The Way-An in-depth study of God's Word with Paul Orr

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Isaiah now declares the burden against Damascus. Israel, the northern kingdom had made an alliance with Syria rather than putting their trust in God. Therefore, the Northern Kingdom would become partakers in the judgment that would come upon Syria. Who we trust in is critical. Who we make alliances with is critical.  As Christians, our total faith and trust must be in Jesus Christ and His word. 

Assyria was raised up by God to be a tool of judgment. Ephraim would be devestated by the judgment that came to them through this mighty army. The people, the wealth, the land would all be devestated by this invasion. Of the few who would remain, they would respond by looking once again to their maker and having respect for the Holy One of Israel. 

The reason for this brutal judgment from God was because they had forgotten the God of their salvation. They were not mindful of the fact that God is the Rock of their stronghold. It is ever so critical in the life of a believer that we never forget the God of our salvation. We entered our relationship Jesus at the foot of the cross. Our Christian journey must always continue at the foot of the cross.

The key to living a strong, mature Christian life is to never forget the God of our salvation. The evidence that we have not forgotten the God of our salvation is a life lived in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word.

Those who are backslidden, have fallen into the depths of apostasy, who are floundering in lukewarmness are there because they have chosen to forget the God of their salvation.

We are commanded not to forget the God of our salvation. To remember the God of our salvation is an act of obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice.

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Moab was being offered refuge from the judgment of God. It would require the setting aside of their pride and humbly surrendering to Israel and their God. Yet Moab refused. Famous for their pride. Steeped in their pride. They simply rejected God's gracious offer of refuge.

Moab's vile pride, their refusal to humbly surrender to Israel shattered any hope of gaining refuge from the sure judgment that was to come upon them. Sadly pride will destroy everything in its path. Not only did the people of Moab suffer severly but the land of Moab was to be destroyed as well. Nothing escapes the desructive consequences of pride.

Sadly, our nation stands on the precipice of God's impending judgment. We are a nation filled with pride. Like Moab, we are famous for our pride. Yet like Moab. we can find refuge from this awful judgment that is certainly coming upon us. That refuge can be found in Jesus. One must simply turn to Jesus, confess and repent of their sin, ask for God's forgiveness and believe that Jesus died for their sins and rose again from among the dead on the third day, and they will find refuge from the judgment they so richly deserve.

As it has been said, "Whenever pride is not broken by humility, it will have to be broken by justice". How close we are to the impending, inescapable judgment of God. Yet, there is still time to find refuge in Jesus. 

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Isaiah continues to declare the burdens that God has given to him. He completes his burden against Babylon which includes a burden against the Assyrian empire. He then proclaims a burden against Philistia and then Moab.

There is so much to learn as we hear and look into these burdens. One is that we have so many lessons provided for us through biblical history foretold to us by God's chosen prophets. In addition to this we are able to look at all of human history and realize the sovereign hand of God upon all of human history. History is filled with the witness of God. Yet who has learned from history? It is only the proud and arrogant who disdain the great lessons of history that God has afforded us.

God declares through Isaiah that what He thinks has already come to pass. What He has purposed shall stand.  God simply thinks and what He thinks is done. All of God's purposes shall stand. No one is able to stand against it. For us as believers, living in these incredible last days, we should be comforted by what is said here. Our God is sovereign. He is in control. Our lives are built on the solid ground found only in Jesus Christ and His word.

Finally, it is worth noting that Isaiah's heart is breaking as he declares the impending and inescapable judgment that is coming upon all these people. Our nation and the world is standing in the crosshairs of God's judgment. According to the Word of God, the wrath of the Lord and His fierce anger will soon be poured out. Does that break our heart? Does that impact the way we live our lives for Jesus? Have we determined that we will follow Jesus, listen to Jesus and be obedient to all that He says regardless of cost or consequence?

Jesus is coming soon. Let us live our lives in a way that reflects this.

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In this study we continue to look at both the far and near prophesy concerning the destruction of Babylon and its king. We see some of the near fulfillments accomplished in 539 bc. Yet we also see much remaining to be fulfilled in the days before us.

As we look at the final demise of the King of Babylon, we realize that we are looking at the fall of Satan. Satan was lifted up in pride and as a result was cut down to the ground. From the heights of heaven, he was cut down to the lowest part of the earth.

At the heart of Satan's fall is pride. It was expressed in what is referred to as the five I wills of Satan. Satan said first in his heart. The origin of all sin, transgression and iniquity begins in the heart. The foundation of all sin, transgression and iniquity is pride.

It can be so easy for us to downplay and overlook the depth of wickedness that dwells within the depths of our hearts. We attempt to camouflage our pride in goodness or righteousness. It is ever so critical that we guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life. We must stand solidly on the truth found in God's word. In wisdom, we must listen to all that Jesus says and live in obedience to all that he declares.

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God has displayed His justice in the chastisement poured out on His people. His sovereignty in raising up the Assyrians as a tool of His justice and judging them for going beyond His call upon them. We also saw God's faithfulness in working through His remnant, reminding them of the promise of His Messiah who will set up the eternal kingdom of God. But now, Isaiah now begins a new section. The focus now turns from Israel to the surrounding nations. 

