Key Verse: V6 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
1. God is your King
V6 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel,…”
The King is the most powerful person in a country. In Thailand, whoever disobey the king or speak ill of the King shall be punished by the state. The Thai has utmost respect and reverence to their King.
The prophet Isaiah reminded the nation of Israel, their God was the King of all kings whom they must respect and worship. However, Israel refused to obey God, their King, and instead they worshipped idols, and incurred the wrath of God. Hence, Isaiah pronounced judgment on them.
2. God is your Redeemer
V6 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts;..”
During the time of the Old Testament, the happiest moment for a slave was when he was redeemed by someone and freed from the rule of his master. Prophet Isaiah again reminded the people that God was their Redeemer and He freed them from the bondage of the Egyptians. This was the happiest moment of the nation of Israel as they were freed from slavery. However, the nation of Israel soon forgotten their Redeemer, and Isaiah had to warn them again of the impending judgment of God upon them.
3. God is your Everything
V6 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
Isaiah taught the nation of Israel that God was not just their King, their Redeemer but their everything! God was their first as He gave them life, and God was also their last as He was with them in death.
My friends and beloved, do you know the God of Israel? Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died for your sins, and you shall have everlasting life. Call upon God and repent of your sins, and He shall show you great and mighty things He can do in your life for His glory and honor.
Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Prayer of the Week
God, I believe that You are my King, my Redeemer and my Everything.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:30 am
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Key Verse: V2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
1. God is with you through the waters
V2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;…”
God was with Noah, his family and the animals as they drifted in the ark in the waters in Genesis 7. All the rest of the people and the animals outside the ark were drowned and destroyed in the waters. The ark was a symbol of God’s presence and protection over Noah, his family and the animals with them. The prophet Isaiah reminded the nation of Israel that as God was with Noah, his family and the animals through the waters, God shall also be with them during the hard times.
2. God is with you through the rivers
V2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:…”
God was with Joshua and the nation of Israel as they crossed the river Jordan in Joshua 3. The river was at high tide and yet when they stepped onto the river, it went up like a heap, and Joshua and the nation of Israel crossed it dry! The prophet Isaiah again reminded the nation of Israel that their ancestors ever crossed the rivers dry and it did not overflow and drown them. This is another reminder that God is with you during the hard times. Don’t give up, trust God! God is with you!
3. God is with you through the fire
V2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
God was with the three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who refused to worship the golden image that the King of Babylonian had set up in Daniel 3. As a result, the King commanded his men that these three Hebrew men be thrown into the furnace of fire and be burnt to death. While in the fire, the Babylonians saw that there was a fourth man walking beside the three Hebrew men, and all of them came out alive and without any burnt mark! The fourth man was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!
There was this dream that a man had. During the good times, he saw two set of footprints on the sand, his and God. However, during the hard times, he saw only one set of footprint. The man was puzzled and asked God, “God, where were you during the hard times as I saw only one set of footprint?” And God replied, “The one set of footprint was mine and I was carrying you through the hard times!”
Prayer of the Week
God, please help me to know that I am not alone as you are with me all the time.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:29 am
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Key Verse: V16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”
“Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”
The hymn writer of “Amazing Grace,” John Newton, knew what it was like, for him to be forgiven of his sins. He was a wicked slave trader who treated human beings like commodities for his own gains. He could not care how these poor and suffering slaves felt when they were sold like commodities until one day God saved him and he saw himself as a wretch who desperately needed the Lord Jesus to be his personal Savior.
1. The blind shall see
V16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them,…”
The prophet Isaiah preached to the people that the blind could see. He was not talking about physical blindness but spiritual blindness. The people could see their material blessings but they could not see that the giver of these material blessings was God. The people enjoyed their health but they could not see that the giver of health was God. The people enjoyed their family and loved ones, but they could not see that the giver of their family and loved ones was God.
2. The blind shall know
V16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.”
Have you ever wonder why people keep on sinning against God? The people sin against God because their hearts are crooked and wicked. They have no idea how to be straight until God opens their eyes, and for the first time, they see that they are crooked and they need God to straighten their lives.
3. The blind shall praise
V16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”
As the spiritually blind regain their sight, they praise God for His power and presence.
Prayer of the Week
God, please help me to see that the crooked can be straightened when God is in it.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:29 am
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Key Verse: V10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10 is one of the most precious promises of God assuring His people, the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, that He was with them all the time including bad times. What a privilege and honor to know that God is also with His people, the Christians in the New Testament, all the time including bad times.
1. Fear Not
V10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee:…..”
