2-16-13. Isaiah 50:1-11. TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD – my devotional

Key Verse: 50:10                                                                                                        Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

^“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God”

     Dear Lord, I want to thank you for the gift of forgiveness…first, your forgiveness of our sins and second, for granting the ability to forgive others. Help us to live in the grace of forgiveness. I pray that you bless our art of marriage presentation. Help the 12 couples present to go from now to wow in their marriage. May their marriages reflect the love and the grace and joy of being in Jesus. Lord I come to you today to receive wisdom from you in my heart. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1:  Because of Your Sins (1-3).

Verses 1-3, “This is what the Lord says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold;because of your transgressions your mother was sent away. ² When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you?    Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst. ³ I clothe the heavens with darkness and make sackcloth its covering.” ⁴ The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

There must have been a few people asking God about why they are suffering so much. They tended to blame God. They didn’t look inwardly.  In this passage, it was not God giving them a certificate of divorce. It was not God selling them into slavery. For these people, at this time, it was a result of their own sins that they were suffering so. Verse 1b reads, “…Because of your sins you were sold;because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.”

When we are suffering I think was should do a quick self assessment and find out if there any areas of repentance. Is there something that God wants us to do? Maybe there is no sin or mistakes involved. Maybe we are suffering for the glory of God. Maybe God wants to reveal his glory through us. Maybe he wants to mature us. But one thing is, we should not blame others. Blaming others and God does not get us anywhere. We need to come to God and find out God’s direction in each and every situation. I couldn’t blame God for my recent struggles with depression and fatalism and anger etc. I can not blame people or ministry. I fell into my dungeon. I allowed my heart to drift from the Gospel truth and I suffered a lot. God is the one who came to my aid and brought me out at exactly the right time.

The Israelites in Babylonian exile thought God was unable to rescue them from their suffering. But God is almighty. Look at verses 2b-3. God is able to dry up the sea and clothe the heavens with darkness. God reminded his people that they were suffering because of their sins. However, God had not divorced his people nor permanently sold them to creditors. There was still hope for his people to be reconciled to God.

God’s arm is not too short to deliver people from their agonies and their suffering and their impossible predicaments. God is the Creator God who created the heavens the earth. He can answer our prayers and answer our prayers according his will and within the boundaries that he has subjected himself to. God rescued me from my self imposed spiritual dungeon. He can rescue nations and ministries and cities. He can do it. We need to look to him and pray and do our part in the big scheme of things. When I think about the immensity of the problems of sending missionaries to the NW Ontario I want to give up. How can one overcome the immense geographical isolation? How can we overcome the cultural barriers?  God knows. God is the one who opens doors and it God who provides. There is hope and power and might in Jesus. Lord, you can do anything. Work through us to send missionaries to NW Ontario in a way that is pleasing to you.

Part 2: The Sovereign LORD Helps Me (4-11).

Verses 4-11, “⁵ The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been rebellious,I have not turned away. ⁶ I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.⁷ Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. ⁸ He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me?Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! ⁹ It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. ¹⁰ Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark,who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. ¹¹ But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand:You will lie down in torment.”

The LORD’s servant spoke words to sustain the weary. He listened to God and obeyed his word. He offered his back to those who beat him. He was mocked and spat upon. He suffered humiliation but the Sovereign LORD helped him. He was not put to shame. Initially this servant is one of the prophets. He may be Isaiah. He suffered much to bring words of comfort to his people. He was a great servant of God. I thank God for servants of God who suffer to bring words of comfort to a suffering people. There are so many Christian missionaries out in hostile environments who are giving the Gospel to others. They are great. But they may have to suffer a lot in fulfilling their mission. Christians who are not missionaries also may suffer in sharing the gospel. They must find their strength in the Lord.

On a bigger picture, The LORD’s servant is Jesus the Messiah. Jesus offered himself, suffered, died and rose again from the dead for our sins. Though we walk and suffer in the darkness of sin, Jesus frees us from suffering when we turn to him in trust. He gives us true light for our souls. I thank God for Jesus who saves our souls. We need a spiritual salvation. I am well fed, I am too well fed. I have a beautiful and very able wife. I have a home in quiet, safe wooded suburb. I have three cars. 5 kids who love and respect me, 2 dogs who love me and a cat who worships me, all of which are in relatively good health. I have church family and a rewarding career. I have good health. But even though I have all of these things I fell into depression and fatalism and anger. I felt hopeless for a period of time. It was because I fell into some spiritual trap. I was lost in my legalism. I had lost what it meant to have Gospel faith in Jesus and what it meant to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and I suffered. But Jesus suffered for me that I could have faith and find redemption and release. Jesus could bring words of comfort because he chose to suffer in my stead. Verses 10b is so true, “Let the one who walks in the dark,who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.” Thank you Jesus for being the true light for all who believe.

There are consequences for those who do not make the Lord their light. Look at verse 11, “But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand:You will lie down in torment.” But all who make their own light and depend on themselves will lie down torment. What this means is up to debate. But to be certain, those who walk by their own light and don’t want to learn from Jesus will suffer torment in this life and in the future. Much of their suffering is self imposed and self induced. Why live like that? Come to Christ and be saved. Test and see that the Lord is good.

Prayer: Lord, I suffered in sin but thank you for rescuing me through the suffering of Jesus.

One Word: Trust in Jesus and walk in his light.