Falling Trees

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Look, the Assyrians are now at Aiath. They are passing through Migron and are storing their equipment at Micmash. They are crossing the pass and are camping at Geba. Fear strikes the town of Ramah. All the people of Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, are running for their lives. Scream in terror, you people of Gallim! Shout out a warning to Laishah. Oh, poor Anathoth! There go the people of Madmenah, all fleeing. The citizens of Gebim are trying to hide. The enemy stops at Nob for the rest of that day. He shakes his fist at beautiful Mount Zion, the mountain of Jerusalem. But look! The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will chop down the mighty tree of Assyria with great power! He will cut down the proud. That lofty tree will be brought down. He will cut down the forest trees with an axe. Lebanon will fall to the Mighty One.”
Isaiah 10:28-34 NLT

Just reading these verses provides a glimpse of the horror that was to come in the form of the Assyrian army. Isaiah’s prophecy uses words such as “fear”, “running for their lives”, and “Scream in terror”. Pity for Anathoth emerges. The people of Madmenah are fleeing. People are trying to hide. And the enemy will come close enough to Jerusalem to threaten it. I had a picture in my mind this morning of a map set out on a table, and then a bottle of ink was spilt on one edge. Slowly, but surely, the ink started to creep over the map and finally blotted it out. The cartographic features were hidden under a layer of ink, to be seen no more. In Judah, the people would disappear. Towns pillaged and destroyed. People removed into exile, those who escaped the sword. What a scene of devastation was filling Isaiah’s mind. 

The enemy of the Jewish people, the Assyrians, were seemingly unstoppable, but isn’t that like our enemy, the devil? When he is on the attack, nothing seems to stop him. The cancer spreads despite the treatment. No matter how hard we try, a difficult relationship seems unhealable. Despite active lobbying, the government enacts another unjust and anti-God law. Our prayers go unanswered. Darkness gets darker. Depression gets worse. But just when everything seems unbearable, and we look around for somewhere to hide, we find that the enemy is cut down, just like the “mighty tree of Assyria”. God intervenes at precisely the right moment. Not too early. Not too late. Exactly on time.

I am reminded of another occasion when God intervened to save His people. There, by the side of the Red Sea, the Israelites had set up camp. But, “The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon” (Exodus 14:9). The Israelites shouted out in panic and started grumbling and complaining to Moses, “But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm”” (Exodus 14:13-14). As we read the following verses, we can see the amazing miracle that took place and how the Egyptian army was destroyed. 

But back in Isaiah 10, we see how God changed the narrative. The previously strong and mighty Assyria is chopped down “with great power”. Assyria believed itself unstoppable, but God saw them as trees ready for the axe. The King of Assyria boasted, “By my own powerful arm I have done this. With my own shrewd wisdom, I planned it. I have broken down the defences of nations and carried off their treasures. I have knocked down their kings like a bull” (Isaiah 10:13). Pride always precedes downfall, and the tallest trees often fall the hardest.

In a personal sense, we pilgrims need to watch out for an upsurge of pride in our lives. Perhaps we are overly self-sufficient, or finding success in something we are doing. Perhaps we are involved in a church ministry, and feelings of pride are starting to emerge. Perhaps we have managed to purchase a new car, and pride in its shiny paintwork is bubbling up inside us. But with care and concern, we turn to James 4:6-7, “And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. 

There is something else that we need to take note of from this passage of Scripture today. That is the reference in verse 33 to “The Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies”. Assyria had an army that was more powerful than any other in the region. They were unstoppable, cruel, and terrifying.  Whatever we pilgrims are facing might seem terrifying in its extent, but the God we worship is far more powerful than any power on earth. What seems overwhelming to us is tiny before Him. His resources are limitless. God is never outnumbered. He never loses control.

