When God Speaks; Things Happen -Isaiah 48:3

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 48:3 (NIV)

“I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.”

Isaiah 48:3 (MSG)

“For a long time now, I’ve let you in on the way I work: I told you what I was going to do beforehand, then I did it and it was done, and that’s that.”

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“I have declared the former things [which happened to Israel] in times past; they went forth from My mouth and I proclaimed them; suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.” -AMPLIFIED

“This section recapitulates the revelation that Yahweh predicts the future, so that when the event He predicts happens, people will recognize that He is the only true God. He can cause new things to happen because He alone is the Creator. Again, the critics’ disbelief in God’s ability to predict the future and then bring it into being is the problem.” ~Thomas Constable

As we began looking into Isaiah 48, we learned that this next Message was directed towards the kingdom of Judah. Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, reminded them that He knew the state of their hearts, and that they were just paying Him lip service, and their hearts were not in their worship. God reprimanded Judah in this way:

“Listen carefully, O Jacob’s tribes, you who are called by the name Israel
    and come from the lineage of Judah, who solemnly swear in the name of Yahweh
    and claim to worship the God of Israel. But there is no truth or righteousness in your confession!
Indeed, you name yourselves after the holy city and say that you depend upon Israel’s God.
    Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, is his name.” -Isaiah 48:1-2 (The Passion Translation)

In today’s text, we find Adonai reminding Judah that what He says will happen, will indeed happen, and it will happen quickly.

“The LORD has shown Israel His power to declare the future in predictive prophecy.” ~David Guzik

“Eternal One: In times long past, I determined and announced the things that would come. Then suddenly I acted, and they indeed happened.” -(VOICE)

God’s Message to the kingdom of Judah begins this way:

“Long ago, when I told you something would happen, it did. From the very beginning of time, I have proclaimed words, which came forth from my mouth, and immediately came to pass, exactly as I said. Is anything too difficult for me?”

It was important for Judah to understand that there is action behind God’s words. When He speaks things happen; He was not just blowing hot air into the wind.

“Time and again I told you what was going to happen in the future. My words were scarcely spoken when suddenly I did just what I said.” -(TLB)

“I did them suddenly – They came to pass at an unexpected time; when you were not looking for them, and when perhaps you were doubting whether they would occur, or were calling in question the divine veracity. The idea is, that God in like manner would, certainly, and suddenly, accomplish his predictions about Babylon, and their release from their captivity.” ~Albert Barnes

John’s Gospel begins by deliberating about the “Word”, which John tells us, in no uncertain terms, is God Himself. John wrote:

“In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].” -John 1:1-5 (AMP)

The writer of Hebrews took the time to warn and remind his readers of the strength and power of the Word of God. He wrote:

“See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword — it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12 (Complete Jewish Bible)

Further along in the book of Isaiah, we will find God pointing out to Israel that His ways were not their ways, and His thoughts were not their thoughts. He pointedly told them that His Word would never come back to Him without accomplishing exactly what He intended it to do.

“Eternal One: My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do.
My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth.
For as rain and snow can’t go back once they’ve fallen, but soak into the ground
    And nourish the plants that grow, providing seed to the farmer and bread for the hungry,
So it is when I declare something. My word will go out and not return to Me empty,
    But it will do what I wanted; it will accomplish what I determined.” -Isaiah 55:8-11 (VOICE)

“God is speaking to all of us, all the time. The question is not, to whom does God talk? The question is, who listens?” ~Neale Donald Walsch

My friend, God is speaking to each of us. Sometimes it comes in the quietness of our hearts, or His Holy Word, the Bible, or through a pastor, or Christian friend. The point is, He is speaking, and what He says will come to pass. Remember, His Word will not come back empty or void. There is action behind His Words, and His promises. Trust that He is at work in your situation. Have faith that He is working all things out for your good and His glory.

“We usually hear what we want to hear and turn a deaf ear to everything else. But remember the package deal? If we don’t listen to everything God has to say, we eventually won’t hear anything He has to say. And we probably need to hear most what we want to hear least. But this I know for sure: His tone of voice is always loving. Sometimes it’s tough love in the form of rebuke or discipline, but it’s loving, nonetheless.” ~Mark Batterson

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, speak to me, as I sit still in your presence. Remind me of who you are, and of what you can do in, and through me. Your Holy Word tells me that your Words pack power and action behind them, and that when you speak, things will happen, and those Words never come back to you unfulfilled or empty. I sit now, listening for your voice, trusting you to bring about all that you have promised. Speak Lord, for in you there is hope, love, joy, and life, and things happen.

The State of Our Hearts – Isaiah 48:1-2

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 48:1-2 (NIV)

“Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness—you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel—the Lord Almighty is his name:”

Isaiah 48:1-2 (MSG)

“And now listen to this, family of Jacob, you who are called by the name Israel: Who got you started in the loins of Judah, you who use God’s name to back up your promises and pray to the God of Israel?
But do you mean it? Do you live like it? You claim to be citizens of the Holy City; you act as though you lean on the God of Israel, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies.”

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“Hear this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and who come from the seed of Judah, you who swear [allegiance] by the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth (sincerity) nor in righteousness [with moral and spiritual integrity]. For they call themselves [citizens of Jerusalem] after the holy city and depend on the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts is His name.” -AMPLIFIED

Once again, we find God’s attention moving. It moves from the Babylonians, back to His people, in particular the kingdom of Judah. The God who sees all and knows all clearly, can see the state of their hardened hearts, and He calls them out on what they thought they had hidden from Him.

“The captive Jews addressed in these words were consummate hypocrites, supposing that they were the darlings of heaven merely because they were literally descended through Abraham and Jacob. They were the Old Testament examples of those same vicious murderers of the Son of God who bragged about being “Abraham’s seed” in John 8:33. O yes, they felt very secure because they frequently used the name of Jehovah and claimed as their very own the God of Israel, the prophecy here reminded them that the God of Israel was none other than Jehovah of hosts, a term “especially connected with the holiness of God.” ~Coffman’s Commentaries

“Listen closely, you descendants of Jacob who are called Israel! Hear this, you who trace your ancestors back to Judah, who take oaths in the name of the Eternal, and call on the God of Israel, but do so dishonestly and inappropriately:  Your identity is wrapped up in the holy city, and you claim to rely on the God of Israel, the One who is called the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.” -(VOICE)

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, directs the people to “listen closely”, to “pay attention”. He is about to revel to them exactly how He sees things, and we will see that nothing is hidden from His eyes.

