That We May Know That You Are gods

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That We May Know  That You Are  gods

The time frame  of the prophet Isaiah (740 B.C. ),  was a troublesome time  in Israel.      The people of Israel  were giving up  worshiping the LORD  and turning to idols  of all sorts.      So,  the LORD was disciplining Israel  by sending enemies  to fight against them.      In spite of  God’s discipline,  those Israelites  continued worshiping idols  of stone and wood.     Through the prophet Isaiah,  the LORD challenged  the worthiness  of these idols  in the mythical claims  that they had more power  to help Israel  than God Almighty  had.      In Isaiah 41:21-24,  the LORD says,

“Present your case,”  the LORD says.
“Bring forward  your strong arguments,”
The King of Jacob says.
Let them bring forth  and declare to us  what is going  to take place;
As for the former events,  declare what they were,
That we may consider them,  and know  their outcome;
Or announce to us  what is coming.
Declare the things  that are going to come  afterward,
That we may know  that you are gods;
Indeed,  do good or evil,  that we may anxiously look about us  and fear together.
Behold,  you are of no account,
And your work  amounts to  nothing;
He who chooses you  is an abomination.

The idols of wood,  stone,  and myths  are challenged  to  “announce to us what is coming“,  but they can’t announce anything,  because they are  nothing but the imaginations  of mere men,  carved out of wood  and stone.      How can people imagine  that idols they carved  have any power to  “do good or evil“?      They can’t do anything,  so why  should the Israelites  “anxiously look about us and fear together“?

The bare bones truth  of the whole matter  is,  “Behold,  you are of no account,  and your work  amounts to nothing;  he who chooses you  is an abomination.”

It certainly is an abomination  to hang onto the lies  invented by man’s imagination — and fancy  that those lies  need to be respected,  feared,  honored,  and worshiped.      But,  even in this modern world  of technology,  people are still doing  that very same thing.      People are foolishly  and stubbornly  imagining  that various idols,  philosophies,  mystical chants,  prayer wheels,  and religious rituals  have the power  to help them  in their lives.

But,  these ancient religions  have never had the ability  to  “do good or evil“ — they have never had  the power to foretell  the future,  or do a work  of any kind.      All this is why  it is an  “abomination”  to put one’s hope  in them  or depend on them  to actually answer prayer.      Those who insist on  worshiping  and depending on  what is false  will have to face  the consequences  of God’s eternal judgment.

Why?      Because  it is an abominable  and blasphemous sin  to deny the reality  and truths  of the LORD God Almighty — and trade them in  for a bunch  of worthless lies.      If we don’t love truth,  our character  is morally corrupt.      Those who love  to wallow  in moral corruption  will have to face  damnation  on Judgment Day.

When the world tempts us  to wonder  about the authenticity  of idolatrous practices,  we truly need  to flee  to the authority  of God’s word  for the truth  we need.      In the Bible  we can see  how God’s prophecies  do come true.      There we see  how God’s power  has saved His faithful  and destroyed His  enemies.

If we want peace  and strength  for the day,  only God  can give that  to us  through faith  in Christ Jesus.      Resting in His word,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord,  thank You  for opening our eyes  to Your proven worthiness.      Keep us safe  in Your everlasting arms.”

Love,
Margaret

 

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

at 123hallelujah.wordpress.com

see the calendar in the right hand column

for past devotional posts.

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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