WEEKLY READING FOR JUNE 26 - JULY 2

JUNE 26

Micah 3
This passage lists something unthinkable – cannibalism, which people normally do not do. We can equate another thing that is unthinkable – spiritual leaders who are doing abominable things.  This would be spiritual cannibalism - quenching the Spirit's fire. God’s Word is very clear about what He considers abominable.

The prophets of Micah’s day were leading the people astray. God says He will take away their prophetic abilities. 

Micah 3 describes the “falling away” of the apostate church. Rulers and leaders, prostituting themselves as they accept money and bribes, are telling the people things the people want to hear. I think we've been warned about that, haven't we???

Some great words are written concerning the COMING OF MESSIAH in Micah 4 in the last days, a reference to the Millennium with the temple in Jerusalem and the restoration of Israel.

In Micah 4 are these words.
All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

As Believers in Jesus we must stand firm in our faith and walk in His name, no matter that other people all around us are bowing to false"gods".  And we will do this for eternity!

And another passage refers to the birth of Messiah in Bethlehem. His “origins are from of old from ancient times.” gives us the message that God the Son was with God the Father from the beginning. Pretty clear!

"And he will be their peace." 
Jesus IS the peace!

captivity of the people as a foreshadowing of the eventual Day of the Lord (the wrath of God).

"Therefore the Lord's anger burns against his people."

There are consequences for God's people rejecting His command and His Word.  Notice it says, HIS people.  What were the people doing to cause God's anger to burn against them?  Isaiah tells us in chapter 2 verses 19-21.  They were worshiping their silver and gold, just as we today, worship our "gods" of money, possessions, etc.

What did God say would happen to the people of Israel?

"...the LORD Almighty is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support; all supplies of food and all supplies of water."

God did just that to Israel. Nebuchadnezzar cut off supplies of food and water from the people who had taken refuge in the city of Jerusalem.  If we continue in our wicked ways, major catastrophes can happen.  If a coronal mass ejection from the sun hits the earth today with electromagnetic pulse accompanying it, electronics will no longer work, and civilization will be ruined.  An electromagnetic pulse can also be accomplished by a high-altitude thermo nuclear explosion. Time is short and getting shorter.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.

Indeed, let us reason together.  He tells us in His Word to follow His commands and to turn away from other "gods" and back to Him. Repent, so that times of refreshing may come.  We can read about times of refreshing in Isaiah 4 and Isaiah 2. This is how things will look in the Millennial Kingdom.

The Branch of the Lord is mentioned in A SPIRITUAL RESTORATION.  The Branch?  Is this the remnant, the Believers?  As in John 15:5 - "I am the vine, you are the branches..." Or is the Branch Jesus Himself?

"Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD."

Come, O believers in Jesus, let us walk in His light."

Oh, what an unbelievably compelling ending to today’s reading. The imagery is incredible! Isaiah was allowed to see the throne of the Lord in the heavenly temple. Isaiah knew he was in the presence of the Lord and he knew he was unworthy. He lamented, “Woe to me!” and “…my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

He no doubt was very familiar with this Scripture:

Exodus 33:20
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Isaiah knew he would not be able to look upon the face of God and live. But he wasn’t looking upon the face of God, the Father. John identified the glory that Isaiah saw. He saw God, the Son!

John 12:41
Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.

I (Patti) have always been drawn to the verse, “Here am I. Send me!” As a teen-age Christian I thought God was speaking to me about being a missionary in a foreign land. Some 50 years later I have come to understand just what being a missionary really means and it has little to do with going to a foreign land (at least for me).

Contrast Isaiah's response to God's question to Moses' response to a similar question.  Isaiah responded immediately with the answer God wanted to hear.  Moses tossed out excuses.

Did you attach yourselves to the oxygen tank as we have been deep-sea diving in Isaiah?

How about these verses..."a tenth remains in the land..." and "as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land."

What a wonderful thought...a tenth remains...as in the remnant...left as stumps, as holy seed only to spring up again.  Takes us back to the reading  in John 15 concerning the vine and the branches.

One final note on today’s reading.

