preserved

The Servant To Restore Israel

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Thus saith the LORD, “In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee: and I will preserve Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that Thou mayest say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth;’ to them that are in darkness, ‘Shew yourselves.’
“They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.  They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them.  And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted.
“Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted.”
Isaiah 49:8-13

Chapter 49 is the beginning of the Servants song; a prophecy of the work of the Messiah known to most Christians as the Christ. So here we have a prophecy of the Savior of the world, and what He comes to do.

  1. He came at an acceptable time.
  2. He is helped by the LORD, who is His Father.
  3. He is promised to be preserved.  Could that be a hint of His death, burial and resurrection? I believe so.
  4. He is the covenant with the people.
  5. He is given authority to set prisoners free.
  6. He is the light to those in darkness.
  7. He makes a way through the earth, and for life eternal.
  8. He is the source of sustenance, and strength.
  9. He calls people from all nations to Himself.
  10. He brings joy, and singing to the heavens and the earth.

Because the LORD has comforted His people, and will have mercy on the afflicted.

He is still alive, active and still calling the lost to Himself. His name is Jesus Christ, and He is the Son of God who left the glory of Heaven, to become a Man, to die for our sins on the old rugged cross. He was buried, and He rose again.

The Gift of the LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? But as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.” 1 Samuel 30:21-25 (KJV)

In our reading today we read of David being directed to leave the Philistines due to their attacking king Saul and Israel. It was really a God thing.

When David and his men return to Ziklig, they find the city burned, their property, wives, and children missing. David’s men are set to stone him; he encourages himself in the LORD, and prays for God’s direction.

There is a lesson here for us all. Some of the men are weak from war, and being without much to eat, and cannot go on to bring back their stuff. They stay behind and guard the stuff they have; and David and six hundred of his men continue on to retrieve their stuff.

God rewards them with victory over the Amalekites who had destroyed Ziklag, taken their stuff, and their families with more stuff. Some of the evil hearted, underhanded ones of David’s men wanted to keep it all to themselves and not share with those who kept the other stuff they left behind. David would not hear of it.

David says, “Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us” acknowledging that the LORD had given them the victory. He was awarding victory to all of his men; not just those who had gone to the fight.

In the battle Jesus Christ fought alone on the cross, and won, showing the victory in His bodily resurrection He shares the spoils of that battle with all who will believe in Him. Now that is a great reward.

Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Christians we do every Sunday. Let us never forget He lives; even each day that we live, and move and have our being.