Take note of the titles, or names that are being used as God addresses Judah. He begins with the house of Jacob. God identifies them with the name of their forefather, Jacob, which basically means “deceiver, and cheater”. They have been trying to deceive and cheat Adonai–Tzva’ot. Then He says that they are called by the name of Israel, but remember, God is directing His attention on Judah, not Israel. It was the man, Jacob, who received the name Israel, given to him by God. The name in essence means, “one who struggles with God”, and sadly, this is exactly what the nation of Israel had been doing for a very long time.

The statement that follows is, “… who come from the seed of Judah” the addressee. God reminds them of their forefather, Judah, who, if you remember, was cruel, Genesis 37:26-27, and immoral, Genesis 38. It is as if God was saying, “You came from you father, and you act just like him.”

Judah would swear allegiance to the Lord with their mouths, but their hearts were not in it. They were still worshiping their idols, and looking elsewhere for deliverance. They were still living immorally, and also being cruel to their poor, their widows, and their orphans. They claimed that they were relying on God, but this was very far from the truth, as we will see in the next few verses.

“Hear me, my people: you swear allegiance to the Lord without meaning a word of it when you boast of living in the Holy City and brag about depending on the God of Israel.” -(TLB)

“Who swear by the name of the LORD…but not in truth or in righteousness: God exposed the sin of His people. They took His name, identified with the holy city, and gave the appearance that they did lean on the God of Israel. Yet it was only image, not reality, and God saw through the image to the reality.” ~David Guzik

Earlier in Isaiah, we found this Message from God to the people about the state of their hearts, and what He was going to do about it:

“This is what the Lord says about these people:
 “They come near to me with hollow words and honor me superficially with their lips;
    all the while their hearts run far away from me! Their worship is nothing more than man-made rules.
So therefore, I will again jolt this people awake with astonishing wonders upon wonders!
    And the wisdom of their wise ones will fail, and the intelligent know-it-alls will have no explanations.” -Isaiah 29:13-14 (The Passion Translation)

Jesus, when speaking to the Pharisees’, referred back to this passage in Isaiah when He was reprimanding them for violating God’s commands. Jesus admonished them in this way:

“He answered, “Indeed, why do you break the command of God by your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “I have promised to give to God what I might have used to help you,” then he is rid of his duty to honor his father or mother.’ Thus by your tradition you make null and void the word of God! You hypocrites! Yesha‘yahu was right when he prophesied about you, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.
Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’” -Matthew 15:3-9 (Complete Jewish Bible)

David reminds us that God knows everything about us, including the state of our heart.

“Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind.
You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book
    and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence!
    You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past.
    You have laid your hand on me!” -Psalm 139:1-5 (The Passion Translation)

“An honest heart seeks to please God in all things and offend Him in none.” ~A. W. Pink

My friend, nothing is hidden from God, He knows the state of our hearts. He knows if we are truly trusting and relying on Him. He knows if we are being honest with Him, and if we are being obedient to His commands. We need to stop fooling ourselves, thinking we can fool Him, because we cannot. Be honest with yourself and with Him, be real. You cannot offend God, for He already knows everything about you.

“We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another.” ~William Law

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, you alone know the true state of my heart, and I come to you in humbleness asking that you search my heart and reveal to me any sin, so that I can confess to you. Nothing is hidden from you, for you know everything about me. I do not to be a Christian that pays only mouth service, but I want my heart to be right before you, dear Lord. Teach me your ways, and help me to walk in them, I pray. Thank you, Lord.

God’s View on Spiritism – Isaiah 47:14-15

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:14-15 (NIV)

“Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the power of the flame. These are not coals for warmth; this is not a fire to sit by. That is all they are to you—these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you.”

Isaiah 47:14-15 (MSG)

“Fat chance. You’d be grasping at straws that are already in the fire, a fire that is even now raging. Your ‘experts’ are in it and won’t get out. It’s not a fire for cooking venison stew, not a fire to warm you on a winter night! That’s the fate of your friends in sorcery, your magician cronies you’ve been colluding with all your life. They reel, confused, bumping into one another. None of them bother to help you.”

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“In fact, they are like stubble; fire burns them. They cannot save themselves from the power of the flame [much less save the nation], There is no blazing coal for warming Nor fire before which to sit!
This is how they have become to you, those [astrologers and sorcerers] with whom you have labored,
those who have done business with you from your youth; each has wandered in his own way. There is no one to save you.” -AMPLIFIED

“For the Babylonians, sorcery also included a mood of complacency, because the people relied on their magicians to predict the coming of the enemy and to defeat him. In Babylonia the intellectual and the magical were intertwined, the wise man being instructed in all the arts of the supernatural.” ~Geoffrey Grogan 

Last we saw, God was upbraiding Babylon for seeking counsel from the sorcerers, magicians, and the astrologers. He mocked them for looking for trusting these fools who had failed to help them too many times.

“You must be fatigued with so much counsel! Let the stargazers and astrologers take their stand.
    See if they can help you now! Let them make their monthly predictions.
    Maybe they can reveal what is about to come upon you.” -Isaiah 47:13 (The Passion Translation)

Today, we close out Isaiah 47 with the outcome of Babylon’s wizards, enchanters, fortune-tellers, and horoscopists that the people of Babylon were trusting in.

“Yahweh’s denunciation of Babylon comes to a climax in the final four verses. In spite of her pride, Babylon would need a savior, but there would be none for her.” ~Thomas Constable

“Look, they’re like dry straw that ignites in a flash and is burned away. They cannot help you—they cannot help themselves from the power of the flame. And this is not some warm and cozy fire shared among friends! So that’s what they’re worth to you—absolutely nothing, even after all these years of working together. They’re gone. No one’s left to rescue you.” -(VOICE)

We find God using a metaphor to describe the final end of Babylon’s sorcerers, magicians, and astrologers, they will be judged by fire. In fact, they will be destroyed by fire, and they will be absolutely no help to the people of Babylon in their time of need. No one will be able to save Babylon from God’s coming judgment against them, NO ONE.

