Wednesday – August 7, 2024, Av 3, 5784
KEEPING OUR HAND FROM EVIL
Video link: https://youtu.be/oZK2cpk2Hm4
Greetings precious saints of God and welcome back to this study of the wonderfully Prophetic and instructive Book of Isaiah. Please take a moment to share this teaching as widely as possible by every means available to you. The Lord will bless you for sharing. The featured picture today is of the beautiful Old South Church located in Belgrade, Maine.
Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible text continuing to read out loud. Yes, out loud, you know why.
Isaiah 56:1-5 (KJV)
1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
Today I will continue to focus upon the second verse of our primary text and the command to keep our hand from doing evil. First, let’s look at the second verse of our text in the NIV translation.
Isaiah 56:2 (NIV)
2 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
With the use of the word “hand” in our text let’s ask ourselves, is He talking solely about that ten fingered appendage at the end of our arm or is there much more? Yes, it includes this physical appendage on our body but it is much more. Let’s look at the definition of the word “hand”. It is a feminine noun meaning hand, strength according to The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament. First, I want us to notice that in our primary text the word “hand” is feminine in gender. This is important. Whether we use our hand (strength, influence, assets) for good or bad it has the potential to multiply. Good multiples but so does evil. So, we see that the use of the word “hand” is more generally referring to our strength, those things in our power, or under our control. This is the same way the word is used with reference to God. The Hand of God with reference to God is the Holy Spirit. The following passage is a good example of this (verse six).
1 Peter 5:5-7 (KJV)
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Look at what Moses said to the children of Israel just before his death.
Deuteronomy 31:27-29 (KJV)
27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.
29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
Could this just as well have been Jesus speaking to the Church just before His ascension to the right hand of the Father? Yes, the Church as a whole has become utterly corrupted. Concerning the Jews, could Moses have been looking forward in time to their corruption of the Word of God and then the rejection of Jesus?
Lord willing, I will pick up right here tomorrow. Remember, the Lord is good, nothing but good, the other guy is nothing but evil.
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.
PARTNERSHIP – Those of you who are not Partners of this Ministry but you find this ministry to be of value to you and perhaps others with whom you share it, we ask you to consider becoming Partners. A Partner is one who prays for the Ministry on a regular basis and contributes to the Ministry on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, annually). Thank you and may the Lord be pleased with your decision.
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://threeminuteword.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/people/David-Wood/100012265415677
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-wood-d-o-5ab7ba81/recent-activity/all/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PastorDavidWood
WEBSITE: https://www.awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
MY BOOKS: https://www.amazon.com/books (search – Dr. David R. Wood)
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/awakeariseandtriumphministries/
