ISAIAH 47
LORD dealing with Babylon verse 1- 3
Come down – and sit in the dust – O virgin daughter of Babylon
sit on the ground – there is no throne
O daughter of the Chaldeans
for you shall more be called tender and delicate
Take the millstones – and grind meal – uncover thy locks
make bare the leg – uncover the thigh – pass over the rivers
Your nakedness shall be uncovered – yea – your shame shall be seen
I will take vengeance – and I will not meet you as a man
LORD describes relationship to Israel verse 4- 6
As for our REDEEMER – The LORD of hosts is HIS name
the Holy One of Israel
Sit you silent – get you into darkness – O daughter of the Chaldeans
for you shall no more be called
The lady of kingdoms
I was wroth with MY people – I have polluted MINE inheritance
and gave them into your hand – you did show them no mercy
upon the ancient have you very heavily laid your yoke
Babylon’s thoughts regarding their endurance verse 7
And you said
I shall be a lady for ever
so that you did not lay these things to your heart
neither did remember the latter end of it
LORD describes the thought of Babylon verse 8- 9
THEREFORE hear now this – you that are given to pleasures
that dwell carelessly – that say in your heart
I am – and none else beside me
I shall not sit as a widow
neither shall I know the loss of children
BUT these two things shall come to you in a moment in one day
the loss of children – and widowhood
they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the
multitude of thy sorceries
and for the great abundance of
your enchantments
LORD describes deceptive trust verse 10- 11
For you have trusted in your wickedness – you have said
“None see me”
Your wisdom and your knowledge – it has perverted you
and you have said in your heart
I am – and none else beside me
THEREFORE shall evil come upon you
you shall not know from whence it rise
and mischief shall fall upon you
you shalt not be able to put it off
and desolation shall come upon you suddenly
which you shall not know
Babylon seeks help from wrong sources verse 12- 13
Stand now with you enchantments
and with the multitude of your sorceries
wherein you have labored from your youth
If so be you shall be able to profit
if so be you may prevail
You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels
Let now the astrologers – stargazers
monthly prognosticators
stand up
and save you from these things that shall
come upon you
LORD describes outcome of deceptive trust verse 14- 15
BEHOLD – they shall be as stubble
the fire shall burn them
they shall not deliver themselves
from the power of the flame
there shall not be a coal to warm at
nor fire to sit before it
Thus shall they be unto you with whom you have labored
even your merchants – from your youth
they shall wander everyone to his quarter
none shall save you
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
:1 “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). 7390 רַךְ [rak /rak/] – Tender, soft, delicate, weak.)
DEVOTION: I have three granddaughters and a fourth that will soon be delivered to our family! Each of these young ladies are special and precious in our sight! They are innocent and tender young girls that have not experienced the pain and hardships that life can bring. The Lord is telling the Babylonian people that things were going to change for the families in that city. As destruction and conquest came to them the very lives of innocent children would be deeply affected. Whereas the sensitive and guiltless lives were common for the people now it would not continue that way.
God would judge the nation and hold it accountable for its evil activities. As He has done that with Babylon so he will do it with us as well. We need to consider and seek the Lord while He is merciful and compassionate. A day will come when He will hold us accountable for the lifestyle and decisions that our leaders and governing authorities have made for our nation. Whether the title of the nation is Babylon, Assyria, Israel or United States the Lord is not mocked and He will hold us to His holy word. I pray for our young people and the leaders of our country today. May our youth be innocent and our leaders wise.
CHALLENGE: God is not mocked and our country will be held accountable. Pray for revival and a return to biblical standards before the tender and delicate offspring pay a tremendous price for our generation’s arrogance. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. (1350 “redeemer” [ga’al] means to be the next of kin, save, buy back, deliver, purchase, ransom, or kinsman -redeemer.)
DEVOTION: The LORD explains why the children of Israel are going into captivity. HE has used the Babylonians to chasten HIS people. HE is willing to use those who are not believers to chasten HIS people when they are not obedient. Many of the prophets didn’t understand how the LORD could use those individuals or nations that were less righteous than Israel.
The Babylonians have taken their responsibility to the wrong conclusion. They didn’t believe in God. HE was going to show them that HE does exist and they are going to be judged. Once pride enters into a nation the LORD will judge them with another nation to get their attention. HE used the Babylonians to judge Israel. Then HE used the Medes and Persians to judge Babylon. Then HE used the Greeks to judge the Medes and Persians. Finally we find that HE used the Romans to just the Greeks. HE will use nations to work HIS plan for the future.
