O Deaf and Blind, Why Be Fearful?

Isaiah 35:3-5 
Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.  4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear!  Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”  5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

When hope seems lost, God calls us to stand without wavering and hold tight to Him.  We need to remember that His justice will be served in the end, and has been our acquittal.  Christ has paid our just payment for sin, giving us sight and the ability to hear God from within as His Spirit speaks to ours.  So why be fearful-hearted? 

Why John Wrote to Us

1 John 2:12-14

-- 12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

-- 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

-- I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one.

-- I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

-- 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

-- I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

12 - As spiritual babes, we need to know we are forgiven because of Jesus (security)

13 - Those who are mature in faith need to remember the One we know

13 - Young men, growing in Christ, must see the victory in following Christ by faith [1Cor.15:57]

13 - Babes in Christ need to also dwell on Who they know (relationship with God in Christ)

14 - Those mature in faith need to continue to treasure knowing Him  (don't give up, get cold)

14 - Young growing men in Christ must find continued strength in Christ, know what He says, and where they stand as victorious in Jesus! 

God's Word is Absolute and Certain

Isaiah 34:16  
Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them.

Matthew 5:18

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Everything God put to page will happen as He said, just as all things up to this point in time.  What God commands by word by His Spirit and will shall come to pass.  Jesus reminded us of this to show all will be fulfilled on God's schedule.  His word is absolute and certain because He is sovereign. 

Heavens Rolled Up and Earth Dissolved

Isaiah 34:4 
All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree.

.....Revelation 6:13-14.  And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

....Matthew 24:29-30.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

There will be and end to this broken and sinful world, but those who have hope in Jesus Christ will be relieved; those who do not need hope now before their denials and rejection consummate in seeing these things come down on them.  All will be made new for the coming Kingdom of God and His Christ! 

See God's Beauty Into Eternity

Isaiah 33:17 
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off.

The verses before this one speak of those seeking God by doing what is right to Him - they seek by pleasing.  But this does not earn them the way only Christ can provide; yet by trying to do what is right in the seeking, they come to the cross where they can see Him in His beauty, as well as the eternal land with Him before their new eyes.  This is the hope of glory in the face of Jesus Christ.  

Acknowledge What God has Done in His Power

Isaiah 33:10-13 
10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord; “Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up.   13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”

God must be seen and talked about as the greatest, the highest, and most honored and desired.  This is because He alone is God - look at all He has done and continues to do!  We who know Him, who have been drawn close to approach by Jesus Christ must absolutely acknowledge His power and majesty.  What else could we possibly do?  

Wisdom and Knowledge - Stability and Strength

Isaiah 33:5-6 
The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.  6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

God brings true justice where our sin brings unfair corruption; He brings righteousness where our sin leaves twisted ruins.  Knowing what He has done and who He with understanding gives us strength in this broken world where people blame God for allowing the consequences we bring on ourselves.  Fearing Him, we have great treasure both now and in heaven.  This is why we study to show ourselves approved to God, aiming to know His word intimately and thoroughly that we might live it out in wisdom and fear of our Lord. 

God's Spirit Works Righteousness and Peace

Isaiah 32:15-17 
Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.  16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.  17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

When God came to dwell in man at Pentecost, righteousness began to be possible.  For without a new creation, a new birth, it was not possible to be fruitful for Him.  Without God Himself living in us, we could never know His justice, peace, or assurance.  Praise be to God the Father who did all this by His Son so He could reside in us as Spirit!  

Rely on God's Strength Alone by Faith

Isaiah 31:1  
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!

Many rely on their own or their allies' and friend's strength or power to overcome enemies and find deliverance from them.  True deliverance (the word salvation) comes only through a single way and truth - this real life and victory is only through Jesus Christ.  All others will fail in the end.  Do we live in that certain victory of faith?

1 Corinthians 15:57   But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Chronicles 29:11   Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all. 

