e hënë, 29 tetor 2007

Isaiah 10:24-34

Passage: Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: "O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did. For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction. And the Lord of hosts will wield against them a whip, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. And His staff will be over the sea, and He will lift it as He did in Egypt. And in that day His burden will depart from your shoulder, and His yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat."

He has come to Aiath; he has passed through Migron; at Michmash he stores his baggage; they have crossed over the pass; at Geba they lodge for the night; Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul has fled. Cry aloud, O daughter of Gallim! Give attention, O Laishah! O Poor Anathoth! Madmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. This very day he will halt at Nob; he will shake his fist at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

Behold, the Lord God of hosts will lop the boughs with terrifying power; the great in height will be hewn down, and the lofty will be brought low. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an axe, and Lebanon will fall by the Majestic One.

Journal: Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah, Gibeah, Gallim, Laishah, and Anathoth are all towns in Judah that will feel the Assyrian "rod" and "staff." In fact, Michmash apparently was only 7 miles from Jerusalem. Yet, though discipline and judgment are at hand, God has equipped Judah for this time with a Godly king (Hezekiah) and a faithful prophet (Isaiah). His message is to fear God and not man, and to stay the course. That is, while God is cutting down the rebellious like "thickets of the forest with an axe," He has purposed to save and protect a remnant. ("And His staff will be over the sea, and He will lift is as He did in Egypt. And in that day His burden will depart from your shoulder, and His yoke from your neck; and the yoke will be broken because of the fat.") The dross must be removed to effect the purity of the gold. Yet, it is because of God's grace that any gold can be refined in the fire, for man is but dross alone except for God's mercy and glory. Thus, there is no room for arrogance. There is no room for pride. For it is by God's grace that His children have been regenerated from dross to gold, transported from destruction to salvation.

Heard 'Round the House:

Anna (age 7) and I were descending three flights of stairs at my office building. I was able to go much faster than Anna, primarily due to the type of shoes she was wearing (open heel). This stairwell conversation cloppingly ensued:

Anna: Daddy, how can you go so fast?
Daddy: Anna, I'm an athlete!
Anna: Daddy, you used to be an athlete. Now you just work . . .