By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
FRIDAY
THEME: EVEN ISAIAH HAD HIS SHARE
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 54:10
“For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”
REFLECTIONS
Isaiah was one of the prophets who had a unique call. Being variedly gifted, he was foremost a preacher of righteousness. He warned without mincing words and drew attention to the salvation found in only God. He denounced any form of evil but always gave hope to the sinner. In Isaiah 1:16-17, he urged his audience, “[16]“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, [17]Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.” In verse 18, he repeated God’s invitation of hope to the sinner: “[18]“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” His ministry led people to obtain grace from the Lord.
Isaiah was called to be a prophet. In a vision, he saw his own nakedness and sinfulness, but he was purged. When God asked: “Who shall I send, and who will go for Us?” he responded, “Here am I! Send me.” His ministry was difficult because he denounced sin without fear or fervour. Isaiah’s life was a sermon. His family, especially the names of his two sons, were symbolic of the message he bore to the people (Isaiah 7:3; 8:1-4). However, he sealed his ministry as a martyr. He experienced a gruesome and sad death. Tradition has it that he was sawn. At the command of Manasseh, he was put in a hollow tree and sawn asunder (Hebrews 11:37).
For Isaiah, our confidence should be placed in God, not humans or authorities. We will be safer to seek God’s counsel and trust him than to trust in kings and princes. Like the psalmist (Psalm 118:8,9), Isaiah 30:1-2 warns, “[1]“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin; [2]Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice, To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!” Our frustrations and failures would be reduced and we will have strength to bear our challenges if we seek counsel from God. Remember that God is “wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance”- Isaiah 28:29. Abiding in God and He abiding in us is our surest security.
Christians today suffer from complacency, which is one of the dangerous strategies of the enemy to keep us oblivious to the import of what is happening around us, leading to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Our hope of victory is in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that we will be discerning. Isaiah 32:15 announces, “Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.” Isaiah 44:3 reveals, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring.” Beloved, trust in the Lord, for He has promised in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” The Lord be your keeper. Amen!
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 515 – The Lord Is My Light” – Songs of Everlasting Joy
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His loving care; thank God for messages of hope to strengthen you; pray to endure and witness for Jesus Christ;
– Pray for Christians who suffer persecution, trials, and tribulation; pray for those who are struggling in sin to find safety in Christ;
– Pray for Christians to be sermons for the world to appreciate God; pray for gospel workers, young people who are committed to evangelism, young missionaries, and peers witnessing to peers;
– Pray for the nation, its people, philanthropists, workers, students, security and health personnel, and pray for the mourning, the sick, and the lonely; pray for strangers, the poor, and the homeless.