“But they are as useless as dried grass burning in the fire. They cannot even deliver themselves! You’ll get no help from them at all. Theirs is no fire to sit beside to make you warm! And all your friends of childhood days shall slip away and disappear, unable to help.” -(TLB)

“No one shall save you: What a sobering final sentence. This is true for all who will not find their salvation in the LORD; if you will not look to Him and be saved, then certainly no one shall save you.” ~David Guzik

The Bible is very explicit on God’s viewpoint of the black arts, He hates them. From the very beginning we find Him cautioning Israel about not seeking help from mediums, witches, or necromancers. Why? Because He was their God, if they needed guidance, direction, or wisdom, they were to come to Him. They were to trust Mefalti, the Lord is my Deliverer, for He is Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty.

God told Israel that spiritism and the black arts were forbidden:

1.) “Do not turn to mediums or consult with those who communicate with the spirits of the dead. Do not go near them, or else you will defile yourselves. I am the Eternal your God.” -Leviticus 19:31 (VOICE)

2.) “I will resolutely reject persons who dabble in the occult or traffic with mediums, prostituting themselves in their practices. I will cut them off from their people.” -Leviticus 20:6 (MSG)

3.) “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable (repulsive) practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire [as a sacrifice], one who uses divination and fortune-telling, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a charm or spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer [who seeks the dead]. For everyone who does these things is utterly repulsive to the Lord; and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God is driving them out before you.” -Deuteronomy 18:9-12 (AMP)

Even the New Testament warns us against Spiritism:

1.) Paul warned the Galatians in this way:

“Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” -Galatians 5:19-21 (AMP)

2.) In the book of Revelation John records this Message from Jesus:

“It is finished! I am the A and the Z—the Beginning and the End. I will give to the thirsty the springs of the Water of Life—as a gift! Everyone who conquers will inherit all these blessings, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those conversing with demons, and idol worshipers and all liars—their doom is in the Lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death.” -Revelation 21:6-8 (TLB)

“No matter how innocent the practices of the occult seem at first, they are all dimensions of the one rebellion that has been underway since the Garden of Eden: the aim to avoid at all costs childlike submission to the limitations and provisions of a sovereign God, and to get instead a power which can be called great. Man in the occult is man in rebellion.” ~John Piper

My friend, God has given us His viewpoint of anything that has to do with the occult, Spiritism, witchcraft, astrology, or anything that has to do with the black arts, He hates them. In Isaiah, He reminds us that those practices will not save you, and He even tells us what awaits those who practice them, judgement by fire. As a child of God, we need to be careful that we are not participating, or dabbling in these practices, for they are sin, and those who take part in them, even in a small way, will be held accountable.

“We are not to look to omens or “signs” to direct our lives. The Bible reprimands people for doing this. It is an “abomination” and foolishness. Look to God and His instructions for life as provided in the Bible. To do otherwise is to foolishly deceive yourself, or allow Satan and others to deceive you.” ~Paul S. Taylor

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I understand your stance on Spiritism, and astrology. I ask that your Holy Spirit help me to recognize these practices and flee from them. From the beginning of time, the Enemy of mankind’s soul has tried to deceive man that it is okay to try to be equal with you, God. But you alone are God, and you have no equal. You are the Creator; we are but the created. You are Supreme, and Sovereign, and I humbly accept that only you can save and deliver me. I submit to your authority, and I am trusting in you, Lord.

Poor Counsel – Isaiah 47:13

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:13 (NIV)

“All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward,
those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.”

Isaiah 47:13 (MSG)

“I know you’re exhausted trying out remedies, but don’t give up. Call in the astrologers and stargazers.
They’re good at this. Surely they can work up something!”

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“You are wearied by your many counsels. Just let the astrologers, the stargazers, those who predict by the new moons [each month] stand up and save you from the things that will come upon you [Babylon].” -AMPLIFIED

“In her arrogance Babylon thinks that she can do as she likes and no one can stop her. She thinks that her rise to power is a result of guidance received through her knowledge of magic and astrology. The prophet challenges her to keep trusting in magic and astrology, and see if that will save her from God’s judgment. What she will find is that the magicians and astrologers themselves will fall under God’s judgment.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary

In yesterday’s text, we found God mocking Babylon, who was trusting in the magic and enchantments that she had been practicing since she was a child. We found God mockingly advising them in this way:

“So go ahead—keep trusting in your sorceries and the witchcraft you’ve practiced since your youth.
     Perhaps you might succeed! Perhaps you’ll scare away your impending doom!” -Isaiah 47:12 (The Passion Translation)

The whole point was that Babylon was trusting in their magic to save them from their enemies, and God is advising them that their magic cannot save them. In fact, in today’s text, we find making the point that Babylon has been listening to poor counsel.

“All of your scheming has only exhausted you. Let the astrologers step up and save you, after all they chart the heavens, read the stars, and predict the future month after month.” -(VOICE)

We can still pick up on the mocking tone of God, as He directs Babylon to continue listening to, and following the guidance of her astrologers and stargazers. It is interesting to note that God sees that Babylon is wearied, even exhausted by all the predictions, and scheming of these charlatan’s who were counterfeit and even fraudulent, but for some reason, she continues to seek their counsel, even though they have proven wrong time and time again.

God Message to Babylon: “Go ahead, listen to your fortune tellers and stargazers. Let them guide you and continue to make their predictions. Let them try to tell what will happen in the future. Perhaps their predictions might be right this time, who knows. Maybe they can reveal what is about to take place.”

In fact, we can look at Daniel 5 again, and see how “helpful” Babylon’s advisors were on the night that when Belshazzar was having his feast, surrounded by his nobles, and the hand of God came down and wrote upon the wall. Daniel records for us how that night played out:

“At that very moment, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the lamp-illumined, whitewashed wall of the palace. When the king saw the disembodied hand writing away, he went white as a ghost, scared out of his wits. His legs went limp and his knees knocked. He yelled out for the enchanters, the fortunetellers, and the diviners to come. He told these Babylonian magi, “Anyone who can read this writing on the wall and tell me what it means will be famous and rich—purple robe, the great gold chain—and be third-in-command in the kingdom. One after the other they tried, but could make no sense of it. They could neither read what was written nor interpret it to the king. So now the king was really frightened. All the blood drained from his face. The nobles were in a panic.” -Daniel 5:5-9 (MSG)

It was only when the Queen heard what was going on and reminded the king about Daniel, that they were able to get honest answers. Daniel told them exactly what was happening, and what God was about to do.

