Tag Archives: Jesus

Day 238: Secret Wisdom of God

Isaiah 24-25; 1 Corinthians 2

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”

Chapter 24 of Isaiah begins a four-chapter-section where Isaiah looks forward in time to the end of the world. We learn that God will destroy the earth (24:1-12), but will preserve a remnant (24:13). This remnant then emerges from every corner of the earth “singing for joy” (24:14-16)!

Chapter 25 describes the final salvation of God’s people when they will feast together on Mount Zion and the Lord will “swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8).

What a wonderful promise – a promise that we anticipate with great longing!

We know this promise of salvation is only made possible by Christ’s once and for all sacrifice on the cross. This is the “secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7).

Paul makes it clear that the revelation of God’s wisdom – the implications of Christ’s death and resurrection – can only be attained through the Spirit.

…no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God (1 Corinthians 2:11b-12).

If you understand the gospel, do not think yourself wise – but consider yourself loved by God. Your understanding is a gift – just as your salvation is a gift!

And because of the grace of God, we can look forward to the fulfillment of all God’s promises – to when death will be swallowed up forever and there will be no more tears and no more pain!!

Day 237: The foolishness of God

Isaiah 22-23; 1 Corinthians 1

Isaiah looks forward to a day when Israel will be threatened by foreign invaders…

In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago (Isaiah 22:8-11).

Do you see the irony? The people of Judah were working so hard in their own strength – but they failed to look to the only source of salvation – the God of Israel. He was the one who ordained their plot, and he was the only one who could deliver them. They chose to trust in their own wisdom – and they perished as fools in their self-reliance.

The ways of God are contrary to the wisdom of men. Worldly wisdom says that salvation comes through power. The gospel says that salvation comes through death.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1:18, NIV).

What other world religion teaches that the way up is down – or that the weak of this world are really the strong – and the lowly and despised are really the most valued?? This is foolishness in the world’s eyes! But this is the wisdom of God!

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1 Corinthians 1:25).

In God’s kingdom, people like my daughter, who suffer with debilitating disability, find hope in the “foolishness” of God. My daughter might be looked upon as “lowly” in this world, but in God’s kingdom, she is priceless. She is valued in the Kingdom of Heaven because she knows no pride here on earth. In many ways, her disability is a blessing. Her hope is in Christ, alone.

God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, […] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God (1 Corinthians 1:28-29).

In God’s kingdom, self-reliance is a liability and pride is the way of death. Christ stands as the world’s only true hero and we are left with nothing but worship. We must put off our “strength” and embrace our weakness. Our hope must be in Christ, alone!

Day 236: Blessings of the gospel

Isaiah 19-21; Romans 16

Judgment comes before blessing. This was true for Israel. And this was true for the nations. We see this trend exemplified in Isaiah 19… First Egypt is judged (19:1-15) – and then they are blessed (19:16-25). The end of Isaiah 19 describes a day when both Egypt and Assyria would worship the Lord. These two nations represented Israel’s greatest enemies – both past and present. God would not only save Israel from their enemies – but gather them together to be allies in worship of the Lord! What a beautiful picture of grace and restoration…

The idea of judgment coming before blessing is not unique to the Old Testament, but spills over into the good news of the New Testament.  Jesus received our judgment so that we could receive His blessing! Paul has just spent 16 chapters in his letter to the Romans detailing every good gift we receive because of the death and resurrection of Christ! After reading through Romans, we should be deeply grateful for the gospel and all of its implications in our lives!

The well-known author and pastor, John Piper, spent over 8 years preaching through Romans! In his last sermon on Romans, he prayed the entire sermon. Imagine that! He looked at the congregation – with eyes wide open – praying to Jesus the whole time. He was so thankful for the whole of the gospel that He took an entire sermon to thank Jesus for the work he had accomplished on the cross.

In this final sermon, he listed the benefits of the gospel that are taught in the book of Romans. This list is astounding! But remember, He is praying…

  • We embrace the truth that we have died to sin and to the law and now belong to you alone, alive from the dead forever (Romans 6:2-5; 7:4-6).
  • We embrace afresh the forgiveness of our sins (Romans 4:6-7).
  • We embrace the reality that our condemnation is past (Romans 8:1).
  • We exult in the truth that our justifying righteousness is unshakable, because it is performed by you, not by us (Romans 5:17-19; 4:4-9).
  • We affirm with joy that you indwell us by your Spirit and are with us forever (Romans 8:10).
  • We embrace the truth that you unite us to each other in loving harmony (Romans 15:5; 12:16).
  • We hold fast the promise that we are being conformed to your image, and that your death and resurrection guarantees that this will be completed (Romans 8:28-30).
  • We receive the gift that you enable us to do significant work for the advance of your kingdom (Romans 15:18).
  • We glory in the truth that we are fellow heirs with you of all that God owns and all that God is (Romans 8:17; 4:13).
  • And we take heart that nothing can separate us from your invincible love or from the love of God the Father because of your work on our behalf (Romans 8:32-39).
  • And rooted in all of this, we receive afresh the promise of your everlasting joy. In Paul’s words, spoken to us on your behalf, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).

