Tues.’s Devo - Christ’s Victory

Read: Isaiah 25:1-28:13; Galatians 3:10-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 23:17-18 Isaiah declared the wonderful things God was doing. He was turning mighty cities into heaps of ruins, yet he was a tower of refuge to the poor and needy. He was a shelter from the storm and heat. He silenced the threats of foreign nations. *** God will spread a feast for the people of the world in Jerusalem and remove the cloud of gloom and the shadow of death. He will swallow up death forever and wipe away all tears. The people will rejoice in God’s victory. The God they trusted will save them. *** The people of the Lord will sing that they are surrounded by walls of salvation. All who are righteous may enter in and be saved. God will make their path straight and smooth. *** When God judges, the people learn what is right. Kindness to the wicked does not make them do right. It doesn’t change them. *** God gives his people peace and He will make us great again. He tells the people to go in their houses and stay hidden until the evil people are punished and brought out for all to see. *** Leviathan will be punished and all who followed him unless they repent. Israel will be exiled to purge away her sin. All the pagan altars would be crushed to dust and her towns will lie dormant and overgrown with weeds. The wild animals will overtake her because she turned away from God. *** Her leaders, priests and prophets were all drunkards who defied God’s authority. God tried to tell them little by little what was coming but now he will have to talk to them through foreign oppressors who does not even speak their language. God tried to bring them into his rest, but they refused to come. God will speak to them again little by little. The message is that they will be injured, trapped and captured. In Galatians, Paul preached that those who believed they could be made right by obeying the law would be cursed. It is by faith that a person is make right with God. Christ rescued us from the curse of the law when he hung on the cross. He took the curse that was ours on himself. He did this for everyone - Jew and Gentile. *** God gave the promise to Abraham and his child… not children. This child was referring to Christ. The law was given 430 years after Abraham was given his promise and the law did not negate Abraham’s promise. The law was given alongside of the promise to show the people their sins. The law was only to last until the promised one came, who was Jesus. We are prisoners of sin until we accept the freedom of the cross. *** Lord, may we walk in the freedom you purchased for us on the cross. May we not be tempted to fall back into bondage and condemnation. Thank you for salvation. We love you for being our Father, our Saviour and our Friend.