AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Thursday – December 16, 2021, Tevet 12, 5782
A SNARE
Greetings dear and precious saints and those who are fighting against being saints in the Kingdom of God. We love you all and there is nothing you can do about it. Welcome to our ongoing study of the precious Bible Book of Isaiah. Please take a moment and share these teachings as widely as possible to expand our reach with this wonderfully good news of the Kingdom. The beautiful featured picture today of Donna and me was taken by precious friends, Jeff and Denise Stiewig, at The Oasis on Lake Travis in Austin Texas. Denise was there to do a Women’s Conference on Friday and Saturday evening, and Jeff did the Sunday morning service. Wonderful ministry and fellowship. Before we dive into the Bible Study, I want to bring a couple of things into your thinking.
If you are not already a financial partner with us, I want to take this opportunity to invite you to join with us in our mission, our calling. Perhaps you don’t want to become a monthly partner but want to make a one-time year-end contribution that is welcome as well.
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It seems to me that the Lord wants me to remind us all once again about a Word, really a challenge, an admonition, from the Lord, I shared a few weeks ago. He said: “My people are reluctant to challenge their paradigms”. A paradigm is basically a person’s way of thinking, speaking, and doing. This is applicable to groups and organizations as well (like our Church). The Noah Webster 1828 dictionary defines a paradigm as an example; or a model. Other dictionaries define paradigm as a typical example or pattern of something; a model. In our spiritual world that would include how we pray, how we conduct a Church service, and so on. Let us take the Lord’s challenge seriously to examine our thoughts, our words, and our ways. We are to look diligently for the Bible example of everything we think, speak, and do. If it is not God’s paradigm, then whose is it? Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary text continuing to read out loud.
Isaiah 8:13-18 (KJV)
13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
Yesterday we studied how Jesus, the Messiah, the very One the Jews were looking for came and they rejected Him. He was “a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence”. The Apostle Peter addressed this, let’s take another look at that.
1 Peter 2:7-9 (KJV)
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
We also discovered from Romans 11:25-28 that a day is coming when they, the Jews, will recognize the Messiah, their sin will be removed. What a day of jubilation that will be in Heaven and in earth, for Israel will be a nation before God forever. Let’s look at the term a “rock of offence”. An offence is something that causes one to stumble, totter, or waver in their faith. In this case, faith in Christ Jesus, the Messiah. We see the same word in the following verse and the cure to offence.
Psalm 119:165 (KJV)
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
To “love thy law” is to do the Word of God faithfully, which Jesus defined as love of God. When we are in that place we cannot be offended, when we are doing some Word and some of what we think is our own thing (really the devils thing) we can be all too easily offended and stumble in our faith. Now let’s take a look at this word, idea, of a snare. The idea is of a noose about the neck, a trap, the laying of bait. The devils are putting out bait for all of us all the time. If he can get a noose about our neck, he has control of us. Here we see the same word (snare) in another place, see if it sounds good to you.
Judges 2:2-3 (KJV)
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
The other gods in our lives that we serve instead of His voice will bring us into very bad places. What activity or activities, persons or things are gods above the Lord Jesus in our lives? Let us, each one, judge ourselves. Remember, Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest Prophet ever (Luke 7:28) yet he became offended.
Matthew 11:2-6 (KJV)
2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Lord willing, I will pick up right here next week. Remember, we love you and there is nothing you can do about it.
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Until our next publication, as your Bible Teacher and a Prophetic Voice in your life I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, doubt it not, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus’ name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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