2 Chronicles 27:6
Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.

Jotham lined up his will with God’s will. Pretty good advice for us today!

place value only on feeling good about themselves as they occupy their time with worldly involvement and not about a relationship with God.”
Quote from the book THESE LAST DAYS
(Reference these verses: Matthew 24:5, Matthew 24:11, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 7:15, Jeremiah 23:25-26, I John 2:18, Hebrews 3:12, II Peter 2:1-3, II Timothy 4:3-4, I Timothy 4:1, Galatians 1:6-8, II Peter 3:17).

Amos was just an ordinary person until God called him. Since God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things, what things has He asked each of us to do?

JUNE 27, 2021

We would do well to read the words under the heading WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS.  God doesn't want our "lip-service" or just our good works.  He wants us to walk humbly with Him.

Micah tells us to "Heed the rod and the One who appointed it." 
We should accept the discipline and learn from it.  And not do as it is recorded in the following.

Zephaniah 3:7
I thought that then my people would have reverence for me and accept my discipline, that they would never forget the lesson I taught them. But soon they were behaving as badly as ever. 

"You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword."
Wow!  Think about the message of The Harbinger which was a book that was published a few years ago.  Money has been pulled out of the national treasury to provide security, all because of 9/11.

Micah warns about traditions. Interesting how this admonition follows the above Scripture. Most all the references to tradition or traditions in Scripture (those not God-ordained) have negative implications. (Matthew 15, Mark 7, Galatians 1)

Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

How sad is Judah's misery as spelled out plainly in Micah 7.  There is no loyalty or trust even among close friends and family.  However, Micah says, "I watch in hope for the Lord." 

"...the powerful dictate what they desire - they all conspire together."

"Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light."
Job is an excellent example.  Even though in this world darkness is all around us, praise God, we have that hope!

"I will bear the Lord's wrath, until he pleads my case..."
The One who pleads our case would be Jesus.

Today's reading includes this great promise. "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?"

Jesus pleads our case, pardons sin, and forgives transgression. Jesus bears the Lord's wrath for us.

JUNE 28

The leaders of families in the half-tribe of Manasseh were brave warriors and famous men. They had the opportunity and the power to influence and to lead people in the right way but instead were unfaithful to God. It reminds us of the many famous people today, politicians, sports figures, actors, etc. who have great opportunity and power to influence and lead people in the right way. But how many of them do?

The word "prostituted" is used in today's reading. One of the definitions for the word prostitute is "one who sells one's abilities, talent, or name for an unworthy purpose". This is exactly what these leaders of the families from the tribe of Manasseh did. The unworthy purpose was to the false gods of the people of the land (Baal, Asherah, Molech, Dagon). They left the only true God to go after worthless false gods.

In addition, spiritual prostitution means being unfaithful to God for the purpose of enriching oneself for the praise, position, prestige, possessions, power, etc. (the "Poisonous Ps of Pride").  Remember, we as Believers enjoy a spiritual marriage relationship as the Bride of Christ.  We can commit spiritual adultery or spiritual prostitution or we can honor our covenant with Him by living a faithful life.

King Ahaz of Judah "…sacrificed his sons in the fire following the detestable ways of the nations…"and "…offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places…"

He sacrificed his sons in the Valley of Hinnon, south of Jerusalem. The Valley of Hinnon was a place of idolatrous sacrifices, including the sacrifice of humans. King Josiah in later years polluted it with human bones and other corruptions. This valley came to be used then as the city garbage dump and also know as gehenna (often translated hell).

Notice we are continually warned about the "high places". If it sounds repetitious…it is. When God repeats something…that usually means PAY ATTENTION!

JUNE 29

The overall message from Isaiah is this.  Nothing happens that God doesn't allow.

Isaiah 7:9b
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.'"

How very true! If we have no foundation (Jesus), how can we possibly stand at all?

Interesting in Isaiah 7 how they calculate the passage of time…according to when children are weaned or are able to speak names.   Isaiah 7 also predicts the birth of Immanuel.

"He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right".

This lets us know that Jesus, the human, had to grow into the knowledge of right and wrong, which is about the time of weaning or about two to four years of age.  Isaiah uses this calculation to prophecy the time frame when the land will be laid waste.  He also uses the timeframe of the conception and birth of the prophetess' child.
In Isaiah 8 the king of Assyria and the invasion of Israel is compared to the floodwaters of the Euphrates River.