There is something in these closing verses in Isaiah 10 that is helpful for us pilgrims. When fear rises and circumstances seem overwhelming, God reminds His people that He knows every movement of the enemy, limits every season of suffering, breaks every yoke, humbles every proud power, and arrives at exactly the right moment to save. So, what “Assyria” are we facing into today? Do we need Christ to lift off of us a burden we are struggling to carry? Where are we putting our trust – in our resources or God’s? And the painful bit – is there any pride within us that God wants to cut away, like the Assyrian tree, so that what remains can grow into something new? The thought of cutting away reminds us of John 15:2, “He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more“. Although painful at the time, the Master Gardener’s pruning can only benefit us in the long term. Isaiah 10 closes with the crash of falling trees, but our Heavenly Father isn’t out to destroy us when we need His help. He wants to strengthen us, not tear us down.

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your loving kindness and help in times of trouble. We praise You today. Amen.

Do Not Be Afraid

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“So this is what the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, says: “O my people in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you with rod and club as the Egyptians did long ago. In a little while my anger against you will end, and then my anger will rise up to destroy them.” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will lash them with his whip, as he did when Gideon triumphed over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb, or when the Lord’s staff was raised to drown the Egyptian army in the sea. In that day the Lord will end the bondage of his people. He will break the yoke of slavery and lift it from their shoulders.”
Isaiah 10:24-27 NLT

Words of assurance from “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies”. God said to His people that He was angry with them, but “in a little while” that anger would turn against the oppressors, the Assyrian army. God reminded the Judaites of what He had done for them in the past; specifically, He mentioned the victory that Gideon achieved over the Midianites and the time when the Egyptian army was destroyed in the Red Sea. When was God’s anger going to be turned? The prophecy didn’t include a time, but it did say that it would happen “In that day”. The people would know when it happened.

In Isaiah 10:24, we read God’s words of comfort to His people, “O my people in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you”. Despite their wickedness, the Judaites were still God’s people, and although they were going to be punished, He still loved them and was committed to them and their future. He told them not to be afraid. Fear is a terrible emotion, debilitating and demoralising, and, faced with a cruel and unstoppable foe, the people were afraid. They were fearful for their lives, their families, their possessions; in fact, everything that they were was under threat. So if God told them not to be afraid, faced with such a devastating situation, what were they to think? Would His words of comfort make any difference? 

Fear is one of Satan’s greatest weapons. The people of Judah had every reason to be afraid, as Assyria was the world’s superpower at the time. Cities had fallen, nations had disappeared, and Jerusalem seemed next. Yet God’s first word was not strategy but reassurance. The Lord reminded His people that, although their enemy was powerful, their suffering was temporary and God, “the Lord of Heaven’s Armies”, was still in control.

What about us pilgrims today? Are we fearful about anything? Are we facing a situation that is debilitating and demoralising, as the Judaites were? Perhaps an unexpected bill has landed on the doormat this morning, and we do not have the funds to pay it. Perhaps the company we are working for is announcing redundancies today, and we are worried about our jobs. Perhaps a loved one is suffering from a terrible disease, and we are fearful of what might happen next. The list of potential fears cooked up by our enemy seems endless, but the same message that God gave the Judaites He gives us as well: “Do not be afraid”. Psalm 27 starts with the verse, “The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” In John 16:33 we read, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world”. Why are these verses in the Bible? Because they show the heart of God to a people easily captured by fear.

It could be that our fears stem from the burdens we are carrying. I don’t mean physical burdens such as a backpack or heavy shopping bag. Burdens such as shame, sin, guilt, and the like. In Isaiah 10:27, we read that God will “break the yoke of slavery”. The yoke, a device that held two oxen together when ploughing fields, was often used as a metaphor for slavery and oppression, just as it was to the beasts coupled together. Too often, we pilgrims can be enslaved by our thoughts, habits, ways of life, influences, and friends. In Matthew 11:28-30, we read, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ‘ ” Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light””. Jesus has the power to break our “yokes” if we let Him. Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law”. 

The Judaites were afraid and oppressed. Believers today can experience the same. But God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is still in the business of setting people free, and we pilgrims only have to reach out and feel the love of our Heavenly Father as he helps us through whatever we are experiencing. 

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for our freedom in You. Jesus said, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free”. Help us, we pray, as we bring before You all that is enslaving us and stopping us from functioning as a true child of God. Amen.

