Tag: Jeremy Martin

The Suffering Servant

*Isaiah 52-53

Psalm 119

*Luke 2

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Isaiah has just so much good stuff in it that every time I read it I feel like I find something new.  When’s the last time you’ve read Isaiah from beginning to end? I recommend it, it’s just got so much good stuff in it, and particularly if you really dig down into the original languages you might find some nice hidden “easter eggs”.  The suffering servant passages are one of those that I recommend doing a deep, original language, dissection of.  You may gain a new understanding.

            Don’t speak Hebrew or Greek?  Not to worry, even a layman can do a moderately accurate dissection nowadays thanks to modern technology: if you look on biblehub.com and enter any verse, you can scroll all the way down to the bottom and it’s got the original language broken down word for word with all of the potential translations of that word.  While that will not give you as full of an understanding as learning the original language deeply, and you may not get some of the syntax or idioms of the original language, it’s still a handy way that anyone can become an armchair textual critic and examine the scriptures.

            Starting in the last portion of Isaiah 52, and continuing through 53, we see the famous “Suffering Servant” passage of scripture, which is a prophetic description of the Messiah, the one whom God has chosen.  Did they understand all of the significance of these prophecies in ancient Israel? It doesn’t seem that way, it seems like they were looking for an immediate restoration of Israel into a position of pre-eminence.  Look at the way the people greeted him at the triumphal entry (listed in all the gospels, Matt 21, Mark 11, Luke 19,  and John 12).  Think of how quickly this esteem changed, as this event was the beginning of the week that he was crucified (and then resurrected).  Like many prophecies, the full significance of these passages weren’t really understood until later.

            Beginning in 52:1 we see (REV): “Behold, my servant will act wisely. He will be high and lifted up and exalted.”  Do you remember when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemene shortly after that triumphal entry into Jerusalem, praying fiercely to his God (and ours, see John 20:17) to spare him from the suffering which was coming?  During this gut-level, deep pleading for an escape, Jesus also said “not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  This is Jesus acting wisely, and trusting in his God.  He is later lifted up (on a cross), and then exalted (from the grave).  Please note: the definition of wisdom is submitting yourself to the will of God.  Even if you really want to do something else (like Jesus did), even if your will is different than God’s will (like Jesus’ will at the time was, by his own words), submit yourself to God’s will (like Jesus did).

            The body of Isaiah 53 really gets specific on some of the things that the servant will be and do, and have done to him.  It’s impossible for anyone to read this now and not think of some of the things that Jesus endured.  He grows up (v2),  he is despised (v3), he carries our sickness and suffering (v4), he was pierced for our transgressions and by his wounds we are healed (v5).  Verse 6 tells us that “We all like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way, but Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (REV), much like the scapegoat in ancient Israel.  That last line “…the iniquity of us all” strikes me pretty deeply, because I know I had enough iniquity just by myself to make a heavy load.  Imagine the weight of the iniquity of us all; it was laid on Jesus, as a way for God to reconcile with man.  That’s deep.

            Isaiah 53:10 is just a terrible laundry list of things that the servant of God must go through, and an explanation of why (the iniquity of us all).  When we get down to 53:11-12, we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel: “After the anguish of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will make many righteous by the knowledge of himself, and he will bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will give him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul to death and he permitted himself to be counted among the transgressors. Yet he himself carried the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. “

            So while Jesus’ will was not to die and suffer, he permitted himself to, to submit himself to the will of God.  God didn’t force it upon him but allowed him the choice, and he chose to do God’s will, and by doing so redeemed us all.  To carry the sins of the entire world is indisputably a heavy, heavy burden, but he chose to do so, because it was God’s will.  As a result, he has become and fulfilled the prophecy of the righteous servant who would suffer.  This is our king, a man worthy enough to lead us because he was willing to bear all of our collective iniquities, the servant of God.

            Luke 2:1-20 describes the wonderful birth of our king, the Messiah, and the first portion of the chapter relays a number of glorious events and declarations that happen.  I think my favorite verse in this section is v19 “But Mary was treasuring up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ” (REV).  Consider what a high honor it was, to be the mother that would birth the Messiah, the one who would save the world.  There are a couple things later in this chapter that give us both a confirmation that this is indeed going to be the Messiah, but also a foreshadowing of the events prophesied in the “Suffering Servant” passages of Isaiah.

            Luke 2:25-35 tell of Simeon, a deeply religious man whom the spirit of God was upon, who was promised to see the Messiah before he passed.  He confirms that Jesus is the Messiah, and rejoices in the honor that God has given him, but tells Mary down in v35 that “…a broadsword will pierce through your own soul.”.  Imagine how you’d feel as a mother, later on.

            One thing that should be painfully clear to us all as we read Luke 11:21-52 is that Jesus was an “orthodox” Jew.  He obeyed all of the Jewish Law, every jot and tittle (the little marks that are identifiers in the hebrew written language).  He had to be, to fulfill all of the prophecies regarding the Messiah.  Later on he would clarify much of this law, to more fully explain the “spirit” of the law as well as the exact letter of the law.

            While we know from scripture that God doesn’t change (Mal 3:6, Ps 102:27, Num 23:19, James 1:17) the last verse in Luke 2 (and the last verse in Luke 1) clearly indicates that Jesus did:  Luke 2:52 “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” (REV).  He grew in wisdom and in stature, and he also grew in favor with God and his fellow man.  This presents a problem verse for some of the more traditional “orthodox” presentations of the nature of the Christ, but the scriptures themselves are pretty clear and simple and as always; when our interpretations or traditions are in opposition to scripture, we should defer to scripture. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Have you ever considered the weight of the burden of not just your sin but the sin of the entire world, every other human being throughout all time, placed on the shoulders of one obedient man?
  2. Had you ever considered how proud Mary was of her son, and then tried to imagine what she felt as she watched him suffer on the cross?
  3. Isaiah 53:11 says “my righteous servant”, but did you know the word for righteous is צַדִּ֛יק (tzedekh), and has much deeper connotations than “righteousness”? Do a deep study on this word (it will come up again soon, in another devotion).

PRAYER

Father God, I am humbled that my sins were carried by another.  Please forgive me.  Thank you for life, breath, and all things, and especially for sending us your son.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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A Lesson in Obedience, and Humility

*Isaiah 50-51

Psalms 119

Luke 1

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            In our initial reading of Isaiah 50-51, God is (justifiably) upset with His people, reminding them that He’s still their father and that He didn’t sell them off but it was their own sins that has removed them, and then moves on to say in verse 2: “Why was no one there when I came? When I called, why was there no one to answer?...” (REV translation).  Can you feel the pain?  I am constantly amazed at the longsuffering patience of God toward His creation, and particularly the longsuffering patience of God toward me specifically.  I read stuff like this, as a father, and I can imagine the pain: the righteous indignation of a faithful father whose children have abandoned him to chase after their own foolishness.  I was also that child who chased after foolishness, and now with my new perspective it makes me even more ashamed.

             Isaiah 50: 4-6:(REV translation) “The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, so that I will know how to sustain with words the one who is weary. Morning by morning he wakens me, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.  The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn backward. I gave my back to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard. I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.” There are some critical traits we should emulate here, there are some habits that this servant of God has that we who wish to be servants of God should follow.  First note that God has given him words to say, to sustain the weary.  Every morning, God speaks to him and teaches him.  God speaks to him, and he humbly listens, and then walks in humility: accepting abuse, violence, and shame from those around him, while remaining obedient to God.