“You have advisors by the ton—your astrologers and stargazers, who try to tell you what the future holds.” -(TLB)

The Bible teaches us that seeking counsel is wise, but we need to be careful about who we are seeking counsel from. Psalm 1 reminds us that those who seek godly counsel will be blessed:

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a riverbank bearing luscious fruit each season without fail. Their leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall prosper. But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly. For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom.” -Psalm 1 (TLB)

The Apostle Paul warns us in this way:

“Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”” -1 Corinthians 15:33 (AMP)

If we want good advice we need to be looking in the right places.

1.) Read God’s Word:

“All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17 (VOICE)

2.) Ask God for wisdom:

“And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace.” -James 1:5 (The Passion Translation)

3.) Seek godly counsel:

“So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as God’s still calling it Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul. These words keep ringing in our ears:” Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear as in the bitter uprising.” -Hebrews 3:13-14 (MSG)

“God doesn’t want people to do what they think is best: he wants them to do what he knows is best, and no amount of reasoning and intellectualizing will discover that. ~ Henry T. Blackaby

My friend, be careful who you are listening to and seeking counsel from, it is a matter of eternal life or death.

“Counseling is ultimately not about the counselee or the counselor, but about the Divine Counselor.”
 ~James MacDonald

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, help me to remember to seek and only listen to the godly counsel. You will not give me directions through the fortune-teller, horoscope, or magic. Your Word teaches that you hate those things. You have instructed me to seek your help, all I need do is ask. You have given me your Word, to instruct me and guide me. You have also given me brothers and sisters who can give me godly advice, for you have instructed your children to bear one another’s burdens. Lord, I want to do things your way, I choose to follow you guidance, help me to be diligent in continuing to do this. I want your best for me, I choose to follow your way.

What are You Trusting? – Isaiah 47:12

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:12 (NIV)

“Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.”

Isaiah 47:12 (MSG)

“But don’t give up. From your great repertoire of enchantments there must be one you haven’t yet tried. You’ve been at this a long time. Surely something will work.”

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“Persist, then, [Babylon] in your enchantments and your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you will be able to profit [from them], perhaps you may prevail and cause trembling.” -AMPLIFIED

God has been delivering a sentence against Babylon. He warned them that disaster was about to fall on them because of their insistence on continuing in their evil practices, especially magic. God cautioned them in this way:

“An avalanche of evil will come upon you that no magic spell will be able to avert.
    Great disaster is about to fall upon you that you will not be able to ward off!
     Total devastation will strike you suddenly. It will happen so swiftly you won’t even see it coming!” -Isaiah 47:11 (The Passion Translation)

Remember, the Babylonians thought their sin was hidden from God, or that He did not care about their sin.

“You felt so smug and secure in your wickedness. You thought, ‘No one sees me.’
    Your idea of ‘wisdom’ and self-professed ‘knowledge’ has led you astray, saying in your heart,
    ‘I am! There is none like me!’” -Isaiah 47:10 (The Passion Translation)

In today’ text we find God exposing what the Babylonians were truly trusting in, and we find Him challenging them to prove the reliability and trustworthiness of their sorceries and the witchcraft, which they have been practicing and trusting in since they were young.

“But keep trying your spells; your magic and charms have brought you this far. Maybe they’ll help in some way. Maybe they’ll incite fear.” -(VOICE)

There is a not of mockery in God’s tone as we read this verse. As we see Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, encouraging Babylon to, “Keep on trusting in your spells and witchery, your foolish reading of the stars. Maybe they will get you out of the mess you are about to be in. Perhaps they will deliver you from your coming doom.”

In the concluding verses of the chapter, we find God mocking Babylon even further and revealing to her that all of her magic and spells will not rescue and save her.

“You have advisors by the ton—your astrologers and stargazers, who try to tell you what the future holds.  But they are as useless as dried grass burning in the fire. They cannot even deliver themselves! You’ll get no help from them at all. Theirs is no fire to sit beside to make you warm! And all your friends of childhood days shall slip away and disappear, unable to help.” -Isaiah 47:13-15 (TLB)

Babylon needed a savior, but because of her arrogance and foolish pride, she would not have one. She refused to change her ways and accept God’s leadership in her life. She refused to trust in the only One who could truly save and deliver her.

“Call out the demon hordes you’ve worshiped all these years. Call on them to help you strike deep terror into many hearts again.” -(TLB)

“God sarcastically challenged the Babylonians to continue to trust in their mediums and horoscopes, as though they might be able to deliver them from the fate He announced. They were not about to humble themselves, as the Ninevites did in Jonah’s day. If there was any time the Babylonians needed help from their wise men, it was before the Lord visited them with judgment.” ~Thomas Constable

Everyone trusts in something or someone to save them from difficult situations. Some people trust in their money, others in their credit cards. Then there are people who trust in their friends, their relatives, their jobs. Some folks trust in the stars, their crystals, or their psychic. Then there are those who trust in themselves, they do not “need” anyone else, because they are strong enough, smart enough, and they can do it, “all by myself”.

All of those people and things though will let you down. There is only One who is always faithful and true, and it is Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty. David found that God was trustworthy and wrote Psalm 20 as a testament to that fact:

“In your day of trouble, may the Lord be with you! May the God of Jacob keep you from all harm. May he send you aid from his sanctuary in Zion. May he remember with pleasure the gifts you have given him, your sacrifices and burnt offerings. May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans. May there be shouts of joy when we hear the news of your victory, flags flying with praise to God for all that he has done for you. May he answer all your prayers! “God save the king”—I know he does! He hears me from highest heaven and sends great victories. Some nations boast of armies and of weaponry, but our boast is in the Lord our God. Those nations will collapse and perish; we will arise to stand firm and sure! Give victory to our king, O Lord; oh, hear our prayer.” -(TLB)

“We cannot always trace God’s hand, but we can always trust God’s heart.” ~Charles Spurgeon

My friend, God alone is the One we can always count on. He is the One who loves us most and wants the best for us. He can be trusted.

“If God was faithful to you yesterday, you have reason to trust him for tomorrow.” ~Woodrow Kroll

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, please forgive me for all of those times that I was trusting in other people and things to save me. I was wrong. Only you can save me, I understand this now. You are the One who created me and you re the God of all of my days. I am trusting in you, Lord, to carry me through this life, walking with me every step of the way. Thank you, Lord, for being the One that I can always trust in.

