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Daily Devotion: Isaiah 7:7&9

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Isaiah 7:7    "Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass."                  Isaiah 7:9   "... If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."

"And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it." (Isaiah 7:1)  The names can be difficult to pronounce, but I want to concentrate on the promises of God that are contained within these verses. If I may, I would like to talk about the events and God's promise to the nation of Judah.  Years before this, Israel and Judah had divided. They were not friendly with one another; in fact, they often went to war against each other.  In today's verses, such a battle was taking place. They "... went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it."  Notice those last words, "could not prevail."  The Lord warned the people through Isaiah that this would take place and that it would not stand, or succeed. But then He added something else: "... If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."

God's promise was sure and steadfast. Not one promise of God has ever, nor will ever, fail. God is faithful with all His ways, but the only way you and I can have peace in those promises is by simply believing that God will perform that which He has promised. That's the faith of Abraham. He was "... fully persuaded that, what He (God) had promised, he was able also to perform." We are prone to doubt and panic if we do not believe the promises of God. We will not be established; rather we will be trying to accomplish things on our own power. Jesus told us very directly, "Without me, ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)

 We have been promised eternal life in Christ Jesus. He has secured that promise through His death, burial and resurrection. Satan tries to lure us from that promise, but be assured He can not prevail. Read Romans 8:31-39. But one last assurance that I leave with you today is found in one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." (Revelation 5:5)  Man cannot prevail. Satan cannot prevail. But be assured, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, Jesus stands as that Lamb that was slain. He has prevailed.  Believe that grand truth, for that is our only assurance.

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