HE gives his people hope. Isaiah describes HIM as the LORD of hosts, the Holy One of Israel and the one who is going to ransom them from captivity. HE has the power to do it all. HIS forces enforce HIS commands. HE is holy. HE also loves HIS children. However, HIS one attribute doesn’t outweigh HIS other attribute. HE is a loving God who is holy.
The people of the Old Testament needed someone to protect them. God was their protector. Each time they fell into sin and called to HIM, HE came to buy them back. Repentance and prayer are the steps of obedience that will deliver us from our sinful lives.
Christ has paid our ransom. HE shed HIS blood for our sins. HE was sinless. HE arose from the death on the third day. HE is presently our advocate with the Father. The Father looks at us through the blood of HIS
Son.
Do we appreciate all that our Savior has done for us and is doing for us? We need to remember that we will meet HIM in the near future. Are we prepared to meet HIM? Are we a THANKFUL people?
CHALLENGE: Our responsibility is to understand the holiness of God as well as HIS love. Never mix them up.
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: 8 Therefore hear now this, you that are given to pleasures, that dwells carelessly, that says in your heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children. (983 “carelessly” [betach] means boldly, confidence, confidence, freedom from anxiety or fear, securely, or without danger and fear.)
DEVOTION: The people of Babylon thought that they had it made. They thought that there was no nation that could defeat them.
They had given the children of Israel a hard time because they thought their false gods had given them the children of Israel. They didn’t understand that they were a tool of the LORD to judge Israel for it’s sins against HIM.
HE was not done with them but HE wanted them to understand that they were supposed to obey HIM and serve HIM alone and not think they could do it on their own without HIM.
In order to prove this fact HE sent the nation of Babylon against them who took them into captivity and caused them to suffer during their time there. It was a lesson that the LORD had repeated with the children of Israel because they thought they could do as they pleased and the LORD would still protect and provide for them.
Sometimes there are people today who call themselves Christians who think that because they have said and prayer and attend a church that the LORD is going to bless them no matter what they do. This is wrong thinking.
If we are to be genuine with the LORD, we are going to seek to please HIM and not ourselves. HE will bless us but the blessing are to be used to bring glory to HIS name not our own.
Many churches are failing because both the leadership and the people in the pews are thinking that they are OK in the sight of God if they just attend church and live as the please God will bless them.
This is not true. HE wants us to be witnesses to the world of HIS great love through HIS Son Jesus Christ. That means that we should be reaching our friends, neighbors and community with the Gospel. Each Bible believing church should be knocking on every door in their community with the gospel. This can be done with tracts and invitation to attend services.
The church today has lost it’s commission to go into their world with the Gospel and preach. This command has not ended. We are to occupy until HE comes again.
CHALLENGE: What is your church doing to reach your community for the LORD? Can you say that every person in your community has been invited to your church through personal invitation and mailings? If not why not?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels, Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you from these things that shall come upon you. (1895 “astrologers” [habar] means to divide, they that divide the heavens, those that gaze at the stars, distinguishing sign of zodiac, class of person who tells the future, or horoscopist.)
DEVOTION: The LORD is accusing the Chaldeans or people of Babylon of trusting anyone who wants to tell the future over the LORD.
They have so many people telling them what to do and none of them consult the LORD. They will consult their horoscope in the newspaper each day rather than the LORD. They will ask people who consult the sun and the moon about what the future is going to hold. They ask people about the time when a new moon will appear because that affects people’s actions.
Even in the church we have people who claim to be Christians who come to the pastor for Biblical advice but then will turn around and ask their friends for advice. Sometimes they listen to their pastor and sometimes they listen to their friend. They have not really asked the LORD to give them discernment regarding who to listen too. The Bible should be the final authority but too often is just an authority not the authority in a believers life. This is very sad.
God stated to the Babylonians that they should just listen to whoever they want to because they were not listening to HIM. HE also stated that all other sources regarding the future of the nation were wrong. HE was always right.
In the verse previous to this one we find them using enchantment and sorcerers to help them know what are going to happen. They were going to all the wrong sources.
The question is who are we going to for our understanding of the future? Are we going to the LORD alone? Or are we consulting our horoscope in the newspaper or a Chinese fortune cookie. If we are not discerning about where we seek advice we will be just like the Babylonians who were looking in all the wrong places for answers to important questions.
CHALLENGE: Encourage those you know to receive direction for their future from the LORD. Also follow your own advice. Christians should not consult the stars or their horoscope for advice.
