THE POWER OF ONE
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, teach me through your Word today. Strengthen me in the truth of who you are.
Read ISAIAH 33
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Distress and Help
33 Woe to you, destroyer,
you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, betrayer,
you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying,
you will be destroyed;
when you stop betraying,
you will be betrayed.
2 Lord, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
3 At the uproar of your army, the peoples flee;
when you rise up, the nations scatter.
4 Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts;
like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.
5 The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;
he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.[a]
7 Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets;
the envoys of peace weep bitterly.
8 The highways are deserted,
no travelers are on the roads.
The treaty is broken,
its witnesses[b] are despised,
no one is respected.
9 The land dries up and wastes away,
Lebanon is ashamed and withers;
Sharon is like the Arabah,
and Bashan and Carmel drop their leaves.
10 “Now will I arise,” says the Lord.
“Now will I be exalted;
now will I be lifted up.
11 You conceive chaff,
you give birth to straw;
your breath is a fire that consumes you.
12 The peoples will be burned to ashes;
like cut thornbushes they will be set ablaze.”
13 You who are far away, hear what I have done;
you who are near, acknowledge my power!
14 The sinners in Zion are terrified;
trembling grips the godless:
“Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?
Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?”
15 Those who walk righteously
and speak what is right,
who reject gain from extortion
and keep their hands from accepting bribes,
who stop their ears against plots of murder
and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—
16 they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,
whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
Their bread will be supplied,
and water will not fail them.
17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty
and view a land that stretches afar.
18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror:
“Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
Where is the officer in charge of the towers?”
19 You will see those arrogant people no more,
people whose speech is obscure,
whose language is strange and incomprehensible.
20 Look on Zion, the city of our festivals;
your eyes will see Jerusalem,
a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved;
its stakes will never be pulled up,
nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty One.
It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.
No galley with oars will ride them,
no mighty ship will sail them.
22 For the Lord is our judge,
the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king;
it is he who will save us.
23 Your rigging hangs loose:
The mast is not held secure,
the sail is not spread.
Then an abundance of spoils will be divided
and even the lame will carry off plunder.
24 No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”;
and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 33:6 Or is a treasure from him
- Isaiah 33:8 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / the cities
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Leading a country is a phenomenal responsibility. How can you support the leaders of the government where you are and any others who come to mind?My husband is an Anglican vicar. The selection process for his current church included an interview with a panel of five, a grilling from a group of children from the church primary school, a lunch with staff and key leaders, a dinner with the PCC (which is like a board of trustees), and meetings with several groups of church members. That might seem rather extreme, but people understand how important it is to choose their leader wisely. A bad leader can do untold damage, as the roster of Israel’s and Judah’s kings so clearly illustrates.
Today’s reading gives us a clear sense of what kind of ruler we have in the Lord God and the society that will flourish under his leadership. The Lord reigns with justice and righteousness (v. 5), with power that keeps enemies at bay (v. 3), and as judge, lawmaker, and savior (v 22). In the truest, deepest sense, he is beautiful (v. 17). With him as King, there is stability (v. 6), reliable provision of food, water, and shelter (vv. 16, 20, 23), and peace with God, people, and the land.
As Christians, we have declared allegiance to this King. And one day every knee will bow to him. Come, Lord Jesus. We long for you (v. 2).
Apply
Choose one or two attributes of God highlighted in this passage and contemplate them with a worshipful heart.
Closing prayer
Lord God, there is no one like you—there is no one who can compare to you. Thank you that you offer all of who you are to me.
Book and Author Intros
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