2/11/13. Isaiah 44:1-28. THE LORD ALONE IS GOD- my devotional

Key Verse: 44:6                                                                                                                              Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

“This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last;    apart from me there is no God.”

    Good morning, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for providing an “on call” from work. I don’t know how I could have done all that needed to do on Sunday without that intervention. You came through for me. Thanks. I also that God for a fresh new day. Help this day to be very fruitful. Help me to accomplish all that you have called me to do. Help me to stay on top of my continuing Christian education. Help the education to go beyond the class room and the book reading to embracing the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mature my heart this morning with your word. I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

Part 1: Do Not Be Afraid My Servant (1-5).

Verses 1-5 read, ““But now listen, Jacob, my servant,  Israel, whom I have chosen. ² This is what the Lord says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.³ For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;  I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. ⁴ They will spring up like grass in a meadow,    like poplar trees by flowing streams. ⁵ Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’;   others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel. The Lord, Not Idols”

Israel’s past unfaithfulness (43:24) was contrasted with God promise of a bright future for his people. God’s election remained. He would help them. In exile, God’s people felt hopeless and afraid. But God promised to pour out his Spirit on their offspring. God would make their descendants numerous and fruitful. Even those not called “Israel” (Gentiles) would belong to the Lord. These prophecies look forward to Jesus. Those who have turned to Jesus are also “The Lord’s”

I thank God for his wonderful grace in including Gentiles (non-Jewish people) in his plan of salvation. Salvation is not just for a small group of people. God created the whole world. He is the creator of all people and he loves all people. I thank God that salvation came to the Gentiles because I am a Gentile. I come from French/Ukrainian/Polish/Norwegian/Belgian heritage. These peoples’ are all gentiles. If I was going to become one of God’s people through Judaism, I would have to jump through so many hoops, like being rejected 6 times and learning Hebrew…to name a few. And even then I might not make it. I could never jump through that many hoops. Jesus provided the way. I could be forgiven and accepted as part of God’s family because of the grace of God given to all who come to Jesus through faith. Thank you Lord for making part of the “spiritual Israel”. It is the pure grace of God.

I was in a hopeless situation. At 21 years old I never knew Jesus. I thought that all there was to life was living for pleasure. And so I studied and partied and tried my best to invent ways to have fun. My worldly desires made me a prisoner to sin. I  was lonely and empty and despaired about life. These feelings drove me deeper and deeper into a life of sin. My  only hope was a mediocre career, lots of parties, loss of health and isolation, no good fruit and eventually death and judgment. This is hopeless.

But I am no longer in a hopeless situation because of Jesus Christ. I am part of God’s family. God is working in me and through me. He is at work in my family. I have the very real hope to spend eternity with Christ in heaven. I will bear everlasting, high quality fruit in my life by the grace of God. (Not on my own.) God provides for the kids. Julie’s and my marriage will go from “Now to Wow”. The list goes on and on. What a great hope in Christ! All people who feel that they are hopeless must come to Christ and be infused with the hope of God.

Part 2: There Is No Other Rock (6-23).

See verses 6-9, “⁶ This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last;    apart from me there is no God. ⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.    Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people,   and what is yet to come—    yes, let them foretell what will come.⁸ Do not tremble, do not be afraid.    Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” ⁹ All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind;    they are ignorant, to their own shame.”   For verses 6-23 see the end of the devotional.

There is no Rock but God. God humorously contrasts himself with idols and those who make them. The blacksmith works hard to make an idol which cannot even help when he is hungry. The carpenter cuts down a tree he planted and uses half the wood to cook. The other half he uses to make an idol and prays to it. How foolish!

God is the maker of all things and the ruler over all creation. One day he would command Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem which was unimaginable to the Jews in exile. Our God is the God who sweeps away our sins like the morning mist through Jesus. God’s people must remember these things.

God has redeemed me. I cannot worship idols of this land. What are the idols? Career, money, self, other people, cars, our bodies, pleasure, human freedom. There are more. But in light of God’s grace, we need to devote our lives to living for Jesus Christ and his kingdom. Jesus must be the object of our worship.

I pray that all the worship of idols in this world will cease and all worship may be focused on Jesus and Jesus alone. That is the way it is going to be in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, you alone are God over all creation. Remove all idols from my heart.

One Word: Apart from the Lord there is no God

⁶ “This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last;    apart from me there is no God. ⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.    Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people,   and what is yet to come—    yes, let them foretell what will come. ⁸ Do not tremble, do not be afraid.    Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” ⁹ All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind;    they are ignorant, to their own shame. ¹⁰ Who shapes a god and casts an idol,    which can profit nothing? ¹¹ People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand;    they will be brought down to terror and shame. ¹² The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. ¹³ The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. ¹⁴ He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. ¹⁵ It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. ¹⁶ Half of the wood he burns in the fire;    over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” ¹⁷ From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!” ¹⁸ They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. ¹⁹ No one stops to think,no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” ²⁰ Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” ²¹ “Remember these things, Jacob, for you, Israel, are my servant. I have made you, you are my servant; Israel, I will not forget you. ²²  I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,your sins like the morning mist. Return to me,for I have redeemed you.” ²³ Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this;shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel. Jerusalem to Be Inhabited ²⁴ “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself, ²⁵ who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense, ²⁶ who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’ who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’  who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’