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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)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Redeemer verse 4
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 4
LORD of hosts verse 4
Holy One of Israel verse 4
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)
Babylon verse 1
Chaldeans verse 1, 5
Merchants verse 15
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Polluted verse 6
Given to pleasures verse 8
Careless living verse 8
Pride verse 8
Sorceries verse 9, 12
Enchantments verse 9, 12
Wickedness verse 10
Perverted verse 10
Evil verse 11
Bad counselors verse 13
Astrologers verse 13
Stargazers verse 13
Monthly prognosticators verse 13
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Redeemed verse 4
Inheritance verse 6
Mercy verse 6
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Israel verse 4
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
12–15, Religion that failed. True religion gives strength in time of need (12) and a sufficient understanding of what the future holds (13). The time of trouble exposes false religion as unable to save (14) and its officiants as inadequate—or self-seeking (15).
12–13. Spells … sorceries: see verse 9. Keep on: what sadness lies in this command! Those who do not know the true God have no other recourse than to continue in self-effort (laboured) and uncertainty (perhaps). All the counsel (13) is ‘the abundance of’, a reference to the conflicting ideologies and directives of polytheism and (today as then) the conflicting counsel of astrology. Astrologers are here ‘those who divide the heavens’, i.e. into the various signs of the Zodiac. What is coming: cf. 41:5–7, the rush of business in the idol factory in the face of coming events.
14–15. In fact false religion, far from offering protection (12), only adds fuel to the fire. Stubble: see 5:24. Far from saving others (13), they cannot even save themselves. No fire: false religion may seem to offer the warmth of ‘helpfulness’, but it is not a fire to sit by, rather a fire which will burn up, a furnace of destruction. Trafficked with should be ‘trafficked with you’. Babylon laboured at its religion but the religious officiants were making a trade out of it. Consequently, when the bottom dropped out of their market, each of them goes (lit. ‘wanders off, making his exit’). Save: on √yāša’ here and √nāṣal in verse 14, see 25:9. (Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, pp. 337–338). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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12–15 The NIV has very well interpreted the changes of tone to be found in this section, each verse having its own atmosphere. First, in v.12 the prophet taunts Babylonia sarcastically. Such a rag bag of spells and magic arts she has accumulated! Could it be that there is an outside chance of success? “Not a hope!” the prophet implies. Then in v.13 he exhorts the experts with the horoscopes to provide deliverance. Babylonia, with its astral deities, was the natural home of the astrologer and his kin. The prophet identifies for a moment with the people, besieged with advice from such men and yet with no hope of a remedy for future calamity. In v.13 he says, “Let them save you”; and in v.14 he boldly asserts, “They cannot even save themselves. “
Verse 14 is dominated by an illustration. The coming of the great judgment is likened to a consuming fire, and the tone of sarcasm returns in the second half of the verse. They should not mistake the meaning of the illustration. This is fire as an enemy, not as a friend. The whole history of Babylon’s long flirtation with astrology is bluntly dismissed in v.15. All this effort, all this expenditure, and at the end—nothing! Those who have turned from the living God to the daily horoscope in our own society would do well to heed this passage. (Grogan, G. W. (1986). Isaiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 278). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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47:12–15. The Lord mockingly urged the Babylonians to keep on in their spells and sorceries (cf. v. 9), which the city had been involved in since childhood (cf. v. 15), that is, since the nation was founded. In sarcasm He suggested the astrologers and stargazers … save them. Astrology was common in Babylon (cf. Dan. 2:2, 4–5). But their work was worthless, like mere stubble, the dried stalks of grain that burn quickly. Those religious leaders could not save even themselves, let alone Babylon. Yet they persisted in their error. (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. 1102). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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47:12 spells … sorceries. The magical practices of Babylon, designed to aid against enemies (also v. 9), will characterize the Babylon of the future also (Rev 18:23).
47:13 Let now the astrologers … save you. Babylon relied heavily on those who looked for combinations of stars, who watched conjunctions of heavenly bodies, who made much of months of birth, and who relied on the movements of stars to predict the future (Da 2:2, 10). The prophet sarcastically points out the futility of such trust. This ancient deception is still popular today in the widespread use of horoscopes.
47:14 They cannot deliver themselves. The astrologers were helpless to save themselves, much less the Babylonians who depended on them, or anyone else. The divine fire that came was not to be a fire to warm them, but to consume them.
47:15 none to save you. When judgment comes, the astrologers with whom the people trafficked and spent their money, will run to their homes, unable to save themselves or anyone else. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Is 47:12–15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 12. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, &c.] An ironical expression, deriding those evil arts, bidding defiance to them, calling upon the masters of them to do their utmost by them: wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; from the infancy of their state; as soon as their monarchy was founded, or they became a people, they were given to these practices, and were famous for them; and in which, no doubt, many among them were brought up from their youth; and to gain the knowledge of which they were at great labour and expense; and yet it was all in vain, and to no purpose: if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail; if skill in these things can be of any advantage to keep off the impending calamity, and fortify against the powerful enemy that will quickly surprise thee; try if by thine art thou canst foresee the danger, and prevent it.
