Tag: hope

Isaiah- Week 13- Day 2- Isaiah 65:21-24

On By Ben JenningsIn Devotional1 Comment

Abundance

And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.  (22)  They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.  (23)  They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.  (24)  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Isaiah 65:21-24 

Explanation:

God’s future plans for us include so much joy, as we looked at yesterday.  The second result of God’s plans for us is abundance. 

Meaningful work was instituted by God before the curse. 

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.   

Genesis 2:15

Work was not a part of the curse.  Toil in work was part of the curse on this earth. 

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;  (18)  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;  (19)  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.   

Genesis 3:17-19

So in the millennial and eternal kingdom work will continue.  Because of the limits of sin in the millennial kingdom, and the absence of sin in God’s eternal kingdom, there will be a lack of corruption.  Injustice will be a thing of the past.  In the new kingdom there will be work, but the work will be enjoyable (v.22).  Work will bring about an abundance of things to enjoy because the efforts will be “blessed of the Lord” (v23).  This is much like what work was like before the curse happened.  Consider Genesis 2:4-9:

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,  (5)  And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.  (6)  But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.  (7)  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  (8)  And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.  (9)  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.


Genesis 2:4-9 

In this time God will be quick to respond and listen to His people.  He will take joy in blessing them and will freely do so (v.24). Verse 24 makes it sounds like he wants to answer them as soon as they begin asking.  It makes me think of a loving Father who cannot wait to bless his kids with things that will be really good and enjoyable for them.

Here is the point:  In that day there will not be a lack.  There will be an incredible abundance.  We will have everything we need, and we will enjoy God’s blessings in a way that is good for us.  The blessings of God will not be what we worship but will be what we enjoy.  His blessings will cause us to love and enjoy Him more. 

Application:

We can have hope today because of the incredible future of abundance that God has planned for us.  We may have to endure lack on this earth, but the truth is that everything on this earth is going away anyway.  The only thing that will last on this earth is the Word of God and the souls of people.  This is why Jesus told us to live for that future instead of this present circumstance:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  (20)  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  (21)  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Response:

What is one way you can invest in eternity today?

Trusting in Man will bring Doom- Isaiah- Week 6- Day 2

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. (3) Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.

Isaiah 31:2-3

Explanation:
At the national level, Kings would seek out counselors to give them advice and direction as to what to do. Some commentators say that verse 2 is a statement somewhat directed at the king who is trusting in the advice of these counselors, when it states, “He also is wise.” It is as if the prophet is saying, “You’re trusting in the counsel of these so called ‘wise men’ but God is the ultimate wisdom.” Why should God be trusted? Several reasons are given in these two verses.
• He is wise. – His wisdom surpasses human wisdom.
• He will judge evil doers. – Every person will ultimately answer to God.
• Egyptians are just men. – They are not the omniscient, omnipotent God of the Universe.
• Their horses are just animals. – Animals are temporary, created beings.
• God will destroy the evil doers, and those who rely on them. – Those who rely on others who do not acknowledge God will be judged. Both parties will be judged.

Application:
It may seem like a good idea in the short term to rely more on the temporary, man-made, evil doer rather than to trust in God, but that plan will ultimately always turn out the same way. If you rely on them, ultimately both you and they will fall.

Response:
• How will you express your trust in God today?

Dwelling Together- Isaiah- Week 5- Day 5

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

Isaiah 25:9-10

Explanation:
Have you ever waited for something? As a kid it may have been Christmas. Maybe it was counting down to your wedding day. Maybe you couldn’t wait for the birth of a child, or for your long-distance friends or family to arrive for a vacation. We’ve all experienced the longing that grows as we wait for something.

For the believer there is a sense in which this is how we feel about God. We know that God is pleased by our faith. We know that God wants us to believe, yet we long to see him not just with the eyes of faith. We long to be in His presence. We long to be in a place where there is no more death, pain, suffering and sin. We long to be with Christ.
In verse 9 we see the people that have been saved expressing this reality. They proclaim that this God is their God. It is the God that they have waited for that is here with them, being praised, providing refuge, and destroying death.

He is providing rest, and is destroying all the enemies of God and his people. Those that seemed so powerful before (Moab) are like straw stamped down in a dunghill. They are no threat. God has provided salvation to His people and will dwell with them for eternity!

Application:
For today’s application I just want you to meditate a few moments in the hope that is inevitably found for those who believe the following verses:

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

1 Corinthians 15:20-27

The God that shall rule and reign over His enemies, that shall destroy death, that shall be praised for his provision of refuge for the weak, is the same God that wants to save us from our sin today, and then come to indwell us. If you are in Christ, then the Spirit of God is in you. This is our hope. This is our message. Consider Colossians 1:27-28.

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 1:27-28

Response:
• Are you in Christ today? Do you know Christ as your Savior? It is your only hope.
• Believer, is God ruling in you today? Where are you not submitting to God’s Spirit in your life?
• Take a few moments to rejoice in the future hope that we have in dwelling with God forever!