Tag: Tremble at God’s word
Highly esteemed by God!
Scripture reading for August 2: Isaiah 63-66?
Our culture values material wealth very highly. We love to look at the holdings of the extravagantly rich and imagine what it would be like if we could live in that luxury. We also value those with talents or abilities that make them famous. The death of the “king of pop”, Michael Jackson, revealed that many people idolized this man. Nearly two million applied to go to his funeral! The prices of his albums, music, and other memorabilia went up as people grabbed for them after his death. But now, several years later, almost no one remembers or cares!
We ought to esteem our God Who owns the universe and everything in it. (Isaiah 66:1) We should recognize what He esteems and values highly. He is the One Who’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) He told us what He values: “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 65:2b) God values the man or woman or child who is humble and teachable. He cares deeply for those who value His Word.
God promises His people that their enemies will be repaid for their mistreatment. ( Isaiah 66:5-6) The Lord will repay them with fire and destroy those who have opposed God and His people. (Isaiah 66:15-16) God promises that those who love Him and Jerusalem will find joy and satisfaction when God delivers Jerusalem and brings in the age of peace! (Isaiah 66:10-12) They will enjoy a “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 66:22) that will endure forever along with the righteous and their descendants! When God’s people tremble at His word, it brings confidence and assurance. It enables them to wait on the Lord to bring it to pass and to live quiet and godly lives of faith. (Isaiah 30:15) (Isaiah 40: 31) Their strength is renewed and they can finish their race with joy and expectation!
The last words of Isaiah’s prophesy tell the final punishment of the wicked. “And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:24) I am so thankful that through faith in Jesus Christ, I am now “highly esteemed” by God! What a blessing it is that Jesus was broken and contrite and trembled at the Word of God! He perfectly kept His Father’s Word and offered His life for mine so I can escape this punishment! May God esteem our spirits today as we marvel in awe at His Word!
Highly esteemed by God!
Scripture reading for August 2nd: Isaiah 63-66?
Our culture values material wealth very highly. We love to look at the holdings of the extravagantly rich and imagine what it would be like if we could live in that luxury. We also value those with talents or abilities that make them famous. We think that we need to be rich or famous to be noticed in the world. But God looks at something else!
God owns the universe and everything in it has come from His gracious hand. (Isaiah 66:1) The God who made us and all creation has something that He esteems and values highly. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 65:2b) God values the humble and teachable. He cares deeply for those who value His word and rewards those who honor it!
God promises that the enemies of those who fear Him will be repaid. (Isaiah 66:5-6) He will come with fire and destroy those who have opposed His people. (Isaiah 66:15-16) God promises that those who love Him and Jerusalem will find joy and satisfaction when God delivers Jerusalem and brings in the age of peace! (Isaiah 66:10-12) They will enjoy a “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 66:22) that will endure forever along with the righteous and their descendants! When God’s people tremble at His word, they can have confidence. Their faith enables them to wait on the Lord and live quiet and godly lives. (Isaiah 30:15) (Isaiah 40: 31) Their strength will be renewed and they finish their race with joy and expectation!
The last words of Isaiah tell how the esteemed of God will see the punishment of the wicked. “And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:24) I am so thankful that through faith in Jesus Christ, I am now “highly esteemed” by God! What a blessing it is that Jesus was broken and trembled at the Word of God! He offered His life for mine so I can escape this punishment! What a gracious God we serve!
Trembling at the Word of God!
Scripture reading for May 7th: Ezra 9-10
“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” Ezra 7:10
Ezra was a devoted man with a calling on his life. He understood from the study of God’s Word, that obedience brought blessing and disobedience brought a curse. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 14-15) He had devoted himself to obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those in Israel to do the same. God’s gracious hand was upon him as he set out for Jerusalem. (Ezra 8:22) His task was primarily spiritual restoration. The broken down state of the Temple was a symptom of the deterioration of the spiritual life of God’s people and the result of forsaking obedience to the Law of God.
As Ezra arrived in Jerusalem and set things in order, it came to his attention that the priests and Levites had not kept themselves separate from the pagan peoples and practices of the Canaanites. They had inter-married and this had led to idolatry and unfaithfulness to the Lord. (Ezra 9:1-2) Ezra responded by an immediate humbling of himself before the Lord. He tore his clothes, pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat down appalled until evening. Others who “trembled at the words of the God of Israel” sat with him. (Ezra 9:3-4) Ezra then prayed a prayer of confession and repentance that pours out the grief and anguish that they were feeling for the sins among God’s people. (Ezra 9:6-15)
Repentance isn’t complete with just “trembling at the Word of God”. Conviction of sin is only the first part and if genuine, it leads to action. In this case, a convocation was called in three days to deal with this situation and an investigation brought out those who had disobeyed the Lord. One hundred eleven men are listed as guilty of mixed marriages and they agreed to send their wives away. What a serious turn-around and costly action was taken to bring God’s blessing on His people again! Would that we all would “tremble at the Word of the Lord!” May our trembling lead to action that brings true repentance that leaves no regrets. (2 Corinthians 7:9-11)