Brett Hawthorn @BrettHawthorn@dingdash.com

*‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭14:1‬ ‭NIV* “The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.”‬‬

*14:1* A prominent theme in Isaiah is that aliens (non-Israelites) would join the returning Israelites (56:6,7; 60:10; 61:5). God’s intention was that through his faithful people all the world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Through the family of David, the whole world could be saved by Christ. God’s Word must be available to all people groups in their own languages. We must not limit God’s love to our own people. God loves the whole world. We must support and help those missions that are reaching out to people who haven’t heard the Good News of salvation.

*‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭14:5-6‬ ‭NIV* “The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression.”‬‬

*14:5,6* Power fades quickly. God permitted Babylon to have temporary power for a purpose-to punish his wayward people. When the purpose ended, so did the power. Beware of placing confidence in human power because one day it will fade, no matter how strong it appears now.

*Ezekiel 25:1ff* Chapters 25-32 are God’s word concerning the seven nations surrounding Judah. The judgments in these chapters are not simply the vengeful statements of Jews against their enemies; they are God’s judgments in nations that failed to acknowledge the one true God and fulfill the good purposes God intended for them. The ammonites were judged because of their joy over the desecration of the temple (25:1-7), the Moabites because they found pleasure in Judah’s wickedness (25:8-11), the Edomites because of their racial hatred for the Jews (25:12-14), and the Philistines because they sought revenge against Judah for defeating them in battle (25:15-17).

How many of these issues do we struggle with today: joy in others destruction or failure; pleasure in others wickedness or weakness; racial hatred; and revenge? Perhaps in order to see God’s blessings rather than His wrath, we need to deal with these issues and meditate on Jesus’ words in: ‭‭*Matthew‬ ‭22:37-40‬ ‭AMP* “And Jesus replied to him, “ ‘Y OU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘Y OU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.””

*Colossians‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭AMP* “bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.”‬‬

*3:13* The key to forgiving others is remembering how much God has forgiven you. Is it difficult for you to forgive someone who has wronged you a little when God has forgiven you so much? Realizing God’s infinite love and forgiveness can help you love and forgive others. Let God worry about the wrongs you’ve suffered. Don’t quench your life in bitter feuding; live renewed in love and joy.

Another amazing prayer from You Version:
*Prayer*
Lord, thank You for forgiving me. Your amazing kindness toward me overwhelms me, because I know I don’t deserve it. Just as You forgive me, please help me to forgive others. Make me more like You by giving me the courage to selflessly forgive. Let the way I treat others be a reflection of Your unconditional love. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏

*‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭13:20‬ ‭NIV* “She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks.”‬‬

*13:20* Even before Babylon became a world power, Isaiah prophesied that, though it would shine for a while, Babylonian’s destruction would be so complete that the land would never again be inhabited. Babylon, in present-day Iraq, still lies in utter ruin, burned under mounds of dirt and sand.

*‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭24:6-13‬ ‭NIV* ““ ‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “ ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now encrusted, whose deposit will not go away! Take the meat out piece by piece in whatever order it comes. “ ‘For the blood she shed is in her midst: She poured it on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground, where the dust would cover it. To stir up wrath and take revenge I put her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered. “ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “ ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the wood high. So heap on the wood and kindle the fire.

Cook the meat well, mixing in the spices; and let the bones be charred. Then set the empty pot on the coals till it becomes hot and its copper glows, so that its impurities may be melted and its deposit burned away. It has frustrated all efforts; its heavy deposit has not been removed, not even by fire. “ ‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.”‬‬

*24:6-13* The city of Jerusalem was like a pot so encrusted with sin that it would not come clean. God wanted to cleanse the lives of those who lived in Jerusalem, and he wants to cleanse our lives today. Sometimes he tries to purify us through difficulties and troublesome circumstances. When you face tough times, allow the sin to be burned from your life. Look at your problems as an opportunity for your faith to grow. When these times come, unnecessary priorities and diversions are purged away. We can re-examine our lives so that we will do what really counts.

*‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭24:15-18‬ ‭NIV* “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.” So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.”‬‬