The Remnant Who Trust the Lord

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“In that day the remnant left in Israel, the survivors in the house of Jacob, will no longer depend on allies who seek to destroy them. But they will faithfully trust the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return; yes, the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. But though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant of them will return. The Lord has rightly decided to destroy his people. Yes, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, has already decided to destroy the entire land.”
Isaiah 10:20-23 NLT

There are many references in the Old Testament to a remnant of God’s people remaining after a national disaster. Earlier, we read Isaiah 1:9, “Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah”. We also read about God’s heart for His people in Jeremiah 23:3, “But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number”. Many years before, the Lord made a Covenant with Abraham in which He said, “…Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” (Genesis 15:5). In Genesis 22:17, the Lord introduced the thought that Abraham’s descendants would be as numerous as the  “…stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore”. And here in Isaiah 10:22, the Lord mentioned once again how numerous the people of Israel are, but the Lord had decided to destroy the majority of the people through the Assyrian attacks, some by the sword, and many others by their removal into exile from their promised land. There, in foreign climes, it seems only a remnant will return, with those remaining in the land being the ones who will “faithfully trust the Lord”. 

The Israelites had reached a stage in their nation where they sought help through alliances with surrounding nations rather than from the Lord Himself. They were deeply involved in wicked and sinful practices and had abandoned any consideration that the Lord Himself would protect them if only they would turn to Him. As far as the Israelites were concerned, God didn’t exist, or was only a faint memory in their collective thoughts. So they had reached a dangerous phase in their nation’s existence for two reasons: one, that they were now away from God’s protection, and two, that they were at the mercy of stronger nations around them who were intent on taking over their land. God decided that the behaviour of His people couldn’t continue, and He decided to destroy the entire land. 

The Israelites were God’s own people. He had made a Covenant with them, with clear benefits if they kept their side of the deal, but significant problems if they didn’t. But God was, and is, faithful, and He always kept His promises to His people. However, He punished His people so that His perfect justice against sin would be upheld, to correct and purify them, and to guide them back into a faithful relationship. God’s relationship with His people, the Jews, was, and still is, unique, and He will allow things to happen to them if it will result in their highest good. Perhaps today they are experiencing so many difficulties with their neighbours because they have once again abandoned their Covenant with God. But the belligerent nations around Israel need to be aware that although God may allow Israel’s punishment for a time, the ones carrying it out are heading for destruction, as happened to the Assyrians. 

The Psalmist wrote, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him” (Psalm 91:1-2). What a wonderful picture of God’s protection, much like a mother hen protecting her chicks under her wings. We pilgrims can always find rest and protection as we stay close to God. It is only He who can provide that security. The Psalmist realised that when he wrote, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my saviour; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety” (Psalm 18:2). Are any of us feeling a bit wobbly and insecure today? Perhaps we just need to run back under God’s shadow, His protection. It is there that we will find rest for our souls.

Dear Heavenly Father. We know and understand that we are in a privileged position, living as Your children under the shadow of Your wings. Thank You, and please forgive us for when we wander away into danger and all sorts of peril. Amen.

Bringing the Light of God to a Nation in Darkness

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him—for he is proud and arrogant. He boasts, “By my own powerful arm I have done this. With my own shrewd wisdom I planned it. I have broken down the defences of nations and carried off their treasures. I have knocked down their kings like a bull. 
Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will send a plague among Assyria’s proud troops, and a flaming fire will consume its glory. 
The Lord will consume Assyria’s glory like a fire consumes a forest in a fruitful land; it will waste away like sick people in a plague. Of all that glorious forest, only a few trees will survive— so few that a child could count them!”
Isaiah 10:12-13, 16, 18-19 NLT

In the short term, the king of Assyria and his armies would be successful, but only until they have achieved God’s purposes in the judgement of His people. The Assyrians had no clue at all about why they are being so successful in battles: instead, their king claimed, with pride and arrogance, that it was all about his “powerful arm” and his “shrewd wisdom” and planning. It seems that it was not only the Israelites being conquered, as there were other nations overrun by the Assyrian armies as well.

