I am reading the book of Isaiah and as of now, I am on chapter 25 so I have a long way to go (there are 66 chapters). Although I am not finished with this book, not even in the middle of it, much has taken place within these past 24 chapters but one thing in specific stuck out to me. Many nations has turned away from GOD so consequences were required. GOD brought much destruction onto these nations and its citizens. Prospering nations such as: Judah, Jerusalem, Assyria, Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Ethiopia, Egypt, Edon, Shebna, Arabia, Tyre and many others (Chapters 13-24). Terrible things were taken place within these nations--from poverty to inhospitable land. One of the worse things that could possibly happen to a land is it becoming inhospitable and unable to sustain life of any kind because this makes the land unprofitable and thus worthless. Kings of these lands were being triumphed over by other nations. GOD hardened the hearts of rulers causing them to make foolish decisions but they were not aware of this (c.10 v.7) and even caused a "perverse spirit" to overtake Egypt making all their actions to be sin (c.19 v. 14). Now check this out:
"The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire;
No man shall spare his brother,
And he shall snatch on the right hand
And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand,
And not be satisfied;
Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.
Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh;
Together they shall be against Judah." -c. 9 v. 19-21
Imagine yourself living in a world like this with a life like this (it isn't really life at all but it happens everyday in some way), but for us to not have any source of hope because this life is destined for us to live. A life where no matter what we do, who we pray to, who we seek, we will forever starve and never die. We could consume as much as possible until we are fat but we will never be full. This is a terrible life to live. A life where we can't turn to anyone for support because everyone is only living for themselves. You may think "we live this now" but we don't, because Followers of CHRIST are alive through CHRIST who is alive!
Now check this out:
"For all this HIS anger is not turned away;
But HIS hand is stretched out still."
This scripture is said six times up to chapter 14: (c. 5 v.25; c.9 v.12; c.9 v.17; c.9 v.21; c.10 v.4;
c.14 v. 26). This does not include an additional similar statement in c. 19 v. 16- "and fear because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which HE waves over it." As I was reading those and acknowledging the repetition of it, a bit of English skills came to mind. The point of repetition is to instill it in the reader's head because it represents some form of significance. And can you imagine the significance here! Despite ALL of this damage and corruption and chaos being taken place in a world where "Hell from beneath is excited about you (c. 14 v. 9)"--despite a world where everyone is heading for hell as it "stirs up the dead for you (c. 14 v. 9)"---despite a world where everyone is out seeking for pleasure for themselves (literally "dog eat dog" world)---and despite a world described as being "burned...break down....trampled down....waste....briers and thorns....no rain on it (c. 5 v. 5-6)," ----despite all of this tragic and desolation, THIS IS STILL NOT THE FULLNESS OF GOD'S WRATH! Remember, HIS hand is still "out stretched" meaning that HE had not truly struck anyone nor anything to what they truly deserve as sinners. All of this and this is only just HIS anger building! (scary!--Thanks but no thanks!) Which brings me here---
Although this was not the fullness of HIS wrath and it was capable to make land unable to sustain life, do you know what this means? It means that as sinners, we deserve worse than a land that can't sustain life. If you viewed your body as a land and you were unable to sustain life, you would be considered worthless but based according to our sins, we deserve worse than that. JESUS endured that tragic and pain and desolation for us. JESUS took upon Himself the fullness of GOD's wrath. HIS hand came down on JESUS. For us. For me...for you...your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, your aunt, your uncle, your grandma, your grandpa, your precious baby boy, your beautiful baby girl, and your friends who you love oh so dearly. JESUS endured it for all of us:
"But HE was wounded for our transgressions,
HE was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon HIM,
And by HIS stripes we are healed." -c.53 v.5
JESUS came to serve as the lamb, the sacrifice in order for us to be able to establish a relationship with GOD despite all the sinning we do. JESUS removed the curtain "the veil" that was separating us from GOD (sin, the power of). GOD does not desire "futile sacrifices (c. 1 v. 13)", GOD desires a relationship with each of us. This is only possible through CHRIST JESUS who, by HIS wounds, made our sins from "scarlet (c.1 v. 18)" to "white as snow (c.1 v.18)" and from "red like crimson [to] wool (c.1 v. 18), because believe it or not, all of us has turned away from GOD.
"All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on HIM the iniquity of us all." -c. 53 v. 6
**So lets all take a minute after reading this and just thank JESUS for what HE endured for us. Let this seek into your skin and marinate on what HE endured for you, so you can have a relationship with GOD. So it didn't have to be you on that cross enduring more than just flesh peeling whips and deadly beatings but the wrath of the Creator of the universe. So you can be forgiven for all you feel shameful and guilty about and EMBRACE the love and grace of our Creator--- One on one, face to face, no curtain, no veil. =)
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