Monday, February 17,
2014, 9:50 p.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song “Living Water” in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I
read Isaiah 28. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+28&version=NIV
The
Fading Flower
Woe
to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards,
to the fading flower, his glorious beauty,
set
on the head of a fertile valley—
to that city, the pride of those laid low
by wine!
Samaria was the capital city of Ephraim, the
northern kingdom of Israel. It was a prideful city filled with luxury and
self-indulgences. “Ephraim’s drunkards” appears to be a reference to its
supposed spiritual leaders. They may have been literally drunk on wine, and/or
they may have been inebriated by their own sense of pride, arrogance, and/or
believing in their own lies and their feeling that nothing could bring them
down. Their capital city sat on a hill and was their crown, their floral wreath
on their heads. Yet, the Lord described this floral wreath – their capital city
– as a fading flower.
The Lord has one who is powerful and strong.
He will use this divine instrument of judgment, which he compared to a
hailstorm, a destructive wind, a driving rain and a flooding downpour, to throw
this capital city forcefully to the ground. It will be trampled underfoot. It
will be swallowed up by God’s judgment. The Lord brought the scripture to mind
here – “For we know him who said, ‘It is
mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It
is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb.
10:30-31 NIV ’84).
As I prayerfully considered this before the
Lord, I believe he gave me a picture of the U.S. government, for those of us
who live in the USA, as the pride of the institutional church in the USA, i.e.
their floral wreath worn on their heads. The institutional church (incorporated
under 501c3) is under the headship of the U.S. government. In most of these
institutions of men, the flag of the U.S. government is prominently displayed
at the front of the sanctuary so that the “worshipers” can always see the USA
flag before them. On certain occasions, the church leaders even lead their
people to pledge allegiance (loyalty; commitment; adherence; faithfulness;
fidelity), with hand over heart, to the U.S. government. The institutional
church gives honor to the US government and preference to the government over
God’s commands where the government stipulates what a minister of God can or
cannot say from the pulpit. This worship of the US government is taught so
strongly in the church and in schools today that anyone challenging the actions
of the government may be treated as a blasphemer of Almighty God. This sets the
church up for falling under the deception of the evil one, so that the people
blindly follow these leaders to their destruction.
Befuddled
with Wine
The drunkards are the leaders of the people –
could include political leaders, judges, pastors, elders, etc. – anyone in a
position of religious and/or governmental authority over the people of God.
This staggering from wine could be literal and/or it could be figurative,
describing those who lack spiritual discernment and judgment of God. A table is
a place where decisions are made; plans are put together, etc., yet the Lord
describes their tables (places where they make their decisions) as covered with
vomit and that there is not a spot without filth. I did a search on the word
“vomit,” and it rendered “bile,” which rendered “bitterness; irritability;
temper; wrath; anger; fury; rage,” which then fits with what Isaiah states
next. He is quoting these “religious leaders” here:
“Who
is it he is trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining his message?
To
children weaned from their milk,
to those just taken from the breast?
For
it is:
Do and do, do and do,
rule on rule, rule on rule;
a little here, a little there.” NIV ‘84
These “religious” leaders of the people were
mocking the words of God given to Isaiah, God’s messenger to the people. They
were insulted that God would use Isaiah to speak to them, kind of like Balaam
and his donkey, i.e. what an insult that God would use a lowly donkey to be
God’s messenger to Balaam. The donkey saw with spiritual eyes, but Balaam did
not, so he kept beating the donkey until God finally spoke through the donkey
and opened Balaam’s eyes to what he was doing. Isaiah declared the word of God
to these “inebriated spiritual guides” of the people. They questioned what
right this prophet (messenger) of God had to teach them the spiritual milk of
God’s word. They didn’t like it that Isaiah was telling them God’s commandments
for them for holy living. They don’t want anyone telling them that God has
rules for daily living of the Christian life that we, as Christ’s followers,
must follow. They like the false grace messages that tells them that God does
not require repentance and obedience as part of believing faith, by his grace,
and that he is pleased with them no matter what they do, so that they can
continue in their sin and in their willful rebellion with a false sense of
security in what they falsely call God’s grace.
So, God has declared his judgment against
these blind guides of the people. He will send foreigners against them to
“speak” to this people. They will be judged by God because of their failure to
hear the word of the Lord, as found in the Bible, which could have led them (back)
into a right relationship with God. They don’t want to hear God’s truths. Fine!