            I am fully convinced that God is still speaking to us.  The real question is, how many of us are listening?  “When I called, why was there no one to answer?”  On the rare occasions that we do listen, how many times do we rebel, or go backward?  “No, I don’t really have time for that right now, I’m busy ______ing my _____.”  Fill in your own blanks.  How many of us will humbly accept scorn or abuse (like Jesus did), and compare that to how many of us “know my rights and will defend them!” If we were to grade ourselves, what do you think your grade would be? Is it a passing or a failing mark?

            The thing is, we are supposed to examine and test ourselves, and to make sure that we are in line with our master.  2 Corinthians 13:5 says (REV translation): “5Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test?”  Did you catch that?  You can fail this test, this isn’t like field day at school where everybody gets a trophy.  Just because you once were “saved” (I hate that term, and prefer “redeemed”) doesn’t mean you are saved forever.  Paul is writing the above verse to active Christians, so that should immediately dispel that erroneous teaching, and also make us sit up straighter at our desks and pay attention to our Teacher.

            So listen.  Being a servant of God is more than just calling yourself a Christian and then going to church on Saturday/Sunday.  Being a Christian is more than just putting on a nice set of clothes for one day and then making sure you’ve got a smiling face for a couple of hours when you’re in a church building.  It’s more than just reading the bible on occasion.  Being a servant of God means that you are listening for God to speak to you, every day, and then obediently doing whatever it is that God tells you.  That’s going to be uncomfortable sometimes, but it’s not about you.  It’s about you being a servant of God.

            Most of us today have become so narcissistically involved in our own well being and self promotion that we don’t even listen for the voice of God anymore and if that’s the case I would caution you: to be a servant of the living God, you need to be listening to God, every day.  He will speak to you in your dreams, and give you instructions and testing.  He will whisper into your ear in the morning when you wake up.  He will place opportunities in front of you throughout the day to be patient, to be humble, to reflect His majesty toward the rest of His creation, and to do the good works which God has prepared for you.

            Forgive your coworker when they are an absolutely offensive jerk.  Help a little old lady with her groceries.  Tell someone God loves them, and you do too, even if you don’t know them.  Next time the driver in front of you is being an absolute idiot, remember that you were an absolute idiot too at least once in your life, and reflect the patience that God had for you upon that driver.  See that homeless guy over in the corner of the parking lot looking hungry? What if that was Jesus?  For the love of God, go buy Jesus a hamburger, if you can spare it.  DO SOMETHING besides just sitting there contently in your redemption.  Every one of these things is a chance to listen to God, go out of your way to show God you’re trying to listen.

            So, can I work my way into the kingdom?  Nope, not even close to what I’m saying.  This is not an action that’s led by you, this is an action that’s led by God: but if you’re sitting on your butt and thinking “I believe correctly and don’t do bad things and that’s enough” you’re incorrect.  Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are his handiwork, created in union with Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance so that we would walk in them.”  God didn’t redeem us to put us on the shelf and look pretty, God redeemed us to “do good works”.  James 2:26 goes so far as to say: “Therefore, just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also trust (or faith) without works is dead. “(REV translation).  It’s not that what you do is going to redeem you, it’s that since you have been redeemed you are required to do some things, specifically, the things God has prepared in advance for you to do, for His glory.  If you’re not listening to God to know what these things are, you might not do well.

            Isaiah 50: 10-11 (REV): “Who among you fears Yahweh? Who obeys the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness and has no light, let him trust in the name of Yahweh and rely on his God. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with torches. Walk in the light of your fire and among the torches that you have kindled. You will have this of my hand: you will lie down in a place of torment.”  This tells us that even if we don’t see (like my father), we are to trust and rely on God (also like my father) and not ourselves.  If you rely on yourself, even if you think you’ve got it all together, you’re going to be painfully disappointed.

“Why was no one there when I came? When I called, why was there no one to answer?...”

I want to be there and I want to answer, because I can feel the pain, and I’ve already caused God enough pain.  What about you?

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

(and some of these are very, very, serious questions that you should give deep thought to)

How can we better listen to God every day?

What opportunities did we have today to reflect God’s glory back upon His creation? Did we take them, or miss out?

PRAYER

Father God, help me to listen; to stop talking long enough to hear your voice, to shut out the clamoring of this world and to hear the words of the spirit that you are constantly whispering to me.  Help me to remember the instruction you give me in my dreams, and to pass the tests of my character when I slumber.  Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me, to your glory, and to the glory of your son.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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My Glory I Will Not Give to Another

*Isaiah 48-49

Psalm 119

*Luke 1

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

I suppose I should start out by saying: we’re all just humans, and that we should in love and patient understanding bear with each other, particularly those who are fellow servants of God.  I should also state that it is my opinion that even with an imperfect theology or understanding of scripture, it is absolutely possible for someone to gain entry and citizenship into the Kingdom of Heaven because God sees the heart of a man, and knows all of our intents. I still think that (in addition to obedience) an accurate understanding of scripture is important since it’s God’s word that He gave us, so here are some observations about today’s readings that I offer in love.

In Luke 1 in today’s reading, Gabriel makes an appearance, first to Zechariah (John the Baptist’s father) and then to Mary (Jesus’ mom).  You may recall when we were first introduced to Gabriel in scripture, back in Daniel 8:16 (and later again in Dan 9:21).  Gabriel is clearly a high ranking angel, as he has authority to stand before God.  He even quotes this to Zechariah after telling him of the impending (and unexpected) birth of his son, in Luke 1:19 ” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God …”.  This makes it pretty important to listen to the particulars that he tells us because this is a heavenly being who stands in the presence of God (a tremendous honor and privilege).

Let’s examine the conversation Gabriel has with the virgin (at the time) Mary, in Luke 1:26-31 (LSB Translation): “26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

Note that like Jesus, like every servant of God, Gabriel was sent by God.  I love that Mary is initially perplexed at the angel’s greeting, and is probably wondering why she is being favored by God.  I also wonder at the translation a little: there is a reference mark in my bible under every instance above where it says “Lord” that says “Yahweh, in the OT” down below at the reference.  I believe that an angel who has the authority to stand before God also has the authority to speak God’s name, and I think that’s what he did here, but that’s just speculation and the actual word used in (the Greek translation of) Luke is “kyrios”.  

This could be a lifetime study on it’s own, but the divine name Yahweh (or its full form YHWH) does not appear in any extant manuscripts of the New Testament.  The New Testament was written in Greek (at least the existing and accepted copies that we are aware of, though Nehemiah Gordon has some counter theories you should check out), and its authors consistently used the Greek title kyrios (“Lord”) to translate the Hebrew Tetragrammaton when quoting the Old Testament, following the tradition of the Septuagint (LXX).  This became extremely confusing when translated into English because the same “kyrios” was also used to translate the word “Master”, referring to any human figure of authority.

Some scholars, such as George Howard, suggest that the original autographs of the New Testament may have contained the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew characters in Old Testament quotations, but these were replaced by kyrios by early copyists.  Few, if any, surviving Greek manuscripts contain the name, but the practice initiated by the copyists to call Yahweh “THE LORD” and also Yeshua “The Lord” has led to a lot of understandable confusion among later believers who may not have understood the distinction between the two, or that there even was one. 

