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Isaiah
8:1-15, "The spoil speeds, the prey hastens"
2 Thessalonians 3:6-18, Exhortation to diligence
Luke 22:31-38 Peter’s denial foretold
The Lord told Isaiah to inscribe on a wooden tablet, “Belonging to
Maher-shalal-hash-baz” (the word means “The
spoil speeds, the prey hastens”). Isaiah did as the Lord had commanded,
before Uriah (Urijah)
the priest, and Zechariah (Ahaz’s
father-in-law) as witnesses. Then Isaiah’s
wife (a prophetess) conceived and bore a son, and the Lord told Isaiah
to name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
The Lord said that before the child was old enough to say his first
words, Damascus and Samaria would be plundered by the
Assyrians. The Lord declared that, because the Israelites had refused
the waters of Shiloah (an aqueduct flowing
from the spring, Gihon; principle source
of water for Jerusalem), and were frightened by the prospect of attack
by Resin, king of Syria, that Assyria would be like a mighty river
(Euphrates) in flood, rising above its banks and sweeping on into
Judah, flooding the entire land of Immanuel.
People will be dismayed. People will plot, but their plans will not be
successful, because the Lord is with his people. The Lord warned Isaiah
not to do as the Judeans were doing, fearing conspiracy against them
and being in dread of their enemies. Instead Isaiah should fear the
Lord and trust in him.
The Lord “will be a sanctuary and a stone of offense, and a rock of
stumbling to both houses of Israel,
a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble
thereon and shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken”
(Isaiah 8:14-15).
Paul warned believers not to suppose that Christ’s imminent return made
it unnecessary for them to work. Paul had set the example by earning
his living while he ministered to them, rather than expecting them to
support him, although he would have had that right. Paul declared that
those who were unwilling to work should not eat. Paul said that all
should earn their own living, and not be a nuisance to others. We
should not tire of helping one another.
Paul instructed believers to shun those who didn’t live according
to sound teaching, so that they might be ashamed, but that we should
not regard them as enemies, but rather that we should warn them as a
brother. Paul prayed that the Lord would be with them and give them his
peace, and signed the letter in his own handwriting.
Jesus told Simon (Peter) that Satan had demanded to tempt all of the
disciples, but Jesus had prayed for Simon in particular, that his faith
wouldn’t fail, and that when Simon turned again (from wavering) he
should strengthen his brethren (in faith; fellow discipes).
Simon replied that he was ready to go to prison and death with his
Lord, but Jesus told (Simon) Peter that he would deny knowing Jesus
three times that very day, before the cock crowed (before dawn; before
the changing of the night watch).
Then Jesus reminded his disciples that previously he had sent them out
in ministry with instructions to take no purse or bag or sandals, and
they had not lacked anything, but from now on they were to equip
themselves to survive in a hostile world. Jesus warned them that
scripture foretold that Jesus (and therefore his followers) would be
regarded as law-breakers, and that the scripture would be fulfilled.
His disciples showed Jesus that they had two swords, and Jesus replied
that it was enough.
The Lord indicated to Isaiah that the fall of Samaria, the Capital of
the Northern Kingdom of Israel would be a matter of only a few years
(Samaria fell to Shalmaneser in 721 B.C.;
see entry for yesterday, 2 Advent, odd year). Because the Judeans had
refused the waters of Shiloah (symbolic of
the Lord’s providence) they were swept away by the Euphrates (symbolic
of Assyria). Ahaz
made an alliance with Assyria to oppose the attack by the Northern
Kingdom in alliance with Syria (2Kings 16:7). As a
result, Judah came
under the domination of Assyria.
Isaiah was warned to trust the Lord alone, and not to do as the Judeans
were, letting fear of their enemies drive them to make worldly
alliances. The Lord is to be our sanctuary, but the Lord is an obstacle
and trap which will destroy those who do not take refuge in him.
Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonians to earn their own livings was
directed to a specific situation at that time, but it has relevance to
the Church in our time in a different way. In Paul’s day some
Christians had quit their jobs to loaf while awaiting
what they supposed would be the imminent return of Jesus. They were
creating a burden and nuisance to others.
Today this text might be better applied to those in the Church who come to be spiritually fed, but who don’t pull
their share of the ministry burden; they consume without producing. [I
must comment that I think it would be twisting the scriptures to use
this text to blame unemployment on the unemployed, or to suggest that
charity is unscriptural in an economy where full employment is not
achievable.]
The Church also needs to be careful not to make alliances with worldly
institutions and standards. The Church needs to hold on to the
scriptures, to sound teaching, rather than conforming to and adopting
secular values. One trend in the Church today is to be “consumer
oriented;” to structure their programs to appeal to “spiritual
consumers.” The end result is “fair-weather ‘Christians,’” instead of
“disciples.” Another is to accept for membership and even ordination
people who are practicing lifestyles which are contrary to scriptural
standards. Paul taught that we were not to associate with those who are
not living in accordance with scripture, and were to rebuke them and
warn them not as our enemies, but as our brothers or sisters, in loving
concern for their spiritual wellbeing.
Jesus warned his disciples that they would not be “popular” in the
world. He wanted them to be prepared to follow Jesus’ teaching and
carry out their ministries in the face of opposition. Peter was full of
enthusiasm for Jesus until he
was out there in the world on his own and running into some serious
opposition. He had confessed Jesus as Christ and then facing
hostility and
opposition from the world, he gave in
to temptation to conform to the society around him and
denied Jesus three times .
When he realized what he had done Peter wept (Luke 22:54-62) in
repentance. Jesus
had known it would happen, and he had reassured Peter of his
forgiveness beforehand, and after the resurrection Jesus made a special
point of reassuring Peter and restoring him to useful ministry (Mark
16:7; John 21:15-17).
Jesus is the rock on which to stand to give us protection and advantage
over our enemies, and the solid foundation for our lives. Peter is the
name meaning “rock” which Jesus gave him when Peter confessed Jesus to
be the Christ (Messiah) of God (Matthew 16:16-18), the basic confession
("rock") of faith on which the Church is founded.
Jesus is our sanctuary and refuge for those who believe. Those who deny
him and do not repent, who reject Jesus and do not obey him, will
stumble and be crushed by him.
Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and
obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you
first believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ
and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)?
Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John
5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
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