Patient Grace to Lead our Way

Isaiah 30:18,20 
18 Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.  For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.   21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

As John 16:13 also tells us, God as Spirit living in us teaches us all things and He leads us (Ps.23:3) for His righteousness to show Himself to us and the world.  God is not only just, but full of mercy, so I need to be quiet and wait on His guidance from within when the way forward is not clear.  

Saved in Turning and Rest

Isaiah 30:15
For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,

Faith is trust in God - who He is, all He said, and all He does.  When we turn to Him and away from other things, we discover peace beyond comprehension; then we have assurance to strengthen us.  The alternative to faith is unrest, uncertainty, and loss.   We then rest fully in Christ and His righteousness which justifies us completely and irrevocably. 

We are Given Understanding and Learning

Isaiah 29:18, 24 
In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.   24 These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine.”

Jesus gives hearing and sight in the darkness of the sin we all are born and continue in.  He heals our broken alienated spirit and gives contentment and peace as we are taught by Him.  The physical healing Jesus did was not the real miracle - it was the restoration and reconciliation of man to God as proven by the One who could heal from inside.  This is the new birth creation miracle.  

Potter and Clay

Isaiah 29:16
Surely you have things turned around!  Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”?  Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Isaiah 64:8.  But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Do we try to "make" God in our image, questioning why He does not do as we would?  Or do we see that He is God in heaven who does as He pleases?  God made us, and remakes us in Christ, so we need to yield under His mighty and loving hand of grace and guidance for His, the Master Potter's, good will and purpose.  He gives understanding as we need it and are able.  

Honor God with the Whole Heart

Isaiah 29:13-14
Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, 14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”

God wants our hearts, and faith that takes Him at His word, trusting and serving with actions that reflect the thoughts and intents of the heart.  He did such a wondrous work in His Son up to, on, and from the cross! This is marvelous and Christ now is our wisdom and understanding that we lack without Him.  We must honor God with the whole heart, learning from Him and listening to His word over all others (sola scriptura). 

Wonderful Counselor to Guide Us

Isaiah 28:29 
This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.

All God teaches us is wonderful in the way He give us wise and perfect counsel as He guides us with wisdom into the more excellent way of love and truth in His great grace and mercy!  He is the wonderful counselor (Isaiah 9:6). 

Do Not Mock God's Coming Judgment

Isaiah 28:22 
Now therefore, do not be mockers, Lest your bonds be made strong [or, "lest your punishment be made still more severe"]; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, A destruction determined even upon the whole earth.

Do you know those who mock God's certain judgment on the world, on all who mock and bind together to explain away His just wrath on sin?  They need to listen to what God says in His word, and we can point them to Him for forgiveness only found in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 28:23. Listen to the Teaching of God Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my speech.    Isaiah 28:26 For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him. 

Our Precious Cornerstone

Isaiah 28:16  
Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

[Act hastily = "be ashamed"; Ro 9:33 and 1Pe 2:6, he who rests on Him shall not have the shame of disappointment, nor flee in sudden panic]

Jesus Christ is God's foundation that holds up all He has said and done.  He is precious and certain, the solid rock we can either stand on, or have fall on us and grind us to powder.  So we do not run from Him in shame, but wholly trust in His name by forgiving grace and mercy to be at peace with God always.   

The Dead Will Rise

Isaiah 26:19  
Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise.  Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:20   But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

We have the absolute reality of a resurrection after death, even as Isaiah spoke of figuratively to Israel so long ago.  In Christ who has already risen from death we too will awake and sing with all those called out by God!  

He Has Done Our Works in Us

Isaiah 26:9, 12 
With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.   12 Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us.

Desire for God all day long drives me, even though I stumble and fall, for His judgment teaches righteousness by the grace and mercy in Christ.  He works in me and through me as I obey and yield to His Spirit, God within me.  So is peace with God in this world and into forever.   We learn righteousness as He works it in us (Philippians 1:6).  