There were three Old Testament prophets who prophesied about the Assyrians and their capital city, Nineveh. Jonah’s ministry took place between 790 and 750 BC, and as we know, he was given the message, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are” (Jonah 1:2). We know the outcome – “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened” (Jonah 3:10). Why did He do this? Apart from showing His mercy and compassion to a foreign nation, it was perhaps because God could see a time when He would need the Assyrians to do His bidding. 

Isaiah’s ministry took place after King Uzziah died in 740 BC. We have previously considered the applicable verses in Isaiah 6, where we read, “Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me””. What a dramatic and effective call, but Isaiah responded in a time when the people of Judah were coming under God’s judgment for their wickedness and refusal to turn to God. It was about 680 BC when Isaiah ceased his prophetic ministry.

Then we have the prophet Nahum, who ministered between 663 and 612 BC. His book commences, “This message concerning Nineveh came as a vision to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh”, and it continues for three chapters. We read, “This is what the Lord says: “Though the Assyrians have many allies, they will be destroyed and disappear. O my people, I have punished you before, but I will not punish you again” (Nahum 1:12). 

The rise and fall of the Assyrians occurred in accordance with the prophetic messages of faithful men, and this serves as a warning to proud and arrogant leaders today. As soon as a leader starts to claim that his success in battle or some other occasion is due to his “shrewd wisdom” and his “powerful arm,” pride and arrogance abound, and a laugh can be heard in the Heavens. Psalm 2:2, “The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one”. But the Lord’s response is, “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury” (Psalm 2:4-5). 

Today, we pilgrims can look back over the past century or two and can see how seemingly unstoppable, powerful men have come to grief because of their evil ways. We consider men such as Hitler, whose dream of the Third Reich dissipated with Germany’s defeat in the Second World War, and whose life ended by suicide in his Berlin bunker. Then there was a king in the Bible called Nebuchadnezzar, and with pride and arrogance, and “as he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendour’” (Daniel 4:30). He next finds himself living out God’s punishment, eating grass in a field. There are consequences to pride and arrogance.

Lessons for us pilgrims from these verses in Isaiah include the importance of never minimising God and His power and strength. Our proud and arrogant leaders may think that they succeed by their own efforts, but in reality, God looks on and patiently gives them time to see the error of their ways. And one day they will be called to account for their thoughts and actions. But we thank God for our Christian lawmakers, who introduce salt and light into dark places. We pilgrims must continually pray for our government and political leaders that God will guide them in all that they do.

Dear Father God. As our nation grows darker, we pray that we shine brighter, bringing Your light to bear wherever we find ourselves. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The God of Righteousness and Justice

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“What sorrow awaits Assyria, the rod of my anger. I use it as a club to express my anger. I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, against a people with whom I am angry. Assyria will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet. But the king of Assyria will not understand that he is my tool; his mind does not work that way. His plan is simply to destroy, to cut down nation after nation. 
After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him, for he is proud and arrogant.”
Isaiah 10:5-7, 12 NLT

Isaiah’s prophecy moves on from detailing the woes that will strike a proud and arrogant Israel, an Israel that practised idolatry and was governed by corrupt and unjust leaders, and an Israel that seemed ignorant of how the extent of their wickedness was going to lead to a terrible judgement by a nation so much stronger than theirs. There are several places detailed in the Bible where God uses an unbelieving king and nation to either punish or bless His people. In the verses today, we see Assyria, a cruel and strong nation that terrified the nations that it trampled on in its quest for military domination, being used by God to punish His recalcitrant and wicked people. But Isaiah’s message fell on deaf ears because he was saying things that were widely unpopular and, in any case, we remember what God said to the prophet in Isaiah 6:9-10, “And He said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing””. As today, an unpopular message that people don’t want to hear will be ignored until they are brought face-to-face with the reality that they have rejected. In Israel’s case, perhaps they rationalised that God would never treat His people in such a way. Today, unbelievers dismiss the warnings that unless they repent of their sin and turn to God, He will reject them and they will end up in hell, because they say that, even if God exists, He would never do that. After all, He is a God of love, they say, forgetting or ignoring the fact that He is also a God of righteousness and judgment. 

