Dependability in Leadership: Lessons from Eliakim

Posted on by Adrian Clark

““Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says the Lord. “I will pull you down from your high position. And then I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you. I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them. He will bring honour to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall. They will give him great responsibility, and he will bring honour to even the lowliest members of his family.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies also says: “The time will come when I will pull out the nail that seemed so firm. It will come out and fall to the ground. Everything it supports will fall with it. I, the Lord, have spoken!””
Isaiah 22:19-25 NLT

Today we are having another look at these verses about Eliakim. Yesterday it was all about the importance of Eliakim having “the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court”. But as we read on, we find these words: “He will bring honour to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall”. In ancient homes, a nail or peg in the wall indicated something dependable, and it would support valuable possessions. Eliakim was about to be given great responsibility, appointed to an important position in the Jerusalem royal court, one that would bring great honour to all levels of his family. Previously, we can see how important he would be, because the Lord said that he would be a father to the “people of Jerusalem and Judah”. But Eliakim’s appointment would be more than something symbolic. He would become a rock, a cornerstone even, that the stressed Judeans could depend on. Perhaps some of us, tired of a succession of inadequate politicians, wish that an Eliakim could emerge in our own country, someone with the leadership ability to unite our divided country and make decisions in the people’s best interest. Yesterday, we considered that Eliakim, holding the key to the house of David, was a type, a prophetic picture, of Christ Himself, who held the same key in His message to the Philadelphians in Revelation 3:7. Eliakim’s position in Jerusalem, as the father figure showing strong leadership in a time of crisis, is also an indication of the role Jesus will play when He comes in His Kingdom. But there is one major difference. Jesus is sovereign, and His rule and reign will be perfect and without end.

How do people around us see us pilgrims? Are we to them Eliakim figures, fathers and mothers, dependable, faithful, reliable, and solid? Or are we something else? Psalm 1:1-3 describes what Eliakim would have been like, and how we ourselves should be. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers”. 

There are some Bible characters who were solid and dependable, and we find them in the Book of Daniel. Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods”. There were three more young Jewish men who we can find in Daniel 3:16-18, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up””. Daniel reappears in chapter 6, where we read, “But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God” (Daniel 6:10). These were four Jewish men who, even in the face of extreme persecution, were not prepared to compromise their beliefs. They were solid and dependable.

We pilgrims need to ask ourselves how faithful and dependable we are. God desires His people to be spiritually reliable. Can others depend upon us, seeing that we are faithful in prayer, worship, service to God and in difficult times? We need to realise that God is looking for dependable disciples.

But all was not going to end well for Eliakim. In Isaiah 22:24, we read that he was a peg or nail upon which everything would hang. But in the next verse we read, “The time will come when I will pull out the nail that seemed so firm”. It is an indication that no human leader is capable of handling all burdens placed upon them. Even the best leader eventually reaches his or her limits. No pastor, parent, friend, church leader or even government can carry the weight of everyone’s hopes. Only Jesus never fails. Only He can carry our burdens. “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

So we pilgrims need to be dependable and faithful, never giving up in times of adversity and always there for those weaker brothers and sisters who need encouragement on their journeys through life. And always we need to point to Jesus, the “Author and Perfecter of our faith”. It is only through Him that we will find the Source of the strength that we need ourselves. Our own strength is painfully lacking. 

Dear Heavenly Father. You are the only Source in life that fills our every need. It is only in You that we can find the Cornerstone on which we can build our faith. Thank You. Amen.

The Keys to the Kingdom

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Wooden door partially open with an ornate iron key glowing in the lock

““Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says the Lord. “I will pull you down from your high position. And then I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah to replace you. I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority. And he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court.     When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them. He will bring honour to his family name, for I will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall. They will give him great responsibility, and he will bring honour to even the lowliest members of his family.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies also says: “The time will come when I will pull out the nail that seemed so firm. It will come out and fall to the ground. Everything it supports will fall with it. I, the Lord, have spoken!””
Isaiah 22:19-25 NLT

In his oracle, Isaiah recorded something very significant about Eliakim. He wrote the words of the Lord down in verse 22 of today’s verses, “I will give him the key to the house of David—the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them”. Occasionally, we have a civic ceremony in our towns and cities, where a person, perhaps a sportsman or woman, or a politician or charity worker, is honoured by being presented with the key to the city. In such a ceremony, King Charles III was recently presented with the keys to the city of Edinburgh in the traditional Ceremony of the Keys, marking the official start of Royal Week in Scotland. Such ceremonies usually use an oversized, decorative key which doesn’t open any actual lock. Nor does the ceremony truly bestow special rights. But it is an opportunity to honour someone. The tradition of presenting a key to the city dates back to medieval times. City gates were locked at night to protect residents from outsiders and threats. Gifting a physical key to a visiting noble or trusted individual symbolised open access, deep trust, and freedom to enter and leave at will.

