5th August 20195th August 2019 Travis Snode

Humbling the Proud; Exalting the Lowly – Isaiah 14

Devotions

Isaiah 14 is a mixture of hope and condemnation. There is hope for Israel that, after a time of chastening, the Lord will once again have mercy and choose them (v.1). He also tells them that they will be in their land again and that strangers will join them. This is referring to a future restoration for the nation of Israel that will ultimately come when Christ returns. Other signs of hope are in found in v.32 when the Lord lets Zion in Judah know that they will be protected even though Palestina (Philistines) will fall.

On the condemnation side, we see the Lord exalting His power over the prideful king of Babylon who is called Lucifer. Some think this is referring to Sennacherib, who over threw and ruled Babylon. Others believe this is talking about Satan. In a sense, it could be referring to both, as no doubt Sennacharib and those like him are all inspired to rebel against God by Satan.

God says that He will soundly overpower their pride and bring them lower than those they oppress. This is a great source of hope for those who are oppressed and trodden low by Satan and those he uses. This is a great warning to us to know that all pride in us will be resisted by God. He will break our pride and crush our desire to be great.

Lessons:

• Like Israel, God’s children may go through times of chastening where they feel that God has forgotten them, but God will keep His promises. He will bring them to pass. We will one day enter a time that is free from sorrow, fear and bondage (v.1-3).
• All oppressors will be humbled. For those who rise up and seek to be their own ‘god’, doing their own thing, being their own person and going their own way, God will humble them.
• Pride is a terrible sin. Where is there pride in our lives? Everywhere, most likely! Where do we say, ‘I will’, ‘I want’, ‘I deserve?’ May God show it to us and crush it in us, so that we can bring Him honour and glory.