BATTLE WEARY AND RESCUED

PROCLAMATION

“Moreover the Philistines had yet war with Israel; And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines; And David waxed faint.  And Ishbi-Benob, which was of the sons of the giant … thought to have slain David.  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah … smote the Philistine, and killed him.  Then the men of David swore unto him, saying, ‘Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle ...’ ”  2 Samuel 21:15-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  This was near the end of King David’s reign.  He was old and weak, but he did not flee from battle.  His spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak.  David needed help and The Lord God sent someone to help him in his time of need.  David had killed Goliath, (1 Samuel 17:45-51) but he had four sons and one of them, Ishbi-Benob, was about to kill David.  The Lord God sent Abishai to deliver David from his enemy and rescued him from Goliath’s son. (2 Samuel 21:15-17)  From that point on David’s men would not let him go with them into battle.  There were a series of battles to follow, each led be a giant, each of whom was killed by a different on of David’s men. (2 Samuel 21:17-22)

 

APPLICATION

We all have our enemies, some of whom are bigger, stronger, and more powerful than we are.  However, The Lord God is bigger, stronger, and more powerful than all of our enemies, and He will protect us from them and fight our battles. (2 Chronicles 32:8 and Psalm 59:9)  He is our help when we are in need, (Psalm 121:2) and He is our strength when we are weary and weak. (2 Corinthians 12:9)  Thanks be to The Lord God who has given us the victory over all of our enemies in this world through Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)

PLANNED EVIL REBELLION

PROCLAMATION

“And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”  2 Samuel 15:5-6 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  After King David told Joab to bring Absalom from Geshur back to Jerusalem, Absalom stayed in his own house and did not come face to face with the king. (2 Samuel 14:23-24)  Absalom was in Jerusalem for two years before King David sent for him. (2 Samuel 14:28-33)  Then Absalom began to plot to take over the throne beginning by standing outside of the gates to the city and greeting all who came to see the king. (2 Samuel 15:1-4)  He greeted them, kissed them, told them what he would do if he were the judge, and he won the hearts of the people. (2 Samuel 15:4-6)  Later he went to Hebron after sending his men ahead of him to proclaim him king of Hebron. (2 Samuel 15:7-10)  Absalom offered religious sacrifices with invited guests to help his conspiracy gain strength.  He even sent for King David’s adviser, Ahithophel, to be with him to give his position more credibility. (2 Samuel 15:12)  He gained so much popularity with the people that King David and his followers had to flee from Jerusalem for their safety. (2 Samuel 15:13-14)

 

APPLICATION

Not all sins are impulsive acts or random acts of bad judgement.  Some sins are carefully planned and well thought out in advance.  People will often engage others to help the pull off their evil schemes.  Some of the people who are with us one day, can be persuaded to help work against or undermine us.  There is at least one Judas in every crowd, and often there are several of them.  As the song says, “Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend; Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within …” (The Undisputed Truth)  Sometimes, unbeknownst to us, people will use us in their evil schemes to help them deceive others.  Not all business propositions, money making plans, or religious organizations are actually what they are presented to be.  We need to pray for God’s help before we decide who to let into our homes or into our inner circle of friends. (2 John 1:10)  People don’t take advantage of us by accident, it is done intentionally.  We need to pray for God’s protection.

DAVID IS KEPT FROM FIGHTING ISRAEL

PROCLAMATION

“And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, ‘Make the fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle …’ ”  1 Samuel 29:4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  As the Philistines gathered all their forces to do battle against Israel, David and his men were at the rear with Achish and his men. (1 Samuel 29:1-2)  The commanders of the Philistines asked Achish, “What about these Hebrews?”  Achish replied that David had been with him for over a year and had served him well.  The commanders said he cannot go into battle with us, send him back to his home.  Then they said, “Is not this David, of whom they sang … Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?” (1 Samuel 29:3-5)  Achish then told David that while he was pleased with him, the commanders were displeased with him and they will not let him join them in the battle against Israel.  Achish told David to leave in the morning as soon as it is light so as not to upset the Philistine commanders.  The next morning David and his men did as he was told and left and returned to Ziklag. (1 Samuel 29:6-11)

 

APPLICATION

Once again The Lord God “moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.” (Hymn by William Cowper)  He kept David from fighting and killing his own people.  There are times when The Lord closes a door in front of us to protect us from an unseen danger or sin.  “… He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” (Revelation 3:7)  There is no need to stay and continue to look at the closed door.  Move on to the door that He has opened.  If by chance there are no open doors, then praise Him where you are until a door opens for you, and thank Him for protecting you from whatever it was that He kept you from.