The new leader, Eliakim, was honoured in this way. The Lord declared His intention to grant authority to him, in his new role as palace administrator, the new steward of the king’s court. This man of God and father-figure to the nation would wear the key to the house of David. As with the modern ceremony, this may have involved a physical item representing authority. A man with the key had the authority to decide who would be allowed to have an audience with the king and who would be excluded. The king’s decision to give the key to Eliakim, by the Lord’s will, was a sign of great respect and trust. The one who carried this responsibility exercised authority in the name of the king. Eliakim was the final word on whether the gates remained open or closed.

But there was another time mentioned in the Bible, this time when Jesus applied the Scripture about the key of David to Himself. Revelation 3:7, “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open”. So perhaps we can see that Eliakim became a wonderful picture of Christ.

Possession of the keys of the house of David signifies absolute authority, and with them, Jesus can open doors that no person can close, and can close doors that no person can open. For us pilgrims, for believers everywhere, it means our confidence in Jesus rests in His sovereign rule over His Kingdom, now and forever. 

There is another occasion when keys are mentioned, and we find that in Matthew 16:19,“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven”. Jesus was talking directly to Peter, and indirectly to the other disciples. Jesus’ words meant that Peter would have the right to enter the kingdom himself, that he would have general authority symbolised by the possession of the keys, and that preaching the gospel would be the means of opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers and shutting it against unbelievers. Although other branches of the Christian faith apply this verse differently, for example, the Catholic and Orthodox traditions see this as the foundational authority given to Peter and his successors (the Popes) and priests to forgive or retain sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I’m sure that pilgrims of either persuasion will accommodate the Gospel as the outward-looking interpretation of our verse from Matthew.

The preaching of the Gospel is a very good illustration of how the Kingdom of God can be accessed, because the Good News about Jesus and all He did for us pilgrims at Calvary unlocked access to God’s Kingdom for us. Before, we were dying in our sins, with no hope for the future, but when we came to believe in Jesus, we found salvation through God’s grace, and he opened the door into His presence for us. What a wonderful Saviour! Jesus has given each of us the key to unlock this door for everyone we meet. To think that Jesus has entrusted me to do this is a wonderful honour, far more valuable and significant than any civic ceremony in a town or city. No city gate with a ceremonial, but otherwise useless, key can ever match up with a real key that can open the only door that really matters. 

If we pilgrims open our hands this morning, can we see the key to God’s Kingdom resting there? If not, we have only to ask God, and He will place it there. There are many duplicates of this key available, and there is one marked with our name. So, the question is: “What am I going to do with this key today?” Just hanging it on the key rack in our hall is not an option. We have access to God’s Kingdom, and with it comes the responsibility of unlocking the door for anyone else who is lost and unable to find it. Perhaps we should pray this prayer today:

Dear Father God. I have in my hand the Key to Your Kingdom. Please lead me today to anyone who is looking for the Door so that I can lead them to it, by sharing Your Good News about Jesus. Thank You. Amen.

The Pilgrims’ Tombstones

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“This is what the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, said to me: “Confront Shebna, the palace administrator, and give him this message: “Who do you think you are, and what are you doing here, building a beautiful tomb for yourself— a monument high up in the rock? For the Lord is about to hurl you away, mighty man. He is going to grab you, crumple you into a ball, and toss you away into a distant, barren land. There you will die, and your glorious chariots will be broken and useless. You are a disgrace to your master! “Yes, I will drive you out of office,” says the Lord. “I will pull you down from your high position.”
Isaiah 22:15-19 NLT

There was a man in Jerusalem named Shebna, who was the palace administrator. It appears that he was neglecting his duties, instead building himself a “beautiful tomb”, presumably because he thought things in Judah and Jerusalem were not going to end well, and he would soon end up dead. Quite how his dead body would be interred in his “beautiful tomb”, with everything else going on, was not made clear in this part of Isaiah’s oracle. However, his plans were pointless because, unfortunately for him, God’s message through Isaiah was that Shebna would be taken into exile “into a distant barren land” where his death would follow, accompanied by the destruction of his chariots. In the short term, however, the Lord said that He “will drive [him] out of office”, demoting him from his prestigious position as palace administrator. Speculating, perhaps Shebna hoped that his “beautiful tomb” would become a monument in Jerusalem, promoting him as a great man for future generations. This was a brief cameo of the events in Jerusalem through Isaiah’s eyes, with the Holy Spirit bringing revelation, and a human story about a particular person’s reaction to the mayhem unfolding in and around Jerusalem. 

Shebna hoped to be remembered as a great man in his city, which perhaps suggests a question: “How will we be remembered in future generations, if at all?” And, come to that, would we want to be remembered at all? Near where I live, there is Dunfermline Abbey, the resting place of kings at a time when Dunfermline was the religious capital of medieval Scotland. Perhaps the most famous was King Robert the Bruce, who was interred in the Abbey in 1329, and whose name adorns the tower over the 19th-century Abbey church, which is located at the East end of the original 12th-century church building. The surrounding graveyard is populated by the remains of a number of local dignitaries and their families, some of whom were involved in Dunfermline’s linen and weaving industry during the 18th and 19th centuries. We therefore have a number of people remembered through their gravestones and other edifices located on the site. But is that how we pilgrims would like to be remembered? A name carved in a block of granite?