Emmanuel – Isaiah 7:14

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).” -Isaiah 7:14 (AMP)

Isaiah foretold of the time when God, the Creator of all things, would become flesh and dwell among men. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah that God Himself would give a sign, so that the people would know what to be looking for. The sign: “A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us).” (MSG)

The fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in Luke and Matthew. In Luke we find the story of the young girl who would be the mother of this child, her name was Mary. One day, Mary had a very unusual visitor, a heavenly Messenger, named Gabriel. Gabriel had this message for Mary:

“But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit.” -Luke 1:30-33 (The Passion Translation)

Matthew records the story of Joseph, who was the child’s earthly father. Matthew tells us:

“The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they enjoyed their wedding night, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic revelation to full term: “Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”).” Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.” -Matthew 1:18-25 (MSG)

John, in his Gospel, even tells us that the Word, another title of God, became flesh and came to dwell among men. John wrote:

“And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).” -John 1:14 (AMP)

If we look back into the prophecies of Isaiah, we see that this child would be a Great Light to those who were lost. In fact, He would hold many titles: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah records for us this promise:

“The people who walk in darkness shall see a great Light—a Light that will shine on all those who live in the land of the shadow of death. For Israel will again be great, filled with joy like that of reapers when the harvesttime has come, and like that of men dividing up the plunder they have won. For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the vast host of the Midianites by Gideon’s little band. In that glorious day of peace there will no longer be the issuing of battle gear; no more the bloodstained uniforms of war; all such will be burned. For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince of Peace.” His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world. This is going to happen because the Lord of heaven’s armies has dedicated himself to do it!” -Isaiah 9:2-7 (TLB)

“We should thank God for being with us, not ask Him to be with us (this is always given!).” ~Henry Blackaby

As you celebrate Christmas this year, do not forget about the One who made it all possible, the One, Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, the Maker of all things, who became flesh came to live among mankind. He is the Light of the World, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is Emmanuel, God with us. May you have a merry and blessed Christmas!

Retribution Is Coming – Isaiah 47:11

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:11 (NIV)

“Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you.”

Isaiah 47:11 (MSG)

“Ruin descends—you can’t charm it away. Disaster strikes—you can’t cast it off with spells. Catastrophe, sudden and total—and you’re totally at sea, totally bewildered!”

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“Therefore disaster will come on you; you will not know how to make it disappear [with your magic]. And disaster will fall on you for which you cannot atone [with all your offerings to your gods]; and destruction about which you do not know will come on you suddenly.” -AMPLIFIED

“Every choice you make has an end result.” ~Zig Ziglar

In yesterday’s text we saw God pointing out the fact that Babylon was confident and smug in her wickedness. She “thought” what she was doing was hidden from God, or He did not care, but she was wrong. She had perverted what God had intended for her, and she began thinking that she was untouchable by anyone, including God. God brings this charge against Babylon:

“You felt so smug and secure in your wickedness. You thought, ‘No one sees me.’
    Your idea of ‘wisdom’ and self-professed ‘knowledge’ has led you astray, saying in your heart,
    ‘I am! There is none like me!’” -Isaiah 47:10 (The Passion Translation)

We find God’s denunciation against Babylon continuing in today’s text, where He cautions her to prepare herself, for retribution is coming. “An avalanche of evil will come upon you that no magic spell will be able to avert.” -(TPT)

“Evil will break upon you full force. You won’t be able to hold it off or charm it away. Disaster will fall and, even with all your wealth, you won’t stand a chance. There’s no way to know what is coming; all of a sudden, it will ruin all that you have and all that you are.” -(VOICE)

Remember yesterday’s text told us that Babylon was trusting in her wickedness, she was counting on her sorcery and magic to save her. But this time she will be greatly surprised, it will not. God tells her that disaster will come upon her so quickly that she will not even realize it is even coming until it is too late. She will have no chance to prepare herself, no opportunity to advert it.

If she thinks that she will be able to ransom herself from her captors, that will not work. Earlier in the book of Isaiah we learned that the Medes and the Persians would not accept any settlement except surrender. This meant that they would not accept liberation money.

“Behold! I am stirring up the Medes against them,
    who neither value silver nor delight in gold.” -Isaiah 13:17 (The Passion Translation)

And if Babylon thinks that she can atone for her sins with her gods, she can forget about that too, that won’t work either.

“That is why disaster shall overtake you suddenly—so suddenly that you won’t know where it comes from. And there will be no atonement then to cleanse away your sins.” -(TLB)

In Daniel 5 we have a record of how this disaster came to pass, that night when Belshazzar was holding a great drunken state party. As he and his guests were drinking wine from the very cups that were stolen from the Temple of Jehovah, toasting their gods for their great conquests, the Hand of God came down from Heaven and wrote on the wall, “MENE, MENE; TEKEL; PARSIN“. It’s meaning? Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. In the final two verses of Daniel 5 we are given this account:

“That very night, under the cloak of darkness, Belshazzar, the Chaldean king of Babylonia, was killed. Then Darius the Mede, in his 62nd year, gained control of the kingdom.” -Daniel 5:30-31 (VOICE)

What God has decreed will happen, will happen; count on it. We know this because God always keeps His Word. We also know this because of something that God told Israel through His prophet Jeremiah:

“This is why I, the Eternal, declare that I will bring disaster upon these rebellious people. And they will not escape what awaits them. They will beg for My help, but I won’t listen to them.” -Jeremiah 11:11 (VOICE)

The Apostle Paul reminds us that the wages of sin will be death. But God has offered us another way, His gift to us comes through His Son, Jesus, the Messiah of the World.

“The payoff for a life of sin is death, but God is offering us a free gift—eternal life through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King.” -Romans 6:23 (VOICE)

Solomon reminds us that we all have a choice, and what we choose comes with a repercussion. He taught his son this, and we would do well to heed his advice:

“Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live,
    or chase after phantoms of evil and die.” -Proverbs 11:19 (MSG)

“It is not enough to ask yourself, “Does God’s Word permit me to use these good things of the world?” You must also inquire, “Will it serve the glory of God?” and, “Will it edify my fellow Christians?” ~ Walter J. Chantry

My friend, how we choose to live this life matters. Babylon choose to disregard Jehovah. Her choice was to pursue earthly pleasures and gratifications. In the end, her choice led to dire consequences, and there was nothing that she could do to change the outcome. Each of us has a choice, will we accept God’s gift, and live in obedience to Him, which leads to life? Or will we insist on our own way, gratifying the flesh, which leads to death. The choice is yours.