PROTECTED BY GOD

PROCLAMATION

“And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, The Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.”  1 Samuel 19:20 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  As Saul’s fear of David grew, he told all of his attendants and his son Jonathan to kill David.  But because Jonathan liked David, he warned him of Saul’s intentions and told him to hide himself. (1 Samuel 19:1-2)  Jonathan spoke with Saul and asked him why he wanted to kill a man who had done good for Israel and had done him no wrong.  After they spoke Saul relented. (1 Samuel 19:3-7)  Then war broke out and David went out to fight the Philistines.  After he defeated them and returned, an evil spirit again came upon Saul and again he sought to kill David with a spear. (1 Samuel 19:8-10)  Again David eluded Saul and escaped.  Saul sent men to David’s house to watch for him but his wife Michal warned him and he escaped.  She deceived Saul and his men by covering an idol in David’s bed. (1 Samuel 19:11-17)  David went to Samuel and told him all that Saul had done, then they went to Naioth and dwelt there.  Word came to Saul that David was there and he sent men to capture David.  However, when the men arrived there, The Spirit of The Lord came upon them and they joined the prophets who were prophesying. (1 Samuel 19:18-20)  Twice more Saul sent men to capture David, and twice more The Spirit of The Lord came upon them and they began prophesying. (1 Samuel 19:21-22)  Finally, Saul went himself to capture David and when he arrived in Naioth, The Spirit of The Lord came upon him and he began prophesying. (1 Samuel 19:23-24)

 

APPLICATION

The Spirit of The Lord God can use our family, our friends, or even our enemies to protect us from hurt and harm.  If we believe in Him and obey His Holy Word, He will keep a hedge of protection around us. (Job 1:10)  Under His wings will He shelter us. (Psalm 91:4)  Once we are His, we are safely within His hands and no one can pluck us out of His hands. (John 10:28-29)  The Lord God protects His own.

THE LORD PROTECTS HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, ‘What mean ye by this service?’  That ye shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of The Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.’  And the people bowed the head and worshipped.”  Exodus 12:26-27 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God told Moses what to say to Pharaoh in order for him to let the people of Israel go free to worship Him. (Exodus 7:1-2)  He also told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 7:3-5)  The Lord God brought ten separate plagues on the land of Egypt and after the first nine plagues Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.  Only after the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn sons, did Pharaoh let the people of Israel go. (Exodus 12:30-32)  The Lord God protected His own people and the Israelites were not affected by any of the plagues. (Exodus 8:22, 9:4, 9:26, 10:23 and 12:12-13)  On the night when the tenth plague killed all of the firstborn sons of Egypt, The Lord God passed over the homes of the Israelites who had the blood of a lamb smeared on the sides and tops of the doorframes. (Exodus 12:7 and 12:12-13)  Even unto this day they still celebrate “The Passover” and explain it to their children. (Exodus 12:25-27)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God protects His people and that includes all believers.  He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  There may be danger all around us, but The Lord God protects believers from dangers seen, and unseen.  That upsetting delay that occurred may have kept us from being involved in an accident.  Sometimes we are involved in accidents but walk away unharmed.  We are blessed in more ways than we can count, and by things that we take for granted.  We may not be in an ideal situation but things could be a lot worse.  We need to acknowledge God’s presence in our lives (Proverbs 3:6) and thank Him for blessing us and keeping us.  Death has passed us by a number of times and we should be grateful for the protective covering of the blood of Christ over our lives. (Exodus 12:23)

 