Perhaps another question to ask when we consider our legacy of memories is, “During my life, was Christ glorified through me”? We look back to the lives of great men of God, such as Billy Graham and others, men who dedicated their lives to spreading the Gospel. Some men and women gave their lives in God’s service, as we Elim Church members know when we remember the events in 1978 when 13 Elim missionaries were murdered in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). But for pilgrims such as us, quietly doing what God has asked us to do, in our daily lives, as salt and light in our families and communities, how will we be remembered? 

We pilgrims hope to be remembered for a life rooted in love, active faith, and quiet service to others. Rather than seeking personal glory, the core Christian calling is to point toward Jesus Christ and leave a legacy defined by grace, kindness, and perseverance through hard times. Perhaps physical memories will soon fade over the next generations, but our legacies will be recorded in Heavenly realms, one of which is the Lamb’s Book of Life. I also have a thought: once we reach Heaven, through God’s grace, we will find souls there who remember us and the influence we had on their lives while they were here on earth. I’m sure I will find men and women whom I can thank for their influence on me when I was in need of support during my pilgrimage.

But it is how we live our lives now that is important. James wrote, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honour” (James 4:10). Paul wrote, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:3-5). Humility is just one attribute that will underpin our lives on earth and ensure that memories endure. The key is following in Jesus’ footsteps, living the Godly life that He did, with love and compassion toward those around us. 

There are a number of practical ways in which we will be remembered in this life and for future generations. We regularly communicate with our Heavenly Father through prayer, including praying for our fellow believers. And of course, we pray as the Bible encourages us, for our government and for the needs of our societies. We pilgrims also regularly participate in the Lord’s Supper, remembering Jesus and all He did for us, and keeps on doing, day after day. We must also encourage one another, as Paul exhorted us in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing“.

And of course, we pilgrims mustn’t forget that Jesus reminded us of our responsibilities in our neighbourhoods and families. Matthew 5:13-14, “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden”“. However, in the end, it is not about our legacy so much as our standing in Christ that will matter. We pilgrims trust in His grace and mercy for our salvation. It is not about how many times we go to church or how many hours we spend working for a Christian charity. We are saved and will be saved, purely through God’s grace. Shebna was heading for a sticky end because he failed to trust God for his salvation. His focus was on his works rather than God. A warning to us all?

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You that You are a righteous God, and that Your judgment is totally without fault. Amen.

Eat and Drink for Tomorrow We Die

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“… But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago. At that time, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse. But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has revealed this to me: “Till the day you die, you will never be forgiven for this sin.” That is the judgment of the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Isaiah 22:11b-14 NLT

We continue our thoughts on Isaiah’s chapter 22 oracle, reading about what he said would happen in Jerusalem. This appears to be a snapshot of events in Jerusalem on the day he wrote the oracle, with the people dancing, playing, feasting, and getting drunk, rather than responding in tears and remorse. They followed the age-old philosophy, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Sadly, they responded to God’s warning with reckless pleasure. We pilgrims are aware, I’m sure, that one of the signs of a hardened heart is treating serious spiritual matters lightly. Then as now, cultures often respond to uncertainty by seeking greater entertainment, more possessions or constant distraction. It portrays a flippancy that seems inbuilt within human beings, and we find it still alive and well in our societies today. We may have even behaved similarly ourselves. What about someone who gets to the end of the month and finds they have some money left over in their bank account? Perhaps, instead of putting it away for a “rainy day”, they go and spend it on something useless. A mild example, I know, but it illustrates the mentality present in many people.

Of course, some will follow something Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 8:15, “So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way, they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun”. Over the page, he wrote, “So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). But to counter a life based on such thoughts, Jesus told the parable of the Rich Fool, which started with the warning, “… Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own” (Luke 12:15). I’m sure we all know the parable, but there was a rich farmer who, one year, reaped a bumper crop. He tore down his barns so that he could build new and bigger ones, in which he could store all his wheat and other goods. The account continues with the Rich Fool saying, “And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”” (Luke 12:19). The next two verses conclude the story with Jesus saying, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God”. So, there is nothing implicitly wrong with “eating, drinking and enjoying life” as long as it is in line with God’s will. Some people, of course, have a view of God that he is a killjoy who sternly and puritanically forbids all sorts of pleasure. But nothing can be further from the truth. Jesus Himself enjoyed a meal with His disciples. We read in Luke 5:33, “One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”” And in Luke 7:34, Jesus said, “The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’” The key in all that we do is the conclusion drawn by Jesus when He referred to having a “rich relationship with God”.