Gabriel goes on to say “32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” (LSB).  (FYI, every capital letter in there that isn’t the beginning of a sentence or a proper name is a translational bias in my translation.  It just goes to show.)

So he will be called the son of God, and God will give him the throne of his father David.  God (the ultimate authority), is going to give him (Jesus, our king) the throne of his ancestor David.   In Luke 1:32, Gabriel confirms all of these prophecies are being fulfilled. 1 Cor 11:3 confirms that while the Christ (Jesus, our king) is the head of man, God is the head of the Christ.  Jesus has a God (see for reference John 20:17), and it’s our God too, the same God according to what Jesus told Mary.  Later on, sadly, these very clear scriptures were slowly distorted and changed.

In another prophecy, in Isa 49 God says: “6 He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to cause the preserved ones of Israel to return; I will also give You as a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”” (LSB)  The servant of God, the Messiah, the Christ came not only for the tribes of Israel, but as a light to the nations.  God caused it, Jesus the servant of God obediently fulfilled it, the Messiah, the anointed one, the Christ.

The very word “Christ” is greek for “The Anointed One”, which is also what “Messiah” means.  To be anointed, the obvious question follows: well, who anointed him?  It tells us throughout scripture: Yahweh God anoints His servants and grants them authority.  To be the Messiah (or, The Christ) means that Jesus had to be a human to fulfill the mandatory requirements according to prophecy (an Israelite human descended from David, see Gen 3:15, Deut 18:18, and 2 Sam 7:12-16 among many others).  Not to become a human, but to be born one.

Please don’t misunderstand me, Jesus was the very best of us.  The Lamb of God is worthy, and worthy of praise, because he was obedient to God’s will and gave his own life as a ransom for many, but (according to Jesus himself) God is the one who sent him to do so.  This seems to make it pretty critical to get our theology right when God tells us: “… My glory I will not give to another.” ( LSB Isa 48:11).   

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Why do you believe what you believe, can you find or quote scriptures that support your beliefs? Why is it important?
  2. Have you ever, in patient love and understanding, asked someone who believes differently than you about God to share their beliefs and had a constructive and loving conversation as a result, comparing interpretations while maintaining love and respect?
  3. Do you think what anyone else believes is important? To what degree, to whom, and why?
  4. Which do you feel is more critical toward entering the Kingdom: theological accuracy, humble obedience to God, or a relationship with God?  If you had to assign a percentage to each, where would they fall in your opinion?

PRAYER

Father God, we love you.  Teach us and instruct us, grant us your spirit as a helper, and help us to be humbly obedient to your word.  Thank you for life, breath, and all things.  Please bless all those who seek your favor, and forgive us our shortcomings.  In Jesus name, amen.

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I Will Carry You

*Isaiah 46-47

*Psalm 119

*Luke 1

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            There is a whole underlying theme of “burdens” in the first few chapters of today’s reading, and it begins by speaking of the Babylonian gods “Bel and Nebo” (also known as Marduk and Nabu, 2 Babylonian deities in a pagan pantheon), unflatteringly. 

            Isaiah 46:1-2 describes these ‘gods’ as “bowing down” and “stooping” because their heavy statues were being loaded onto beasts of burden during the fall of Babylon. This imagery highlights the irony that the gods themselves were powerless to save their temples, their people, or even their own images, which became a burden to the weary beasts carrying them into captivity.  Not only could they not carry their people, God is highlighting the fact that they can’t even carry themselves: they’re just statues.

            The next batch of scripture in v3-4 contrasts the above idols with God brilliantly, and says: “3“Hear Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been burdening Me from birth And have been carried from the womb; 4Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you, and I will rescue you. ” (LSB).  God lets Israel know that they’re the burden, that He’s been carrying them from birth, and that like a father to his children He will continue to carry them, bear them, and rescue them. 

            Back before the return (from the Babylonian captivity), idolatry was rampant for the ancient Israelites.  Likewise, in today’s world, mankind has elevated silver, gold, and sometimes even the servants of God to equal status as the God who created everything.  God explains it to us directly and bluntly: “5“To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we would be alike?” (LSB, Isaiah 46:5).  Just in case there was confusion later (there is), He goes on to clarify: “9…For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,” (LSB, Isa 46:9).  What a beautiful, simple, and straightforward understanding about the nature of God, and if you notice there is a strong consistency to the message that Yahweh God is God alone (see also Deut 6:4, which Jesus the servant of God later quotes as the greatest commandment in Mark 12:29). 

            Moving on down to our Psalms reading today, we find ourselves beginning the longest chapter in the bible, and it’s just a really good one.  We’re obviously not going to cover the entirety of Ps 119 today (it’s huge), but we’ll try to get in a good solid overview of the first 40 verses or so. 

            The author of this Psalm spends a lot of time focusing and reiterating on obeying God’s laws, on seeking God with all your heart, and on God revealing His will and precepts as a source of joy and life.  Ps 119:1-40 all carry this theme explicitly, here are just a few excerpts from today’s scripture to reiterate this thematically (these are all from the LSB translation, Ps 119): 

1 How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of Yahweh. 2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,They seek Him with all their heart.

33 Instruct me, O Yahweh, in the way of Your statutes, That I may observe it to the end. 34 Cause me to understand, that I may observe Your law And keep it with all my heart.

            You get the idea.  The author here is very focused on God, and on obeying God’s precepts, and asks repeatedly for his own comprehension and God’s help and protection.  This strikes me as a very healthy outlook for anyone seeking to be a servant of the living God.  We search the scriptures because we believe that by them we may receive eternal life (See John 5:39), and the author of Ps 119 seems to agree with that, and also go further and asks God to change his heart (see also for reference Jer 31:33), and to grant him discernment and wisdom to understand and obey.

            I did want to point out one very cool thing that’s in our Luke reading today.  In Luke 1, Gabriel is a busy angel, God sends him first to Zechariah to inform him about the birth of his son (John the baptist), and then to Mary to inform her about the birth of her son (Jesus).  Note that Gabriel doesn’t just show up and start saying whatever he wants: he is sent by God and delivers only the message(s) that God sent him to deliver, because he’s not God, he’s God’s servant. 

            This is true for any of the servants of God: even though they are not God, they are sent by God to fulfill a specific purpose on God’s behalf, and when they do so we are to accord them the same honor and authority that we ascribe to our Creator, because they are sent by God.  That is actually the criteria to be a servant of God, that God sends you.  This includes Jesus, the son of David, the servant of God (for reference see John 1:22,33, 3:34, 4:34, 5:23-24,30,36-38, 6:29,38-39,44,57, 7:16,28-29,33, 8:16,26,29,42, etc etc etc.-30 times in John per Jesus).  Jesus really tried to make it very clear that God sent him, and that he didn’t act from his own authority but did what God told him to do, and said what God told him to say.  Jesus was completely obedient to the authority of YHVH God, as not only as a servant (which he was) but as a son.

            There’s something staggering that the angel (literally, “messenger”) Gabriel says when he’s delivering his messages here in Luke 1.  Think about the descriptions of the throne of God (see Aug 5th devotional from earlier this year for scriptural references and descriptions about the Courts of Heaven): in every instance you see the Most High God seated on the throne, with the courts full of heavenly beings as supplicants around him, often prostrating themselves.  Gabriel says this particular phrase in Luke 1:19: “…I am Gabriel, who stands before God,”  Stop and think about that for a moment.  That’s huge.  This may be a servant of God, but he is given much power and authority if he is allowed to stand before the most high God.  Now think about the Christ, our king Jesus.  Not only does he stand before God, but God has invited him to sit at His right hand.  The ultimate authority, just under God.  It’s amazing.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  1. We’re probably all familiar with the poem “Footsteps”.  How many times in your life has God carried you? Reflect on them for a moment.
  2. How can you personally increase the love of God’s laws in your heart, like the author of Ps 119?
  3. Had you ever caught that bit about Gabriel “standing before God” before, and pondered it?

