Isaiah 28 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!

² Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.

³ The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:

⁴ And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

⁵ In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

⁶ And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate….

¹² To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

^{13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.14 Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem 15} Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

¹⁶ Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

¹⁷ Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

¹⁸ And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

The priests had become drunkards, being filled with wine rather than the truth of God’s words.  They were teaching the people with a form of legalism; yes, the law was important and a guide to man’s behavior.  Still, even in the old testament faith was the key to salvation.  As from Abraham for whom faith was counted for righteousness, so has it been throughout.  God knew that man could not keep the commandments and they were proof of man’s need for a Savior.  The sacrificial system in the old testament was a picture of Christ who was the chief and precious corner stone.  God in perfect Righteousness and to remain a perfectly Just Judge of all the world could not overlook sin; because sin was that which separated man from his true purpose of a relationship with his Creator–God.  Sin lurked deep within covetous, pride filled hearts who were so darkened they could not see the light of God’s Glory.   Sin seeks and follows after counterfeit joys to fill the void that only God can fill.  There is a great warning here to all those who teach anything but faith in Christ Alone as the only means of Salvation.  Christ took upon Himself the full wrath that was demanded to pay the penalty for man’s sin.  If we ignore the depth of wrath that God has against sin, then we look lightly upon the price that was paid at the cross and we look lightly upon the sins within our own life.  Yes, the only hope I have is Jesus who has paid my sins upon the Cross.  True, through Jesus, my sins are paid–past, present, and future by faith in Him; yet, that truth when understood transforms my life.  No longer can I be content with the sins in my life that cause Him such sorrow; because, He realizes that all the darkness in my heart will still cause me not to see the light of His Glory nor feel the depth of His Joy penetrating deeply into my life.  Because of the depth of love and gratitude I have for the magnitude of Grace He has shown me; I must battle against sin in my own heart and battle to hold tight to the Joy I have in Him.  As Jonathan Edwards said "“God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.”

The Mystery of the Cross I cannot Comprehend

The Agonies of Calvary

You the perfect Holy One, Crushed Your Son

Who drank the Bitter Cup Reserved for Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUZQ1R_uyiQ

Matthew 11:

²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

As I began my search for a devotional today, I came upon this song and this verse.  I, at first, said, "But Lord, why this song and why this message?  Shouldn’t I just shout your praise and your Joy–after all, that is where I am today?"  Yet He drew me to this message and song, so it must be for you that I am writing.  In this Christian journey, I have been there where you are many times in my life.   The trials and struggles of this life have brought you to a point of deep sorrow and no matter how hard you try to lift yourself up; you can’t see how to go one more step.  Are you burdened down today and feel that the troubles of this world have worn you down?  When you look at this verse, initially you may see a dichotomy.  If you are heavy laden by your labor,  Christ says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me"  A yoke is a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together.  We would often think of rest as just stopping the labor; but Christ is suggesting that we take upon ourselves an instrument to continue the work and in that we find rest.  When we are yoked together with Christ, we are unable to pull to the right or left; we must march forward only.  Every time we pull against the yoke we are pulled back.  Every time we struggle against the yoke, we become worn out.  However, as we are fastened tightly at the neck with Jesus we suddenly find that He is doing the work.  The labor becomes light.  I cannot help but remember a sermon by John Piper in which he describes the yoke as such that once connected tightly, Christ lifts the weight of that yoke and we are lifted til our feet barely touch the ground and as He performs the work we are weightlessly jumping, gleefully along the path. So if you are burdened or worn out today, look to Jesus; He will carry the weight of that burden with you and restore the Joy and Love in your heart that you so long for today. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulKcYItKIA

Zechariah 9:

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

John 12: ¹² On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

¹³ Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

¹⁴ And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

¹⁵ Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.