Then there was a king called Cyrus, whom Isaiah prophesied about over a hundred years before he was born. Isaiah 44:28, “When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple’”. In the next verse, God even referred to Cyrus as His anointed one, a rare title for a heathen king. And we can read the fruition of the prophecy in the last verse of 2 Chronicles, “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go there for this task. And may the Lord your God be with you!’”

People in Israel forgot that God was all-powerful and had put in place a Covenant that had blessings but also curses. They liked the blessings bit but ignored the curses, although they would soon face the reality of them. God was very much on His throne and was about to use the Assyrians to punish His disobedient and wicked people.

What can we pilgrims learn from these verses today? The same thing that the Israelites had forgotten, or conveniently ignored. God is on His throne. He is not sleeping, as the Psalmist implied in Psalm 44:23, “Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever”. We know from Psalm 145 that God’s anger is slow to be raised: “The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love” (Psalm 145:8). In our times, we also know that God is being very patient: “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9). One thing that I’m sure we fail to understand or appreciate is how much God is holding back the forces of evil in our times. Yes, we have concerns about international politics and the wars that can affect us so badly, but they could be much worse. As was the case with the Israelites, there is a tendency to be complacent and maintain that God would never allow the destruction of our nation.

And so, we pilgrims must pray for our government and those ruling our country. We must also pray for organisations such as the Christian Institute and Christian Concern, which are so active in lobbying for righteousness in the corridors of power. We must never forget that our God is never sleeping and that He is always prepared to listen to our prayers. As we give Him our concerns and anxieties, His peace is always available and will flood over us in our times of need.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your love and compassion. We thank You for keeping us safe in these troubled times, and we pray for our government and political leaders, that You will lead and guide them as they lead our country. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Relevance of Isaiah’s Warnings in Modern Society

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Cloaked traveler walking a rocky path through mountains at sunset with a castle in the valley

“But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord Almighty. So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; the elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.“
“Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upwards in a column of smoke.”
“Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.“
“Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.”
Isaiah 9:13-15, 10:1-2, 4b NIVUK

The section of Scripture from Isaiah 9:8 to 10:4 provides some terrible verses that are difficult to read, under the heading “The Lord’s Anger against Israel”, and one sentence is repeated three times: “Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” We read the future tense with repeated “the Lord will” throughout the prophecy, detailing terrible events coming, yet despite all the warnings, and with the benefit of hindsight, we know Israel ignored them. The worrying thing is that some of the warnings can apply to our secular society today. We read “…for everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks folly”. Then there is “wickedness burns like a fire” and a reference to “those who make unjust laws” and “those who issued oppressive decrees”. There are those who “withhold justice from the oppressed of [God’s] people”. But God asks the question, one that has hung in the air over all people and all generations ever since – “What will you do on the day of reckoning”?

I would contend that God’s hand is still upraised today and will continue to be as He allows sin and wickedness to continue in the hearts, minds, and actions of human beings, all of whom will one day be required to give an account of their lives before Him. In Old Testament times, God’s judgments were applied within a few generations, but in our New Covenant times, God is holding back until the final day, when Jesus will occupy the “Great White Throne”. The Apostles’ Creed includes the words, and referring to Jesus, “He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead”. One day, there will be a time of judgement because we live in a moral universe, and the scales so skewed by wickedness will be rebalanced, and God’s hand will finally be lowered. 

We pilgrims know, I’m sure, that our names are written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life” and we will escape the wrath to come. Not, I should add, by a grudging God, but because we have turned to Him and His Son, reaching out in repentance for forgiveness for our sin and wickedness. And now, as His children, we are in a privileged position, having seen a glimpse of Jesus and His love and compassion, which will follow us all the days of our lives. 

