Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"You have increased the nation, O LORD"
Text: Isaiah 26:15
THOUGHTS OF DEATH AND LIFE
Isaiah struggled with the messages that God had revealed to him. On the one hand, there was the problem of the death of many people, because of war. On the other hand, there was the glimmer of hope of how God would increase the population of Judah.
“They are dead, they will not live;
They are deceased, they will not rise.
Therefore You have punished and destroyed them,
And made all their memory to perish.
You have increased the nation, O LORD,
You have increased the nation;
You are glorified;
You have expanded all the borders of the land.”
Isaiah 26:14-15
1. Divine judgment.
a) God cannot but fulfil His role as Divine Judge.
b) Where there has been no repentance from sin, fearful judgment awaits.
2. The grim reality of judgment from God.
a) Death is the ultimate outcome.
b) Right at the beginning when God created man, a severe warning was given.
c) If Man chose the path of disobedience and sin, he would die (Genesis 2:17).
d) Adam had chosen to sin and the inevitable happened.
e) He came under a curse and eventually, he would die.
3. Israel had chosen the path of disobedience and had been judged.
a) Many had died.
b) They had been punished.
c) Their memory had passed.
d) This reality caused Isaiah to be deeply concerned.
e) Was there any future for Judah?
4. A glimmer of hope came.
a) God can bring life back to Judah.
b) He can increase the nation.
c) He will do just that.
d) He would be glorified in doing this great feat.
e) The LORD would expand the land of Judah.
f) This was well within the great power of the LORD.