As we look back in Genesis, we read how God created man and a Garden that He planted with beautiful trees that produced all sorts of delicious fruit. But if that was not pleasure enough for Adam, God then created the birds and animals, and involved the man in their naming. And then came the moment when God created a woman to be his companion. Was that received with grudging acceptance or a “Wow” that reverberated around the Garden? I’ll let you, my readers, be the judge of that! But in the act of creation, God introduced the principle of pleasure. Whether delicious fruit of eating and drinking, it is all part of God’s plan.

Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves how we respond when God provides direction or conviction. Is it with flippant distraction, or will it be with repentance? The Judeans got it wrong, but that is no reason why we should. Our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, and He delights in rewarding us when we respond to Him with trust and obedience.

Dear Father God. Thank You for all the good things that You have given us. You blessings never cease. Amen.

Judeans Living In The Moment

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“This message came to me concerning Jerusalem—the Valley of Vision: What is happening? Why is everyone running to the rooftops? The whole city is in a terrible uproar. What do I see in this revelling city? Bodies are lying everywhere, killed not in battle but by famine and disease. All your leaders have fled. They surrendered without resistance. The people tried to slip away, but they were captured, too. That’s why I said, “Leave me alone to weep; do not try to comfort me. Let me cry for my people as I watch them being destroyed.” Oh, what a day of crushing defeat! What a day of confusion and terror brought by the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, upon the Valley of Vision! The walls of Jerusalem have been broken, and cries of death echo from the mountainsides. 
Judah’s defences have been stripped away. You run to the armoury for your weapons. You inspect the breaks in the walls of Jerusalem. You store up water in the lower pool. You survey the houses and tear some down for stone to strengthen the walls. Between the city walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool. But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago.”
Isaiah 22:1-5, 8-11 NLT

Isaiah provides a prophecy, an oracle, in chapter 22 addressed to Jerusalem. One possible event here is the siege of Jerusalem by King Sennacherib and the Assyrians in 701 BC, since Isaiah experienced it firsthand. Another option is the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 586 BC, during which Isaiah could have prophesied about events yet to occur. Some scholars suggest that Isaiah’s oracle is intended to speak to both events. But this chapter commences with the city in uproar; in fact, it was a “terrible uproar”. There was much revelling going on, as the people within Jerusalem’s walls were partying, eating, drinking and making merry. Some event had occurred to warrant such a celebration, but Isaiah could see something else coming – “Bodies are lying everywhere, killed not in battle but by famine and disease”. So Isaiah’s message was that they should not be “revelling”, but instead they should be sober-minded because of what was to come.

History informs us that the nation of Judah had been overrun and destroyed by Assyrian sieges of the towns. Everyone of any importance had fled to Jerusalem and had been trapped inside the walls by the siege. Isaiah tells the people not to look at him while he is weeping for those who have died. He recalls how loud the noise became from outside the walls as the siege was being established. There was a great racket and loud shouting. Mass confusion fills the air, perhaps inside the city as well as outside. The valleys around Jerusalem were filled with war chariots. The enemy horsemen were right outside the city gates. Judah was uncovered and helpless. What did the leaders do when they knew the siege was coming? They inventoried and distributed the weapons from the armoury. They found breaches in the walls and repaired them. They diverted springs from outside the walls into the city for a water supply. They even tore down houses between the inner and outer walls and flooded that area as a reservoir. They did all they could except for one thing: call out to their Lord God. Isaiah wrote, “But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago”. 

All the preparations carried out by the Judeans were not wrong. In fact, it was wise to do what they did. But their sin was that they trusted in their preparations rather than in the God who had given them wisdom and who ultimately ruled over their future. There is a message for us pilgrims in this as well. There is a difference between preparation and dependence, because God expects us to act wisely, but never independently of Him. The danger is that we can organise our lives so efficiently that prayer becomes an afterthought. There is a proverb that is well worth writing on a Post-it note to stick on our fridges, and that’s “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6). There is another verse that applies both to the Judeans and to ourselves, and that is Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good”. And here’s a bit of wisdom from James, “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil” (James 4:13-16). Of course, James’ advice was too late for Jerusalem in 700 BC, but it is there for our benefit, as we navigate the highways and byways of life in our 21st-century societies. 

Isaiah’s picture of a city that is living in the moment, rejoicing one minute because of battlefield successes, but mourning the next when adversity strikes, is just as applicable today as it was then. We pilgrims are heading for a new world, where the rules and outcomes are different. It would seem to make sense to start living God’s way, but then I’m sure we are already. But nevertheless, when we are tempted to live the way the world around us does, we should pause and find a quiet spot to take stock and pray. As we read a Psalm such as Psalm 23, it sets the scene for the life we should lead, under the direction of the Good Shepherd. His closeness will strengthen us as we rest in His presence. He will lead and guide us and one day will welcome us into “the house of the Lord forever”. And with the Psalmist, we declare, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue [us] all the days of [our] life…”. It surely will.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your care and compassion for us pilgrims. Without You life in this world is impossible. We pray for Your guidance as we journey on, day by day.Amen.

