1 Omnipotent God, Relief is on the Way (Isaiah 15-21)
Imagine living in an area that was constantly under attack. Seasons of peace would occur but defending your homeland was constantly in the inevitable future.
The modern world has not had to really deal with the threat of invasion through warfare. Grasping the reality of our God as omnipotent is all throughout the book of Isaiah.
For a nation that had turned away from God time and time again, Isaiah was often charged to deliver messages that confirmed the omnipotent nature of our God.
What a great sense of relief that must have brought to the Israelites… you would think.
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Control over the nations
In Isaiah 13 and 14, God already had Isaiah prophesy against Babylon, Assyria, and the Philistines. It is understood that the major threat of Assyria was also a current threat, which is why the oracles of doom started with Assyria.
(As a side note, the reference here to Babylon was most likely in reference to the Assyrian Empire having expanded over the Babylonian territory… the city of Babylon being one of the most important Assyrian cities.)
The catastrophic prophesies did not end there. As omnipotent, God proclaims the future of each nation… as He determines.
Isaiah 15
Moab
Isaiah 17
Damascus
Isaiah 18
Cush
Isaiah 19
Egypt
Isaiah 20
Egypt & Cush
Isaiah 21
Babylon
Isaiah 21
Edom
Isaiah 21
Arabia
What is an oracle?
An oracle today would be likened to a harmless speech. In those days, an oracle was typically spoken with a sense of impending doom. The root word implies a speech delivering a message that carried a burden.
What relief...
Isaiah was called into service during a season where Assyria continuously expanded their empire. Israel and Judah were surrounded.
Isaiah was a prophet sent to warn Judah of the wrath they were due from straying from the omnipotent God they claimed to serve. Their future was prophesied, yet their hearts did not change.
Even today, be listening to those the Lord puts in your life. The message may sound extreme, but look at the states of churches today. The prophet Isaiah may be snubbed as strongly as we snub those sounding the warning bells of impending doom if we do not align our hearts with God and get right with him.
The physical relief they sought paled in comparison with the eternal relief they should have sought. Yet, it wasn’t enough.
God is Omnipotent...
"And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.
For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?
The Lord has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. And there will be nothing for Egypt that head or tail, palm brand or reed, may do. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the purpose that the Lord of hosts has purposed against them.
God is omnipotent. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
He is sovereign over the nations, kings, and people.
20/20 vision...
We have the opportunity to read the book of Isaiah with a hindsight of 20/20 vision.
The Israelites lived this in real time. They did not want to give up their lifestyles, their comforts, their homes, or their gods. They were warned, but failed to heed the warnings; and remember, Isaiah was not the only prophet God sent to warn them. Sound familiar?
Let’s compare an example of two very different churches in America. One is a megachurch with a Pastor who has wealth oozing out of the offerings as he promises God will bless you financially once you bless the church with monetary gifts. Another is a Pastor who preaches you must die to self, put off all worldly things, and seek to live a pure and righteous life.
Which do you think Isaiah would align with today? What type of church leader does yours align with? If not with the same message of those like Isaiah, that should be of grave concern to you.
Do you live for HIS glory?
A motto that should fast to every area in our lives… why not grab a daily reminder to boast for Whom we live to please?
Soli deo Gloria!
The relief it brings...
Isaiah had a lonely life, like most prophets he was not well-liked. He carried a message that did not inspire happiness but one of sacrifice.
It was a message, that would be well-received by those who were seeking to live righteous lives.
The relief it brings...
The relief of God’s message was for Isaiah, the Israelites, and for us today.
For Isaiah, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the omnipotent God he served would be the perfect judge and would be responsible for exacting justice. Isaiah’s job was to warn, he left the rest up to God.
For the Israelites, their relief lied in the fact that there would be a remnant. God would exact vengeance on the surrounding nations, and a remnant of Israel would be spared.
For us, we get to read as the Israelites ebb and flow from God’s graces and understand the wrath that comes with denying Him. We see the failed attempts that Isaiah and the prophets often had while showing love to those around them by carrying a hard message to hear.
We have the opportunity to see the relief of His omnipotent power over all of creation from the beginning of time until now.
We have the choice to follow the 1 Omnipotent God or turn away to worldly idols.
It should be of great relief that we get to read about their triumphs and failures SO THAT we can learn from them. We fail miserably when we ignore what God has so graciously gifted to us: a guidebook for us.
We serve the only omnipotent God there is, all others tremble before Him.
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All other tremble before Him. Amen!