Are you fearful of losing your health, loved ones, job, career, etc? The prophet Isaiah and the people at that time were no different from us in this 21st century. They were fearful of the impending attack of their enemies; the Babylonians, the Assyrians, etc. They feared for their lives and the lives of their loved ones, spouses, children, parents, friends, neighbours, etc. Thank God that He was with the nation of Israel, and He is also with His Christians in this 21st century. God shall never forsake us and He shall be with us in life and even in death, as we shall see Him in Heaven one day!
2. Worry Not
V10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;…”
Do you worry about tomorrow and the future? We worry daily as though God cannot provide our needs and take care of our health and family. Hence, God assures us in His Word that He is our God and He shall strengthen and help us. What a privilege and honor to know that God is on our side and how can we worry! When we are weak, God shall strength us. When we are in difficulty, God shall help us. Trust God, He knows best!
3. Sin Not
V10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Is your heart right with God? One of the main things, if not the only thing, is that our hearts must be right with God. God is righteous and we, His people, must also be righteous. We fear and worry because we doubt God’s presence, power, protection and providence.
Food for Thought
Stress free is when we fear not, worry not and sin not.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:28 am
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Key Verse: V31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Of all the activities in life, waiting is one of the toughest if not the toughest of all. We will rather choose to do anything or everything than to just wait upon something or somebody. This was the reason why God commanded His prophet, Isaiah, and His people, the nation of Israel, to wait upon Him, in good times and bad times. Waiting was the hardest thing for Isaiah and Israel, yet this was what God commanded them to do!
1. Be Waiting
V31 “But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles …”
Have you seen an eagle in full flight? The eagle renews its strength by waiting upon the air current to get them high into the air. In fact, the eagle soars magnificently and majestically in the midst of an impending great storm. This is a great application to our Christian life. As we face life storms, let us wait upon the Lord and trust Him to bring us above our life storms.
2. Be Running
V31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary;…”
Have we been running with our own strength? Many including Christians have been running on our own strength. As a result, we get wearied, tired, and alas, we burnt-out! As in the rat-race in society, we run in circles to climb the corporate ladder. The higher we climb, the more pressure and stress we face. The race seems unending and we get tired and wearied. Indeed, there is no end to the rat-race unless we run our life with the strength of God.
3. Be Walking
V31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Have we been walking with our own strength? Some of us may not be running, but we are walking and struggling in life. No matter how much we walk and struggle in life, we shall be tired, weary and faint, if we walk in our own strength.
Food for Thought
Waiting is a spiritual exercise only for the godly.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:27 am
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Key Verse: V8 “Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days."
Hezekiah, King of Judah, had hundred of friends yet he chose Merodach-baladan as one of his closest friend and showed him all his treasured possessions!
Who was Merodach-baladan? Merodach-baladan was the King of Babylon, a heathen nation that denied the true and living God. In fact, Merodach means rebel and baladan means anti-God and Merodach-baladan means rebellion against God. What a name!
1. Be Careful
V1 “At that time Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.”
V2 “And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shew them the house of his precious things,…”
Hezekiah was so touched by Merodach-baladan’s concern of his health, that he accepted him as his best and trusted friend, though Merodach-baladan was from Babylon, the evil nation who hated God. Hezekiah must have been flattered by Merodach-baladan’s sweet get-well letters and a present which must be an expensive one.
Proverbs 26:28 “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.”
2. Be Humble
V4 “…And Hezekiah answered, All that is mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.”
How proud can a person be? King Hezekiah showed off all his treasures to Merodach-baladan, who was about to launch his attack upon Hezekiah and his kingdom, Judah. Hezekiah in his pride failed to see that behind the flattering letters and attractive present of Merodach-baladan was a wicked heart waiting to destroy him and his kingdom!
3. Be Selfless
V8 “Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.”
How selfish can one gets? King Hezekiah was more concerned of himself than his children, grandchildren and descendents. Instead of repenting his sins of pride and expressing remorse and sadness, he was glad that the judgment of God would not be in his reign!
Food for Thought
Be careful of a flatterer.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:26 am
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Key Verse: V2 “Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,”
Hezekiah almost died in sickness and he prayed to God, and God gave him 15 more years! Some people believe that God has already a plan for our life, whether be it our lifespan, life partner, family, career, etc, and we need not pray but just take everything by faith from God. However, from the example of Hezekiah and many other examples in the Bible, we realize that prayer is an integral part of a Christian life. Indeed, prayer is a real test of how much faith and trust we have in our Almighty God.
1. Life extended
V3 “And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.”
