Time with Jesus - Friday, 23
December 2011
Hi all,
The
impact of the sin nature on men and women is horrendous. So much so, we are almost
unable to separate lies from truth. Popular opinion today believes that man is
basically good. He is filled with altruistic purpose and only occasionally
violates this innate goodness. That, if we are left to ourselves, everything
will end up like roses. Many of these people ridicule religion in any form.
They see it as a crutch to support those who are struggling to accept their own
deity. They would go so far as to state that everything exists for the
happiness of man and that God is nothing more than a delusion, weak people need
to prop up their lack of faith in themselves.
Things
today are not grossly different from the days of the Jewish prophets. Here and
there men like Isaiah and Jeremiah would speak out against the things that were
taking place around them. They spoke for the Lord and called the people to repentance.
They gave dire warnings of impending judgement. But the people were stubborn.
Today’s
Scriptures speak of what would happen to Israel unless the people repented. Isaiah
told them God saw them as His vineyard. He poured out His love on them and did
everything He could to persuade them to live godly lives. He warned them that
there would come a time when His vineyard was so full of weeds, thorns and
briars that He would have to take action against them. First He would deal with
them locally within Judah. But if there was no real change, He would hand them
over to the Babylonians.
There
were three invasions of Judah by the Babylonians. The first was in ±606BC. Daniel and his three
friends were among those taken to Babylon. The next was in ±596BC. The final
one was in ±586BC when everything was destroyed and very few Jews escaped capture.
Figuratively, it was time for His vineyard to be torn down.
Yet
even in captivity, God did not forget His people. He promised to bring them
back. He told them through Jeremiah to settle down in Babylon and that after 70
years they would be permitted to return.
The
patience and long-suffering of God is incredible. His judgement took them away.
His love would bring them back. How do we see this long absence of His people
from the land He had given them? I’m not a farmer but I’ve been told that by
leaving the land to lie fallow for 70 years it was rejuvenated.
It’s
an astonishing fact, but the same land which was useless and unproductive
remains in that condition until the Jewish people farm it. Why? That’s the
great question? Why is it that only when it is farmed by Jews does its fruitfulness
return? It’s an ongoing miracle.
Today’s
meditation begins with God’s vineyard and culminates in Jesus! I’ve tried to
express the meditation in the first person; to show that what He said and did led
from Isaiah’s description of the vineyard to the coming of Jesus Christ. It
explains that even in our fallen state, God loves us and wants us to be with
Him. Don’t ask me why? That’s one of the great differences between men and God.
Fortunately for us, He has the only vote and the outcome is in His hands alone.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland.
Jesus’ Plans
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I sing about a vineyard, I cared
for every day.
I watered and protected it, but
still it went astray.
I said
that I would guard it; That I’d incinerate,
The briars, thorn and thistles, if
they pursued that state.
But if
they found repentance and turned around to Me,
There would be no destruction;
just peace abundantly.
But
that is not what happened. My folk they led away;
As prisoners to Babylon where they
would have to stay.
Yet in
that foreign country they would be treated well.
My plans for them were very
good. I told them, “buy and sell.
Settle in
your houses, work hard and carry on.
For I will bring you home again when
70 years are gone”.
Declare
this with a passion. Announce to them for Me,
That like a flowing river is how
their peace would be.
But I’d
deal with the wicked. Their peace would disappear.
They’d have to face My
judgement. That’s absolutely clear.
But
one day in the future I’d turn things all around.
I’d cut a brand new covenant, where
righteousness is found.
I’d
send them a redeemer. A man I’d fill with Me.
A God-man who would smash their
chains and set My people free.
In Him,
My very nature would be upon display.
But few would recognise Him when
He came to them that day.
Instead
they mocked and spat on Him. They nailed Him to a cross.
And He would let it happen.
They’d see it as a loss.
But by
the act of dying and pouring out His blood,
Mankind would be forgiven; It
would produce a flood,
Of
such enormous magnitude! Far greater than the mess,
That Satan tricked them into. It
would be nothing less,
Than
ending the dominion that Adam gave away.
He’d bring back peace and righteousness
into this world to stay.
So now
there is a way for men to deal with all their sin.
A matter of repenting and
inviting Jesus in;
Their
sins would be forgiven; unrighteousness undone.
Completely done and dusted by
Jesus Christ, My Son.
Jim Strickland – Written Friday, 23 December 2011
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