Luke 23: ²⁰ Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

²¹ But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

²² And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

²³ And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

The crowds who sang Hosanna (Savior, Rescuer) as Jesus entered Jerusalem were the same ones who so soon thereafter called out to Crucify Him.  They wanted Him to set up His Kingdom now.  They wanted riches, ease, power to be theirs now. Much like many who may say that they believe in Christ when they want or need something from God; yet, do not see His worth, Glory, nor Righteousness when He chooses to allow sorrow, pain, and suffering.  Many tend to want a "Give me what I want God" and do not understand that a relationship with Him is the only hope for Joy.  He is all that we need to fill this empty, broken heart.  They do not love nor appreciate the price He paid for us to be allowed that relationship with a Just, Righteous God.  When they realize that He may even ask us to follow Him in His Suffering so that we might be a testimony for Him; they want nothing to do with Him–just like those who cried out Crucify Him.  When we see the majesty, the Glory and the Righteousness which is Christ and then desire Him above all else; the desire for worldly gifts from God becomes foolishness as it becomes replaced with awe for Him.  The more we know of Him, the more we recognize our utter unworthiness of this marvelous Grace.  Then we come before knowing two things.  1. I am a great sinner.  2.  He is a great Savior.  Recognizing that with praise and love we bow before Him, humble servants desiring that He do with us whatever He desires that might bring Him Glory.  We desire that He remove anything within us that might stand between us and Him. 

Hebrews 12:Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

⁴ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Lord, whatever desires of this covetous heart of mine seeks any counterfeit joy which dims my view of you; please, rip it from me that I may only desire you.  You the author and finisher of my faith- Hosanna, my Savior.  Rescue me from any desires that impedes my vision of Your Glory. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZBiC_5aI6k

Psalm 100: 1Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

² Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

³ Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Have you ever just stopped with heart filled with Joy because of Your Relationship with God and shout "Thank You, Lord".  I am not talking about only when everything seems to be going well in your life, or only when you get a promotion, or when you have been healed from some illness.  Have you ever in the midst of turmoil, turned your head toward heaven and shouted "Thank You, Lord" for having saved me, walked with me, and covered me with Your Hope, Your Joy, and Your Peace so that none of these circumstances can steal them from me.  Thank you, Lord for each trial that has lead me closer to You.  Thank You, Lord for every tear that drove me to Your word of truth and forced me to cling to Your Covenant Promises.  Thank You, Lord for the moments of loneliness or fear that drove me to cling tight to You, resting then in Your Arms of Love. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K44trVhtZX4

 

Psalm 62: Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

² He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

³ How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

⁴ They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

⁵ My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

⁷ In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

⁸ Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

⁹ Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

¹⁰ Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

¹¹ God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

¹² Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.

God is my rock and my salvation, my salvation and my Glory, my strength and my refuge–that we might trust in Him.  Such a beautiful scripture.  Yet, then I came to the last verse and sat in wonder as to what David meant.  Why does David say that God is merciful and then in the next part of the sentence says that he renderest to every man according to his works.  Since we have all sinned and are worthy of only God’s wrath and eternal damnation, then what part of rendering upon to me my just punishment would have in God’s mercy.  There must be more to this verse than originally meets the eye.  That answer I believe comes in two parts.  First, if one goes in search of the Hebrew words found in this verse they are

כְּֽמַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃  (to his work).  This word then when searched leads first to the following verse:

Exodus 28: ⁸ And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

The ephod was a garment that was to be worn to go before God, mostly worn by the High Priests.  We too have a garment of fine works that covers our sin when we go before the heavenly Father and that is the shed blood of Christ which covers our sins. We are covered by His finished work upon the cross.  Secondly, as you read Galatians you will find:

Galatians 2: ¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

So, now faith is the key to our being justified before a Righteous and Just God.  It is God’s mercy that looks upon sinful man and then through faith in Jesus Christ, God takes our sin and imparts to us His righteousness and His Glory.

Romans 4: 9 …faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

Does that mean that I then take sin lightly and desire to continue in it.  A thousand times NO.  Indeed, when I understand the love and grace which God has provided; I will abhor the sins that are in myself.  The more I see Him and His Glory the more I desire to follow after and be like Him.  He continually is about the work of transforming me, so that one day I will be the bride without spot or blemish.  One day I will look like Christ.  Though that day may not have fully arrived; but, I know that He has promised to finish that work in me.  Whatever cross or fire it takes to complete His purifying work in me, I eagerly accept; because I now seek Him above all else.  This has been His act of mercy to step by step work in me to transform me each day, sifting and purifying my works so that they are His; as I surrender by faith daily to His Will. 

Ephesians 2:¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t2Evnpn1do