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for carrying me when I couldn’t make it on my own.  Plant within my heart the fervent desire to study and obey your precepts, and to listen to the messengers You sent.  Thank you for life, breath, and all things.  Please carry me just a little bit further.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Belonging to Yahweh

*Isaiah 44-45

Psalm 118

Revelation 22

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            I have a sister, whose name begins with a J (and which ends in an ennifer).  She is a bit younger, much prettier, and much smarter than I am.  Don’t get me wrong, she’s still a human being (with all of the complexities that come with that), but when I was making exceptionally poor decisions in my youth, she was making better choices.  I think a good number of you folks have met or know our parents, Dr Joe and Rebekah Martin.  That’s why we were all a bit surprised when she happily informed us one day, well into being middle aged, that she had gotten a tattoo.

            If you all just took a collective gasp, well, we did too at the time.  I wanted to say, “Hey, I’m the one who gets to make bad decisions around here…”, but then she told us what it was, and it’s actually taken from our bible reading today.  In fact, it’s a small tattoo in Hebrew that says this:”לַֽיהוָ֔ה”, and it’s written on her left wrist, just below her hand.  Once I understood better, I’ve actually taken to writing that there myself on my own hand occasionally, because it means simply “The LORD’s”, or”I belong to The LORD”, but with the actual name of God, YHVH, in Hebrew.  “YHVH’s”, or “I belong to YHVH”.

            This is a fulfillment of prophecy.  Specifically, Isaiah 44:5 says “5 This one will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s’; And this one will call on the name of Jacob; And this one will write on his hand, ‘Belonging to Yahweh,’ And will name Israel’s name with honor.” (LSB).  Here’s why that’s so cool: back in the day (ie, ancient biblical times) writing on the hand was a mark of ownership, like a brand on a servant (see for reference Ex 13:9, Deut 6:8). 

            To “call on the name of Jacob” (or, alternately translated “to call himself by the name of Jacob”) implies an open acknowledgement and embracing of the heritage of the patriarchs of Israel.  This anticipates gentiles being grafted into Israel’s blessing (see for reference Romans 11:17), and harmonizes perfectly with Gal 3:29 “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise“.  It is absolutely important to remember that as Christians, we are asking to be adopted into the nation of Israel, we are all seeking to be proselytes to the Jewish God, by obedience and the grace of God. 

            So here’s an interesting (and sometimes controversial) side question: Do we as Christians need to keep every bit of The Law?  Why ask me? I don’t necessarily think so, but I’m just a man, and all I can tell you is the gospel according to Jeremy Martin. Read your Bible, and see what you think.  I would suggest that if you feel like God is telling you that you must then you absolutely should, and if you feel like God is telling you that you have freedom from the jots and tittles of the Law then you probably do.  The important bit here is: don’t listen to what anyone else tells you.  Study scripture, pray, and listen to God.  It’s not between you and anybody else, it’s between you and God, like a lot of things.  Don’t let it divide you as believers though, that’s between them and God too, not you and them.  Sometimes we get confused about that.

            All my family’s laundry aside, here is where it gets kind of cool, because throughout the history of time mankind has wondered about God and the nature of God, and here is one of the places that He clearly tells us some aspects of His self.  Do you want to know who God is? Well, listen to what God says about Himself (and listen ONLY to what God says about Himself, and nothing else.  Remember that you don’t want to know the gospel according to some smiling guy in a suit, you want to know the gospel according to God, because again: that’s going to be between you and God, no one else.)

“‘Thus says Yahweh…I am the first, and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.” (LSB, Isa 44:6). God is eternal, and singular in authority, he has a name, and it is YHVH (translated at times as Yahweh since the V in ancient Hebrew was said to make a W sound).  He was here before anyone, and He’ll be here after everyone.  There is no God besides Yahweh.  It’s important to note again that Yahweh (YHVH) is the personal name by which God identifies Himself to His creation (See Ex 3:15 for reference). 

“I, Yahweh, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone,” (LSB, Isa 44:24).  So Yahweh (AKA God, or “The Father”) is the maker of all things (See Ps 24:1 for reference), He specifically tells us that He stretched out the heavens “by Myself” and spread out the earth “all alone”.  I would like to respectfully point out that even if you have a traditional and complex understanding of the nature of God, this verse seems to specifically address that the only person involved in creation is Yahweh God, the Father, there are no other persons or natures involved, no one but Yahweh “Myself”, all alone.  It seems pretty bluntly direct, almost as if it was phrased in such a manner as to avoid any confusion or misinterpretation.

“26 Confirming the word of His servant—And the counsel of His messengers He will complete—” (LSB, Isaiah 44:26).  Yahweh (God) has servants, and He will confirm the word of His servant, and complete the counsel of His messengers.  When God sends one of His servants, they speak with the authority of God, because God not only sent them but gave them authority to speak His words.  Sometimes these servants are heavenly beings or “angels” (literally, “messengers”) such as in Luke 1:19 or 1:28 when the angel Gabriel delivered a message on God’s behalf.  Sometimes those messengers could even be an animal, such as in the story of Balaam in Numbers 26:28.  More commonly, God uses men as his servants to interact with other men, pouring out His spirit on them to communicate with their peers or to fulfill a specific purpose such as with Saul (1 Sam 10:10), David (1 Sam 16:13), and Samson (Judges 14:6) to name but a few.  Of course the most significant servant of God to the Christian believer is the man Jesus (the) Christ himself, and it is clear that he also ascribes to this understanding when he quotes Isa 61:1 and ascribes this prophecy to himself.  Jesus’ friend Peter confirms this later in Acts 2:22, when the spirit of God (also known as the spirit of truth) is upon him. 

            We should read all of these things carefully, and with discernment.  These are some of the things that God has told us about Himself, and His servants, in scripture.  These are clear, and pretty direct.  God spoke to us directly in the scriptures. Please, be discerning when you study your scripture and exclude from your doctrines theories or traditions that conflict with God’s word; in the end your understanding will be between you and your God, nobody else.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Have you ever, to your knowledge, fulfilled a prophecy?  What was it?
  2. Do you think as Christians we are obligated to follow none/some/or all of the Law?  Why?
  3. Can you think of a time when someone told you something about God (or one of His servants) that directly contradicted scripture? 

PRAYER

Father God, Abba, please let me hear only Your words.  Forgive me when I fail.  Teach me, Father.  Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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By a Way They Do Not Know…

*Isaiah 42-43

Psalm 118

Revelation 21

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            If you read your Bible regularly, you’ve probably got a few “favorite” verses or chapters that really stand out to you personally, that really just speak to you on a deep and emotional level.  I’ve got a few: I like Job 33, because it’s basically “my story” and details how God intercedes for the lives of men.  I like the Kings and the Chronicles just because when I was a kid, those were some of the most exciting and action packed.  I like the book of Nehemiah because he’s just so darn scrappy and feisty, but also humble enough to plead with God regularly to “remember me for the good”.  I’m sure we’ve each got our special bits, but the reading in Isaiah 42 today is my absolute favorite chapter in the whole Bible.

