The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Isaiah 13-17
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 7: Kings and Prophets: The southern kingdom as God’s people
Background Information: Isaiah 13-17
When Isaiah lived and wrote, it would be a century before Babylon became the world’s superpower. So-called futurists, people who are supposedly skilled at predicting trends, are often very wrong about even the near future, and they can never accurately tell us what is going to happen in the distant future. But Isaiah says that a then nobody of a nation, Babylon, will rise up and control the entire region, and then another nation, the Medes (Persians) will overthrow them. Isaiah is writing in the mid-8th century BC; all this would actually happen in the mid-7th century and beyond. Some who don’t take God or his word seriously say that this was written long after Isaiah’s life and then attributed back to him. Why do they say this? Because of their presuppositions. They say that there is no way a man could know what would happen a hundred years in the future, so Isaiah could not have written it. I agree with them that a man could not know this. However, they also presume that God would not speak and tell Isaiah of future events. Of course, I disagree with that. God, in fact, spoke to Isaiah and told him of the future rise and fall of nations. He told him about how he would protect the line of David and keep his covenant promises in spite of Israel’s sin. He told him that there would be suffering and trouble, wars, and nations falling and rising. God told him that the day would come when Jesus, the promised Messiah, the prince of peace, would come. All this happened as Isaiah foretold, not because Isaiah was so smart, but because God told him it would happen. God was in control of humanity’s future; he controls it still.
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.”
Ps 18:30
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Pray for the work of Mission Trails Church. Mission Trails is the church that the San Diego team has been serving this week. Pray that the church would flourish and grow.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.