“God doesn’t want people to do what they think is best: he wants them to do what he knows is best, and no amount of reasoning and intellectualizing will discover that. ~Henry T. Blackaby

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I have chosen to accept your gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ your Son, and the Messiah to the world. I am asking for your guidance and wisdom to help me walk through this life making choices that are pleasing and glorifying to you. I realize that there is a price to pay for sin, hence why I need your help in making good choices, righteous choices. Please, Lord, give me your wisdom. Help me to walk in obedience to you and help me to know your perfect will in my life. Thank you, Lord.

Perverted – Isaiah 47:10

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:10 (NIV)

“You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’”

Isaiah 47:10 (MSG)

“You were so confident and comfortable in your evil life, saying, ‘No one sees me.’ You thought you knew so much, had everything figured out. What delusion! Smugly telling yourself, ‘I’m Number One. There’s nobody but me.’”

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“For you [Babylon] have trusted and felt confident in your wickedness; you have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and your knowledge have led you astray, and you have said in your heart (mind), ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’” -AMPLIFIED

“Babylon felt secure in mistreating people because her great learning and wisdom in the magical arts had led her to conclude that she was superior and invulnerable. Knowledge puffs up, and one of the delusions it spawns is that people who know more are as morally and ethically responsible as everyone else, since they are not. A corollary is that if I can get away with something, it’s all right. Such thinking forgets that there is a sovereign and righteous God in heaven to whom we are responsible.” ~Thomas Constable

Yesterday’s passage addressed Babylon’s sin of being lovers of pleasure.

“So now, listen to this, you pampered lover of pleasure, who sits smug and secure and says in her heart,
    ‘I am, and there is no one like me! I will never have to live as a widow or suffer the loss of my children.’
Suddenly both of these losses will overtake you in one day, for you will lose your husband and your children. Despite your many magic spells and your powerful sorceries,
    you will be overwhelmed by these tragedies in full measure!” -Isaiah 47:8-9 (The Passion Translation)

Babylon’s sole goal in life was to gratify the flesh, in any and every way possible. We find in today’s passage, God accusing Babylon of trusting in and having confidence in her wickedness. She has perverted what God had intended for her.

Perverted: “a diverting from the true intent or purpose; a change to something worse; a turning or applying to a wrong end or use.” ~GotQuestions.org

“In your wickedness you thought you were immune, so hidden away that no one could find your faults. But your version of wisdom and knowledge were your undoing; you thought, “No one exists in the world of any consequence except me.”” -(VOICE)

God denounces Babylon for being smug, and feeling secure in her wickedness. He knew she was thinking that no one could see what she was doing secretly. He knew how confident she felt in her so-called knowledge and wisdom.

In her pride and arrogance, Babylon thinks that she can do whatever she desires, and no one can stop her, including God. She was trusting in herself, and she thought she was untouchable, indestructible, invincible. She will soon find out that she was wrong.

In the King James Version, we find God telling Babylon that her trust in her wickedness and wisdom has perverted her.

“For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” -(KJV)

And so it had, sin perverts us, it changes us from what God intends for us to be, and not in a good way.

“You felt secure in all your wickedness. “No one sees me,” you said. Your “wisdom” and “knowledge” have caused you to turn away from me and claim that you yourself are Jehovah.” -(TLB)

“You have trusted in your wickedness: This is a searching insight into the heart of the proud sinner. They trust in their continuing wickedness to cover the tracks of their previous sin. They are clever, but their wisdom in wickedness has warped them (Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you).” ~David Guzik

Isaiah has warned in the past about trying to hide things from God, and being perverted.

“Wo [to] those going deep from Jehovah to hide counsel, And whose works have been in darkness. And they say, `Who is seeing us? And who is knowing us?’ Your perversion! as clay is the potter esteemed? That the work saith of its maker, `He hath not made me?’ And the framed thing said of its framer, `He did not understand?'” -Isaiah 29:15-16 (Young’s Literal Translation)

The unidentified author of Psalm 10 gives us the prime example of a fool, the wicked who thinks God cannot see their sin, or He will not notice. He writes:

“The wicked thinks in his heart, “God has forgotten us!
    He has covered His face and will never notice!” -Psalm 10:11 (VOICE)

Jude warns Christians to be on their guard against those who were coming into the Church, tryig to pervert

“Friends, I have been trying to write you about our common salvation. But these days my heart is troubled, and I am compelled to write to you and encourage you to continue struggling for the faith that was entrusted to the saints once and for all. Vile men have slithered in among us. Depraved souls who stand condemned have made a mockery of the grace given to us, using it as a pretext for a life of excess, lived without any thought of God. These poor fools have denied Jesus the Anointed, our one Lord and Master.” -Jude 3-4 (VOICE)

Let us learn this lesson that Solomon tried to teach his son:

 If you respect the Eternal, you will grow to despise evil.
    I despise wretched, vile talk and ways of pride and arrogance.” -Proverbs 8:13 (VOICE)

“Wickedness, the opposite of righteousness. You thought: No one discerns me” ~Avraham Gileadi 

My friend, sin perverts within us what God has intended for us. Beware! Remember, the wages of sin is death. Do not foolishly think that God cannot see what you do in secret, for He see all things, there is nothing hidden from Him. Respect God, and despise evil.

“There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.” ~John Calvin

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, humbly I ask for your forgiveness for all of those times I have intentionally been perverted and sinned against you and against others. That was wrong of me. I do not want to play the fool. I realize that nothing is hidden from you. And I do not want to live “thinking” that I am hiding things from you. I want my life to be a beacon of light, so that others can see you in me and praise you for what you have done in and through me. Help me, Lord, I need you.

Lovers of Pleasure – Isaiah 47:8-9

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:8-9 (NIV)

“Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children.’ Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells.”

Isaiah 47:8-9 (MSG)

“Well, start thinking, party girl. You’re acting like the center of the universe, smugly saying to yourself, ‘I’m Number One. There’s nobody but me. I’ll never be a widow, I’ll never lose my children.’ Those two things are going to hit you both at once, suddenly, on the same day: spouse and children gone, a total loss, despite your many enchantments and charms.”

