Monday, August 8, 2011

Mon.'s Devo - When a Nation Refuses to Repent

Read Isa. 9:8-21
God had sent prophets to warn Israel what God will do if they didn't repent but they refused to listen so it is now time for God to stretch forth his hand and execute judgment. Even as the Assyrians are attacking and destroying their land, the people are arrogantly saying they will rebuild even better. This only makes God madder and his hand continues to destroy. Notice in verse 15 God gives his grade on the people. The older leaders are the head and the false prophets are the tail. We live in a society where youth is worshiped and age is dishonored but that is not how God sees it. In verse 17 it says that God will not have mercy on the fatherless or the widows because all of them are hypocrites and evildoers and every mouth speaks lies. So God is throwing them all in the fire to purify the evil from them. God doesn't bring judgment because he is a mean God; he brings judgment because if he let man keep going in the direction he is headed he will soon be extinct. God brings judgment because he loves us and longs to purify us and bless us. He breaks us down to heal us. God loves justice so he loves judgment. Man's judgment is the opposite of God's. Jesus was led to the judgment seat and proclaimed guilty - punishment by death - though he had never sinned. God judges by the heart that man cannot see. His judgments are righteous and true.
Lord, may your hand of judgment on our nation bring about the response of repentence that you might heal us and restore us back to you.

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