A Message about Arabia

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“This message came to me concerning Arabia: O caravans from Dedan, hide in the deserts of Arabia. O people of Tema, bring water to these thirsty people, food to these weary refugees. They have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and the terrors of battle. The Lord said to me, “Within a year, counting each day, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. Only a few of its courageous archers will survive. I, the Lord, the God of Israel, have spoken!””
Isaiah 21:13-17 NLT

We come to the third oracle that Isaiah wrote about in this, his 21st chapter. This time, the focus is on Arabia, and the references within our verses today contain some local knowledge, with references to Dedan, Tema and Kedar. Arabia was a wilderness territory between Judah to the north and Babylon to the south. The focus is on a group of refugees from a place called Dedan. In Isaiah’s prophecy, these caravanning merchants will be forced off the main roads into hiding among thickets to avoid being captured or killed. Isaiah calls on the people of a town called Tema to bring bread and water for these refugees who have been displaced, likely by the conflict between Assyria and Babylon. Isaiah concludes this chapter by warning that the glory of the people of the Kedar region will be taken away. The Kedar region refers to a powerful northern Arabian desert tribal group descended from Ishmael’s second son Kedar. Known as nomadic tent-dwellers and skilled archers, their wealth and military strength were prophesied to face near-total destruction within a single year. This will all happen because the Lord has deemed it to happen. So Isaiah 21 offers a snapshot that, at least superficially, holds some interest for us pilgrims, but there seems to be little in the way of devotional content that will help us in our own journeys. However, when we consider the human element of this cameo of Middle Eastern life, we can see similarities with world events currently unfolding today. 

There have always been times when people of one region have been displaced to another. In our Western societies, we may move between regions, perhaps for employment opportunities, but most of us have never been forced to move because of famine or war. But such a necessity is with us today, in places in Africa such as Sudan. In the Bible, there is an account of a family from Bethlehem who went to live in Moab. Not far by modern standards, about 50-75 miles, but in those days it would have taken them about 7-10 days to walk it. And we read in Ruth 1:2 that, “The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there”. This was a family who had little choice other than to move because of famine. 

There was another family flight, the time recorded in Matthew 2:13-14, “After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother”. This was another reason for being a refugee, because Herod was intent on eliminating Jesus, who he feared would challenge his cosy life as king of that part of Judah. 

To consider refugees in the UK today, there is much discussion going on about the immigrants who reach our shores in small boats or in other ways. In the main, these are adult males, mostly from countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran, and Somalia. Without a doubt, these are deprived and fractious areas of the world, and to escape them is a priority for those who have been persecuted or disadvantaged by the local circumstances in these countries. But how should we Christians respond amid the political and antagonistic rhetoric currently dominating news reports? I suppose Christians should respond to immigration by balancing compassion for the vulnerable with respect for the law. Biblical teachings emphasise loving the stranger and recognising human dignity, while civic responsibilities involve supporting orderly governance. Because opinions among believers vary widely on specific public policies, the core mandate remains treating every person with kindness and justice

There is an interesting take on this in Leviticus 19:33-34, “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God”. And then we have Zechariah 7:8-10, “Then this message came to Zechariah from the Lord: “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other”.

So, having determined that foreigners (immigrants) are to be treated with kindness and compassion, the challenge for the authorities here in the UK is discerning who is genuinely in need and who is here for more nefarious purposes. And once here, we need to have in place the infrastructure and employment opportunities they need. Prayer is the answer. Prayer for our governing authorities and politicians so that they do what is right for the country as a whole. And we must pray for ourselves, that we respond to those who come to our shores with the kindness and compassion that God has asked of us. And who knows, there may be a practical way we can help, perhaps by volunteering with an organisation that supports those in need after they reach our nation.

Father God. There is much we should be doing to help those in need, particularly immigrants who reach our country. Please lead us, we pray, to make the right response when we have the opportunity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Watchman’s Message: Hope Amidst Darkness

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Guard holding spear on watchtower of stone fortress at sunset

“This message came to me concerning Edom: Someone from Edom keeps calling to me, “Watchman, how much longer until morning? When will the night be over?” The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but night will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.””
Isaiah 21:10-11 NLT

We continue in Isaiah’s prophecy that we find in Isaiah 21, and this time it moves on to Edom. In those days, the Kingdom of Edom was located in the southern Transjordan region of the Middle East, spanning modern-day southwestern Jordan and parts of the southern Negev Desert. It was bordered by the Dead Sea to the north, the Arabah Valley to the west, and the Gulf of Aqaba to the south. The Edomites were a people who were descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. They eventually died out as a separate people, being absorbed into the populations of the nations around them. But here in Isaiah 21, they are still a distinct people, and they appear to be in distress in Isaiah’s vision. 

