A Message for the Nations – Isaiah 34

Bible Passage:  Isaiah 34

We have been reading a lot about judgment these few days and today’s message is for all the nations.  Although Edom was singled out in verses 5-6, God’s righteous judgment will come upon the whole world.  Edom is only one example of God’s judgment on the Gentile nations because of what they have done to His people Israel (v. 8).

A brother remarked that Isaiah is a difficult book to read – much less write about.  And I have to agree.

It is difficult because there are so many prophecies, messages that are hard to simply read and digest.  It is difficult also because it shows us the terrible things that await us if we fall away from God.  It is difficult because we know that many a times, we are just like the evil nations and wayward people of the Lord – who time and time again sinned against God.

So what can we learn today?

“Search from the book of the Lord, and read:
Not one of these shall fail;
Not one shall lack her mate.
For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them.

~ Isaiah 34:16

I am sure when we started the new year, we have many resolutions…. but we find that many a times, we fail in keeping these resolutions.

Why?

It is simply because we have not yet made these resolutions part of our habit.

We are all creatures of habit.  Like it or not.

I get up automatically every day just before 7 am.  Then I go through the same routine of lying in bed for a few more minutes, reading the papers, washing up, getting dressed and then getting onto the bus to work (although today I got up the wrong bus and ended up a long way from work!).  We work, have lunch at the usual place and then come home, have dinner, wash up and do our usual things before bed.

There is nothing wrong with these habits – as long as they are not bad habits.

But we must add one more good habit to our lives – that is to read the Bible daily.

If you are reading this blog posting, I would assume you are doing that.  It is something that we all know we must do – but we fail many times.  It is something we encourage others to do – but unless they want to do it themselves and make it a habit – our encouragement will fall on deaf ears.

God does want a relationship with us. He does want to communicate with us. Reading His Word daily is one way that He can do that.  It takes two to build a relationship.

There are times when we rush through life and we neglect the Word of God.  We need to just slow down for a while and find a time to do it.  For me, it is my lunch time (I usually eat in the office).  For you – you must find a time that is best for you.

Let’s set spending time with our Lord and Saviour, with our Father, as a priority in our lives — stemming from a heart that yearns for a close relationship with the One who loves us with an everlasting love and longs for that relationship as well.

When we read verse 16 again, we also wonder, “Why is God waiting?”  Why does He not take action immediately over the sins of the people?

But I am so glad He is waiting… because “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9).

How much longer will God wait?  No one knows.

But as long as the time is not yet here, we must quickly repent and turn back to Him.

And it starts with us knowing more about Him through His Word.