            Why is that, you ask?  Well, lucky day kids, I’m going to tell you.  It has been very publicly stated on a number of occasions that when I was a young lad I was quite a scrappy ne’er-do-well: a miscreant, hooligan, a rogue.  I was, not to put too fine a point on it, dumber than a box of rocks: completely ignoring God and seeking only how best to fulfill my own lusts and desires.  It was inevitable on the path that I was travelling that I would run into trouble, and I did: much, much bigger trouble than I was expecting, or had the ability to handle on my own.  Luckily for me (and for you too), we’ve got a great big God who’s exponentially bigger and more powerful than …well, anything.  Including Big Trouble, and the potentially fatal fingers that it sometimes attempts to clutch you with.

            I won’t belabor the depths of my stupidity, but I will say that as a result of my Actions (and attitude), there was a time in my youth (when I was about 25) that I was going to get a hard introduction to Consequences, and as a result was going to probably wake up dead in a hole, six feet from the rest of my life.  Things were not looking good for the home team (for clarification, I am the home team in that analogy), so I fled for my life.  I left in my wake Big Trouble, and Big Trouble was angry, murderously angry, and seeking a reunion.  I was going to die.

            So I started digging deeply into scripture, as if my life depended on it (it did), looking for an out, hoping that God would save me.  Obviously, He did (this is now over 30 years later), but at the time it was a very dark season for me: filled with fear and trepidation, and expecting at any moment to die.  I was already a pretty crazy lad, my previous lifestyle hadn’t helped that in any way, and add to that the constant fear and threat of being murdered at any moment and it begins to wear on one’s psyche and sanity. 

            Think for a moment of the most stressful event that’s ever happened to you, a time when you were in actual danger.  Now stretch that moment out, and imagine that you had that tension, that stress, that apprehension every second, every minute, every hour: day after day, then week after week, then month after month.  That constant level of tension will drive you insane.  That’s where I was at.  Do you know what saved me from going absolutely bonkers?

            Isaiah 42, when it is talking about the servant that God has chosen (The Messiah, or Christ), specifically this bit in verse 3: “3 A crushed reed He will not break And a faintly burning wick He will not extinguish;” (LSB).  Every time I read that, I knew that the Christ would not allow me to be snuffed at that time, because I was that reed that was crushed in spirit, I was that candle that was burning low and flickering in my faith, but I was seeking God’s will and this reassured me that His servant the Christ would not break me or extinguish me nor allow it to happen by the hand of another.  So I kept praying, and reading scripture.  Slowly, very slowly, some of the crazy started to leach away, and I began to be restored, to see my folly, and the path that God wanted me to walk.

            For the longest time leading up to that moment, I was blind.  Spiritually blind, street smart but God stupid.  I knew all the right things about all the wrong things.  Isaiah 42:3 helped me get refocused, to know that even if I was a smouldering wick that I would at least get an opportunity to burn brightly, so long as I was trying.  Then I read Isaiah 42:16, and it was like fireworks went off in my head, and I knew that our God was a great and merciful God.  This is, by the way, my singular favorite verse in the entirety of the bible:

“16 I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them.

I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains.

These are the things I will do, And I will not forsake them.” (LSB)

            That’s exactly what He did, for me.  I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful this is for me, because I was that (spiritually) blind guy, and He sure did lead me by a way I did not know, and He guided me in paths I had no idea even existed: to safety, and life.  The darkness that I was living in was  slowly illuminated, and the obstacles that were the rugged places were miraculously removed from my path.  God said that He would do these things, and that He would not forsake me and He kept His promise.  Why?  No clue, I wasn’t worth it at the time, but He did.  Fiercely.

            Then, my dad went blind, and God gave me a gentle slap in the face to remind me of some things, and to remember some of the words my mouth had spoken earlier when He saved me. 

            When I say my dad went blind, I mean literally blind, not spiritually blind, and you know what? That verse means even more to me today, because:  “16 I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not forsake them.” (Isa 42:16 LSB).  I was a complete idiot.  I was a jerk.  I was not a nice guy, but my dad…my dad is amazing.  So is my mom.  They have both been faithful servants to the living God since before my birth, and humble me with their faith.  How much more will our faithful God, who never lies nor abandons His children, lead my blind father by a way that he doesn’t know?  How much more will He turn the darkness into light before my father, and make the rough places smooth where he walks?  How much more will he not forsake my father, the faithful servant?

            I take great comfort and solace in knowing that our God never lies.  Lead us, Father God, even if it is by a way we do not know.  I have died now once already, and I no longer fear death.  I fear God.  If Big Trouble ever does come to speak to me about the sins of my youth, I hope I get the chance to tell it everything God has done for me, and what an awesome God He is before I die.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. What is/are YOUR favorite verse(s), and why does it speak to you?  Take a moment and reflect on the circumstances which endeared it to you, and praise God.
  2. Is there a specific verse in scripture that has carried you through a particularly difficult time? What was it, and how did God act to help you in that moment?
  3. Have you ever considered how amazing it is that even when we are dumb and completely unworthy of redemption, our God is faithful and restores us for His own name’s sake?

PRAYER

Abba, Father, My God, thank you.  You have been faithful even when I was not.  You saw value in me when even I did not.  You paid the ransom for me.  I am unworthy of the favor shown me.  The price was too high, My God.  Please forgive me, and lead me in a way that I have not known, to Your glory, and for Your name’s sake.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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He Will Save You

*Isaiah 34-35

*Psalm 116

Revelation 17

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Isaiah 35: “2 They will see the glory of Yahweh, The majesty of our God.

3Strengthen limp hands, and give courage to the knees of the stumbling.  4Say to those with an anxious heart,“Be strong, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.” Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.”  LSB.

            So yes, your God is coming with vengeance, and the recompense of God will come, but He will save you.  Be strong, and fear not.

            Listen, Isaiah talks a lot about the blind seeing again, and it just gets me every time.  If you know me or have read a few specific devotions I’ve written in the past, you’ll know that my dad is blind.  It’s a terrible affliction, and I hate it.  At the same time, without the act of  my father going blind, I would still probably be lost; just another dumb sheep who had wandered off heading for the edge of the cliff, that stupid prodigal son who never had the sense to realize he was sleeping in pig crap.  So while I hate the fact that my father has the affliction of blindness, I love the fact that our merciful God used that affliction to redirect me, and to save my soul.  Dad has said much the same thing to me.  So, whenever I come across a verse in the Bible that talks about restoring the sight of the blind, it makes me tear up a little. 

            I recently had an interview with Sean Finnegan on his podcast website “Restitutio.org” about a lot of that stuff, and if you are interested in the details you can give it a listen.  If you do, note that I would probably have named it a little differently, and the episode number is #666 which is a little disturbing but I think that the content of the interview was good, and may be beneficial to some folks out there who are, like I was, being foolish.  Look it up, it was released Aug 20, 2026.* 

            Back to Isaiah 35: “8And a roadway will be there, a highway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not pass by on it, But it will be for him who walks in that way, And ignorant fools will not wander on it. 9No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, 10And the ransomed of Yahweh will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting gladness upon their heads. They will attain delight and gladness, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (LSB)

            So there will be a way called the Highway of Holiness and it will be for him who walks in that way (holiness).  Even though there may be vicious beasts around you, none of them will be allowed on this path.  The unclean, the vicious, the ignorant fools probably won’t even be able to find it, much less walk on it.  The redeemed though, the ransomed of Yahweh will return along it.  That’s me, I’ve been ransomed, and that ransom wasn’t cheap.  It’s a deeply emotional thought for me that when I was unclean and a fool and seeking only my own desires that I may have been standing right beside this path and was never able to see it, because this is the way to God and life.

