July 23, 2012 … The Joys of Glory

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 205 

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Isaiah, Chapter 35-36 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah, Chapter 35 [MSG] To study this chapter in the Message version, go to this link - 
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Highlight Passage: Isaiah 36: 1-2; 4-7 : [NIV] … 1 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 2 Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. … 4 The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah: "'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 5 You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? 6 Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. 7 But if you say to me, "We are depending on the Lord our God"—isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar"? 

My Journal for Today: In the past few days, we’ve been delving into all of the doom-and-gloom prophesies God leveled on His own people, the Israelites, both in the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, as to how God’s wrath would be visited on both kingdoms because they had fallen away from their pursuit of the will and ways of the living God, Yahweh, by ignoring and snubbing His written word. And the prophesies are grim, to say the least, reminding us of what will be the eternal outcomes for those who reject Yahweh.

Then, in Chapter 35 of his writings, Isaiah takes a break from the negative with a chapter loaded with positive prophesy. It would be like walking out of the parched desert wilderness, dying of thirst, and walking into an oasis of joy, peace, and fruit-laden beauty. And if you’re ever been in a bad place as a believer in Yahweh, Who came to earth to deliver us from our desert of sinfulness and selfishness, just go to Isaiah 35, which I have linked for you above, and upon which I suggest you slowly meditate from The Message version of the Bible. It’s promising beauty is refreshing … to say the least!

As I’ve been reading through the past assigned chronologically presented chapters, from the prophets of Isaiah’s day, one can’t help but see that so many people today are caught up in the same desert of sinfulness and selfishness which was being practiced by the Israelites as well as their pagan neighbors, in those days, about 700+ years before Christ. And Isaiah’s dire prophesies to God’s chosen ones in those times would certainly apply to non-believers and mockers of God and Christ today.

This also was my feeling a I studied Chapter 36 today, where the King of Assyria, Sennacherib, came against Hezekiah, the King in Judah, mocking and falsely claiming to follow the true god, which was a fabrication from his false beliefs in pagan gods. And today we see so many in our culture/world who worship and promote idolatry and false beliefs. And they come against those of us who worship and revere the One, True God, Who came to earth to save mankind from such foolish and false worship and to give believers in the Messiah the way to find what Isaiah wrote about in his Chapter 35.

So, please go back and get a refreshing drink from the fountain of God’s promises about Heaven in this chapter and be refreshed with joy, knowing that you’re reading about the time when Jesus, The Messiah, comes again to take us to live in the New Jerusalem, where we will not have to weep and moan for all those who are lost. We will see the lamb lay down with the lion; and we will shed only tears of joy … forever.

My Prayer Today: … Lord, I can’t wait to be with You forever in that joyous and glorious place. Amen