Ver. 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels, &c.] Taken of astrologers, diviners, and soothsayers; who were never able to give any satisfactory answers to questions put to them, or to give good advice in cases of emergency; as appears from Nebuchadnezzar’s consultation with them about his dream; and Belshazzar’s about the hand-writing upon the wall, which was the very night that the city was taken, Dan. 2:2, 10 and 5:7, 8, 30: let now the astrologers; or, viewers of the heavens; not that look upon them, and consider them as the work of God’s hands, in order to glorify him; but that examine the face of the skies, and the position of the heavenly bodies, their conjunctions with, and aspects on each other, in order to foretel what shall be below: or, the dividers of the heavenst, as it may be rendered, from the use of the word in the Arabic language; who divide the heavens into so many parts, or houses; who, as Kimchi, from the same use of the word, fix and determine things according to the stars; and who next are called the star-gazers; that look at them, and, according to their position, conjunction, aspect, and influence, judge what will come to pass among men. So Cicero observes, that the Chaldeans, by long observation of the stars, were thought to have formed a science, whereby they could foretel what should happen to every one, and what fate he was born to: the monthly prognosticators; or that make known months, or for the months; what shall be in every month; what weather it will be, and what things shall happen; such as our almanack-makers. Let these now all meet together, and stand up and save thee from those things that shall come upon thee; which they were never able to do; for if they could not foretel these things by their art, it could not be thought they could give any directions how to escape them, or put upon any methods that would secure from them.
Ver. 14. Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them, &c.] That is, these astrologers and diviners shall be like stubble; weak as that, as the Targum; they shall be no more able to stand before the fire of divine wrath, or before the judgments of God, by the hands of the Medes and Persians, than stubble can stand before a consuming fire: they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the fame; from those dreadful calamities that shall come upon them like flames of fire; and if they can’t deliver themselves by their art and skill, how should they deliver others? there shall not be a coal to warm, nor fire to sit before it; stubble, when burnt, leaves no coals to warm a man with; and though it gives a blaze for a short time, while burning, it is quickly out, and gives no light nor heat for a man to sit by, so that there is little or no profit by it; which signifies that there were no hope, or help, or comfort, to be expected from those sorts of persons. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, pp. 276–277). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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Wherever people turn away from the one, true and living God and refuse the Word of God, they are always ready to turn to other things. It has been characteristic down through the centuries that when men, great leaders, gave up confidence in God and His Word they readily became the prey of all sorts of charlatans. Even the infamous Hitler had a special astrologer whom he consulted as to lucky and unlucky days, and suitable times to attack nations. He consulted the map of the stars to see what was indicated. That began at Babylon. Centuries ago they had their astrologers, their star-gazers.
An astrologer and an astronomer must not be confused. Astronomy is an exact science, astrology is a fraud, a fake. Yet how many people give heed to it. Many of our newspapers contain astrologers’ reports from month to month, and people are foolish enough to believe them. Some of the greatest operators on the Market in New York City, I have been credibly informed, when it comes to making big deals never do a thing without consulting an astrologer. Men still believe in these worse than follies. They turn away from the Word of the living God to turn unto fables.
While in Los Angeles years ago I went down one day on the electric line to Long Beach, just to have a little relaxation on a Saturday. I was all worn out with so many meetings and I had hardly taken my seat when a Bulgarian gypsy came along in a red dress with some spangles across her brow, and long braids of black hair. She sat right down beside me, and took my hand.
Then she said, “Gentleman—gentleman—you cross my palm with silver—25¢—I tell you past, present, future. I am seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. I born with a veil on. I can tell all mysteries.”
I said, grabbing her by the hand, “Well, it isn’t really necessary—because I’ve had that all told already.”
“But oh!” she said, “I am expert—I know very exact—past, present, future.”
“Yes, but I got it from an expert—I have it here in a little book.” And I pulled out, with my other hand, my New Testament and turned to the second chapter of the book of the Ephesians. I said, “Here, I’ve got my past, present and future. Here’s the past: ‘You hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according … to the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.’ ”
“Oh, what is that, a Bible? I got the wrong man. I got the wrong man. Let go.”
“No,” I said, “I won’t let go, I didn’t ask you to come down here and take hold of me. Now that I’ve got you, you’re going to stay here. Now I’ll give you the rest of it. Now I’ll give you my present: ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ … by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.’—That’s my present.”