            Psalms 116 says: “1 I love Yahweh, because He hears My voice and my supplications.  2Because He has inclined His ear to me, So I shall call upon Him in all my days. 3The cords of death encompassed me And the distresses of Sheol found me; I found distress and sorrow. 4Then I called upon the name of Yahweh: “O Yahweh, I beseech You, provide my soul escape! 5Gracious is Yahweh, and righteous; And our God is compassionate. 6Yahweh keeps the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7Return to your rest, O my soul, For Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you. 8For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. 9I shall walk before Yahweh In the land of the living.”  LSB. 

            This is a part of my story too, because I literally died, and came back.  In 2/14/2022, for about 5 and 1/2 minutes, I was dead on the table from a 100% blockage in the widowmaker (left anterior descending artery): happy valentine’s day!  If you ever read Job 33:14-30, that’s a pretty good breakdown of “my story”, I also detailed it a little bit during the interview mentioned above.  God saved me though, and then redeemed me.

            Ps 116 continues: “12What shall I give to Yahweh in return For all His bountiful dealings with me? 13I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of Yahweh. 14I shall pay my vows to Yahweh, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people. 15Precious in the sight of Yahweh Is the death of His holy ones. 16 O Yahweh, surely I am Your slave, I am Your slave, the son of Your maidservant, You have loosed my bonds. 17To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of Yahweh. 18I shall pay my vows to Yahweh, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people, 19In the courts of the house of Yahweh, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.  Praise Yah!” LSB.

            That question in v12 is probably the best question any of us could ever ask, and leads to salvation.  The answer is probably best answered in v16.  The cost of a soul is high.  When Peter’s life is redeemed in Acts 12, the cost of his salvation was the lives of 16 soldiers.  When I initially escaped the environment that was going to kill me in my youth, it cost the life of at least 1 other man.  I am certain, even this many years later, that the sole reason that I lived and others did not is because even in the depths of my depravity, I feared the name of God.  Whether you are aware of it or not: God paid a very high price for each of us.  We are not bought cheaply, but at a cost higher than we could ever repay: the blood of His only begotten son.

            I have noticed that sometimes folks who haven’t gone through as much terrible stuff as I have don’t appreciate the little things that God has done for us.  Offering up His son in exchange for us was a big thing though, just think about it for a moment.  We can never repay such a high price, but if God is willing, we can spend a lifetime trying to His glory.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Is there a verse, or group of verses, that speaks to you personally and deeply?
  2. How can we better remember with awe the terrible price that was paid for us?
  3. What are the best ways in which we can honor that price, and He who paid it?

PRAYER

Father God, Thank you.  You saved me, and I wasn’t worth the cost.  You are gracious beyond my understanding, and I am Your servant forever.  Thank you.  In Jesus name, Amen.

*Sean Finnegan Restitutio interview with Jeremy Martin on Aug 20, 2026

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Behold, a King Will Reign…

*Isaiah 32-33

*Psalm 115

Revelation 16

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Life can be scary.  We forget at times, because we don’t always see it directly with our limited senses, that God protects us.  In the famous Aaronic blessing (found in Num 6:24-27) the opening line is normally translated as “The Lord bless you and keep you…”.   Like many English translations from Hebrew, however, that just doesn’t really capture the full “flavor” of the word.  The actual word translated as “keep” is   וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ (wə·yiš·mə·re·ḵā) and honestly “keep” is a pretty inadequate translation.  The word itself can be translated as: to hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to.  To shield, in other words.

            In today’s reading of Ps 115, this is reiterated repeatedly: “9 O Israel, trust in Yahweh; He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in Yahweh; He is their help and their shield. 11You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh; He is their help and their shield.” LSB.   The God that made you protects you.  Sometimes miraculously, as with the ancient Israelites.  Our senses may be limited at times, and we may not always see things that aren’t directly in our face if we’re not paying close attention.   Do you wonder why?

            Our senses are limited, but Ps 115 also speaks of blind and deaf idols, and says that those who make them are also blind and deaf.  “4Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man’s hands. 5They have mouths, but they do not speak; They have eyes, but they do not see;  6They have ears, but they do not hear; They have noses, but they do not smell; 7As for their hands, they do not feel; As for their feet, they do not walk; They do not make a sound with their throat. 8Those who make them will become like them, Everyone who trusts in them.” LSB.  In modern society, we don’t really make statues and worship them anymore, but can we truly say that our idols are not silver and gold?  If so, why wouldn’t we be blind and deaf? It tells us so, in scripture.

            The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th edition) defines worship like this: worship (noun) :1. The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object. 2. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed. 3. Ardent admiration or love; adoration.

            We live in a greed based society.  Becoming wealthy has become a primary focus, drive, and motivation for a majority of people.  How many times have you heard (or said) “If I could just win the lottery I’d…”?  There is a driving need to get better “stuff”, a bigger house, a better car, nicer clothes.  It seems like, according to the above criteria in the definition, we are still worshipping idols of silver and gold.  Gold itself has become the idol, the goal which most men seek fervently and reverently, a sacred object.  People are under the impression that having more wealth will make them “happy”, and that’s simply not true.

            Take for example this interesting fact:  in a counter-intuitive finding among people admitted to hospitals with mental illness, suicide risk was found to be higher for those with higher incomes compared to those with lower incomes (National Library of Medicine, BMJ 2001 Feb 10; Article titled: “Risk of suicide in relation to income level in people admitted to hospital with mental illness: nested case-control study”).  More money does not mean more happiness.  More importantly, if we are making gold and silver our idols, we will become as blind and deaf and unfeeling as those objects, according to Ps 115.  Of course that will cause us distress.

            Flipping over to our Isaiah reading today gives us a ray of hope, and a cure.  Despite the fact that sometimes the prophecies that describe the times leading up to the kingdom can be frightening, when the kingdom does finally arrive, it will be a time of healing and refreshing.  Isa 32 reads:  “1 Behold, a king will reign righteously And princes will rule justly. 2Each will be like a refuge from the wind And a shelter from the storm, Like streams of water in a dry country, Like the shade of a huge rock in a weary land.” LSB. 

            In another direct tie in with Ps 115, Isa 32 then goes on to say: “3Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded, And the ears of those who hear will pay attention. 4And the heart of the hasty will discern knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.” LSB.  When our king comes, we will be healed as a people, and our (many times self inflicted) blindness, deafness, and unfeeling will be cured.  This line is poignant to me, because my father is blind.  When our king comes, he will see again.

            Is 32 goes on to say: “15Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful orchard, And the fruitful orchard is counted as a forest. 16Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness will live in the fruitful orchard. 17And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and security forever.” LSB.  So yes, there may be scary times coming, but after that our king will come, and then God will pour out His spirit upon His creation once again and there will be a time of abundance and security that will last forever.

