SOAP 07/28/2015; Isaiah 54:17

Today's reading: Isaiah 53, 54, 55, 56; 2 Peter 2

S) "¹⁷ 'No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;
And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their vindication is from Me,' declares the Lord."

Isaiah 54:17 (NASB)

O) This is a wonderful promise, that is quoted quite often by contemporary Christians. By its wording, it is not really a conditional promise, per se. Reading carefully, though, we see that this promise is made to specific people. The third line defines who has claim to this promise. This is reserved for the servants of the LORD. The easiest way to understand that phrase practically, is to remember that servants do something for their master (see James 2:14-17 and Matthew 25:37-40). Next, we must examine that this verse does not say, "No weapon will be formed against you," and it does not say, "no one will accuse you in judgment," and in fact, it suggests quite the opposite. We must remember what Paul taught in Ephesians 6, though, that the weapons and warfare of Christians is not flesh and blood, but spiritual. That means that there could very well be physical weapons formed against us, even true servants of the LORD, that will indeed prosper against our physical, temporal bodies. But, to die as a servant of Christ is great gain (see Philippians 1:21). The same is true for the accusations that will come. There will be Christians who are accused, convicted, and condemned in this physical world, all wrongly done. However, to be mistreated for doing right, finds favor with God (see 1 Peter 2:20). Lastly, our vindication is from the LORD. If our redemption is from Him, and vengeance belongs to Him, then our vindication is up to Him alone. If that doesn't happen until we are glorified in Christ, then that is God's sovereign timing.

A) Everything about this promise is built on the premise that I am a servant of the LORD. That means my life is not my own. It means that I relinquish my own motives, my own priorities. I am laying down my own desires, to take up His cause. I am seeking His glory, not my own. I am working for His purposes, not mine. This promise reminds me, that if I am serving Him, then I have nothing to fear. However, if I am not serving Him, then I should feel like Lumiere said in "Beauty and The Beast".

P) Father, You are unimaginably good to Your servants. I am blessed, that You would even invite me into Your household. I was destitute, dying, helpless, and hopeless. Then, You called me into Your presence. You restored me, healed me, became my help and my hope. I cannot repay You, because my debt is beyond my means. I couldn't pay my own debt, because I lacked the correct currency for such a transaction. So, forever indebted to You, I can only serve You. You could demand that, and be a harsh and strict, unloving Master. But that is not who You are, and that is not how You treat Your servants. I came to You because I of my need. I stay with You because of my joy. It is my joy to be covered with such powerful promises. It is my joy to spend time with You. It is my pleasure to do Your will. Be glorified in my life, Lord. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.