Tuesday – August 20, 2024, Av 16, 5784
THE RIGHTEOUS PERISH
Video link: https://youtu.be/6BQ_Pz3al5E
Greetings dear and precious saints, the redeemed of the Lord and welcome back to our study of the Bible Book of Isaiah. Please take a moment and share this and every teaching as widely as possible by every means available to you. The featured picture with geese was provided by our friend and faithful man of God, Joe Getchell Jr. Thank you, Joe. Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible text for today and read it out loud. Yes, out loud, you know why.
Isaiah 57:1-4 (KJV)
1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
There is certainly a lot to take in from these few verses. We have transitioned from the 56th chapter to the 57th chapter however the Bible Books were not written in chapter and verse. These are later additions to facilitate finding and study. The Lord through His Prophet Isaiah is speaking to His people and has just finished describing the dismal condition of His watchmen. Then in the beginnings of this chapter we find the fruit of that condition. These first two verses are difficult, problematic even, in the whole light of Scripture. The innocent suffers from the sin, the negligence of their leaders, the watchmen. Let’s take a look at the Message Bible.
Isaiah 57:1-4 (MSG)
1 Meanwhile, right-living people die and no one gives them a thought. God-fearing people are carted off and no one even notices. The right-living people are out of their misery, they’re finally at rest.
2 They lived well and with dignity and now they’re finally at peace.
3 “But you, children of a witch, come here! Sons of a slut, daughters of a whore.
4 What business do you have taunting, sneering, and sticking out your tongue? Do you have any idea what wretches you’ve turned out to be? A race of rebels, a generation of liars.
I do not believe that we are ordained or that it is ever the will of God that a Christian suffer at the hands of evil forces. However, it is clear that occurs and in fact is described by the Lord Himself in this passage. These things are not the will of God but of evil. These things occur among righteous people who are ignorant of their Covenant and have not stayed in close fellowship with God. They remain righteous but vulnerable to the enemy. Let’s remind ourselves of the Word of Jesus.
John 10:10 (KJV)
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
It seems to me that this verse clearly separates the will of these two opposing forces. As we examine these hard areas of Scripture seemingly out of synch with the whole of Scripture or the character of our God, we need to remember the eternal over the natural.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (KJV)
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The Apostle Paul’s Christian life was filled with much trauma like shipwrecked, stoned, beatings, and imprisonment. Were any of these his assignment, the will of God. Certainly not! However, he called them a light affliction in the view of the eventual glory he would receive. His focus was on the eternal, the unseen realm and not the seen temporal realm and so must ours be.
Lord willing, I will pick up right here tomorrow. Remember the Lord loves us, He is good, and He cannot lie.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
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