But I cannot finish this morning without returning to Isaiah 6. In the Temple, Isaiah saw the Lord “high and lifted up”, a vision so real and meaningful that he could not fail to respond positively to the Lord’s question, “Who shall I send? And who will go for us?” with a response that totally transformed his life, as the words fell from his lips, “Here am I. Send me”. Is that our pilgrim position today? I hope so, because time is short and many lost souls are heading to the wrong place. 

Dear Father God. Many years later, we, too, answer the call with our own response: “Send me.” Guide us to the right mission field, we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

The Danger of Pride: Lessons from Isaiah 9

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel. All the people will know it – Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria – who say with pride and arrogance of heart, ‘The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig-trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.’ But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them and has spurred their enemies on. Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have devoured Israel with open mouth. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.”
Isaiah 9:8-12 NIVUK

Isaiah sharply switches from the wonder of the coming “great light”, the One who will “reign on David’s throne” forever, to a warning against Israel, the ten Northern tribes. And the message makes grim reading. Isaiah lived in Jerusalem and mostly prophesied to the kings and people of Judah, which comprised the remaining two tribes of the Jewish nation. But occasionally, he had a word for those in the North. Straight away, he put his finger on their problem – “pride and arrogance of heart”. The references to Ephraim and Samaria refer to the people and their centre of political power. 

The city of Samaria was a source of pride for the Israelites, and they had built it up, so they thought, by their own efforts. And so they reasoned that, should it be destroyed, they would rebuild it even better. Their own efforts would be sufficient, so they thought. But how did they reach this mindset, with the Assyrians building up their forces on their borders? What was it in their logical thought processes that made them think that if they were attacked, then they would just recover through their own efforts? That’s arrogance. “We did it before, so next time it won’t take so long” was perhaps their motto. 

The Israelites had obviously forgotten the proverb, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), or another one, “Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance, but humility comes before honour” (Proverbs 18:12). In Daniel 4, we can read what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. He had a dream that Daniel interpreted for him, and it ended, “You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses” (Daniel 4:25). It was a year later that his pride and arrogance showed up, and Daniel’s prophecy came true. Daniel 4:30, “As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendour’”. The next verse delivered God’s judgment, “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom’”, and off he went to eat grass for seven years and until he “honoured the One who lives forever”.

But this wasn’t just an Old Testament problem. Jesus said, “But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). About Jesus, Paul wrote, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). In the preceding verse, Paul wrote, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had“, and that really sums up all that was wrong with the Israelites. The only had an attitude of pride and arrogance, and this ultimately led to their destruction.

But we pilgrims need to be careful. It is so easy to slip into the same mindset as the Israelites, adopting an attitude of pride and arrogance. Perhaps things are going well for us, and we forget that it will be God showing us His favour, not our efforts producing good results. We must always keep close to God, thanking Him for being with us, for keeping us safe when we could so easily lapse into danger, for helping us when we run out of ideas, and for giving us His Spirit to lead and guide us through the minefields of life.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your grace and favour, and for always being with us each and every day. Amen.


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The Prophetic Vision of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6-7

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Golden throne with a richly decorated jeweled crown inside a cathedral with stained glass windows

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”
Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

Isaiah 9:6 is a verse often quoted during the Advent season at Christmas, and it prophesies exactly what happened hundreds of years later: the coming of Jesus as a baby, born to a young teenage peasant named Mary in a stable in Bethlehem. But what about the rest of verses 6 and 7? As we review the Gospels, we find that rather than the Son ruling a government that will never end, His life ended in ignominy on a Roman cross, a life tragically cut short in His early thirties. And as for ruling with “fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David”, His body was interred in a tomb. Surely some will say this prophecy was incorrect. 

But these verses start by describing a Son who will be born, destined to become a ruler because “the government will rest on His shoulders”. Straight away, the assumption would be that this boy child would come from a royal household, because to be a ruler, the most likely source would be a new royal prince. The wise men in the Christmas story certainly thought that this would be the case, and so did King Herod. Matthew 2:1-3, “Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem”. 