In Isaiah 8:19-22 Isaiah warns about people who consult mediums and spiritists.  Those who don't consult God, will be distressed and hungry and famished and then will curse God.  He says they live in darkness. These people blame God for their own self-induced problems.

Isaiah 9 is a prophecy for the coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem and also a prophecy of the final coming of Jesus. Since "doomsday" is about to arrive for Israel and Judah, Isaiah gives them this light of hope in the future Messiah. What a great way to announce Jesus - “a light has dawned”. Immanuel means "God is with us."

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given..."
A child was born to Mary.  A son was given to Joseph.

Isaiah 9 also warns about false teachers, spiritual leaders and prophets. And equally important in Isaiah 9:10 is a judgment for, not only the people and nation of Israel, but the people and nations of the rest of the world as well.  In response to the 9/11 attack on the United States, government officials quoted Isaiah 9:10.  Had they only read the verses before ("with pride and arrogance of heart...") and after ("...the Lord has strengthened Rezin's foes against them and has spurred their enemies on") they would have seen that this was a condemnation, self-condemning in fact, and not an illustration to demonstrate the resilience of the American people.

Isaiah continually warns, "his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised".  "But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty."

They aren't learning from their discipline.

God tells us to seek Him and live (eternally).  The opposite is also true.  If we don't seek Him, we will die (eternally).   But also if we as Believers seek Him we will live abundantly.  If we as Believers do not seek Him, we will not enjoy the abundant life He wants to give us here on earth, not to mention the abundant life eternally with all the rewards.

Why would people NOT want to seek Him and live abundantly here on earth and also live eternally???  For us as Believers we need to stand firm in our faith.  If we don't have Jesus, we cannot stand at all.

 JUNE 30

Today's reading begins with "Woe to those who make unjust laws, (or don't uphold the just ones) to those who issue oppressive decrees..."   Connections to governments today?  

Isaiah warns that God will use the Assyrians to discipline His people.  God then in turn punishes Assyria for carrying out His plan.  The intent of the Assyrians was evil in nature.  They wanted to destroy.  They were prideful and took credit for their success.  God wanted Israel punished, not destroyed.

Isaiah tells us that when God brings down His hand of discipline, a remnant will be saved.  Repeatedly God speaks about a remnant, those who stand steadfast, loyal, and obedient to Him.  Ultimately, most people have turned or will turn away from God. Broad is the gate that leads to death and many travel it.  They aren't looking for the narrow gate. Narrow is the gate that leads to life and few will find it. (Matthew 7:13,14)  Are we as Believers the steadfast, loyal, and obedient remnant?

Isaiah 11:1-9 tells us about the shoot (Jesus) who will come up from the stump of Jesse.  Judaism as a religion is only a stump.  Jesus is the shoot (the Vine) that comes from that root making the Branch (capital B) that bears fruit.  Jesus tells us that we, as Believers in Him, are the branches (lower case b) that grow to bear fruit for the kingdom.

The rest of Isaiah 11 and into Isaiah 12 we find descriptions of the Millennium.

Isaiah 11:9a
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Can our imaginations be that big? Can we even begin to wrap our minds around the earth being full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea?  This will happen during the Millennium when Satan is bound and for a thousand years, not allowed to bring his knowledge into the world. That's why only the knowledge of God will exist.

Revelation 20:1-3
And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And he cast him into the abyss and shut him up and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years should be fulfilled. And after that he must be loosed a little time. 

How can we have that knowledge? He’s pretty clear in His Word.

Proverbs 2:1-6
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

But acquiring His knowledge is proactive! We must do something! Accept Him, store up His commands, turn our ear, apply our heart, call out, cry aloud, look for it and search for it! That’s how we get His knowledge. Do you think if everyone on earth followed this passage of Scripture, the earth would be full of the knowledge of the Lord? How could it not???

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."   
Jesus is the "living water" and only through Him do we have salvation, but we must draw the water, we must seek Him.  Yesterday, we were reminded that we must "Seek him and live"   Instead of traveling that road that leads to death, we need to search for the narrow way that leads to life everlasting.

