Friday, July 13, 2018

Distress and help

Isaiah 33:1-24
Distress and help
Woe to you, destroyer you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, betrayer,   you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying,  you will be destroyedwhen you stop betraying,  you will be betrayed.

The Lord be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.
Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly. the highways are deserted, no travelers are on the roads. The treaty is broken, its witnesses are despised, no one is respected.
Those who walk righteously  and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion   and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder   and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—they are the ones who will dwell on the heights  whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar. In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror: "Where is that chief officer? Where is the one who took the revenue?  Where is the officer in charge of the towers? You will see those arrogant people no more, people whose speech is obscure, whose language is strange and incomprehensible.
For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.
This is a chapter with many changes of speaker and mood. The destroyer/enemies of verse 1 are not named. Verse 2-4 are a prayer; 5-6 a hymn; 7-9 a lament which can apply to many times beside Isaiah's own. Only those who live by their faith in God remain unshaken in circumstance like these. Again we glimpse the future king as a glorious vision unfolds.
In verse 17-24. God never deserts his own" the city defended by him is unassailable(無懈可擊). Where God is king, all is sage, all are cared and provided for, sins are forgiven, sickness unknown.
Why?
There is a rule on the world. All are in hands of the Lord. Evildoers will achieved their judgment by what they have done.
Only the on who trust in the Lord will be not ashamed, and they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,   whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
Look and you eyes will see. God is speaking in history.  He shows his way to us. 
Walk righteously and speak what is right, reject gain from extortion and keep eyes against contemplating evil - they are the ones who will dwell on the heights...
How ?
Walk righteously, speak what is right,  keep hands from bribes and stop ears against plots of murser, shut eyes against evil, all my behavior are important to be a good follower of Jesus Christ.



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