Isaiah 28:1-13
What happens to a people and a nation who forget the source
of their wealth and power? As you read
about God’s judgment on Ephraim and Jerusalem, you must ask this question: is
God going to give the United States of America a pass?
“Ah, the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the
fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley
of those overcome with wine!” The
northern kingdom of Israel went by the name Ephraim and the crown of Ephraim may
be the capital city Samaria, in that it sat on top of a large hill. The abuse of alcohol especially with it
leaders, and who are these leaders; the priest and the prophet.
People who claim to know God, as did those in Israel, as
well as those today in the American church, like to read verses like Psalm
145:8, “The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in
steadfast love.” That being true, for if it were not, He would have
long ago destroyed all human critters, but before you confuse God with your
granddad, read Nahum 1:3, “The Lord is slow to
anger but great in power; the Lord will
not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and
clouds are the dust of his feet.” When
you read verse two “Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a
storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing
waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand.” God does not need the Assyrians or
the Babylonians; He has all of nature at His command.
In
verses three and four, we see Isaiah using again the crown and the flower to
describe the punishment coming on Ephraim, and how like a ripe fig it is ready
to be devoured. The people of God will
not all be judged, for there will be a remnant that is faithful, and God
Himself will become a crown of glory and beauty to them. And God will give the solders at the gate the
strength to turn back the battle at the gate.
It is my view, that even in this present darkness you and I are
experiencing, where we see the enemies of God trying to tear down all that is
good and holy, like marriage, removal of the Scripture, and the commandments of
God, He is giving some the strength to turn back the enemies at the gate. Are you part of that remnant?
Today,
as in that day, we have priest and pastors who tell us what we want to hear,
and Timothy tells us about such a time in 2Timothy 4:3-4, and I believe we have
been there for many years. “For the time is
coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they
will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will
turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
From
the Back Porch,
Bob
Rice
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