JULY 1

Isaiah reminds us that God used their enemies to punish and discipline His people.  Then He brought the enemies to justice.  This seems unfair on the part of God.  They were only doing what God allowed them to do.  However, their motives were wicked to begin with.  God is never unfair but He is just!  God in His foreknowledge knew that His enemies would never believe in Him so He used them for His purposes.

Oh, so very much in today’s reading that pertain to the last days. 

“…dead bodies will send up a stench; the mountains will be soaked with their blood.”
(Armageddon) This is the beginning of the Millennium.

Stars dissolved, sky rolled up like a scroll, starry host will fall…all preparations for the new heaven and the new earth, which will take place at the end of the Millennium.  Throughout the entire Bible are many other references.

2 Peter 3:12
as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.

"This is the plan determined for the whole world, !"   

Eventually nearly the whole surface of the earth will be destroyed.  

 "...destroyed in the night!"  (the day long Day of the Lord)

 See the book, These Last Days - Second Edition and The Timne is Near for additional information. 

There is a reference in today's reading about turning to the Holy One of Israel and not looking to the altars (the high places) and Asherah poles.

Turn back to God and His Holy Days, His feast and festivals and turn away from pagan holidays.  God says the pagan practices of worship are to no avail.  Of course whenever people worship pagan gods they are worshiping in vain.  But, even whenever God's people worship Him on the altars of paganism, their worship of Him is in vain. 

There is also a reference to "...some gleanings will remain..."

There will be some in the land who will remain, who will be the remnant.

Then we have this great promise.

Isaiah 16:5
In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it-- one from the house of David-- one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.

And just in case we wonder who is in control…

Isaiah 14:24
The LORD Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.

What comfort! He is the One in control!

JULY 2, 

In the judgments pronounced against the places of Edom, Arabia, and Tyre we find historical documentation.  The forested areas are no more, deserts remain.  Tyre was a commercial mecca for awhile but was destroyed.  All of these judgments were fulfilled.

Isaiah 34 relates a judgment against Edom.  Prophetically speaking - yet in our future are these words.

"For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion's cause."

One of the Days of the Lord will be a year long.

"Edom's streams will be turned to pitch."

Edom is east of  Israel, a residence today of Muslims and rich in oil.  Is God telling us that Edom will be a desolate waste forever as a reminder, just as Sodom and Gomorrah are?

All of the animals listed in Isaiah 34 in reference to Edom, are scavengers and/or nocturnal.  Is this both symbolic and literal?

What a sad end to King Ahaz. Why is it that so many of the kings gave silver and gold from the temple to their enemies? Does spiritual prostitution come to mind? They were buying earthly favors with God's treasures. 

Corruptions that led to the downfall of King Ahaz;

1.  copied an altar of a false god

2.  sought guidance from the bronze altar instead of guidance from the Lord

3.  took away the Sabbath canopy

4.  offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus

5. took away the furnishings from the temple

6.  shut the doors of the Lord’s temple

7.  set up pagan altars at every street corner in Jerusalem

8.  built high places in every town in Judah

Any connections for today?  Do the leaders of America try to buy the favors of our enemies?  Do our spiritual leaders copy pagan practices of false gods?  Do we seek guidance from others instead of seeking guidance from the Lord?  Have we taken away the Sabbath covering, the Sabbaths of God's Holy days?  Do we offer "sacrifices" on the altars of paganism?  Do we shut away the Word of the Lord and follow after false gods in other places?  Do we have our own "high places"?

Contrast the corruptions of King Ahaz to his son Hezekiah. Hezekiah removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces Moses’ bronze snake because the Israelites were worshiping the object instead of worshiping God. Hezekiah held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow the command the Lord had given Moses. The result? The Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook, until he eventually turned away from God.

Any applications for us?  What might happen if we removed our "high places", smashed our "sacred stones" and cut down our "Asherah poles"?   If we would remove, smash, and cut down everything in our lives that pulls us away from God and follow His commands, would the Lord be with us?  Would we be successful?  Worth a try, wouldn't you say???