Wed.’s Devo - The Time Had Come

Read: Isaiah 8:1-9:21; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 23:4-5
The Lord told Isaiah to write the word Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz on a scroll in the presence of the priest and another prophet. That word means “quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil” which meant that what he had prophesied years ago about Assyria coming and taking their land was about to happen. To fulfill the other part of the prophecy, the prophetess had her son and they named him that long name. By the time he would say his first word, Damascus and Samaria would be plundered by the Assyrians. Like a flood overflowing the banks of a river, their raiding party would flow into Judah.
He told them to prepare to fight but be ready to lose. No matter what their strategy was, it would not be enough to stand against what God had ordered. But to Isaiah, God said he was not to fear what the people feared or call it a conspiracy because that was not what was happening. They had brought this upon themselves and they needed to own it.
He told Isaiah to bind up the Word in the hearts of those who were the remnant and still trusted in the Lord. Those who trusted in their mediums and spiritists would lose their faith. But, in the very land of Naphtali and Zebulun that were facing such dark times, God would come and visit them in the future. Their land would be the land that Jesus would one day walk and minister light and life to. When God tears anything down, it is his purpose to rebuild something better. God was looking ahead to the day he would send his son with God’s government on his shoulders. He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government would be just and righteous and everlasting.
In Corinthians, Paul told about a man, speaking of himself, who was taken up to heaven. He heard things that he is unable to express or tell and received great revelations. To keep him humble, God appointed a messenger of Satan who became his “thorn in the flesh”. I have heard many ideas about what this might be but I wonder if it isn’t a person who irritates him. We all have someone from time to time who would fit this description. Whatever it was, Paul learned that God’s grace was powerful enough to help him in every situation.
Lord, help us to overcome our weaknesses with your grace and strength.