Approved to God

2 Timothy 2:15 
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Acts 17:11   These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

Why do we study the Bible?  It should be to understand it rightly, and to then live it and teach it correctly and directly.  We must do this with the attitude and approach of examining what we are taught and hear by finding if the scriptures say this also - but not just finding a verse or two that we agree with.  We need to see all of what God says about each area of doctrine, comparing spiritual things (1Cor.2:13).

("rightly dividing" = orthotomeo) ορθοτομουντα τον λογον τησ αληθειασ - cut straight, to cut straight ways to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly

1 Corinthians 2:13  These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

Written in His Book

Revelation 13:8   
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 17:8.   The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, ...

1 Peter 1:20   He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

Jesus already planned to die on the cross before we were made.  We have always been written in His book, even before we were conceived in our mother's womb. 

Fatih is Perfect Peace by Trusting God

Isaiah 26:1-4 
1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.  2 Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.  3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

God saves, delivers us from sin, with such certainty that it is as if a castle wall surrounds us.  When we keep the truth of His word, He calls us in to peace in our trust (faith) in Him alone.  Our strength of soul in Him never ends - beyond the end of time.  Do we so believe not only to salvation that can never fail, but day by day trust that brings peace within beyond what we can understand? 

Rejoice in Awaited Salvation

Isaiah 25:1, 8-9  
O Lord, You are my God.  I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.   9 He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.   9 And it will be said in that day: “Behold, 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.”

God is truly worthy of praise to tell Him we understand and agree that He is and does wonderful things, in truth and faithfulness we can absolutely rely on.  He has swallowed death, defeating it forever with the promise to take away all our sorrow in the end in His presence.  No longer will the world attack those of us who are His, therefore we have unbounded joy in the deliverance (salvation) from sin, death, and hell in Jesus Christ! 

The Promised Messiah, Christ

Isaiah 22:20, 22 
“Then it shall be in that day,  That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; [Eliakim ="God raises" or "God sets up"].  22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open.

God raised up the Christ, the Messiah, to open forgiveness and eternity in heaven in His presence to us.  No one can close that door once entered.  Enter the sheepfold by Jesus The Christ, and you will not be locked out, but secure forever. 

Revelation 3:7  "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, “These things says He who is holy, He who is true, ‘He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” 

Eat and Drink, Tomorrow We Die?

Isaiah 22:9, 11-14  
9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great...  11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.  12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning, For baldness and for girding with sackcloth.  13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”   14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts, “Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts.

When we look to save our own skin, even when saying we are doing God's work, and do not respect and honor our Creator, then we anger Him.  By not trusting and fearing God, we live for ourselves and seek to only enjoy what we can get out of life for our own pleasure instead of pleasing God.  Humility, fear of God, repentance, and remembering "to obey is better than sacrifice."  Let us walk with our God (Micah 6:8), and not fall in with the fallen world whose mantra is, "Eat and Drink, Tomorrow We Die!" 

Saved to Follow in Obedience

Isaiah 19:20-21  
And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. 21 Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it.

God sent Moses to lead Israel out of slavery, but it was actually The Lord who led them, who alone can save (deliver).  So He also delivers us from our enslavement to sin, our disobedience and disbelief in Him, through our turning away from it to Him and trusting His deliverance when He promises it - just as promised to Israel for freedom from bondage.   This is then what makes God known to you and causes you to further obey from the heart in love and not by compulsion.

Galatians 4:3-5.   Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 

Fellowship and Sin - Walking in the Light

1 John 1:6-8 
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.   8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

The previous verse says literally, "And darkness there is not in Him, no, not in any way."  We then who are truly His do not live a life of sin.  Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day."  We are to so live and be sanctified, to become more like Jesus each day.  The confession of sins is a necessary consequence of "walking in the light", just as confession (along with turning from it repentance) was a requisite for salvation.  Not doing this or denying we must is self-deception at best.

2 Corinthians 3:18   But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.