FOUND AND KEPT AND BLESSED

PROCLAMATION

“And the woman conceived, and bare a son … she hid him three months.  And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes … put the child therein, and she laid it … by the river’s brink … And the daughter of Pharaoh … saw the ark … opened it … had compassion on him … his sister … went and called the child’s mother … nurse it for me … And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son.  And she called his name Moses … ‘Because I drew him out of the water.’ ”  Exodus 2:1-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  During a time when all male Hebrews were killed at birth, (Exodus 1:22) Moses was born and hidden by his mother.  When she could no longer hide him, she put him in a basket among the reeds at the edge of the Nile river. (Exodus 2:1-3)  He was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter who had compassion on him.  His sister, who was watching from afar, asked her if she wanted her to go and get a Hebrew woman to nurse him and she agreed.  Thus Moses was nursed by his own mother but he raised as the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter. (Exodus 2:4-10)  After he had grown up, Moses saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew man and he killed the taskmaster then hid his body in the sand.  The next day he saw two Hebrew men fighting and he asked the one that was wrong why he was beating his fellow Hebrew.  The man asked Moses, are you planning to kill me as you did the Egyptian? (Exodus 2:11-14)  When the Pharaoh heard of this, he sought to kill Moses, but Moses fled to Midian.  There he married Zipporah one of the daughters of Reuel and raised a son. (Exodus 2:15-22)

 

APPLICATION

In the midst of hard times and danger, The Lord God will make a way.  He protects, and He provides, and He prepares a path with provisions when all seems lost.  As we look back over our life we should be able to see the hand of God orchestrating the events.  We need to acknowledge Him in all of our ways and pray that He will direct our paths in the future. (Proverbs 3:6)  We should be grateful for the protection which He has afforded us by giving His angels charge over us. (Psalm 91:11)  “O give thanks unto The Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.” (Psalm 107:1)

AND THE LORD GOD SHUT HIM IN

PROCLAMATION

“And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.  And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him; and The Lord shut him in.”  Genesis 7:15-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Noah built the ark and did everything just as God had commanded him to do. (Genesis 6:22)  Then The Lord God told him to take his family and go into the ark.  He told him to take with him into the ark a pair of every kind of animal, male and female.  He was also told to take seven pairs of every clean animal. (Genesis 7:1-3)  God told Noah that in seven days He would cause it to rain for forty days and nights and kill every living creature on earth. (Genesis 7:4)  Noah did as The Lord God had commanded.  He was six hundred years old when the rain flooded the earth with water. (Genesis 7:5-6)  After Noah and his family and all of the animals had entered the ark, The Lord God shut him in. (Genesis 7:7-16)  It rained for forty days and nights.  The flood waters covered the mountains by more than fifteen cubits, or about twenty feet. (Genesis 7:19-20)  Every living thing on earth died except for those that were within the ark. (Genesis 7:21-23)

 

APPLICATION

When Noah entered the ark, The Lord God shut him in. (Genesis 7:16)  I always thought that Noah and his sons closed the door of the ark, and I wondered how they could close it tight enough to keep the flood waters out.  Then I read that God closed the door.  It was God who sealed him in the ark and protected him from the flood.  Nothing was getting in or out of the door that God closed.  God can close doors that no man can open. (Job 12:14)  He can also open doors that no man can shut. (Revelation 3:8)  Whether they be to doors of protection or to an opportunity, when God closes the door, it is closed.  When God seals us in we are protected.  When God saves us we are saved.

  

JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND MEN

PROCLAMATION

“Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward Him … Andrew … said, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish …’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ … about five thousand men were there … Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.  He did the same with the fish.  When they had all had enough to eat … they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves …”  John 6:5-13 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to the Apostle John and written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the feeding of the crowd of five thousand men. (John 6:1-13, this is also recorded in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:32-44, and Luke 9:10-17)  This is the fourth public miracle that was performed by Jesus, The Christ.  Jesus used a poor boy’s lunch, He blessed it, gave it to His disciples who distributed it among the crowd, and they fed five thousand men in addition to the accompanying women and children. (Matthew 14:21)  When all of them had eaten what they wanted, the disciples gathered up the left-over food and collected twelve baskets full. (John 6:13)  That was more than they had when they began.  They collected that which was left over so that nothing given from God would be wasted. (John 6:12)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God has the power to provide all that is needed.  In the beginning He made something out of nothing. (Genesis 1:1-31 and John 1:1-4)  A little in the hands of Jesus, The Christ, is more that a lot in the hands of others.  Here Jesus multiplied the contents of a boy’s lunch and fed a crowd of more than five thousand.  Everyone in the crowd was not a believer (John 6:66) but He blessed them all.  He fed this group physically, then later declared that He was the bread of life (John 6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 6:51, and 6:58) in order to feed them spiritually.  We need to believe and partake of His body and His blood. (John 6:53-58)  We can do this symbolically by partaking of The Lord’s Supper, Communion, when it is offered in our local church.  We do this in remembrance of Him until He comes again. (1 Corinthians 11:24-25)  The Lord God has all power.  Not only did Jesus, The Christ, feed the five thousand, He walked on the water across the Sea of Tiberias in the midst of a storm, and He also allowed the apostle Peter to walk on the water. (Matthew 14:26-32)  Just like Peter, we will do fine as long as we keep our focus on Him.  We will only start to sink, as Peter did, when we focus on our situations and not on Him.  He is our provider and our protector.  He is truly all that we need.

 

PROTECTED BY AN ANGEL OF THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“When they had gone, an angel of The Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.  ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill Him.’ ”  Matthew 2:13 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  After the birth of Jesus, there came wise men, the Magi, from the east to worship Him. (Matthew 2:1-2)  When King Herod heard these things he was disturbed.  He gathered together the chief priests and the scribes and sought information from them regarding the place of the birth of Christ.  They told Herod that the prophets said that Christ would be born in Bethlehem and the Magi told him the exact time of His birth based upon the time the star appeared.  Herod told the Magi to let him know the exact location of the child so that he could go and worship Him, but he really wanted to kill Him. (Matthew 2:4-8)  The Magi left Herod and went to the place where the Christ-child lay.  They worshiped Him and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Afterwards they left and returned to their country by a different route, having been warned by an angel of The Lord not to go back to King Herod. (Matthew 2:12)  Joseph, Mary’s husband, was also warned about King Herod by an angel of The Lord and he took Mary and the Christ-child to Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-15)  The Christ-child was protected from an unseen danger by an angel of The Lord.

APPLICATION

It is clear that in this verse, and in this chapter, the “angel of The Lord” was protecting The Christ-child.  It is also clear that as believers we have angels watching over us. (Matthew 18:10)  When we are under attack, there are a host of angels surrounding us and ready to come to our defense. (2 Kings 6:17)  We have guardian angels who protect us from dangers seen and unseen.  If we are a child of The King, then we have His protection day and night.

A PROMISE OF PROTECTION FOR HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“ ‘Do not be afraid, Jacob My servant, for I am with you,’ declares The Lord.  ‘Though I completely destroy all nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.  I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’ ”  Jeremiah 46:28 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and which he proclaimed to the people of Judah.  The promise of protection which He previously made to a person, Baruch, (Jeremiah 45:5) He now makes to the people of Israel. (Jeremiah 46:27-28)  This promise only applies to the remnant of believers within the remnant of the rebellious people who fled to Egypt against His word. (Jeremiah 44:28)  The Lord God said that He would never forsake them.  His words of comfort to them (Jeremiah 46:27) is a repeat of the words which He spoke earlier. (Jeremiah 30:10)  Egypt, which had frequently encroached on other nations is now about to be encroached upon by the nation of Babylon. (Jeremiah 46:25-26)  His people will be spared but they will be punished. (Jeremiah 46:28)

APPLICATION
When we obey The Word of God and do what He says for us to do, He will bless us, protect us, preserve us, and provide for us.  His protection will keep us safe through the disasters that are going on around us.  He will protect us from dangers seen and unseen.  We may be punished for our sinful disobedience, but we will not be utterly destroyed. (Amos 9:8)  As believers we need to pray and confess our sins, and ask to be forgiven, because He is faithful and just, and He will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)   

PROTECTION AMID DISASTER

PROCLAMATION

“… For I will bring disaster on all people, declares The Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.”  Jeremiah 45:5 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and which he told to Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote the words that Jeremiah dictated to him which he later read to the people of Judah.  “The Lord, The God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me’ for The Lord has added grief to my sorrow. (Jeremiah 45:1-3)  But The Lord has told me to say to you: “I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted … but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.” (Jeremiah 45:2-5)

APPLICATION
When we obey The Word of God and do what He says for us to do, He will protect us, preserve us, and provide for us.  It does not matter what is happening around us.  If we focus on Him and not on the stormy chaos around us, then He will place a hedge of protection around us and keep us safe through the storm.  He will protect us from dangers seen and unseen.  There are many benefits and blessings that go along with being obedient to His Word.  So, let us obey God’s Holy Word and live.

GOD'S PROMISE OF PROTECTION

PROCLAMATION

“While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of The Lord came to him: ‘Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, This is what The Lord Almighty, The God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill My words against this city, words concerning disaster, not prosperity.  At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.  But I will rescue you on that day, declares The Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear.  I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in Me, declares The Lord.’ ”  Jeremiah 39:15-18 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After Jeremiah was pulled from the cistern he was again confined to the courtyard of the guard. (Jeremiah 38:13)  He was back in prison.  While he was there The Lord God spoke to him and told him to give a message to the Ethiopian Ebed-Melek.  The city would be attacked and destroyed but The Lord God was going to save him because he trusted in Him. (Jeremiah 39:15-18)  Ebed-Melek had helped the prophet of God when he was in trouble. (Jeremiah 38:7-13)  The Lord God also made a way for Jeremiah to escape all harm during the attack on the city.  Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to the commander of his imperial guard not to harm Jeremiah.  In fact, they were told to look after him and to do whatever he asks. (Jeremiah 39:11-14)

APPLICATION

Even when things are going bad all around us, The Lord God can save us and protect us from all harm.  He can use whomever He wants in order to accomplish His purpose.  The Lord God also blesses those who are a blessing to others. (Proverbs 11:25)  Helping a child of God in their hour of need will result in a blessing for you later on down the line.

THE PROPHECY OF THE TWO BASKETS OF FIGS

PROCLAMATION

“This is what The Lord, The God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.  My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land.”  Jeremiah 24:5-6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  After Jeremiah had complained to The Lord God and cursed the day that he was born, King Zedekiah sent two priests to Jeremiah to inquire of The Lord God for them as they were under attack. (Jeremiah 21:1-2)  He repeated the prophecy of destruction and captivity by the Babylonians. (Jeremiah 21:3-14)  Then he went to the palace and prophesied destruction and captivity to the king of Judah. (Jeremiah 22:1-30)  After that he prophesied against the shepherds who were destroying and scattering the people of Israel, (Jeremiah 23:1-8) and against the lying prophets who were deceiving the people with false prophecies. (Jeremiah 23:9-40)  Then The Lord God showed him two baskets of figs, one good and ripe and the other was bad and could not be eaten.  The basket of good figs represented the good people in exile whom He would save.  The basket of bad figs represented the people whom He would destroy. (Jeremiah 24:1-10)

APPLICATION
Even in the midst of death and destruction The Lord God will make a way out of no way for those who believe and who have a good heart. (Jeremiah 24:7)  He will never leave us or forsake us, (Hebrews 13:5) the problem is that we turn away from Him.  If we are obedient and keep our faith in Him, then He will look after, protect, and provide for us regardless of what is going on around us.

GOD'S CONDITIONAL PROTECTION FOR THE RIGHTEOUS

PROCLAMATION

“Therefore this is what The Lord says: ‘If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve Me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be My spokesman.  Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.’ ”  Jeremiah 15:19 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  After The Lord God told Jeremiah that He was going to destroy the people of Israel because they had repeatedly rejected Him, (Jeremiah 14:10-12) He said that He would not change His mind about them even if Moses and Samuel appeared and asked Him to spare them. (Jeremiah 15:1)  After He repeated what He was going to do them, Jeremiah asked The Lord God to protect him from his persecutors and He said that He would protect him. (Jeremiah 15:15-21)  Jeremiah was unpopular with the king and the people because they did not like the messages from God that he delivered. (Jeremiah 15:10)

APPLICATION

We are blessed by The Lord God in so many ways, but there are some additional blessings that we will receive only if we do that which He asks of us.  If we humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, (2 Chronicles 7:14) and if we repent, and speak that which is worthy, (Jeremiah 15:19) then we will receive His special blessings.   

THE LORD WILL GUIDE US AND SATISFY OUR NEEDS

THE LORD WILL GUIDE US AND SATISFY OUR NEEDS

PROCLAMATION

“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”  Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the people of Israel through the prophet Isaiah.  Here He presents the things which they are doing wrong with respect to fasting, praise, and worship. (Isaiah 58:3-7)  Then He presents the good that would happen to them if they would do the right thing.  This is followed by a series of “if … then …” statements which present some conditional blessings which they could receive. (Isaiah 58:8-14)

APPLICATION

Our fasting, praying, and worship does not mean much when afterwards we go about doing the same sinful things, or when we fight with our brothers and sisters afterwards. (Isaiah 58:3-4)  It is as if we do not take our time with Him seriously.  It is not possible for us to leave a serious encounter with The Lord God and be exactly the same as we were before the encounter.  Time spent with Him changes us (Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26) and we are transformed into new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  We do not become perfect, but we become less sinful.  If we follow in the direction that He leads us, then we will stay on the straight and narrow path. (Matthew 7:13-14)  He will protect us, provide for us, and strengthen us along our Christian journey.  The Good Lord wants to bless us, but He also wants us to do the right things.  If we would heed His counsel and obey His word, our lives would be much better.

GOD'S PROMISES TO HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“This is what The Lord says, He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: ‘Do not be afraid, Jacob, My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.’”  Isaiah 44:2 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

In this chapter The Lord God speaks to His people through the prophet Isaiah and He tells them that they are His chosen people and that He will help them. (Isaiah 44:1-2)  He promises to bless them as He blesses the land with rain. (Isaiah 44:3-4)  Then He tells them of His power and warns them regarding the worship of idols. (Isaiah 44:6-20)  Then He repeats that He made them and tells them that He has forgiven their sins and has redeemed them. (Isaiah 44:21-22)  He promises to deliver them from their enemies, to rebuild their cities, and to restore them. (Isaiah 44:23-28)

APPLICATION

The Lord God knows every detail about us.  He knows our thoughts, spoken words, and actions.

 It was He that created us and formed us while we were in our mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13-16, Isaiah 44:2 and 44:24)  He is all powerful (Matthew 28:18) and He has promised to help us, (Psalm 46:1) to protect us, (Psalm 91:4) to preserve us, (Psalm 31:23) and to restore unto us all that is taken from us. (Isaiah 57:18 and Jeremiah 30:17)  We are His chosen people and we need to act like we belong to Him.  God’s promises can be conditional.  He said, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)  Remember who we are and whose we are.

THE LORD GOD IS OUR HELP

PROCLAMATION

“So do no fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Here The Lord God speaks to Israel through the prophet Isaiah and tells them that He will strengthen them, help them, and protect them.  He reminds them, and all of the surrounding nations, that He cares for them. (Isaiah 41:1-9)  He encourages them and tells them that He will protect them. (Isaiah 41:10-20)  Then He presents Himself as the only one and true God by showing what He has done which the idol gods cannot do. (Isaiah 41:21-29)

APPLICATION

The Lord God has done for us things that no one or nothing else could ever do.  From our creation in our mother’s womb and our birth, (Psalm 139:13-16) to keeping us alive and safe though all of the years of our life.  He has protected us from our enemies and provided for our needs, and He will continue to do so. (Isaiah 41:10-14)  This promise is not just for Israel, it is for all believers.  This promise is not earned; all we have to do to receive it is believe.

THE LORD GOD WILL FIGHT OUR BATTLES

PROCLAMATION

“Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You, Lord, are the only God.”  Isaiah 37:20 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Isaiah does not present the prophecies in chronological order.  After earlier talking about the Battle of Armageddon and Heaven on Earth, here in chapter thirty-six the prophet Isaiah repeats some history of Judah and prophecies which were presented previously in The Bible Book of Second Kings (2 Kings 18:17-37) and in The Bible Book of Second Chronicles. (2 Chronicles 32:9-19)  To recount the events, King Hezekiah had been faithful to The Lord God, but he still came under attack.  The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, invaded Judah, and laid siege to some of the fortified cities. (Isaiah 36:1)  Sennacherib sent a message to Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem attempting to discourage them by ridiculing their king, their army, and their God. (Isaiah 36:2-20)  Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, prayed to The Lord God and He sent down an angel from heaven who killed all of the fighting men, commanders, and officials in the Assyrian camp. (Isaiah 37:14-38)

APPLICATION
The Lord God did not say that just because we believed in Him that we would not be attacked, or go through storms, or have troubles.  What He said was that He would never leave or forsake us, (Hebrews 13:5) and that He would fight our battles for us. (2 Chronicles 32:8, 2 Kings 19:34 and Isaiah 37:33-35)  He may not calm all of our storms, although He has the power to do so, (Mark 4:39) but He will be with us and protect us as we go through the storms. (Psalm 91:4) He also said that in the end the victory would be ours. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  It does not matter what kind of trouble that we have which is causing us to suffer now.  It will be short-lived because our joy is coming. (Psalm 30:5) 

THE DELIVERANCE OF GOD'S PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“In that day, ‘Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, The Lord, will watch over it; I water it continually.  I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it.”  Isaiah 27:3 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

The prophet Isaiah continues his prophecy herein regarding the deliverance, provision, and protection of the people of God. (Isaiah 27:1-3)  In this chapter Isaiah metaphorically recounts the history of Israel from warfare to exile and even references their idol worship. (Isaiah 27:4-11)  The chapter ends with a reference to the second coming of Christ and the gathering up of all those who believe in Him. (Isaiah 27:12-13) 

APPLICATION

If the truth be told, not only will The Lord God take care of us in the future, “In that day …,” He took care of us in the past and He is taking care of us now.  He has delivered us out of prior storms, made a way out of no way, provided for us when we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from, and protected us from dangers seen and unseen.  We ought to thank Him for all that He has done, is doing, and will do in the future.  Praise His holy name.

IF GOD IS WITH US THE OPPOSITION DOES NOT MATTER

PROCLAMATION

“But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.”  Ezra 5:5 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

In chapter one of The Bible Book of Ezra, Cyrus the king of Persia issued a proclamation which allowed the Israelites to be released from their captivity and return to Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1-4)  In chapter two there is a listing of the men of Israel who came up from the captivity of the exiles and returned to Judah. (Ezra 2:1-67)  Chapter three records the beginning of the rebuilding of the altar and the temple of The Lord. (Ezra 3:1-13)  Chapter four details the events which led to the opposition to, and stoppage of, the rebuilding of the temple of The Lord during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia. (Ezra 4:1-24)  In Chapter five, with Darius king of Persia and under the direction of Haggai and Zechariah the prophets of God, the Israelites resumed the rebuilding of the temple. (Ezra 5:1-2)  There was still opposition to their work, but The Lord God was with them. (Ezra 5:3-5)  The Israelites appealed to Darius, who found the original decree from Cyrus and he also issued a similar decree. (Ezra 6:1-12)  The temple was finally completed, and the Israelites dedicated it to The Lord with a celebration. (Ezra 6:15-16)

APPLICATION

If we walk God’s way and obey His Holy Word, we will be victorious. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  It does not matter who or what stands in our way or opposes us.  The Lord will make a way for us to overcome and succeed when there appears to be no way for that to happen. (Isaiah 43:19)  If The Lord God is with us, no person or thing can stand against us or stop us. (Romans 8:31)