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August 31 - Isaiah 33 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends. It is Sean.
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  Here it is Thursday. It is the last day of the
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  season. It's the end of August, and
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  spring is tomorrow or autumn, wherever you find yourself on
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  this fair planet of ours. And we are continuing through
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  Isaiah. And it is a lot about war at the
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  moment and these Syrians bearing down on this teeny tiny little
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  nation of Judah. And in our current climate, we
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  we think of what's happening in Eastern Europe with the Russians
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  invading the Ukrainians. And you know, we, we hear about
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  the president of Ukraine approaching countries saying,
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  please, can you help us? Can you give us things that will
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  help us in this battle? And it's quite amazing to think
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  that we are the the president of our own lives.
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  And who do we go to when the chips are down and the oppressor
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  is oppressing, Where do we turn to get our supplies to get what
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  we need? And this section of Isaiah just
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  encourages us that the place that we turn to is our God, who
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  is always ready and willing to help and in fact has already won
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  the war. So let us hear what Isaiah is
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  going to continue to speak to them about Assyria as we read
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  together Isaiah chapter 33. What sorrow awaits you as
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  Syrians who have destroyed others but have never been
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  destroyed yourselves? You betray others that you have
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  never been betrayed. When you are done destroying,
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  you will be destroyed. When you are done betraying, you
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  will be betrayed. But Lord, be merciful to us, for
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  we have waited for you. Be our strong arm each day and
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  our salvation. In times of trouble.
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  The enemy runs at the sound of your voice.
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  When you stand up, the nation's flee.
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  Just as caterpillars and locusts strip the fields and vines, so
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  the fallen army of Assyria will be stripped.
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  Though the Lord is very great and lives in heaven, he will
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  make Jerusalem his home of justice and righteousness.
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  In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich
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  store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.
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  The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.
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  But now your brave warriors weep in public.
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  Your ambassadors of peace cry in bitter disappointment.
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  Your roads are deserted. No one travels them any more.
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  The Assyrians have broken their peace treaty and care nothing
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  for the promises they made before witnesses.
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  They have no respect for anyone. The land of Israel Wilts in
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  mourning. Lebanon Withers with shame.
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  The plain of Sharon is now of wilderness.
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  Bashan and Carmel have been plundered.
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  But the Lord says, now I will stand up.
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  Now I will show my power. And might.
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  You, Assyrians, produce nothing but dry grass and stubble.
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  Your own breath will turn into fire and consume you.
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  Your people will be burned up completely like Thorn Bush has
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  cut down and tossed in a fire. Listen to what I have done.
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  You nations far away and you that are near acknowledge my
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  might. The sinners in Jerusalem shake
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  with fear. Terror seizes the godless.
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  Who can live with this devouring fire?
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  They cry. Who can survive this all
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  consuming fire? Those who are honest and fair,
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  who refuse to profit by fraud, who stand far away from bribes,
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  who refused to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their
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  eyes to all enticement to do wrong.
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  These are the ones who will dwell on high the rocks of the
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  mountains will be their fortress, food will be supplied
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  to them, and they will have water in abundance.
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  Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor, and you will
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  see a land that stretches into the distance.
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  You will think back to this time of terror, asking where are the
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  Assyrian officers who counted our towers?
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  Where are the bookkeepers who recorded the plunder taken from
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  our fallen city? You will no longer see these
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  fierce, violent people with their strange, unknown language.
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  Instead, you will see Zion as a place of holy festivals.
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  You will see Jerusalem, a city quiet and secure.
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  It will be like a tent whose ropes are taut and whose stakes
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  are firmly fixed. The Lord will be our mighty one.
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  He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can
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  cross, that no enemy ship can sail upon.
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  For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our King.
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  He will care for us and save us. The enemy's sails hang loose on
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  broken masts with useless tackle.
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  Their treasure will be divided by the people of God.
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  Even the lame will take their share.
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  The people of Israel will no longer say we are sick and
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  helpless, for the Lord will forgive their sins.
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  You are an awfully big God, so much bigger than we can imagine.
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  And we read about your engagement in this time and
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  place so long ago and so far away in the history.
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  Yet there you were, as vivid, as real, and as engaged as you are
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  today in our life and every other point in history, passed
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  and yet to come. You are an enormous God, so much
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  bigger than we can imagine. But here you are in this time
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  and place, with us, wings stretched around us, to gather
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  us in like little chicks in their protection of their
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  mother's wing. Thank you for your closeness,
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  for the intimacy of your love and protection, that each day
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  you carry us through the trials, the burdens, and the victories.
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  You are incredible in ways that we just can't wrap our heads
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  around, but we'll take it. We are grateful and we love you.
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  We praise you. And all this in the name of
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  Jesus. Amen.