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.”
******************************
“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.
Growing with God 