone to repentance, all men and women everywhere, because of these facts, because of “that man whom he hath ordained,” by whom the whole world is going to be judged in righteousness (Acts 17:31).
And finally the Holy Spirit calls us to faith in Christ. Take again those words of Paul in his farewell message to the church at Ephesus. What did Paul testify? What did he preach? It was “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). He called men and women to faith in Christ in order that they might obtain forgiveness of sins and inherit eternal life. That was the way in which our Lord commissioned Paul on the road to Damascus. He said that He was going to send him to the people and to the Gentiles “to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).
A Thought to Ponder: The Spirit uses the Word of God. (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 51-52, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Power of Spiritual Tools
“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7)
The grace that is given (charis) is a distribution by the Holy Spirit of gifts (charisma) to every believer (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Seventeen gifts are listed in Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-10, and Ephesians 4:11, all of them intended by the Holy Spirit to minister to the church and enhance its unity (Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:12). Three reasons are cited for these gifts.
The Perfecting of the Saints
This “perfecting” describes a process of making something useful or suitable that is not yet adequate. James and John mended their nets (Matthew 4:21). Paul prayed that he might supply that which was lacking (1 Thessalonians 3:10). The gifts of the Holy Spirit mend that which is lacking in the saints. The
Work of the Ministry
This is a joint effort of service (2 Corinthians 6:1) that recognizes the public visibility of that service (2 Corinthians 4:1-2) and steadfastly displays those gifts so that the “ministry be not blamed” (2 Corinthians 6:3).
The Edifying of the Body of Christ
The building process focuses the use of the gifts on the enrichment and betterment of the local assembly of believers (1 Corinthians 14:5, 12, 26). The goal is to bring all saints to a state of doctrinal unity (the faith) so that our maturity can be compared to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). Eliminating susceptibility to “every wind of doctrine,” growing into Him in all things, and building the “body fitly joined together . . . according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:14-16). (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Spirit-led Life
Excerpt
The legalist tries to obey God in his own strength and fails to measure up to the righteousness that God demands. The Spirit-led Christian, as he yields to the Lord, experiences the sanctifying work of the Spirit in his life. “For it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). It is this fact that leads to the second freedom we enjoy as Christians. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 539). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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