The new ruler would have several titles, according to the prophecy: “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. The “Wonderful Counsellor” described the kingly wisdom of a monarch such as Solomon. He would be a leader who would always make the best decisions in every scenario and give unfailing counsel to His subjects. But the next title, “Mighty God”, was something no human could attain. Some scholars render the language here as “great hero,” but Isaiah clearly meant to convey that this deliverer of Israel and the world would be divine in and of Himself. He was describing the Messiah, who will ultimately be revealed to be Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In addition, this King would be called both “Everlasting Father” and “Prince of Peace.” Many kings have been referred to as the father of their people. However, this king’s fatherhood would not end. He would continue as Father to one generation after another and then to all generations of His people for eternity. In short, He was to be God. This king’s reign over Israel and the earth was not to be an endlessly bloody one, where He would rule with an iron fist. This divine king would be so powerful that He would create lasting peace on the earth, bringing an end to all war. Looking to the future, He will rightly be given the title of “Prince of Peace.” This is one of the names by which we know our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

So we pilgrims look at these verses from Isaiah 9 today and conclude that Jesus will return to this world as the King described in the prophecy. And it all started with the Resurrection of Jesus, when He left the tomb, alive and well, with an eternal body in which he ascended into Heaven. But there has not been a gap implied in the prophecy. There was to be no arrival on earth of the coming King, and then a significant period of time, in which we are still living, while the world waits with bated breath for His return. As we know, the Holy Spirit was given to the world: John 14:26, “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you”. The Advocate is none other than the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Other names for Him can be found in the Amplified version of John 16:7, “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counsellor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]”, all names that fit with the prophecy in Isaiah 9.

Daniel was also given a vision of the eternal Ruler. Daniel 7:13-14, “As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honour, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed”. Also, the Angel Gabriel, in his message to Mary, said, “He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:32-33). I’m sure Mary was in that upper room on the Day of Pentecost, and perhaps received confirmation that what Gabriel had said would one day come to pass, a day when she will look on the events of the final chapters of Revelation, comforted forever.

So we pilgrims read the Advent verses from Isaiah and consider what they say in the context of the eschatological plan God put into place. In Old Testament times, the coming Messiah was only a dim vision, partially revealed through faithful prophets who were prepared to stand up and declare God’s message. In hindsight, we pilgrims have seen part of the picture. We know that Jesus came two thousand years ago as a baby, fulfilling the first part of the prophecy. And we now look forward to what is yet to happen, praying the prayer at the end of the Bible, “Come Lord Jesus”. 

Heavenly Father. Thank You for Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins. We pray for His return, so that we can live in a world “ruled with fairness and justice”. Amen.

The Lord Will Come

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms, bloodstained by war, will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.”
Isaiah 9:2-5 NLT

Isaiah’s prophecy brought light into a dark nation, hope to a people who were hopeless in their outlook, and victory when only defeat and slavery could be anticipated. In a time when only sadness and depression were possible emotions, something would happen to bring joy and hope, celebration rather than mourning. As the Assyrians overran Israel and Judah, did the Jews remember what Isaiah had said, or did they succumb to their fate, going to their graves or into exile, thinking that God didn’t care for them, if they even thought of Him at all? A long period of darkness was about to envelop the sons of Jacob, their tribes and nation, but God had a plan that would turn around their distress, and “Galilee of the Gentiles … will be filled with glory. 

How long would it be before the “great light” would be seen? Isaiah neither knew nor said, but God knew. And we, with the benefit of hindsight, can see that it was seven hundred years or more before Jesus came. For the Jews, before that eventful day, there were four hundred years with no prophetic voice, a silence as God brought into being His plan for the salvation of mankind. In those four hundred years, between the Old and New Testaments, God did not speak, and no books or prophetic words were recorded. The Old Testament closed with two verses from Malachi, “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6). This was written about 430 BC, and what followed was a time of instability as one nation, after another, overpowered the Jews and occupied their land. But the Jewish people never forgot the prophecy that Elijah was coming to prepare the way of the Lord. 

