JUDAH
Memorise
Judah,
thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of
thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Genesis 49:8
Read
Isaiah 1:1-6
1 The vision
of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the
days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O
heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and
brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox
knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my
people doth not consider.
4 Ah sinful
nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are
corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of
Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
5 Why should
ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
6 From the
sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds,
and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up,
neither mollified with ointment.
Message
The name ‘Judah’ means praise. Judah was chosen to
be the chief and ruling tribe of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:8-12).
The sceptre of a king and the office of a lawgiver were all allotted to Judah.
Genesis 4:10 says:
“The
sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”
Judah is a similitude of the church. In Judah, we
can see a shadow of the things to come with respect to the church. Just like
Judah, believers are the royal priesthood, expected to show forth the praises
of God (1 Peter 2:9-10).
The prophet Isaiah was sent with a message
primarily to Judah and Jerusalem – the seat of Judah’s power (Isaiah 1:1). This
message contained instructions, reproof, warnings, comfort and encouragement
from God to His people. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, the kingdom of Israel
had become divided and weakened through civil wars and conflicts with other
nations. This same situation applies to the present-day church. The Church
today engages in several battles. There are fights within and wars without (2
Corinthians 7:5). Judah was rebellious and ignorant (Isaiah 1:2). They were
corrupt, degenerated, depressed, and laden with iniquity; having backslidden,
forsaken God and provoked Him to anger. Just like Judah, many modern-day
Christians live in ignorance and sin. In this deplorable state, the demand of
God on Judah in Isaiah 1:16-18 was:
“Wash
you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;
cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge
the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
This speaks of repentance and total consecration.
As a Christian, God expects that you present your body as a living sacrifice
which must be holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1). Your consecration to
God should be personal, voluntary and sacrificial. How committed are you to
God? Is your consecration total? Examine yourself.
Action
Point
Do a thorough self–assessment today. Repent of the
short comings you identify.
BIBLE
IN ONE YEAR
2 Samuel 8:15-11:27
Proverbs 11:4-17
I want to follow you with the whole of my being without blemish, give me the grace lord. wash me from all unrighteousness that may stand as an hindrance in total submission to your commandment. amen
ReplyDeleteLord please cleanse me from every righteousness in Jesus name amen.
ReplyDelete