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“Now, then, hear this, you who live a luxuriant life, you who dwell safely and securely, who say in your heart (mind), ‘I am [the queen], and there is no one besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, nor know the loss of children.’ But these two things shall come to you abruptly, in one day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in full measure in spite of your many [claims of power through your] sorceries, in spite of the great power of your enchantments.” -AMPLIFIED

“Hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely: In the midst of her pride and arrogance (I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow), God brought another charge against Babylon. Judgment would also come because of the multitude of your sorceries, for the great abundance of your enchantments. Babylon was famous as a founding place and breeding ground for occult arts and practices.” ~David Guzik

In yesterday’s passage we were reminded that God is the Righteous Judge, Shofet tsaddiq.

“I became angry with my people, so I wounded my special ones.
    I handed them over to you, and you took them captive.  You showed them no mercy;
    you even made the elderly suffer under your heavy yoke. You thought,
    ‘I will be the Mistress of Kingdoms forever.’ But you never considered what you were doing
    or reflected on how all this would end.” -Isaiah 47:6-7 (The Passion Translation)

God noted Babylon’s sin and delivered her verdict. She was guilty, and sadly refusing to repent of her sin. Today’s text continues with God’s judgement against Babylon, and He points out something else she was guilty of, she was a lover of pleasure.

“You, pursuer of pleasure, resting in the thought, “No one exists in the world of any consequence except me. I’ll never feel as a widow or suffer the loss of my children.” Despite all your magic and charms, all of a sudden, in a single day, terror and death to the highest degree. In the midst of it all, your children and husband, too, will be gone.” -(VOICE)

Once again we find God instructing Babylon to listen up, and pay attention. He is about to tell her why sudden humiliation will come upon her. It is because she was/is a pleasure seeker. In fact, a pleasure lover, she lived solely to please her flesh, she made this her pursuit in life.

The sins of Babylon listed in our text are many:

1.) Her egotistical boasting.

2.) The fact that she claimed herself as God.

3.) Her reliance on the black arts, enchantments, and charms.

4.) The fact that she gave herself wholly to lustful, sinful pleasures.

5.) Her lies, and false claims about who she was and what she would allow.

These are but a few sins that stand out, I am sure we could name many more.

“O pleasure-mad kingdom, living at ease, bragging as the greatest in the world—listen to the sentence of my court upon your sins. You say, “I alone am God! I’ll never be a widow; I’ll never lose my children.” Well, those two things shall come upon you in one moment, in full measure in one day: widowhood and the loss of your children, despite all your witchcraft and magic.” -(TLB)

“Babylon was sensual (a lover of luxury) in that she assumed that what she enjoyed were her rights by virtue of her superiority. Her present condition had led her to think that she would always enjoy provision, protection, status, and security. But she could not avert the doom that would come on her because she had exalted herself to God’s place. The pleasure-loving lady of leisure would become a childless widow.” ~Thomas Constable

In the book of Revelation Babylon is mentioned once again, and her attitude has not changed. Babylon has become a representation of those who stand against God, and the persecuting powers of the world that stand against the children of God. John records for us in Revelation chapter 18 the eternal fall of Babylon. Take note, the Voice that speaks addresses the fact that Babylon is still a lover of pleasure. Here is but a portion of what will happen to that city that pursued pleasure to make her happy:

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not be a partner in her sins and receive her plagues; for her sins (crimes, transgressions) have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her wickedness and crimes [for judgment]. Repay to her even as she has repaid others, and pay back [to her] double [her torment] in accordance with what she has done; in the cup [of sin and suffering] which she mixed, mix a double portion [of perfect justice] for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and reveled and gloated in her sensuality [living deliciously and luxuriously], to that same degree impose on her torment and anguish, and mourning and grief; for in her heart she boasts, ‘I sit as a queen [on a throne] and I am not a widow, and will never, ever see mourning or experience grief.’ For this reason in a single day her plagues (afflictions, calamities) will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire and completely consumed; for strong and powerful is the Lord God who judges her. -Revelation 18:4-8 (AMP)

Paul, writing to Timothy, warned him to stay away from those who were lovers of pleasure. In fact, Paul told Timothy that this would be the characteristic of the last days:

“But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce. People will be self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly. They will become addicted to hateful and malicious slander. Slaves to their desires, they will be ferocious, belligerent haters of what is good and right. With brutal treachery, they will act without restraint, bigoted and wrapped in clouds of their conceit. They will find their delight in the pleasures of this world more than the pleasures of the loving God. They may pretend to have a respect for God, but in reality they want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these!” -2 Timothy 3:1-5 (The Passion Translation)

“That’s why those who are still under the control of their old sinful selves, bent on following their old evil desires, can never please God.” ~Paul (Romans 8:8 TLB)

My friend, as children of God we have been instructed to live holy lives. Lives that do not pursue pleasing the flesh, but pleasing our Father. We are not to be lovers of pleasures, but lovers of God. Take some time today to do a heart check. What has your attitude been of late? Is it your goal to please God, or have you been pleasing the flesh? Take the time to assess your life and make things right with God.

“It is only the consecrated, Spirit-filled Christian who can have victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is the Holy Spirit who will do the fighting for you.” ~Billy Graham

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, I do not want to be a lover of pleasure. I realize that the pleasures of this life are not lasting, and they will never satisfy. I ask that you help me to stand against the temptations of the flesh of this life. I am holding out for eternity, where things will last, and I will be with you forever. I relinquish to you the control of my life. I choose to live a holy life, that will be acceptable to you. Please help me when I am faced with the temptations of this life to remember my commitment to you, and my goal of heaven. Help me to achieve the victory over the flesh. Thank you. Lord.

The Righteous Judge – Isaiah 47:6-7

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Isaiah 47:6-7 (NIV)

“I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke. You said, ‘I am forever—the eternal queen!’ But you did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen.”

Isaiah 47:6-7 (MSG)

“I was fed up with my people, thoroughly disgusted with my progeny. I turned them over to you, but you had no compassion. You put old men and women to cruel, hard labor. You said, ‘I’m the First Lady. I’ll always be the pampered darling.’ You took nothing seriously, took nothing to heart, never gave tomorrow a thought.”

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“I was angry with My people, I profaned [Judah] My inheritance and gave them into your hand [Babylon]. You showed them no mercy; you made your yoke very heavy on the aged. And you said, ‘I shall be a queen forevermore.’ You did not consider these things, nor did you [seriously] remember the [ultimate] outcome of such conduct.” -AMPLIFIED

“God’s standard of judgment goes down to the intents of the heart.” ~Ray Comfort

Yesterday’s text reminded us that God was giving Babylon an opportunity for repentance. He directed her to sit quietly, and to go into darkness, another way of saying she needed a time of quiet reflection, for mourning over her sin.