John the Baptist emerged from the shadows “to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony” (John 1:7). John was asked by the Jewish leaders, ““Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No”” (John 1:21). A contradictory response, I’m sure we agree, because John fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy, but the Jews were expecting a literal Elijah, risen from the dead, whereas John “.. will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly” (John 1:17). About John, Jesus said, “The prophets wrote about Elijah. They said he would come again, to prepare for the Messiah. They were writing about John, and you should believe their message” (Matthew 11:14). 

But Jesus came as the “great light”, bringing a new world, a New Covenant, and one that has brought rejoicing to the people. No longer would God’s people be burdened and enslaved. No more “yokes of slavery”. No more “heavy burdens”. The “nation of Israel” was enlarged with the salvation of the Gentiles, and today it is estimated that a third of the global population is Christian. But in Isaiah’s prophecy, there is fulfilment of more to come, because Jesus will come a second time “to strike down the nations” who have risen up against Him (Revelation 19). 

We pilgrims, Gentiles saved by grace, have read to the end of the book, and we know what is coming. One day, there will be a new Heaven and Earth, and God will come to live with His people. Are we ready?

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your loving kindness, patience and grace. Jesus came to this world and transformed humanity forever, bringing light into a dark place. Thank You. Amen.

Choosing Light Over Darkness: A Spiritual Perspective

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Golden and white flowing light streaks over dark blue textured background

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms, bloodstained by war, will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.”
Isaiah 9:2-5 NLT

Darkness and light. Opposites that are well known to human beings, used as we are to day and night. From the earliest times, mankind has found ways to illuminate a place of darkness, from a candle to a modern light bulb. Today, we think nothing of flicking a light switch to transform a dark room into a place where our eyes can discover all that we want to see. But in a totally dark place, and should no light source be available, a human being’s eyes cease to be of any use, as any blind person will testify. 

In a spiritual sense, darkness and light have parallel meanings, and we must consider God as a light source that illuminates our darkness and brings into focus what we want to see. But that is where the similarities end. A physical perspective on light and dark is under a human being’s control. We can choose whether or not to flick a light switch or light a candle. But spiritually, we cannot switch God on and off at will to illuminate our situation. There is much more involved than that.

Jesus said, “And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:19-21). The propensity of man to prefer sin and evil started in the Garden, and we read, “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too” (Genesis 3:5-6). We can rationalise our thoughts and actions, but only from the wrong perspective. Our selfish desire for personal control and the pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25) will always drive us in the wrong direction, time and time again. 

But Jesus taught much about the light that reveals the sin and evil in people’s lives, because turning our backs on it is a fundamental requirement for eternity spent with God. There is no sin and evil in Heaven, and those who tried to introduce it there, the angel called satan and his followers, were cast out: “Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels” (Revelation 12:7-9). 

Jesus said to the people (and the Pharisees who were there with them), “… I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12). We know what the “life” is from an earlier verse in John – 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Jesus was referring to the only life that really matters, eternal life. Life in His presence forever. But there is an alternative for those who prefer the darkness, and that is an eternity away from God’s light, in the company of those who were ejected from Heaven.

So people today have a choice between light and darkness. Many claim to walk in the light because they are “good” people who don’t do the things traditionally associated with sin and evil. They haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything, they avoid alcohol as a beverage, and don’t visit nightclubs. They don’t gamble or swear. But they miss the point that sin in its basic form is following their selfish desires and, in the process, rebelling against God and His ways. Paul wrote, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). We pilgrims decided to repent of our sins and turn to God, committing our lives to follow Him. And through Jesus, we have been cleansed of our sin and have found ourselves covered by His righteousness. We have a wonderful, loving and caring God who wants us to be with Him forever. We have “seen the light” and have shunned anything to do with darkness. And because of that, we are entrusted with illuminating the dark places with our witness and testimonies. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). Genesis 1:3 we read, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”. Today, His word continues, but this time through His people, as we continue His creative work in the lives of those around us. 

Dear Heavenly Father. In a land where the darkness seems to be increasing, we pray for the grace and boldness to shine even brighter so that our fellow citizens can discover how dark their lives really are. Please help us we pray and lead and guide us in Your ways. Amen.