Who will be granted citizenship in this worthy kingdom though?  Isaiah 33 gives us some ideas: 

14 Sinners in Zion are in dread; Trembling has seized the godless.“Who among us can sojourn with the consuming fire? Who among us can sojourn with continual burning?”

15He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; He who rejects greedy gain of oppression, And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;

16He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the strongholds of the cliffs; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.

17Your eyes will behold the King in His beauty…

            We know from scripture that “…the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. “ Romans 8:18, LSB.  My blind father will see again.  My frail and aging mother will be renewed and strengthened.  The scales will fall from the eyes of those remaining and we will be able to see clearly again, our ears will be unstopped and we will hear once again the voice of our creator.  We will be restored.  All of the little things that afflict us will be fixed, and there will no more tears upon the earth.  While some of the prophecies of the times before the return of our king frighten me, when I consider this beautiful kingdom that God has prepared for us I can only say, in agreement with Rev 22:20 , “Come, Lord Jesus”.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

(or, The Kingdom of God Naturalization Test 101):

  1. Are you walking and speaking righteously and uprightly?
  2. Are you rejecting greedy gain, oppression, and bribes?
  3. Are you stopping your ears from hearing of bloodshed, and turning away from evil?

Please note: If you have answered no to any of these questions, you may need to retest for kingdom citizenship, for as long as the testing booths are open.  Good Luck.

PRAYER

Father God, I give you all of the praise.  Forgive me Father, humble me, and keep my focus on Your kingdom and being a servant that pleases you.  Help me when I stumble, and guide me when I am confused.  Thank you for all of the blessings you have given me.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Doomsday Preppers

Isaiah 23-24

Psalm 113

Revelation 12

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            There are a lot of cross reference prophecies in today’s readings between Isaiah and Revelations, and it’s generally of the type of thing that most of us would very optimistically describe as “concerning”.  The devotions leading up to this one from a few days earlier remind us of a few things that I’d urge everyone to keep in mind as we read today’s scripture: Firstly, God loves His creation, even when “bad things happen” it’s usually an opportunity for correction and restoration.  Secondly, God loves us so much that He’s told us in advance what’s going to happen, so we don’t get too scared or discouraged.  It’s just that sometimes demolition has to take place before reconstruction.  Keep that thought foremost today.

            “1Behold, Yahweh empties the earth to destruction, eviscerates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants.2And the people will be like the priest, the male slave like his master, the female slave like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor.3The earth will be completely emptied to destruction and completely plundered, for Yahweh has spoken this word.4The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the exalted of the people of the earth languish. 5The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they trespassed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who inhabit it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men remain. ” Isaiah 24:1-6, LSB.  Well, that doesn’t seem to leave a lot of room for interpretation, does it?  In my Bible I’ve got a note written: “See 2 Peter 3:7” right next to verse 6 above.

            The rest of Isaiah 24 goes on to prophesy a few more things, particularly comparisons to making man scarce upon the earth, in verses 7-13, and in verse 13 in particular it compares the remainder of man to “the shaking of an olive tree” (olive trees were harvested by shaking them vigorously and picking up the ones that fell, but usually a few would be left) and “the gleanings when the grape harvest is over”.  This is going to be, in other words, a pretty climactic event for humanity.  If you haven’t read any of the earlier devotions leading up to this one, at the very least I’d urge you strongly to go back to the September 10th devotion and slowly read “Point 2” there, about 2/3 of the way down.  Seriously, it helps a lot with perspective.

            Why will all of this happen though?  Well, there’s no mystery here, moving on down to Isa 24:20, it tells us the earth is being punished because “…its transgression is heavy upon it...” LSB. There is an interesting verse down below this as well, “21So it will be in that day, That Yahweh will punish the host of heights on high, And the kings of the earth on earth.” LSB.  I’ve got a note written beside that verse in my Bible that says “Angels? The Rich?“, and I’m honestly not sure, but if we flip over to our Revelation reading today it does mention a war in heaven, and that the dragon and his angels were not strong enough, and cast down (Rev 12:7-9).  I have my own opinions on the interpretation of this, but I will tremble and not blaspheme against glorious ones with my own fallible and human speculations (2 Peter 2: 4-11).  I’m just a human.

            Another VERY interesting thing to note here and ponder upon in your heart is the number “1260”.  This pops up in our reading today in Rev 12:6.  Quick eyes will skim right past it, but a discerning eye will recall that it also appeared in yesterday’s reading, in Rev 11:3.  In fact, the number 1,260 appears in the Bible nine times across the books of Daniel and Revelation.  Specifically, it is mentioned twice in the Old Testament (Daniel 7:25 and 12:7) and seven times in the New Testament (Revelation 11:2, 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, 13:5, and two additional references in Revelation 11:9 and 13:5 depending on textual grouping.  This period is consistently equated to 42 months or three and a half years (using a 30-day prophetic month, also written as “a time, times, and half a time”).

            So is 1260 important, as a prophetic number?  I’m going to offer a resounding “Yes” to that, based on the frequency with which it comes up in books of known and proven prophecy.  Do I know what it means?  Like Mary, I will ponder these things in my heart, but I will tremble and be silent.  Again, these are matters that are above my station, since I’m just a human.  Please note though: since it’s something that God has revealed to us in scripture, I do think it’s important, and very healthy and wise to research these things and come to our own conclusions.

            I’m a simple guy, and I work with the littles in school, so I’m really good at kindergarten math and confident in my assertion that 1+1+1=3 (and not =1), no matter which way you slice it but beyond that I have a very healthy understanding about my lack of understanding in complex mathematical equations.  Even if God had revealed what the frequency of 1260 occuring repeatedly in prophecy meant to me (He hasn’t), I probably wouldn’t share it unless I was told to at the time.  There is just too much margin for human error when calculating these things, too much uncertainty.

            What I am certain of is that God never lies.  These things have been told to us in advance for a reason, so that we can attempt to refine and purify ourselves, and live in a manner that is pleasing to our God.  God loves us so much that He wants us to be aware that these things are coming, so that we can prepare for them.

            My wife and I love to watch the show about people who go to great lengths (sometimes a little overboard) to prepare for apocolyptic times, aptly named “Doomsday Preppers” (an American reality tv series).  If you’ve never seen it, you should give it a watch sometime.  In it, folks typically go to extreme lengths to “get ready”, using various and occasionally insane techniques and methodology to “prep” for an apocolyptic event of one type or another.  Instead of a series of reflection questions, today lets provide a helpful list of how to actually prepare yourself for some of these things.  Reflect on these, and it may save your life:

PREPPERS LIST

  1. Love God.  Acknowledge Him as your creator and give Him full authority in your life.  It’s the most important commandment: LOVE GOD.  It’s hard to be mad at someone who’s loving up on you.
  2. Love Your Neighbor, as much as you do yourself.  When you honor God’s creation, you honor God.  It’s the second most important commandment, and a way to show God we’re listening to what He says.
  3. Seek First the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.  What you go after shows what your focus is, if that’s anything besides being a citizen of the kingdom of God, I humbly suggest you redirect.
  4. Purify yourself.  God will not hear the prayers of the unrighteous, commit yourself to being obedient to Him and living a life that is holy, humble, and free from sin.
  5. Do Good Deeds.  Help the widows, help the orphans, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those imprisoned, offer a ride, bless others in the same manner that God has blessed you.  Do you want God to save you, to grant you mercy, to protect you from a bad situation even though you may not deserve it?  You can start by doing the same for others, what you do for the least of these, you do for our king.  Listen!  This is important.  Not because it will make you righteous (it won’t), but because it will show your obedience.