The next message will come through foreigners. It would now be through judgment
that God would speak to his people. And, this will happen to the church here in
the USA, too, if they do not repent of their stubborn rebellion against
Almighty God, and if they continue to reject God’s words concerning what God
requires of them in living in holiness and obedience to Christ. God keeps
calling out to them to enter into his rest and to be saved (and/or revived
spiritually), but they will not listen. Confidence in people’s own wisdom and
abilities stands as a barrier to hearing the word of God and to following Jesus
Christ in humble obedience.
These “blind guides” to the people scoffed at
the words of God. They really thought they were untouchable and that no harm
would come to them - The reason? They believed their own lies, i.e. they made
their own lies their refuge and falsehood their hiding place. In other words,
they were trusting in lies and were hiding their evil deeds behind falsehood
thinking that God would not see and that God would not act against them. That
is the ultimate in pride and arrogance.
A
Stone in Zion
Even though these wicked leaders were bent on
refusing and mocking God’s words to them because of their pride, God was still
calling out to them to enter into his salvation, because he is a God of grace
and he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. So, if they repented of their sin of unbelief, and if they chose
truly to walk in the ways of the Lord from this day forward, God would restore
them to fellowship with him and with his Son, Jesus Christ. Yet, if they
refused God’s words, Jesus Christ, the stone in Zion (a fortress of salvation
to the believer), would become a stumbling block over which human beings would
fall to their spiritual deaths. Jesus Christ himself was rejected by the
religious leaders of his day, and he is God. No wonder men still reject the
truths of God’s word, because they rejected Christ through whom those words
come.
So, if they continue to refuse God’s words on
holy living, and they choose to continue in their own stubborn ways of
rebellion against Almighty God, God will sweep away their refuge, i.e. their
lie, and water will overflow their hiding place, i.e. their falsehood. This
judgment of God would be continuous and often – morning by morning and day and
night it will sweep through. This sounds like the time of tribulation which
will be one judgment followed by another followed by another. Yet, the Lord is
still speaking. He is saying, “Stop your mocking or your chains will become
heavier.” “Listen to my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.” Allow God to
instruct you and to teach you the right way, not the way of falsehood, lies and
deception. “Wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom” is the word that
comes from the LORD Almighty.
At
The Gate
In
that day the Lord Almighty
will be a glorious crown,
a
beautiful wreath
for the remnant of his people.
He
will be a spirit of justice
to the one who sits in judgment,
a
source of strength
to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
In that Day of Judgment the LORD Almighty
will be a glorious crown for his people, unlike the floral wreath of the
capital city previously worn on their heads in pride. He will be a “spirit of
justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn
back the battle at the gate.” I believe this “turning back the battle at the
gate” has to do with those who have resisted Satan’s lies and deceptions and
temptations in their own lives, as well as this represents those who are
actively involved in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to turn back
this battle of Satan against God’s people, and at the gate of human’s hearts so
that people can be saved, so they can be free from the power of Satan and sin
over their lives, and so that they no longer allow Satan and sin to overcome
them. They stop it at the gate. For those who have done this, i.e. for those
who have “turned the battle back at the gate,” God will be their refuge and
strength. This does not mean they will not suffer or even die for their faith
in Jesus Christ and for his gospel, but it means that he will be with them even
in death and he will bring them safely into his glorious presence.
Though God/Jesus Christ will be a stumbling
block for those who trust in humans and in their own resources (lies,
deception, pride), he is a precious cornerstone and a sure foundation for those
who put their trust in the Lord. They will never be dismayed. Their God will
instruct them in the right way; the way of holiness; and in walking in the
light of truth. Wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom is the LORD
Almighty to those who put their trust in him and in him alone. He will comfort
them in times of distress with his love.
Living Water / An
Original Work / November 21, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
My people have
forsaken Me,
Their Savior, who died
on a tree;
Made idols, and they
worshipped them;
So empty, they will
ne’er fulfill.
Lord, You are the hope
of Your chosen ones.
Those who turn away
from You will be shamed;
The Spring of Living
Water left behind.
Living Water
satisfies.
The thirsty, let them
come and drink;
Believe in Jesus as
their King;
The gift of Jesus
given them,
So they will never
thirst again.
Indeed, the Living
Water flows within.
It springs up like a
fountain cleansing sin.
Eternal life in heaven
promised them.
Living Water
glorifies.
Oh people, won’t you
come to Him?
Obey Him and repent of
sin.
Let Jesus come and
live within.
Surrender all your
life to Him.
My people, won’t you
turn your hearts to Me?
Forsake your idols and
then you’ll be free.
Won’t you come now to
Me on bended knee?
Living Water
sanctifies.
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