There is once again a reference to the watchman, and in his vision, Isaiah sees them repeatedly asking the watchman when the night will end. A strange question until we realise that the “night” they refer to is probably a time of oppression from a foreign nation, or some other continually-distressing event affecting them as a people. And they don’t receive a very cheery reply. It went something like, “Yes, the morning is coming, but don’t get too excited because night will soon return”. A rather bleak situation, but one that might resonate with us pilgrims at times. Perhaps we’re going through a tough time with an illness, and our prayers seem to be going no further than the ceiling above our sickbed. Or perhaps that applies to a loved one, a family member, or a friend. Or perhaps we are living in a war zone, such as in Ukraine, and every night we hear the drones coming, the desperate attempts to shoot them down, and then the sounds of explosions. We will get some peace during the day, but then the night will soon return, bringing with it more drones. 

A depressing time for the Edomites, with the people finding themselves on a merry ground of day and night, sadness and joy, bad and good. They eventually ask, “How long will this suffering last?” “When will the grief end?” and, finally, “Is there any hope?” As true then as now, life in this world remains a mixture of joy and sorrow until Christ returns. The ultimate morning has not yet arrived. But we pilgrims turn to the Word of God, and we open our Bibles to an encouraging Scripture, such as Lamentations 3:22-24, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”” Or we might turn to Psalm 121:1-6, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.” 

God knows that at times we go through terrible times of distress. David knew that when he wrote Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”. This “shadow of death” isn’t just for him because we all experience it at times. It is part of human life. But with God with us, we have no need to fear, because regardless of what happens in the valley, one day we will be in His presence. And then one day there will be no more night. Revelation 22:5, “There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” In the previous chapter we find, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away”. And so we pilgrims look forward to a time when we don’t dread the return of the night, a time when the Lord himself will be with us. We pilgrims keep looking up, regardless of our circumstances. We take the long view, as Peter wrote, “But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). 

Dear Father God. In our earthly circumstances, we remember that You are sovereign, and You are the One who holds the key to our futures. Please help us to keep on keeping on in this life so that one day we will have no need to ask when the night will end. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah’s Nakedness: A Symbol of Obedience and Judgment

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“In the year when King Sargon of Assyria sent his commander in chief to capture the Philistine city of Ashdod, the Lord told Isaiah son of Amoz, “Take off the burlap you have been wearing, and remove your sandals.” Isaiah did as he was told and walked around naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “My servant Isaiah has been walking around naked and barefoot for the last three years. This is a sign—a symbol of the terrible troubles I will bring upon Egypt and Ethiopia. For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopians as prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt. Then the Philistines will be thrown into panic, for they counted on the power of Ethiopia and boasted of their allies in Egypt! They will say, ‘If this can happen to Egypt, what chance do we have? We were counting on Egypt to protect us from the king of Assyria.’””Isaiah 20:1-6 NLT

Here is a short but profound chapter in Isaiah, containing themes that, in many ways, continue the previous few chapters, containing as they do prophetic warnings of God’s judgment yet to come. It may be interesting to note for us Scottish readers that the name of King Sargon’s command-in-chief was “Tartan”. However, Isaiah was told to remove “the burlap” that he had been wearing, the idea being to imply shame. It’s highly likely the prophet kept a loincloth on, but nevertheless what he was wearing, or the lack of it, was seen as a humbling state of undress. Given the customs of the day, anyone who saw the prophet in public undressed in this manner would not forget the image.

This was an extraordinary command for the prophet, and he lived this way for three years, becoming a living illustration of God’s impending judgement. He probably endured embarrassment, ridicule, misunderstanding and criticism, yet he obeyed anyway. We pilgrims should note that faithfulness is not measured by public approval but by obedience to God. Sometimes God asks us to forgive when others demand revenge or He asks, even expects, us to remain honest when dishonesty would benefit us. We must speak the truth graciously and wait patiently rather than forcing events. Obedience to God often looks foolish before it proves wise. Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15). How often have we read that short verse without ever realising what it could mean in practice? And yet in our society, there are men and women who are prepared to stand on street corners, giving out tracts or Gospels, or preaching the Good News about Jesus. In the city of Dunfermline, where I live, occasionally a man walks around wearing what is called a sandwich board, displaying a number of Bible verses and encouraging people to turn to God before it is too late. But how would we respond if God asked us to do the same? We could also take note of the faith of men like Abraham and Noah. Hebrews 11:8, “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going”. That was a big ask in those days, to leave a place of comfort and head into the unknown to live in a tent. And then we have the story of Noah in the previous verse, “It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith”. Imagine the hassles he received! And then we have Samuel’s rebuke to Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22, “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams””. Jesus’ command “If you love me, obey my commandments”is something we pilgrims must take seriously.