PRAYER

Father God, our guardian and our creator, we bless Your holy name.  Please forgive us when we stumble, teach us to be servants who please you, and lead us into Your kingdom.  Your will be done, Father.  Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.

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From the Rising of the Sun…

*Isaiah 21-22

*Psalm 113

*Revelation 11

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Here in America where I am from, most of us have been so richly blessed and for so long that we have come to view a position of comfort as an expectation, like a child who has grown up never wanting for anything, and like that child unfortunately the mentality often becomes one of entitlement and self promotion. Additionally, most humans tend to think “regionally” (look up the theory of the Monkeysphere for an interesting theory on the limitations of human empathy).  We also tend to think in terms of “us” and “them”, which is a mistake when you consider that there is only “us” (God made all mankind), and we are told to love our neighbor as ourselves.

            I love the reading of Psalms today, as it not only highlights a very important (and sometimes forgotten) fact about God, but also has one of my favorite songs in it (From the Rising of the Sun).  The song goes like this “From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be praised” and then repeats and goes into a chorus of “So praise ye the Lord!”.  Beautiful, beautiful stuff.  In my LSB translation of the Bible Ps 113:1-4 reads (more accurately, but perhaps slightly more difficult to sing) :  “1Praise Yah! Praise, O slaves of Yahweh,Praise the name of Yahweh. 2May the name of Yahweh be blessed From now until forever. 3From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of Yahweh is to be praised. 4Yahweh is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens.”

            All servants of the Lord, praise His name.  From now until forever, from the rising of the sun, every day, the name of Yahweh is to be praised.  It doesn’t matter where you’re at regionally, or what your circumstances are:  because our God is high above all the nations, and bigger than any of your circumstances.  Why is that important?  The next few verses tell us:  “5Who is like Yahweh our God, The One who sits on high, 6The One who brings Himself low to see The things in heaven and on the earth? 7Who raises the poor from the dust And lifts high the needy from the ash heap, 8To make them sit with nobles, With the nobles of His people. 9He makes the barren woman of the house sit As a glad mother of children.  Praise Yah!” Ps 113: 5-9, LSB.  Our God is watching what we do (see verse 6*), and He’s paying attention to His creation.  He is actively helping and blessing us.

            There’s a theory called “Deism” that states that while God did create the world, He is no longer involved in it, and just letting it wind down on it’s own to see what happens (this is also called the “Clockmaker Theory”).  I disagree with that theory pretty strongly.  Ps 113 seems to contradict that theory, because not only is God observing, but He is taking action.  Additionally, we know that in the last days God will pour out His spirit upon mankind, and I believe I’ve personally experienced some of that.

            While we tend to equivolate blessings with divine accolade and approval (particularly here in America where I’m writing from), it is very clear in our Isaiah reading today that there are times when we should eschew some of the finer things, and humble ourselves before our God.  Isaiah 22:14-16 says: “12Therefore in that day Lord Yahweh of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, To shaving the head, and to wearing sackcloth. 13Instead, behold, there is joy and gladness, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.” 14But Yahweh of hosts revealed Himself in my ears, “Surely this iniquity shall not be atoned for you Until you die,” says Lord Yahweh of hosts. “ (LSB).

            Today in our Revelation reading, we see the fascinating and intriguing story of the 2 witnesses who will come, just before the last trumpet is sounded.  This is right near the end of the reign of nations, just before the kingdom of God is established on the earth** (as it is written in scripture).  I’ve always been fascinated by these guys.  First and foremost to keep in mind, these are witnesses of God.  They will come and judge the earth, speaking a witness to God’s word and having authority to inflict massive damage in various methods upon the earth for it’s transgressions.  We know from previous studies that God (who is love) generally inflicts punitive action in order to change behavior (see yesterday’s devotion) for our benefit.

            Most people now don’t like to be corrected though.  The people of the earth are so caught up in living the good life in these final days that they see this effort from God as an intrusion more than the attempt at restoration that it is.  That’s why it says (in Rev 11: 10) about the witnesses after they are killed: “10And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.”  LSB.  This should worry us all, because it seems like these are the times that we are living in.

            I remember as a very young lad, when my life had no worries in it except for if I would get to go play by the river that day,  running from my father once to avoid a spanking.  It did not work out well for me, and my actions increased my punishment exponentially.  Had I been wiser, I would have humbled myself before my father, admitted my shortcomings, and begged for his mercy.  Do you see what could be a simple correlation for the modern day believer?  May I suggest that even when your life is overflowing with rich blessings and goodness; take the time occasionally to humble yourself before God, admit your shortcomings, and beg Him for mercy.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Do you ever take time to fast and pray? How often?
  2. Do you ever pay forward the blessings that God has given you, to His glory (and not your own)?
  3. How else can we diminish ourselves and grow God in our life?

PRAYER

Father God, Abba, I’m sorry for my many shortcomings.  Please forgive me.  Correct me gently, and restore me.  Help me to grant you ultimate authority over all aspects of my life, and guide me in the best way to honor and glorify You.  Have mercy upon me, a sinner.  In Jesus name, Amen.

* In the interests of non-biased and complete transparency, I am going to throw some of my more traditional, “orthodox” brothers who like to claim “sola scriptura” (scripture alone) as the basis for their doctrine a very small bone here.  Ps 113:6 says “brings Himself low”, which is the closest thing I’ve been able to find in scriptures that could even possibly be construed as “God became a man”.   It’s pretty slim, admittedly,  and it’s not really enough in my opinion to base an entire Christology on, but since there is literally no scripture that says “God became a man” this is the closest you’re going to get using only the Bible as a validation for this later developed theory of the nature of the Christ.  I’d still recommend reading  1-all of the prophecies regarding the requirements of the coming messiah (Gen 3:15, Deut 18:18, 2 Sam 7, Ps 89,  etc, etc), 2-who the disciples thought Jesus was (Acts 2:22, Romans 5:15, and 1 Tim 2:5 etc, etc), 3-who Jesus thought he was (a “son of man” @80 times, ie a human, also see John 8:40, and John 20:17) , and finally 4-reading closely again through the stories of the birth of Jesus (in Matthew and Luke).  Then compare all of that to the things that God actually does reveal about himself through scriptures and see if that matches up with what’s been taught .  A much clearer scriptural understanding is that Jesus was an Israelite man born of the line of David who was empowered by the holy spirit of God to perform miracles due to his overwhelming obedience to God, but feel free to use the above as a proof text if you couldn’t find one that scripturally backed the (admittedly slim) traditional stance.  You’re welcome!-J

** “Heaven” in scripture refers to the area above (outside) of the earth, wherein God and the heavenly host/heavenly court dwell currently, not a vacation residence upon demise.  The “Kingdom of God” or the “Kingdom of Heaven” (as it is alternatively called) will be established here upon the earth, according to scripture, see for reference Zech 14:9, Rev 11:15, Rev 21:12, among myriad other verses).  The Christian hope is that after being resurrected and judged that we may be made citizens of this Kingdom (see for reference Acts 17:31, Matt 25: 31-46).  When we die we don’t “go” anywhere; we just rest in the dirt until these events occur as it is written in scripture  (in direct opposition to some later teachings of the “orthodox” church in the 4th century which have become prevalent in modern day interpretations).

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