Sun.’s Devo - Isaiah

Read: Isaiah 1:1-2:22; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Psalm 52:1-9; Proverbs 22:26-27
Isaiah is one of the most prophetic book in that its layout is prophetic as well as its content. In the first 39 chapters, the theme is judgement which correlates with the 39 books of the Old Testament. The last 26 chapters have the theme of comfort which correlate to the 26 books of the New Testament.
Isaiah prophesied to Judah when both Israel and Judah had fallen into idolatry and sin. Israel, the northern kingdom was much worse than Judah. God used the Assyrians from the north to discipline them. Judah was south of Israel but Jerusalem was in the northern part of Judah. Judah was being threatened with invasion of the Assyrians also. It was a bleak time for both nations.
Isaiah begins with a vision he saw concerning Judah. This vision encompassed the time of the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. In his vision God is speaking to heaven and earth. He presents his case against Judah. He raised them up as his children but they don’t know their father - they have turned their back on him. As a nation, they are so defeated and devastated that God wonders how long it will take them to wake up and come back to him. Yet the people continued in their practiced religious rites to God while their lifestyles were ones of oppression and evil. They were like people who go to church on Sunday’s only to look good and help their image but never listen to the sermon or engage their hearts to repent.
This city would become weaker and weaker but one day after they had been cleansed of their sin, God would restore their nation and build up a city that would be righteous and holy. In the last days God would establish his temple above all others and many would come and worship him. Their weapons of war will become instruments of harvest. The pride of man would be brought down and God would be exalted in that day.
Paul reminds the people of Corinth that they are not to live by the standards of the world because we are citizens of two kingdoms and our first duty is to follow the laws of God’s kingdom. His weapons are not the weapons of the world. We don’t fight mere men, but principalities that rule men. We demolish strongholds that set themselves up agains the knowledge of God. We can take every thought that we have that is not in obedience to Christ and refuse to let it rule us. Then we will be ready to punish acts of obedience. We can not judge others by our own standards because we are not the standard. Christ is the standard. Everything is measured by him.
Lord, help us to keep you as our standard and not look to man to satisfy our needs or fight our battles for us. You are our only hope.