In this study we will look at the burden Isaiah has been given towards Babylon. This is a study that will look at the roots of Babylon, Babylon at the time Isaiah declared this burden and Babylon that will be destroyed in the great day of the LORD.

It is important to remember that as the evil of man rises up the judgment of God comes down. We are living on the precipice of the great day of the LORD. This is a time for us all to keep our hand to the plough and never look back. It is the time for us to remain faithful, always looking up as our salvation draws near.

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We are most certainly living in the last days. Jesus is coming soon! The greatest danger the church faces in these last days is deception. Jesus, Peter, John Jude and Paul all warned of the growing and dangerous deception we would all face in the days just prior to the return of Christ. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the political, economic and social issues of our day. Yet the real danger slithers into the church unnoticed and unchallenged. Deception is Satan's weapon of choice, and he wields it against the church at every opportunity.

John approached these false teachers with great authority. He allowed no room for compromise. He was not gentle with the ministers of Satan. They are enemies of the cross and must be identified as such and treated accordingly. 

In this passage, John commands (not a suggestion) everyone who names the name of Christ to test the spirits against the word of God. This is not an option. We are never to assume that a "Christian" book, music, ministry, teacher, radio station or anything else that labels itself as Christian is in fact Christian until we test it against the word of God. 

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As we come to the conclusion of this section, we are once again introduced to the Messiah. We first see His righteous character endowed by the Holy Spirit. We see how He will rule and govern. His reign will define His character. The conditions that will exist in His eternal reign will be void of wickedness. There will be justice and equity. It will be a time of unimaginable peace. No hostility will exist anywhere in the eternal kingdom that Jesus will establish. How can this be? For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

God Himself will bring all of Israel, both the northern kingdom and Judah back into the land from the four corners of the earth. There will be no barrier preventing them from coming back to the land that God has provided for them. God has declared this according to His word. It shall come to pass. Israel will be united, and no one will be able to defeat them.

Today we see Jews from all over the world returning to Israel in record numbers. This is unique to Israel. Israel is surrounded by committed enemies seeking to remove them from the face of the earth, yet Israel survives. They have not been defeated nor will they ever be defeated.

This passage confirms for us according to God's word that we are on the precipice of the end of the age. We are so close to the return Jesus. As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be encouraged. Let us look up and know that our salvation draws near.

Maranatha

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In this study we twice see the phrase, "And it shall come to pass". This phrase reminds us of the certainty of God's word. His word will never fail. God alone speaks of things to come in past tense. He can do so because it is His word. The word of God has never failed, nor will it ever fail.

We also see the recurring theme of a remnant. God is always at work, and He always works through His remnant. He will protect, provide and preserve His remnant in order to accomplish His good work according to His will and for His glory alone. 

Because God has promised according to His word to protect, provide and preserve His remnant, we have no need to fear anything. God's message to His children is always to fear not. We need only look back to His word to be reminded of how faithful God has always been. Isaiah told the people to look back at God's word and His faithfulness with the Midianites and the Egyptians.

God also reminds the people that all the leaders of high stature, all the militaries of great power, that all the mighty and haughty things of this world will simply be cut down by Him. They are like a great forest. Nothing but trees as far as the eye can see. But when the judgment of God comes, a once great forest will be completely barred with only stumps remaining as a reminder of Gods judgment. 

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Isaiah alternates back from prophesying about millennial kingdom to the present day and the Judgement that will come upon the Northern Kingdom as well as the Assyrian empire.  

The people's hearts were filled with pride and arrogance. They took the judgment of God lightly. They believed that in spite of how severe God's judgment was, they could build back better than ever. They refused to seek the LORD of Host.  They refused to humble themselves and repent.

The purpose of God's judgement was that they would indeed repent. Their refusal to repent gave rise to the anger of God's judgement as well as the inescapable certainty of it. No one will ever escape the judgment of God. As it has been said, the wheels of God's justice grind slowly but exceedingly fine.

Isaiah asks three questions of the evil, unrighteous, hypocritical evildoers who refuse to repent. What will you do in the day of punishment, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory? These questions were for the wicked leaders and all who followed them of Isaiah's day. But these questions also apply to us today.

A refusal to repent before a Holy God will only assure the certainty and increased intensity of God's judgement.

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Isaiah has been bringing a strong scathing message against the people. The have chosen the path of apostasy. They have chosen the path of the backslider. They have chosen to turn from the known truth. They refuse to fear God, to live in obedience to God's word and they have defiantly chosen the power of man over the power of God. While this happened nearly 3000 years ago, it is a reflection of the days that we are currently living in. 

But Isaiah does not stop there. Isaiah says, "Nevertheless". He transitions into the hope that they have in the promised Messiah. For us, he transitions into the hope we have in Christ.

Do we truly realize how great God is? Do we truly realize how much He love us? Do we truly realize the awful sinful condition that He saved us from? Can we even begin to imagine the glorious future that lies before us all because of our awesome God?

All of God's word is true. God has made incredible promises concerning the return of His Son, King Jesus. Great promises concerning the kingdom of God that His Son King Jesus will establish and maintain in Jerusalem on the throne of David as promised more than 3000 years prior.

We are on the precipice of the fulfillment of all that God has promised through His word.  What an incredible time to be alive in Christ. We must lift up our eyes for our salvation draws near. 

Contact Paul at [email protected]
Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.