Once Hezekiah received the news from prophet Isaiah that he was to prepare himself to die, Hezekiah did not panic or questioned God, but he immediately prayed. The reason why God answered Hezekiah was that he was a spiritual, mature and humble king. When we face crises and even death, let us not panic or question God, but let us immediately pray to God and search our hearts that we be spiritual, mature and humble, and God shall answer our prayers according to His perfect will.
V5 “Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days 15 years.”
2. Sins forgiven
V17 “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.”
The best answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was that his sins were forgiven! The best comfort and assurance for all Christians is to know that our sins are forgiven and that we are the children of God and are righteous before God because of Christ.
3. City delivered
V6 “And I will deliver thee and this city out of thy hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.”
Not only Hezekiah’s life was extended and his sins forgiven, his city was delivered from the most aggressive and mighty Assyrian army at that time.
Food for Thought
Work as though everything depends on you and pray as though everything depends on God.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:26 am
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Key Verse: V15 “And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying,”
Do you panic and worry when crises come into your life?
V11 “Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?”
Assyria was a powerful nation as they had destroyed all the lands that they invaded. Now they were planning to attack Judah and in every one’s mind, Judah shall surely be defeated by this great and powerful nation. Could Judah overcome the great army of Assyria? In terms of numbers, chariots, weapons, etc, there was no way that Judah could withstand the invasion of Assyria. What could the king of Judah, Hezekiah do?
1. Seek God
V15-16 “And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.”
Hezekiah sought God and prayed to the God of heaven and earth. Hezekiah knew that the God who made heaven and earth was in control of everything in his life and his kingdom. Nothing escapes the eyes of God. God knows who are our enemies and the chief of all our enemies is none other than the devil. Hence, Hezekiah, first priority was to pray to God.
2. Seek Godly Men
V21 “Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:”
Besides praying, Hezekiah sought godly man, Isaiah, as to how he could handle the crisis of the Assyrian invasion. You need to seek wise counsel and advice from godly men, who walk close to God, and they will be able to give you some advice as well as pray for you.
3. Submit to God
V36 “Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
Hezekiah submitted to God in his crisis and God destroyed the Assyrians!
Food for Thought
God is the answer to all our crises.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:25 am
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Key Verse: V7 “But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?”
Hezekiah was a godly King. In spite of the great kingdom of Assyria threatening to invade and destroy Judah, Hezekiah stood firm and trusted the Lord, his God.
1. The world shall fail
V6 “Lo, Thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.”
Egypt is the world system of finance, trade, commerce and military might. Many in this world trust the world for their careers, jobs and even future, however the world system shall fail them. No matter, how solid Wall Street and the financial system of the world are, they shall collapse one day. No matter, how solid the trade and commerce of the world are, they shall collapse one day. No matter, how solid the military powers of the world are, they shall collapse one day.
2. Man shall fail
V10 “And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.”
The man, Rabshakeh, lied when he said, The Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.” No one teaches a child how to lie, but it is in our human nature to lie, because we are born with a deceitful and wicked heart.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
3. God never fails
V21 “But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not."
Hezekiah, the godly king, knew that Rabshakeh would provoke his representatives, and hence his advice to them was to be silent and not argue with the enemies. Indeed, silence is golden and let us remember to trust God and be still and silent when we are provoked by our enemies.
Food for Thought
Trust God as He never fails.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:22 am
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Key Verse: V6 “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”
Have you been in the desert? I have just been in the desert in California and it was hot and dry and you wish that are showers of blessings from the sky. As we continued travelling in the desert for a long time, we began to see green shrubs, bushes, trees besides streams of water. Though the prophet Isaiah prophesied this passage in view of the future millennium where Christ shall reign as King of the earth, it is timely for us to know that God is the Stream of Water in our current desert of gloom and doom.
1. When there are Streams there is Hope.
V6 “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”
The Lord Jesus is the Hope of the Stream of Water in the desert of the current doom and gloom.
John 4:14 “But whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting life.”
2. When there are Streams there is Holiness.
V8 “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”
The Lord Jesus is the Holiness of the Stream of Water in the desert of the current evil and wickedness in this world. We see evil and wickedness prevailing everywhere and holiness is now a rare commodity and character of any individual including Christians.
2 Timothy 3:1-2 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”
3. When there are Streams there is Happiness.
V10 “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’
The Lord Jesus is the Happiness of the Stream of Water in the desert of sadness and sorrow in this world. No one except Jesus can give you true happiness and everlasting joy.
Food for Thought
Come to the Stream of Water and you shall never thirst again!
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:22 am
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