A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (May 1, 2017)
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32)
The Book of Isaiah is an amazing compilation of prophecies made some 2700 years ago by one of the greatest of God’s prophets. He dealt with the past, present, and future. He looked down the corridors of time and prophesied of the coming of Jesus over 700 years before the birth of Jesus. It’s amazing to me how relevant the prophecies of Isaiah are today. For example, the following warnings made to the House of Israel could just as well apply to our own culture today:
Their land is full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands; They declare their sin as Sodom; They rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; They call good evil, and evil good; They are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight; They regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands; They have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel; Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
And yet, with all these things going on, Isaiah repeatedly prophesied the following, “His hand is stretched out still.” God’s heart was still for His people, as it is still for all His people today. Isaiah looked down the corridors of time and saw “Hope” and prophesied the following 700 years before it ever happened:
He will lift up an ensign (standard, sign) to the nations from far; The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us); For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace; And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord; Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
I encourage you to read the Book of Isaiah for yourself. The examples that I used are just a very small sample of Isaiah’s description of Jesus. It is just amazing to me that over 700 years before the birth of Christ Isaiah knew Jesus. He knew His mission. He knew His characteristics. He knew His titles. Isaiah was just a man, listening to God. He had tapped into the Spirit of God. I ask you again, how important is it for us to be able to hear the voice of God?
