Sun.’s Devo - Promise of Peace

Read: Isaiah 39:1-41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 23:25-28
Merodach-Baladan, the son of the king of Babylon had heard about Hezekiah’s near death illness and of his recovery and sent men with letters and gifts from Babylon. Merodach-Beladan means “Baal is lord” and “rebellion”. That should have been a big clue to Hezekiah, but Hezekiah had lost his way because of his pride. He showed them all his treasures in his palace. When they left, Isaiah came to see Hezekiah and asked him about his visitors. He told Isaiah where they were from and what he showed them. Isaiah proclaimed that all they saw would one day be theirs and Hezekiah’s own flesh and blood would be taken captive to Babylon and be made unuchs.
Hezekiah’s response was that it was good, meaning that it was good that all that wouldn’t happen while he was alive. This shows how far Hezekiah’s heart was from being a king who watched over the good of his family and his kingdom.
Then Isaiah sent out a message to the people that loved the Lord. He told them to have peace and comfort because God had seen all the hard things they had gone through and the time of sorrow was over. Their sins have been payed for. God was going to send his prophet, John the Baptist who would pave the way for the Messiah His message would be that all men are like grass that are here today and gone tomorrow. He would point the people to be able to see God as their shepherd who has gently led them.
The nations are like pieces in a jig saw puzzle that God puts where he wants them to be. He raises up leaders and puts them down at his will. Men make idols from wood that rots and is dead. They worship intimate objects thinking they have power to do something. They choose wood over spirit and death over life.
The great creator of the heavens and the earth gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. He also makes the powerful weak and turns mountains to dust. God chose Israel and Jacob to be his people and he will raise them back to greatness and glory for his name’s sake.
Just as God chose Israel and Jacob to be his own, he chose the Gentile Church to be adopted as his sons. He decided all this before Genesis, before he created the world. We were chosen and sealed with the Holy Spirit to be his possession to give praise to his glory.
Our prayer will be Paul’s prayer for us, that the eyes of our heart might be enlightened in order that we might know the hope he has called us to and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.