Divine Purpose In Advertisty

Isaiah 22.
It’s a book that will have you trembling when you read it.
And likely crying for the people of Jerusalem.
And America.
Because things aren’t much different today.

And I would stop in my tracks 2 verses in:
“What is happening?  Why is everyone running to the rooftops?  The whole city is in a terrible uproar.  What do I see in this reveling city?  Bodies are lying everywhere, killed not in battle but by famine and disease.”

I stopped there.
I didn’t need to go any further.
The message concerning Jerusalem - the Valley of Vision - is for us today, too.
And what stood out to me the most was that one sentence… and it keeps me awake at night… “bodies are lying everywhere, killed not in battle but by famine and disease.”

Those who had perished had not died fighting bravely in battle… but by the pestilence… by epidemic illness.

Famine and disease.
Famine for following God.
Disease plagued by fear and disheartened souls.

And we can talk about a good God who wouldn’t assign pain and suffering on His people like that.  And still read the prophets words found in verse 5, “What a day of confusion and terror brought by the Lord… upon the Valley of Vision.”  And through it all we can agree that He, too, is a sovereign God who’s great purpose in our pain is for repentance that leads to restoration.

And I would say it to a classroom filled with bible study students on a Friday night in February before news of an outbreak with pandemic tendencies would even surface… “It’s mystery… but we can embrace the mystery, because all is an invitation.”

Here, even, we see God, in His wisdom and in His grace, give the invitation to repentance in light of dangerous and deadly circumstances.  Ahh… this is always the way of Divine intervention… always the Divine purpose in adversity.  My commentary would say it this way: “God seeks our spiritual amendment.”

Amendment means this = a change made by correction, addition, or deletion; an improvement.

God leads us to repentance that leads to restoration and life.
And some times there’s an application of pressure that must be placed upon the people in order to open minds and transform hearts.

My commentary says this, “He lays His hand upon us so that we must feel His touch; He speaks to us in tones it is difficult to disregard; and we know that the thing from which He calls us is sin; we also know the thing to which He summons us is rectitude - rightness of heart and life.”

Ahh… yes.  Affliction and heartbreak and yes, even pandemic, racial disparity, economic suffering, police brutality, and political upheaval, can produce the very opposite result than for that which it was originally sent.  What God intended for good, we can so oftentimes allow to make us more bitter, angry, resentful, and distant.  Many professing Christians, even, allow adversity to drive them to absolute ruin, as they stand in complete contradiction to the resurrection power Christ died for us to possess.  Trials manufactured by the Lord for our spiritual advancement all too often harden our hearts and enslave us by means of disappointment for how we “thought things should be.”

We have been given an opportunity to return to Him, repent for our sinful ways, and be fully restored to Him… Jesus, crucified.

God help us.
God lead us to repentance that ultimately restores us to You.