Day 197 – Isaiah 13-17

Talking Points

• The account speaks to a coming “day of the LORD,” referring to a day of reckoning and judgment by God. In the Old Testament, there were several such days. Listen to God’s own description: hearts will melt, people will be terrified, pains and anguish will take hold. In Hebrews, it says, “For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (10:30-31).
• Isaiah sees a vision of the destruction of Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Damascus, and Israel – all nations who had persecuted Judah.
• There is no one like the Most High, and to try to self-exalt and to seek His glory brings about His righteous punishment.

Thoughts

When we read the sobering descriptions of the hand of God “stretched out against” sinners, it should lead us to love “the God of [our] salvation… the rock of [our] refuge” (Isaiah 14:26, 17:10). You see, this just and severe punishment is what was due me. Paul reminds us, in Titus 3:3-7, that “we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Oh, the kindness and love of our God and Savior! It has appeared — it appeared in the Person of Jesus Christ!

Our astonishment and thankfulness as we consider what we have been saved from should also stir in us a deep, unquenchable urgency to proclaim the saving grace of Jesus Christ to the masses.

God, forgive me when I have been silent in my apathy. Give me strength to be bold and unrelenting.