My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

Isaiah 30-32

My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. Isaiah 32:18

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continued Lesson 12, moving to Day 4 and part of Day 5, with a focus on Isaiah 32. My commentary notes three main themes:

1. God's Purpose: Noble rules instead of wicked ones (v32:1-8)
2. God's Purging: Judgement clearing the building site (v32:9-14)
3. God's Power: The outpoured Spirit producing a harvest of righteousness (v32:15-20)
   

The commentary goes on to discuss how "rich harvest and peaceful security can be realized on earth to the degree that leaders as well as citizens are filled with Christ's Spirit. They will find final consummation in the new heaven and new earth."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who provides for all of my needs, never leaves or forsakes me, and who is saving a place in Heaven for me.  You and Your Word are a lamp for my feet - I am lost with You.  Thank You Jesus for these and all the blessings You pour out for me.  I am not deserving. My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm. At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us.

Isaiah 14-18

The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm. At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us. Isaiah 17:13-14 

I return to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, on Lesson 7, Day 5 (final day), the focus is on Isaiah 17-18 where I reflect not just on these two chapters but on the lesson overall when looking back on the entirety of Isaiah 14-18.  A key theme that stands out is how nations and kingdoms of the world rise and fall at God's direction - God is in control (Colossians 1:15-17). My Isaiah commentary (from the Christ-Centered Exposition Series) warns believers that: "[t]he nations are restless, full of rage, completely unable to find peace in their wandering rebellion against God. We must not live like that. We must find rest in God alone, trusting in him to give joy and peace, even while we suffer at the hands of such restless empire builders. We must not be faithlessly anxious over the restless churning of current events on earth."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ARE in control and I am grateful that Your hand is in control of my life and I am sealed for eternity by You!  Thank You!  I am not deserving of how You save and protect me.  I sin daily - worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,“‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’-for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Chapter 21: Pages 279-295, Acts 4

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,“‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’-for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. Acts 4:24-28 (ESV)

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) and started Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 4 "Providence Over Kings and Nations" - moving to chapter twenty-one "Human Kingship and the King of Kings". 

Here, Piper builds on Chapter 20 and his use of Daniel 4-5 to provide a wealth of scriptural examples that demonstrate God's providence through human kingship. He details four truths how this occurs:

1. The Most High Rules the Kingdom of Men (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32)
2. All Earth's Inhabitants Are Accounted as Nothing (Daniel 4:35)
3. He Does According to His Will in Heaven and On Earth, and None Can Stay His Hand (Daniel 4:35)
4. The Breath and Ways of the King Are in the the Hand of God (Daniel 5:23)

The greatest takeaway of course is that "[w]ithout God's providence over wicked authorities, there would be no gospel. The murder of the Son of God is pivotal in providing our salvation.  Christ did not die randomly.  It was planned. His death was a God-orchestrated travesty of justice that his enemies hoped would get rid of his influence."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who sent His Son to die IN MY PLACE!  The greatest gift of all time.  Thank You!  Yet, I am completely undeserving of such love and such a sacrifice. I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and the community.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.

Chapter 20: Pages 271-279, Daniel 4-5

Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. Daniel 4:25

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) and started Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 4 "Providence Over Kings and Nations" - moving to chapter twenty "Israel's Divine King is King of the Nations". 

Here, Piper introduces the topic of God's providence in kingships and nations.  He describes the Old Testament as using Abraham and Israel to demonstrate providence through a single man and nation - Israel - yet God's intent even then was for Abraham to be "father of many nations (Romans 4:13-17)" implying that eventually, through the line of Abraham, all nations (Jews and Gentiles) would compose the church and this church would no longer focus on a single ethnic, political, or geographic nation. Therefore we are to see God's providence as connecting the Old and New Testaments. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is so full of love, compassion, mercy for me - I am undeserving.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet my sin, worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.