Monday, December 13

Isaiah 8:16-9:1

Psalms 41, 44, and 52

2 Peter 1:1-11

Luke 22:39-53

Isaiah 8:16 – 9:1

Wait and Hope for the Lord

The Lord had hidden his face from the descendants of Jacob. Isaiah was His messenger and prophetic voice. The Lord said through Isaiah that his two children would be signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty. The children had prophetic names. One would be named Shear-Jashub, a remnant shall return. The other child was named Maher-Shala-Hash-Baz, quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil.

The Lord was angry with the Israelites because they trusted in men and not in Him. Does this sound familiar? Sometimes it seems easier to trust in what we see with our physical eyes than to see in the spirit. The Israelites were warned not to consult mediums and spiritists – not to consult the dead on behalf of the living. When they were looking around them they were not looking up to the most High God and they were drawn deeper into the whirlpool of darkness.

There was a third child promised. His name would be Emmanuel – God with us. The darkness they were living in would be turned to light. The light would come from the most unexpected place; the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. Originally the Lord had allowed utter desolation to come upon those lands as they were the first invaded by the Assyrians.

The light of Jesus Christ came to Gallilee by the Sea, and He did shine brightly from those once darkened lands, as His ministry took place there. When we are totally devastated we need to wait and hope for the Lord. He is able to renew and restore us. He will come and shine His light and love from our hearts. We can help those that live in darkness through His Holy Spirit living in us.

We wait and hope and believe for the triumphant return of Jesus lighting up the skies with His magnificent glory.

Joyce Westlake