Sunday, July 29, 2018

Paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river

Isaiah 48:1-22
You who take oath in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel - but not in truth or righteousness.
You have heard these things; look at them all, Will you not admit them? "From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.
For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely. See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called; I am he; I am the first and I am the last.
If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.
Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth' say, "The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob."
From Babylon, we turn back to Israel. This chapter is the climax(高潮) to what has gone before in 40-47. It marks a break in the section as a whole: chapters 49-55 are 'part two'. There are harsh words for God's people. Stubborn, deaf to God, treacherous and rebellious they have fully deserved all they have suffered.
Verse 1-11 largely concern the past, 12-22 the future. All that God foretold in their past history has come true. Now he is telling them something new. God always purposed peace for his people, but there could be ' no peace for the wicked'. Now the moment of liberation has come; he says 'Go out from Babylon go free!'
Why?
God is righteousness who do not allow the wicked one and the punished will be with them. God is love who always  love his people, for sake of God's name does not destroy them completely, God delay his wrath. So do not think there is not God, God is waiting for our repentance, let us have opportunity to turn to God.
Leave Babylon, it is free from slavery. so as leave this world's attract and the custom, but obey the word of the Lord.
From now God will tell us of new things, of hidden things unknown to us. God is the Lord doing new things.
How?
Trust in the Lord, and paid attention to God's commands, his peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

No comments: