Latest / A Chapter a Day Bible Reading / August 14 - Isaiah 21

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August 14 - Isaiah 21 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends, it's Sean here. It is a Monday.
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  It is the 14th of August. Yes, August.
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  Just make sure I get that right. Lovely to have you company as we
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  begin a new week together, reading further through God's
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  Word. And we continue reading in the
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  book of Isaiah. And at the moment we are reading
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  through the section where Isaiah is pronouncing God's judgment on
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  all the nations of the world. And today God's eyes fall upon
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  Babylon, who from the perspective of God's people is
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  this enormous, powerful, mighty empire.
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  And they couldn't even begin to imagine that in a few 100 years
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  they would be walked all over by the Persians, who would replace
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  them. And so God is saying, don't
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  trust your alliance with Babylon.
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  Don't go to them for stability. Come to me to be rescued.
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  Come to me for your permanent place of safety.
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  So this is God pointing out the fallibility of human powers.
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  So join me, friends, as we read together.
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  Isaiah, Chapter 21. This message came to me
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  concerning Babylon, the desert by the sea.
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  Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert like a whirlwind
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  sweeping in from the Negev. I see a terrifying vision.
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  I see the Betrayer betraying the Destroyer destroying.
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  Go ahead, New Elimites and Meads attack and lay siege.
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  I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused.
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  My stomach aches and burns with pain.
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  Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me.
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  Like those of a woman in labor. I grow faint when I hear what
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  God is planning. I'm too afraid to look.
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  My mind reels and my heart races.
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  I longed for evening to come, but now I'm terrified of the
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  dark look. They are preparing a great
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  feast. They are spreading rugs for
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  people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking,
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  but quick, grab your Shields and prepare for battle.
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  You are being attacked. Meanwhile, the Lord said to me,
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  put a watchman on the city wall. Let him shout out what he sees.
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  He should look for Chariots drawn by pairs of horses, and
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  for riders on donkeys and camels.
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  Let the watchman be fully alert. Then the watchman called out.
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  Day after day I've stood on the watchtower, my Lord.
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  Night after night I've remained at my post.
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  Now at last look, here comes a man in a chariot with a pair of
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  horses. Then the watchman said, Babylon
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  has fallen, fallen. All the idols of Babylon lie
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  broken on the ground. Oh my people thrashed and
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  winnowed. I have told you everything the
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  Lord of Heaven's armies has said, Everything the God of
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  Israel has told me. This message came to me
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  concerning Eden. Someone from Eden keeps calling
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  to me. Watchmen, how much longer until
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  morning? When will the night be over?
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  The watchman replies. Morning is coming, but night
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  will soon return. If you wish to ask again, then
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  come back and ask. This message came to me
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  concerning Arabia. Oh caravans from Dadan hide in
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  the deserts of Arabia, oh people of Tema, bring water to these
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  thirsty people, food to these weary refugees.
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  They have fled. From the sword, from the drawn
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  sword, from the bent bow and the terrors of battle, the Lord said
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  to me Within a year, counting each day, all the glory of Qadar
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  will come to an end. Only a few of its courageous
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  Archers will survive. I, the Lord, the God of Israel,
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  have spoken our Lord, from our vantage
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  point, some things around us in life look like such a sure bit,
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  such a firm foundation on which to build our hope.
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  But here we hear your words through your prophet Isaiah that
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  says everything will fall, everything in its time will end
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  except for your mercy, your faithfulness and your goodness
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  for us. Help us always to turn to you.
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  And when it comes time to drop anchor on a solid rock, to hold
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  a steady and the stormy seas of life, let that rock always be
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  you. Let our anchor always find its
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  way back to you. You are our identity.
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  We are your children. You are our hope.
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  You offer us eternal life. You are our companion, with arms
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  wide open and forgiveness ready to be offered.
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  Ah, we thank you for being this incredible and wonderful,
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  eternal and loving God. We lift you up and praise you.
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  And it's in the name of Jesus that we pray all these things.
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  Amen.