Isaiah’s near-nakedness symbolised humiliation and captivity, and that was the message that he took to people around him. It wasn’t a brief act carried out on a Saturday afternoon in a shopping mall somewhere. Isaiah’s message was in the public square for three years and his actions would have become well known in his nation, as the word spread around. The people had ample time to consider their positions and attitudes, their sins and evil acts, because God gave them the time. But the inhabitants had a false sense of security, thinking that the Egyptians would come and save them. In our verses today, we read, “they counted on the power of Ethiopia and boasted of their allies in Egypt”. But we find that the Assyrians and the Egyptians themselves would suffer the same fate as the inhabitants of Ashdod. At times like this, we pilgrims should stop and consider where we are placing our own security. 

The image of the near-naked Isaiah in a way points to Jesus. There on the cross we read that He was publicly humiliated as we read in John 19:23, “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom”. Naked on the cross of execution, stripped of His garments, mocked and shamed, Jesus bore all of that for us, and it is the more remarkable that He knew what was coming. Unlike Isaiah, who merely portrayed judgement, Jesus actually bore our judgement.

Isaiah wore the sign of another nation’s shame, but Jesus carried our shame so that we might be clothed with His righteousness. In Hebrews 12:2, we read, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne“. Similarly, we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ”. However, in both Isaiah’s and Jesus’ acts of obedience, something was demanded of the people. That was, they had to accept the message and be obedient to what God required before they could experience the benefits of His grace.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your grace and mercy, and thank You for Jesus, who died so that we would not have to face the consequences of our sins. Now righteous before You, we offer up our praise and worship to You. Amen.

The Highway of Grace: God’s Redemption Plan

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Three riders on camels traveling a winding cobblestone road through desert landscape toward historic fortress near mountains at sunset

“In that day the Egyptians will be as weak as women. They will cower in fear beneath the upraised fist of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Just to speak the name of Israel will terrorise them, for the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has laid out his plans against them. …The Lord will strike Egypt, and then he will bring healing. For the Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas and heal them. In that day Egypt and Assyria will be connected by a highway. The Egyptians and Assyrians will move freely between their lands, and they will both worship God. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth. For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will say, “Blessed be Egypt, my people. Blessed be Assyria, the land I have made. Blessed be Israel, my special possession!””
Isaiah 19:16-17, 22-25 NLT

In our verses today, as we bring Isaiah 19 to an end, we read the phrase “In that day” three times. It’s a day that hasn’t yet arrived, so the prophecy has still to be fulfilled. But it’s a day when Egypt will be blessed along with Assyria, and they both will join Israel in being a blessing to those around them. What an amazing picture of Godly stability in a region where, historically and currently, political instability is the norm. We pilgrims look on at current events in the Middle East and yearn for the days when God’s Kingdom will come to earth “as it is in Heaven”. 

In verse 22 today, we read that “The Lord will strike Egypt, and then he will bring healing”. Judgement will one day fall upon Egypt, but God is there with them, redemptively healing them as they turn to Him. Notice the order of events. God brings punishment to the people in Egypt for their sins, but they turn to Him in response. God then hears their pleas and listens to them, and He heals them. Was this judgment something that only the Egyptians suffered? Not really, because God sometimes has to punish all His children when they stray and behave in ungodly ways. The Bible refers to it as God disciplining His children. Proverbs 3:11-12, “My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights”. These verses were referred to by the writer to the Hebrews, and he wrote, “As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? … For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterwards there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:7, 10-11). God’s purposes are always redemptive. He does not hand out random punishments for minor mishaps just because He feels like it. Sometimes our greatest blessings come wrapped in painful circumstances.

There is another surprise in our verses today. We note that God has brought together Israel, Egypt and Assyria as fellow worshippers. And the surprise doesn’t end there. God refers to Egypt as being His people, a title normally retained for Israel alone. God’s grace will reach far beyond what we expect, but that is why we pilgrims are here. Gentiles by birth, we could never assume that we were God’s chosen people, but then Jesus came to this earth. Paul wrote, “In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us” (Ephesians 2:12-14). We have yet to see this Scripture fulfilled in the nation of Egypt, but, as Isaiah prophesied, it will come.

Isaiah 19:23 from the Amplified version of the Bible reads, “In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship and serve [the Lord] with the Assyrians”. We note that former enemies will be linked by a highway we might call the highway of grace. In the book of Isaiah, the prophet often used highways as symbols of salvation. We remember, of course, that Jesus, through the Cross, built a highway to God the Father, a highway that unites all who believe in Him with fellow believers, pilgrims like us, all over the world. And today we find that the same highway of grace will unite the Egyptians and the Assyrians. 

For us pilgrims today, there may be a message that explains the circumstances in our lives that are causing us some bother. There is always the thought that perhaps God is bringing some discipline into our lives. No one enjoys God’s discipline. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that His correction springs from love rather than anger. Isaiah revealed this beautifully through God’s future dealings with Egypt. God first exposes Egypt’s false securities. Their idols will fail them, their economy will collapse, and their wisdom will prove empty. Yet the story will not end there. The same God who strikes also heals. His purpose is restoration, not ruin. Many believers can trace God’s greatest work in their lives to seasons when cherished plans collapsed or trusted supports disappeared. What felt like judgment became the doorway to deeper faith. God never delights in pain for its own sake. He delights in bringing people back to Himself. So, dear fellow pilgrims, is there an area where God has been unsettling your confidence? Rather than asking only, “Why is this happening?” ask, “Lord, what are You drawing me toward?” Sometimes God removes our dependence on lesser things so we may discover that He alone is sufficient. Our response must be, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant listeneth”.

