December 15, 2010

• Isaiah 54 By Pastor Don Moore

  These are notes from a Bible study on October 15, 2010, I am trying to catch up!

  Isaiah 54:1-4 “Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the LORD. “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited. Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.”

  God tells us to not fear.  This passage is very similar to the Prayer of Jabez, echoing the enlarging of territory.  It is a good prayer to pray if you are seeking to enlarge your territory, for special blessings and expanding your ministry.  Do not spare.  Invest in the possibility of the Lord. This is a word of encouragement.  When God gives a God idea, don’t say, “I can’t.”  We think we are not capable, but that is not true.  For if God gives us a God idea, God is going to do it, we don’t do in our own power.  

  God can speak to you through unexpected sources, even a word of correction can be an encouragement.

  To lengthen your cords means to go forth unafraid.  Strengthen the stakes – keep plugged in.  Local churches need to go and start something else.  

  In Living Word Chapel one of our ministries is of fellowship and food. After Sunday Services a meal is provided so that people can sit and talk among themselves, building fellowship. That is important in the Church and especially important as the end times approach.

  Jesus appears three times to the Apostles after His resurrection, and in thee times they were eating together.  The third time Jesus even cooked the food for the Apostles. 

  Verse 4, above is a strong verse, of God being the husband. If you are widowed, divorced, alone, God is your husband and provider.  God speaks in your life and gives direction, and helps with the problems.  God promises that if we step out in faith we will not be disgraced, God will not put us to shame.

  We can forget the reproach of our youth because God took the reproach away.  Stay plugged in and rework yur life.

  Isaiah 54:5  For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. 

  Emotional healing.  God is the Lord of Hosts, of the whole earth, He is capable of doing what He says He can do, no limitations.

  Isaiah 54:6  For the LORD has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,” says your God. 

  God has promised to help us with our worst fear, the fear of abandonment.  God has overcome that.

  Isaiah 54:7  For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. 

  This is spoken to the natural nation of Israel, in particular to those who walk away.  God remains faithful, for a higher purpose.  He can allow us to face the repercussions of our actions, and still keep us and at the right time gather us again.  After we mess up, He will come and get us and put us back together.

  Isaiah 54:8 With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer. 

  God pursues us.  He forgives us.

  Isaiah 54:9  For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. 

  This is a powerful picture!  God is addressing this to Israel and the tribe of Judah, and those who are engrafted into the vine of Israel.  Noah was preserved as the waters overwhelmed the earth, and there was great destruction of those that were evil. God promised never to destroy the earth with water again.  God knows what we’re made up and who we are.  He can handle what we are facing.  If the videotape keeps playing back all that you have done wrong, there may be something demonic in that for that is filled with condemnation.  God is our Savior, Deliverer, and Redeemer.  

  Some teach in error that there will be no rapture, that we will be on earth in the last days but we will not suffer like everyone else in the earthquakes, tornados, etc.  That all will be affected.  But we believe what Jesus says.  He speaks of some staying on earth, and others leaving the earth.  Two will be working in the field, one remains, the other taken up, etc.

  Isaiah 54:10-15  For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has mercy on you.  “O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. 

  Powerful! Remember, we don’t have to take hateful vengeance.  No weapon formed against us will prosper, God will deal with our enemies, for that is our heritage.

  Isaiah 54:16-17 Behold, I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the spoiler to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the LORD.

  You need to read this in context, without verse 16 we don’t see the full meaning of verse 17.  In verse 15-16 God is telling us what He is going to do about our enemy.  God will not be idle.  God created a spoiler to destroy those who bring weapons against you.  

  Genesis 4:5-7 (Cain and Abel)  …but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” 

  If Cain would exhibit right behavior and obedience to God, he would be accepted.  If not, Cain will be ruled by sin.  God set it up.  God will be the strength for us to do well. But sin is waiting, but sin has no authority over us, unless we agree to let satan rule our lives.

  Suffering can be a blessing that inspires us to change.  

  Psalm 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray,  but now I keep Your word.

  God is love.  Love has to exist in the realm of free will.  If there is no free will, you cannot freely choose to love God.  Love is a choice.  Romantic love is a byproduct of true love.  In India the divorce rate is 2%, because parents choose the spouse for their children.

  In verse 16-17 the blacksmith is the Holy Spirit and angels who bring forth an instrument for His wrath.  Creates the spoiler to destroy the enemy’s plans against us.  It is the fire of the blacksmith that brings forth the Holy Spirit (blowing on the fire to increase heat) and bring forth a spoiler by the ruach – breath of God.

  Psalm 91 God sends his angels and they will take vengeance against those who hurt us.  God’s created the fire, and we can draw power from the coals from the fire of God.  The altar of incense uses the coals from the altar of sacrifice to burn the incense which is the prayers of the saints.  

  The fire of the Holy Spirit has two aspects – it destroys the enemy and it builds and purifies

  Our personal fires can destroy, but God gives us a fire that burns away sin and impurity, and makes the whole pure.  God takes away what hurts us, so that we will be strengthened and not weakened.  

  The enemy wants to rob us of God’s plan, seeking to condemn us.  But we have a choice about what to do.  We can choose to live under assault and condemnation or we can choose to focus on God and His plan and Word.  For every constructive plan God has for our lives, satan plans destruction.

  When the enemy attacks us we have to speak the truth of God to counter satan’s lies.  

  In our spiritual battles we need to remember that there are more for us than against us.  But we can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and be outnumbered.  So we need to discern God’s plan for us.

  The truth is BIG GOD little devil.

  I pray that this teaching helps you.  It sure spoke to me.

  Heather

  • 11:57 am
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