Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.
Isaiah 50:10 (NIV)
“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.”
Isaiah 50:10 (MSG)
“Who out there fears God, actually listens to the voice of his servant? For anyone out there who doesn’t know where you’re going, anyone groping in the dark, Here’s what: Trust in God. Lean on your God!”
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“Who is among you who fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust and be confident in the name of the Lord and let him rely on his God.” -AMPLIFIED
“The following section is a call to listen to the Servant, to follow His example, and so experience God’s salvation. Failure to do so would result in sharing the fate of His opponents .” ~Thomas Constable
In yesterday’s text, we learned that Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, would be the power behind the Messiah, and that in the end He would be triumphant, whereas His accusers would come to a sad end.
“It is the Lord Yahweh who empowers me; who would condemn me?
My accusers will all fade away like worn-out, moth-eaten clothes.” -Isaiah 50:9 (The Passion Translation)
Most commentators believe that the Suffering Servant’s testimony ends with verse 9, and that the last two verses of the chapter were either the words of God, or an admonition from Isaiah. Remember this, whoever the speaker is, that Isaiah wrote the book under the influence of the Holy Spirit. And: “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17 (MSG)
“One who trusts in Jesus Christ will never be ashamed. What God does is that He challenges people to trust in this One whom He sent. Notice where salvation is found – by relying on God. Not yourself, not your works, and not the church. Rely on Jesus Christ and trust only in Him.” ~David Thompson
“So, you who are listening, do you acknowledge the Eternal One as God? And do you take seriously what the servant of God has to say? If you are enveloped in darkness, with no light to see, take confidence in the name of the Eternal One; rely on your God.” -(VOICE)
Whoever the speaker may be, the question is asked, “Who among you fears the Lord and is obedient to the word of His Servant?” For those who do not fear the Lord will not heed His voice. They will choose not to obey Him or His Servant.
We then are given the contrast of light and darkness. And we are told that there are people who are choosing to walk in the darkness. We are told that the Suffering Servant, Himself, is the Light. Those who put their trust and confidence in the Lord, relying on Him, are choosing to walk in the Light.
“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his Servant? If such men walk in darkness, without one ray of light, let them trust the Lord, let them rely upon their God.” -(TLB)
“The Messiah guides His people into the path of light. Simply, trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon your God. It isn’t necessarily easy, but it certainly is simple.” ~David Guzik
It was Solomon who told us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom:
“Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.” -Proverbs 1:7 (MSG)
It was also Solomon who taught us the need of wholly trusting in the Lord.
“Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely; never depend upon your own ideas and inventions. Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish, and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead. And don’t think you can decide on your own what is right and what is wrong. Respect the Eternal; turn and run from evil. If you depend on Him, your body and mind will be free from the strain of a sinful life, will experience healing and health, and will be strengthened at their core.” -Proverbs 3:5-8 (VOICE)
So, the question is, are we listening? Are we choosing to walk in the Light, which I remind you, Jesus said He was the Light.
“I am the light that shines through the cosmos; if you walk with Me, you will thrive in the nourishing light that gives life and will not know darkness.” -John 8:12 (VOICE)
Jesus, speaking to the crowds that followed Him, encouraged them to walk in and trust the Light:
“Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Believe in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light.” -John 12:35-36a (Good News Translation)
“To walk in the light is to have a daily commitment to living out a righteous life. Those who are compelled to walk in the light resist fellowship with the darkness of the devil, the world, or the flesh. Walking in the light renews and refreshes us within so that we are empowered to be a refreshment to those around us.” ~Crystal McDowell
In John’s first epistle he encourages the Christian to remember to walk in the Light.
“If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.” -1 John 1:6-7 (MSG)
“…if you trust in the Lord, and rely upon God, it has its own power—then the light begins to dawn for you and things begin to make sense out of the chaos, out of the confusion. And then there is hope and there’s the possibility of deliverance for you, from the powers of darkness…” ~Avraham Gileadi
My friend, who among you fears the Lord? If so, then obey His voice. Be holy as God is holy. Follow the example of Christ. Trust in the Lord, and walk in the Light.
“In a world of darkness faithful believers walk confidently and do not fall, because they trust in God. Others, who do not trust in God but who make their own ‘fire’ to give them light, will find in the end that the fire burns them. In other words, when people depend on human scheming instead of depending on God, they will find in the end that their scheming is the cause of their downfall.” ~Bridgeway Bible Commentary
My Prayer:
Adonai–Tzva’ot, God Almighty, your Son is the Light of the World, and I choose to trust Him. He is the One who will help me make this journey through life. He is the One who I can always depend on, even when I do not immediately see the answer. He is the One who made it possible for me to step into your very presence, and I will be forever grateful. Jesus Christ made the way for me to be counted as a child of the Most High God. He is my hope, and I will forever trust in Him.
Growing with God 