ENGAGING THE WORD TO FIND OUT  THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS TIME OF LIFE

                     A TEACHING BY: ADETAYO BENJAMIN   (SERIES ONE)

It’s not a news that so many of us are asking questions like - “ why are all these challenges happening?”, “could it be that we have done something wrong or some persons are trying to take over the economic power?”, “ is the end already here?”, “ are we really going to come out of this state at all?”

So once again I want to ask, why are all these things happening? The book of Isaiah chapter 59 verse 15 tells us some something that could have been responsible for these occurrences.

Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. (NIV)

Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. (KJV)

Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. (NLT)

Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who tries a better life is soon attacked. The Lord saw all the evil and was displeased to find no steps taken against sin. (TLB)

From this portion of God’s word we can see the following;

Ø  Truth is lacking.

Ø  He who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Ø  There is no justice.

All these things displeased the LORD.

Let’s see what verses 9-12 of this same book of Isaiah has to say concerning this matter.

It is because of all this evil that you aren't finding God's blessings; that's why he doesn't punish those who injure you. No wonder you are in darkness when you expected light. No wonder you are walking in the gloom. No wonder you grope like blind men and stumble along in broad daylight, yes, even at brightest noontime, as though it were the darkest night! No wonder you are like corpses when compared with vigorous young men! You roar like hungry bears; you moan with mournful cries like doves. You look for God to keep you, but he doesn't. He has turned away. For your sins keep piling up before the righteous God and testify against you. (TLB)

I hope we can relate with the word of God as recorded in the book of Isaiah chapter 10, as I truly considered this to be very related to the current situation of our time.

¹ "Woe to unjust judges and to those who issue unfair laws," says the Lord, 2 "so that there is no justice for the poor, the widows, and orphans. Yes, it is true that they even rob the widows and fatherless children.

3 "Oh, what will you do when I visit you in that day when I send desolation upon you from a distant land? To whom will you turn then for your help? Where will your treasures be safe? 4 I will not help you; you will stumble along as prisoners or lie among the slain. And even then my anger will not be satisfied, but my fist will still be poised to strike you. 5-6 Assyria is the whip of my anger; his military strength is my weapon upon this godless nation, doomed and damned; he will enslave them and plunder them and trample them like dirt beneath his feet. 7 But the king of Assyria will not know that it is I who sent him. He will merely think he is attacking my people as part of his plan to conquer the world. 8 He will declare that every one of his princes will soon be a king, ruling a conquered land.

9 "'We will destroy Calno just as we did Carchemish,' he will say, 'and Hamath will go down before us as Arpad did; and we will destroy Samaria just as we did Damascus. 10 Yes, we have finished off many a kingdom whose idols were far greater than those in Jerusalem and Samaria, 11 so when we have defeated Samaria and her idols, we will destroy Jerusalem with hers.'"

12 After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purpose, then he will turn upon the Assyrians and punish them too-for they are proud and haughty men.

13 They boast, "We in our own power and wisdom have won these wars. We are great and wise. By our own strength we broke down the walls and destroyed the people and carried off their treasures. 14 In our greatness we have robbed their nests of riches and gathered up kingdoms as a farmer gathers eggs, and no one can move a finger or open his mouth to peep against us!"

15 But the Lord says, "Shall the axe boast greater power than the man who uses it? Is the saw greater than the man who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand is moving it? Can a cane walk by itself?"

16 Because of all your evil boasting, O king of Assyria, the Lord of Hosts will send a plague among your proud troops and strike them down. 17 God, the Light and Holy One of Israel, will be the fire and flame that will destroy them. In a single night he will burn those thorns and briars, the Assyrians who destroyed the land of Israel.

18 Assyria's vast army is like a glorious forest, yet it will be destroyed. The Lord will destroy them, soul and body, as when a sick man wastes away. 19 Only a few from all that mighty army will be left; so few a child could count them!

20 Then at last those left in Israel and in Judah will trust the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, instead of fearing the Assyrians. 21 A remnant of them will return to the mighty God. 22 But though Israel be now as many as the sands along the shore, yet only a few of them will be left to return at that time; God has rightly decided to destroy his people. 23 Yes, it has already been decided by the Lord God to consume them. (TLB)

                                                           

From verse 1 to verse 4, we can see the prophet Isaiah declaring the stand of God Almighty regarding the evil that has dominated the nation. In verse 4b, the word of the Lord says; for all of this (evil) his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. (ESV)

                   

From verse 5 to verse 11, we saw how God said he will used Assyria to bring punishment upon this godless nation, he will enslave them and plunder them and trample them like dirt beneath his feet. In fact, God called the Assyrians the whip of HIS anger and HE said his military strength is HIS weapon.

From verse 12 to verse 19, we saw that God later brought punishment upon the king of Assyria. Prophet Isaiah told us in verse 12 that when the Lord has finished all his work on mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. (ESV)

See how The Living Bible put it, After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purpose, then he will turn upon the Assyrians and punish them too-for they are proud and haughty men.

My Father in the Lord told us that his Father in the Lord told them many years ago that Satan was on God’s pay-roll.

In the same vein, we can see that this king of Assyria is on God’s pay-roll. God said concerning this king of Assyria that after HE had used him to accomplish HIS purpose, then HE will turn upon the Assyrians and punish them too. WHY? Because they are proud and haughty men.

If you read from verse 20 to verse 34, you will find the promise of safety made by God to the remnant of Israel and Judah.

From verse 20 through verse 23, it was spelt out that only a remnant of the children of Israel (the people of God) will be left at the end of the punishment that is coming upon them.

TO BE CONTINUED……………………………..