Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Isaiah 28:21

Copyright Ó 2015 J. Neely
Isaiah 28:21

21 For the LORD [Y@hovah] shall rise up [quwm] as in mount [har] Perazim [p@ratsiym], he shall be wroth [ragaz] as in the valley [`emeq] of Gibeon [Gib`own], that he may do [`asah] his work [ma`aseh], his strange [zuwr] work [ma`aseh]; and bring to pass [`abad] his act [`abodah], his strange [nokriy] act [`abodah].   KJV-Interlinear

21 For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work!   ESV

God often times demonstrates His great power and wisdom within the scope of the rapid destruction of great armies or peoples, who presumed themselves as undefeatable, and yet God can bring anyone or anything to their knees is short order.

David pursued and destroyed the Philistines in the valley of Perazim, 2 Sam. 5:20; 1 Chron. 14:11.  And Joshua destroyed the Amorites in the valley of Gibeon as God made the sun and moon stand still, Josh. 10:10.

And the suddenness of these defeats, brings attention to God and His infinite mercy and power and especially judgment.

And, Isaiah quotes these events just to demonstrate that it has happened once and again, the so too it can happen again, and again.

For Jesus Christ is God, and the person who executes the activities of history, controlling history for good, and never for evil.

But sooner or later, the Jewish people will turn against God and then that same suddenness will fall on them.

And strange as it may seem, that God generally destroys the enemies of His people, He will still apply justice against His own, if they turn against truth, and need a good shaking up.

And the whole principle of this verse is that the suddenness and the overwhelming result, are there not only to punish, but to impress on the minds of people, regarding their errors as well as just who Christ is, and what they have brought upon themselves.

Too often it takes a huge and overwhelming event to get the attention of people.  And just like the stubborn mule, it takes quite a hit between the eyes to get his attention.  And even then, sometimes it is not enough.  Thus judgment comes along with mind boggling fury, before people even know what they have been caught up in.

And so it will be with the Jewish people in that last generation in the Tribulation.  And so it is with many individuals throughout history as they face the inevitable judgment or decision, related to their life.

God is merciful, but Gods patience sooner or later runs out, and when that happens, then the speed and thoroughness of judgment is faster than any person can possibly contend.

Your best and only protection against being a victim, is to genuinely pursue your spiritual life as God has defined it, and intends for you. 

For anything less, is simple pretense or indifference or games that you play, fooling only yourself.