“That’s all right. That’s all right. I’ve got enough. Good-bye.”
I said, “Wait a minute. I haven’t given you it all yet. Now,” I said, “here’s my future: ‘That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.’ ”
“Yes, gentleman—I’ve got enough,” and she gave such a pull she was gone. And down the car she went saying, “I got the wrong man—I got the wrong man.”
A passenger in a railroad train one day was reading his Bible when a dapper-looking gentleman came along, looked at it and said, “Oh, reading the Bible? Do you believe the Bible? I didn’t think that any educated people believed in the Bible any more. You look like a cultured man, and I’m surprised that you’re reading that. I believe the day will soon come when people will no more believe in the Bible than they believe in ghosts and witches, like our forefathers.”
“My friend,” remarked the Bible-reading gentleman, “when people reach the place where they do not believe in the Bible any more, they believe in witches and ghosts again.”
That is true. How many have turned away from the Word of God to Spiritism and Theosophy and other occult systems that profess to have to do with the dead. That is Babylonianism, come right down through the centuries.
God has judged it all and He puts it all, as it were, to one side. “Why do men need this? Here am I, infinite in wisdom, power and might, and ready in grace to reveal Myself to the man who seeks My face.” (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (pp. 271–274). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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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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There’s no higher dream than experiencing God as He moves through every circumstance of life to an eternal encounter with Himself where transformed people will enjoy perfectly loving community around Jesus Christ, the source of Perfect Love. (p. 176)
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The evangelical church has made a serious mistake. For years we’ve presented Christianity as little more than a means of escaping hell. Knowing Jesus has been reduced to a one-time decision that guarantees the chance to live in a perfect, pain-free world forever. (p. 181)
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Only a thrilling, soul-pleasuring encounter with God that generates more pleasure than sin will free us from our addiction to sin. (p. 186)
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Our Christian culture had weakened our understanding of the holiness of God by introducing too soon the idea of grace. We now talk about grace in a way that changes our view of God from holy to paternal, from justifiably enraged to strict but understanding. (p. 191)
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It’s what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls cheap grace. It develops when we talk about grace before we tremble at God’s holiness. (p. 191)
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We believe self-interest is a virtue, a reasonable commitment useful for guiding our lives. God tells us it’s the essence of evil. It utterly contradicts and opposes reality. God is the point. We are not. He gets the glory. We don’t. (p. 193)
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In our Christian culture, we’ve weakened our understanding of personal sin by talking too soon and too much about our longings and our needs. We want to feel good about ourselves, we long for enjoyable relationships, we desire effective and recognized ministries. We become the point and see nothing really wrong with it. (p. 194)
(Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb)
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All of the firstborn, both man and beast, are consecrated to God.
INSIGHT
The spiritual truths, which God wanted to ensure were never forgotten, are memorialized in a ceremony-often involving a meal. The Passover meal and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are symbolic meals designed to commemorate the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, so the people of Israel would never forget what God had done for them.
The New Testament counterpart is the Lord’s Supper, in which we eat a symbolic meal to memorialize the deliverance of the church from sin. When we observe communion, we celebrate a meal which has been observed in unbroken succession for 2,000 years.(Quiet Walk)
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HISTORICAL EVENTS
…that he should give eternal life…. John 17:2
If we base our position entirely upon experience, we will convince nobody. We are dealing with certain historical events and facts that we must never allow ourselves to forget. Indeed, I am prepared to go as far as to say that whatever I may feel at this moment, though I may feel that I am in a state of darkness and am utterly discouraged, my position is still safe, and I am secure because of these things that have been done in history outside of me and before I was ever born.
Thank God, I do not base my position on how I feel. Feelings are treacherous; they come and go, and what little control we have upon them! We have all had the following experience, have we not? We wake up one morning and find ourselves full of peace and joy and happiness. We have a marvelous day, we read our Bibles, we have freedom in prayer, and all is well. So we look forward to the next day being still more wonderful. But strangely enough, we find that when we wake up the next morning we are lifeless and dull.
If you are going to base your whole position upon experience and feelings, you are going to be a very unhappy person, and your Christian life is going to be very unstable. But the answer is this marvelous plan of salvation. I must, of course, know that I am related to it—that is essential. But what I am arguing for is that if you want to enjoy these blessings and if you want to live this Christian life truly, you do so by looking at these things, by resting upon them, and by saying, if you like, in the words of a hymn:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Edward Mote
A Thought to Ponder
Thank God, I do not base my position on how I feel. (From Saved in Eternity, pp. 83-84, by Dt. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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