Mon.’s Devo - Judgment Brings Reward for the Righteous

Read: Isaiah 3:1-5:30; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Psalm 53:1-6; Proverbs 22:28-29 God continues to describe the judgment that is coming to Jerusalem and Judah. Everything they depended on is about to be taken from them… substance and leaders will all be gone. Their leaders will be replaced with unexperienced men. The people will fight each other and have no respect for wisdom. They won’t be able to talk a person into leading them. *** This will all happen because Jerusalem forgot the Lord and provoked His anger. They brought this destruction upon themselves and will reap what they sowed. *** But, to the godly, God said all would be well and they would enjoy the rich reward that they have earned. This is the judgment handed down to the righteous. *** God hands down the judgment to the wicked. Since they filled their houses with things stolen from the poor, the Lord will strip away everything that made her beautiful. Everything will be taken from her and she will get shame for her beauty. *** During that purge, there will be so few men left alive that seven women will pay one man to marry them. But the ones who found refuge in the hope of the coming Messiah will be the fruit of the earth. They will escape the horrible judgment of the wicked. Their sins will be washed away and the presence of the Lord will be a tabernacle of shade from the heat of the day. God will be a place of refuge and a shelter from the storm. *** Chapter 5 gives us a parable of what was happening. Israel the vineyard had brought forth wild grapes and now the vine dresser had to destroy the vineyard. They called evil good, and good evil. They were wise in their own eyes and justified their bribery and unfair justice. God will call distant nations to come and destroy Jerusalem. But there is hope for the righteous. They will find good pastures and feed among the ruins. *** In Corinthians, Paul addresses the new teachings of the “super apostles” who taught a different Jesus than the one he preached. These were probably the Nicolatans who thought themselves superior to everyone else and taught the people that they could practice idolatry and immorality. Paul called them deceivers and compared them to Satan who discusses himself as an angel of light. In the end they will get the punishment they deserve. *** Lord, may we have great discernment in these days to stay on the right path of righteousness. May we not be discouraged by the judgment of the wicked but rejoice in the judgment of the righteous because there is rich reward for us.