Dear Lord, when You allow painful circumstances into our lives, please help us to trust Your loving purposes. Please remove every false confidence and teach us to rely on You alone. Thank You that You are the God who not only wounds but also heals, disciplines but also restores. Amen.

Foolish Counsel: Lessons from Isaiah 19

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“What fools are the officials of Zoan! Their best counsel to the king of Egypt is stupid and wrong. Will they still boast to Pharaoh of their wisdom? Will they dare brag about all their wise ancestors? Where are your wise counsellors, Pharaoh? Let them tell you what God plans, what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is going to do to Egypt. The officials of Zoan are fools, and the officials of Memphis are deluded. The leaders of the people have led Egypt astray. The Lord has sent a spirit of foolishness on them, so all their suggestions are wrong. They cause Egypt to stagger like a drunk in his vomit. There is nothing Egypt can do. All are helpless— the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed.”
Isaiah 19:11-15 NLT

What we pilgrims know about the ancient nation of Egypt we obtain from the stories of Joseph and Moses. Joseph’s story commenced in Genesis 35, as the son of Jacob and Rachel. After some skulduggery by his brothers, he ended up in Egypt, initially as a slave of a senior military man in the Pharaoh’s army. From there, and via a prison sentence, Joseph became the first minister in Pharaoh’s government, an extremely important and powerful position. We read about the famine in that region, which extended as far as Canaan, and how Joseph saved the Egyptian people and his own family. The Israelites settled in Egypt, initially as shepherds, but they subsequently became slaves, building Pharaoh’s cities and tombs. It was during that period that Moses was born, and we all know the story of Moses and how he escaped the command of Pharaoh that all boys were to be killed at birth, a staple of children’s books of Bible stories. But the educated Moses got into trouble and was forced to run for his life to the land of Midian, where he married a daughter of the priest there. After about forty years of tending sheep, Moses came upon a burning bush, where God commissioned him to return to Egypt to lead God’s people out into the promised land. In the accounts of the conversations between Moses and Pharaoh, we find more background information that supports the verses we read today from Isaiah 19.

Isaiah’s prophecy refers to the foolish “official of Zoan”. Zoan was a major political and economic centre located in the northeastern Nile Delta region of Egypt. It served as a royal capital and a renowned seat of government, power, and ancient wisdom. So to call its officials “fools”, saying that “their best counsel to the king of Egypt is stupid and wrong”, indicated that there must have been wisdom available that was better than theirs. But of course there was, because God’s wisdom is perfect. James wrote, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere” (James 3:17). But the officials in Zoan had no chance because their human wisdom was lacking, and because “the Lord [had] sent a spirit of foolishness on them, so all their suggestions [were] wrong”. 

Perhaps, as we pause at this point, we look at the decisions our own governments are making in the central and devolved regions of the UK. Regardless of politics and parties, decision-making sometimes looks foolish when we try to view it through the eyes of God and His ways. Sadly, that accusation even extends to our national Christian denominations, but in the end, history will be the judge. In Isaiah’s prophecy, we read, “The leaders of the people have led Egypt astray”, and perhaps the same accusation will be levelled at our governments with the benefit of hindsight.

But the central thrust of the verses before us today is that human wisdom has its limitations. Paul wrote, “As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish” (1 Corinthians 1:19-20). Of course, Paul was referring to the Cross of Christ, considered foolish, offensive and nonsense by the Jews and the Greeks, “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:24-25). But as we read on in the Isaiah 19 prophecy, we find that a day would come when the Egyptians would join with other enemies of God to worship Him, their foolishness replaced by the knowledge of the wisdom of the cross.

We pilgrims should know quite a bit about wisdom, because we need only open the pages of the Bible to find many references to God’s wisdom. For example, there is Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil”. Sound advice, because we know that as we stay close to God, we are assured of living our lives the way He desires for us. There is plenty of “foolish counsel” available in the world today, mostly because a moral compass is lacking. We look on as the debates between different ideologies rage on, bringing much heat but little light into the lives of our fellow citizens. We look on as wars and conflicts blight our planet, bringing misery to so many people. We look on as the various “faiths” each claim its own solution to mankind’s woes. But quietly in God’s corner, kneeling at His footstool, we find the wisdom we need to make our way on our journey to glory. His Word is the only true source of the wisdom we need to counter the foolishness of the godless people around us.

Dear Father God. It is only in You that we can find the words of eternal life and the Source of true wisdom. The world around us may scoff and ridicule, but as we stand firm, we will weather the storms of life, coming into Glory worshipping and praising our wonderful Saviour, Jesus. Amen.