By John Piper. ©2013 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org

John Piper prayed his sermon because he was overwhelmed by the love demonstrated for us in the gospel. We must take these gifts and treasure them. We must meditate upon them and let them sink into our soul so that they define our very selves. They must shape our decisions and the way we interpret world events. These are the truths of the gospel. These are our life.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

Day 234: God’s plan for the nations

Isaiah 13-15; Romans 15:1-13

In Isaiah, we begin the oracles against the nations. These type of judgment oracles are typical of the prophecy genre. They show that God is sovereign, not just over Israel, but over the Gentile nations as well.

In Romans, Paul stresses again that God’s plan for salvation has always included the Gentiles.

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy (Romans 15:8).

That’s a mouthful, but oh, the riches contained in that verse!! Christ’s life, death and resurrection proved that God’s word was true. Every Old Testament promise was fulfilled in Christ. And because of Jesus, the way has been opened for all to receive his mercy and enter the Kingdom of God!!

Isaiah’s judgment oracles should remind us to run away from God’s judgment by running into His kindness… Let the truth of the gospel sink into your heart and cause you to wonder at the awesome power and goodness of our God!!

Day 233: The source of salvation

Isaiah 10-12; Romans 14

Consider the context of Isaiah’s writings… Syria and the northern Kingdom of Israel were threatening Judah. King Ahaz reached out to the great world power, Assyria, for help – and then Isaiah looked into the future to see that Assyria was God’s chosen instrument of judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel – Assyria would completely destroy Israel – and most of the cities of Judah – but God would not allow them to destroy Jerusalem.

So it is in this context in which Isaiah is writing – he writes that Assyria is just a tool in God’s hands – that this world-super-power would be utterly destroyed – as judgment for the destruction of God’s people.

And then Isaiah looks forward to the day when God would gather his remnant and the Messiah would rule in peace.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:1-2).

Out of the stump… God’s judgment would reduce Israel to a stump, but from this stump would come the Messiah! And from the Messiah would come salvation! This salvation was a supernatural salvation – the kind that King Ahaz scorned for a short-sighted, political savior.

Where do you look for salvation?

Do you look to Christ, alone, for salvation – or, like Ahaz, do you look for help from worldly sources? Our salvation is based on grace that comes through faith. Romans 14 reveals that the gospel of Jesus Christ nullifies many of the Jewish “ceremonial” laws. These laws were sacred to Israel because it gave them a way to be symbolically righteous. In other words, if they adhered to the strict diet, observed the festivals and performed ceremonial washings, they could be clean.

But those things don’t save!!!! Jesus came and set us free from the demands of the law ! We are free to obey by faith – so there is no room for judgment.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:7).

Both Isaiah and Paul were trying to focus the eyes of their readers on the source of salvation. Ahaz was looking to Assyria for help. The Jews were still relying on their laws to gain righteousness. Both pursuits were in vain.

Jesus is the beginning and the end, the source of all things. He is our Salvation. In Him, alone, we will trust!

“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

Day 232: A swirling symphony

Isaiah 7-9; Romans 13

Before we dig into the text, we need to understand more about the book of Isaiah as a whole…

Isaiah can be divided into three sections:

  1. Chapters 1-39: Written for Isaiah’s contemporaries, the rebellious people living in Judah under the Assyrian threat (during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah). They were tempted to look to political saviors instead of to God.
  2. Chapters 40-55: Looked beyond the future destruction of Jerusalem and was written for the remnant of Jews living as exiles in Babylon.
  3. Chapters 56-66: Looked even further forward in time and was written for the restored Jews including all people until the end (which includes us!)

Isaiah 7-9 is part of a larger section (that will conclude tomorrow) that is written in the context of the military threat against Judah from neighboring Israel and Syria (2 Kings 16). Isaiah comes to king Ahaz of Judah and exhorts him to trust in God – even encouraging him to ask for a sign, but Ahaz refuses, and instead turns to Assyria to rescue him from the hands of Syria and Israel.