“Sit silently and go away into the darkness, O Miss Chaldea!
     For you will no longer be called the Mistress of Kingdoms.” -Isaiah 47:5 (The Passion Translation)

God knew, knows what her choice would be already though. He knew she would not give up her foolish pride. In today’s passage we find Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, the Righteous Judge, Shofet tsaddiq.

“Eternal One: Some time ago, I got fed up with My people. I left My heritage to you, let you defeat them and take them away. But you showed no mercy, abused and denigrated them; you even made the elderly suffer beneath your heavy burden. But You were carried away with your power, thinking you would always be in charge. You didn’t consider your limits or think about how all this would end.” -(VOICE)

We find the Eternal One recounting how it was that Israel came to be under Babylonian rule. It happened only because God was angry with Israel, fed up with their insistence on worshiping idols, and they were not trusting and relying on Him. They had broken their covenant with Him, and because of this, God used Babylon to teach Israel a lesson.

Way back in the book of Deuteronomy we can find Moses’ warning Israel of what would happen if and when they refused to listen to God and chose to disobey His commands. Here is just a portion of Moses warning to Israel:

“The Eternal will bring a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth, and it will swoop down on you like an eagle. This will be a nation whose language you don’t understand, a ruthless nation that doesn’t respect the old or spare the young. They’ll eat up your young cattle and crops until you have nothing left. They won’t leave you any grain or new wine or oil, or young animals in your herds or flocks. And that lack will kill you. They’ll lay siege to all of you and all of your cities throughout the land the Eternal your God is giving you, until the high, fortifying walls you feel so safe within have all been knocked down all over your nation.” -Deuteronomy 28:49-52 (VOICE)

We see Babylon showed Israel no mercy, using and abusing her. She even insisting that the elderly of Israel do the work of a young person, carrying burdens that were much too heavy, breaking their bodies, and their spirits.

In her foolish pride, Babylon thought to herself: ‘I will be the Mistress of Kingdoms forever.’ But she failed to consider the One who allowed her to conquer Israel in the first place. We know this to be true, because Daniel recorded for us something that happened:

“Twelve months later, as the king was strolling across the roof of his royal palace in Babylon, the king uttered foolish words: Nebuchadnezzar: Isn’t Babylon a great city? I have built this royal residence from the ground up with my own might and ingenuity to honor my own majesty.” -Daniel 4:29-30 (VOICE)

The verdict against Babylon was, “guilty”. She was guilty of forgetting who it was that it had placed her in a position of authority over Israel. She failed to realize that she was but an instrument in the hands of God. She was guilty of showing no mercy to those who needed mercy. She was guilty of pride, exalting herself above God.

“For I was angry with my people Israel and began to punish them a little by letting them fall into your hands, O Babylon. But you showed them no mercy. You have made even the old folks carry heavy burdens. You thought your reign would never end, Queen Kingdom of the world. You didn’t care a whit about my people or think about the fate of those who do them harm.” -(TLB)

“Babylon was blind, Babylon was cruel, and now Babylon is shown to be proud and presumptuous. For all these reasons, God promised to humble Babylon.” ~David Guzik

David reminds us that God is a Righteous Judge in Psalm 7:

“God is a judge who is perfectly fair, and he is angry with the wicked every day.” -Psalm 7:11 (TLB)

Asaph, one of the psalmists, reminds us that God holds all power, and He is a Righteous Judge. Asaph writes:

“For promotion and power come from nowhere on earth, but only from God. He promotes one and deposes another. In Jehovah’s hand there is a cup of pale and sparkling wine. It is his judgment, poured out upon the wicked of the earth. They must drain that cup to the dregs.” -Psalm 75:7-8 (NIV)

 Ethan the Ezrahite reminds us that God rules with righteousness and justice.

“Your throne is founded on two strong pillars—the one is Justice and the other Righteousness. Mercy and Truth walk before you as your attendants. Blessed are those who hear the joyful blast of the trumpet, for they shall walk in the light of your presence.” -Psalm 89:14-15 (TLB)

Peter reminds us that God is an impartial judge.

“And remember that your heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge you with perfect justice for everything you do; so act in reverent fear of him from now on until you get to heaven.” -1 Peter 1:17 (TLB)

Paul reminds us that we serve a God who is rich in mercy, and He loves us so very much:

“Once you were under God’s curse, doomed forever for your sins. You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air, who is at work right now in the hearts of those who are against the Lord. All of us used to be just as they are, our lives expressing the evil within us, doing every wicked thing that our passions or our evil thoughts might lead us into. We started out bad, being born with evil natures, and were under God’s anger just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again when he raised Christ from the dead—only by his undeserved favor have we ever been saved—and lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ, where we sit with him in the heavenly realms—all because of what Christ Jesus did.” -Ephesians 2:1-6

God’s judgement against Babylon was impartial, and righteous. The Omniscient One knew the heart of Babylon, and His verdict against her had taken all things into account. She had served her purpose, but the fact that she would refuse to repent and turn from her wicked ways would bring about her end.

“It is I, the Eternal One, who probes the innermost heart and examines the innermost thoughts.
    I will compensate each person justly, according to his ways and by what his actions deserve.” ~God (Jeremiah 17:10 VOICE)

My friend, God is a Righteous Judge, this is true, but He is also rich in mercy, and He loves us with an everlasting love. He gives us opportunity after opportunity to accept His gift of forgiveness. Babylon refused to turn away from her foolish pride. I hope that will not be your legacy. Run to the One who loves you most, accept His forgiveness. Turn away from sin and choose to live a life that is holy and acceptable to Him.

“He knows what is in our hearts.” ~The sons of Korah

My Prayer:

Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, you alone are the One who knows my thoughts, and my heart. Nothing is hidden from you. I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. You, alone, can save me from an eternity separated from you. I accept your gift of salvation, made possible through the death of your Son, Jesus. Help me to turn away from my foolish pride. Help me to be a reflection of Jesus, living my life in such a way that others will see Jesus in me. Help me to live my life in such a way, that when I stand before your throne, I will hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” That is my goal, Lord. Help me to achieve it.