God, in his grace, gives a sign anyway (7:14-15). He promises that after the birth of a certain boy, and before the boy reaches the age to discern right from wrong, both Syria and Israel will be conquered (7:17). God’s word proves true, but even though the imminent threat to Judah is averted, Ahaz’s sin of looking to Assyria instead of to the Lord will bring about a greater future threat – in the form of Assyria, itself (7:7:17-18)!

…behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel (Isaiah 8:7-8).

Here Isaiah predicts Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah (2 Kings 18:13 – 19:37). He took all of Judah except Jerusalem. Do you notice how the nations are like puppets in the hand of God?! Romans 13 alludes to God’s sovereignty over rulers as both his instruments of blessing and of judgment. Even the great and mighty Assyria was subject to God’s will!

Just after Isaiah predicts Sennacherib’s invasion, he looks forward to the day when God will execute justice over all the nations (8:9-10) and establish and uphold David’s throne with justice and righteousness forever (9:7)!

What makes the book of Isaiah so beautiful (and complicated) is that he weaves the present with the future so seamlessly. Judah’s tragic choice of a political savior forces Isaiah’s eyes forward – first to judgment through the Assyrian army and then further forward in time to how God will save the faithful remnant of Israel!

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Isaiah’s work is a symphony of words swirling into the climax of the saving work of Jesus and the restoration of all that is good and right! I think our time in Isaiah is going to be rich :)

Day 231: Worthy of our worship

Isaiah 4-6; Romans 12

In today’s reading, Isaiah 4 opens with a prophecy of hope – and then Isaiah 5 turns dark as it describes how the people of Judah had rejected his grace (5:4) and consequently, would experience God’s wrath (5:13-14).

It is this context of future hope (chapt. 4) and imminent judgment (chapt. 5) that we see God’s grace and calling to Isaiah in Chapter 6.

Isaiah’s vision is truly awesome. He is face to face with the glory and holiness of the Lord, and he is terrified. Never has Isaiah been more aware of his own shortcomings – he was absolutely destitute in his sin.

But see God’s severe grace. Forgiveness does not come cheap. Sin always bears a price…

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:6-7).

Then God gives Isaiah his calling and purpose. Isaiah was called into a life of suffering – as he would proclaim God’s impending judgment on a hardened people.

But look deeper into the text and notice that Isaiah is describing the very throne room of God! God’s robe fills the temple and the foundation of the temple shook at the power of His voice. Isaiah, in his sinful state, could only crumple under the Holiness, but the seraphim, the pure seraphim, were engaged in worship.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)

This song is echoed in Revelation 4 – where we are also transported through vision to the throne room of God – and there we find the four creatures (representing all of creation) gathered with the 24 elders (who probably represent the unity of Israel and the church – combining the 12 tribes of Israel + the 12 apostles) – and what are they ALL doing??!! Worshiping the Lord!

And the four living creatures, …day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:8-11)

What is our response to the God we serve?? First, we say with Isaiah, “Woe is me!” And then, we must worship.

Romans 12:1 instructs us in this worship. We don’t contain our worship to Sunday mornings. No! We worship with our very lives!

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Jesus demands our all. How will you worship Him today?

 

Day 228: A Conundrum

Psalm 89, 102; Romans 10

Yesterday, in Romans 9, Paul taught that God predestines some people to be saved.

Today, in Romans 10, Paul teaches that God longs for ALL people to be saved (10:21) – AND saving faith comes through hearing the gospel (10:17)!

Even though these teachings seem to contradict one another, the Bible emphatically teaches both. We can’t say that God couldn’t have predestined some to be saved because He wants all to be saved. That argument goes against what the Bible teaches. And similarly, we can’t say that it doesn’t matter if we share the gospel because He has already determined who will be saved – or that God doesn’t desire all people to be saved just because He has only predestined some.

Somehow, Romans 9 AND Romans 10 are both true. And mysteriously, God has involved us in the blessing of “speaking” the gospel so that others will “hear” the gospel and be saved. Reconciling Romans 9 &10 is another area where our human perspective limits our understanding!

The Israelites also experienced a conundrum. As you read Psalm 89, the people were trying to reconcile God’s covenant promises with their dire circumstances of invasion and destruction. You can imagine their confusion! God had promised to establish David’s throne FOREVER. Solomon built God a house that was supposed to last FOREVER, Listen as they recounted God’s promise:

I will not violate my covenant
or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;
I will not lie to David.
His offspring shall endure forever,
his throne as long as the sun before me.
Like the moon it shall be established forever,
a faithful witness in the skies” (Psalm 89:34-37).

The irony is thick as the people turn to describe their circumstances.

But now you have cast off and rejected;
you are full of wrath against your anointed.
You have renounced the covenant with your servant;
you have defiled his crown in the dust.
You have breached all his walls;
you have laid his strongholds in ruins (Psalm 89:38-40).

The people could not reconcile the truth of God’s covenant promise with the truth of Jerusalem’s destruction. Their limited perspective couldn’t possibly imagine how God would keep his promise. That God had not cast off or rejected them, that David’s crown was not defiled in the dust. It was impossible for them to look forward in history to see God establish His Kingdom with His only Son at the helm. Their only choice was to trust in God’s word and character in the midst of their conflicting circumstances.

When we are faced with what seems like conflicting information… When it is hard to reconcile God’s truths with our reality, we must give God the benefit of the doubt. Surely He knows something we don’t and surely we can trust that He knows what He is doing…. even if we don’t always fully understand. His word assures us that His will is always done – for His glory and for our good!

Day 222: No longer under the law…

2 Chronicles 26-28; Romans 6

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14).

I think this is one of the clearest statements distinguishing the Old Covenant from the New.

The three kings from today’s reading are perfect illustrations of the burden of living under the law…

Uzziah (chapter 26) began in good fashion… “He set himself to seek God […] and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper” (2 Chronicles 26:5). Uzziah enjoyed the blessings of God in military strength and victory. But Uzziah became prideful and presumed upon the law of the Lord by trying to do the duty of a priest. God gave him the opportunity to repent by sending the priest to warn him, but Uzziah became angry. “When he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the presence of the priests in the house of the Lord” (26:19).

Jotham (chapter 27) was portrayed as upright throughout his reign, and he enjoyed God’s favor. Whereas, Ahaz (chapter 28) was idolatrous and suffered under God’s judgment.

This is the Old Covenant. Living under the law was burdensome. Sin was inevitable. But God, in his grace, would relent if His people repented. Otherwise, they faced judgment.

In contrast, the New Covenant is founded on Grace and offers freedom from the burden of the law. Listen to how Paul begins Chapter 6 of Romans…

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

Paul answers, “By no means!” But the reason for his answer is complicated, and it is the key to the difference between the Old and the New Covenants. Paul’s answer involves the difficult concept of union with Christ…

Christ’s death and resurrection have defeated the power of sin in the believer’s life! As believers in Christ, we are united with him in his death and life, so that we have His power to overcome the sin in our hearts. When we turn to Christ in repentance and faith, a powerful spiritual transaction occurs. Our hard hearts are given life…they are transformed from stone to flesh through the indwelling of Holy Spirit.

  • The Old Covenant exposed sin through the lens of the law, but provided no power to overcome sin.
  • The New Covenant defeats the power of sin through the death and life of Christ.

Living under the new Covenant of Grace does not remove our responsibility…we are still able to sin and we are still accountable for our actions! But. We have the power of Christ to help us obey!

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14).

Day 212: The folly of the earth

1 Chronicles 28-29; Acts 25

Today we see David – publicly ordaining Solomon as king of Israel. And as the entire assembly is gathered for this grand affair, David prays. In this prayer, we see his heart, and amazingly, it is a humble heart… After 40 years of experiencing strength on the battlefield, influence over other nations, power to judge his own people, and the sovereignty to govern as he willed – he still defers to his Creator…

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand (1 Chronicles 29:11b-14, NIV).

How many current world leaders would be able to genuinely pray David’s words?? Power seduces and can dull the mind to the truth of God’s absolute sovereignty over the earth. Despite David’s dance with greatness, in the end, he still recognized that God was the True King of Israel, and he, David, was just a steward of God’s resources and power.

In Acts, we read of tribunes, governors and kings – each with their own limited power delegated through Caesar. With each subsequent chapter, we are introduced to a different inept ruling authority. Injustice is on center-stage as Paul is imprisoned for years without a fair judgment.

I wonder if these men had the same view of the world that David did? Did they understand that they were just stewards of God’s resources and power? Unfortunately, they all seem like foolish men drunk on their pomp and circumstance! (but maybe that’s just me…)

David, albeit flawed, was the precursor to Christ. If any man had the right to  “pomp and circumstance” it was Jesus! But He traded the grandeur of heaven for a stable… and absolute, universal power for a criminal’s death.

Apart from the grace of Christ, we are nothing. How do you think Paul was able to endure the years of unjust imprisonment? Only through the comfort of Christ! Our dignity comes from being made in the image of God and being redeemed by the blood of His Son. Our hope is found In Christ… alone!!