Today’s Readings:
Isaiah 10:24-27
“Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter in Median at the rock of Oreb; and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” (vv. 24-27 NKJV)
“So, this is what the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, says: “O my people in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they oppress you with rod and club as the Egyptians did long ago. 25In a little while my anger against you will end, and then my anger will rise up to destroy them.” 26The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will lash them with his whip; as he did when Gideon triumphed over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb, or when the LORD’s staff was raised to drown the Egyptian army in the sea. 27In that day the LORD will end the bondage of his people. He will break the yoke of slavery and lift it from their shoulders” (vv. 24-27 NLT)
In this passage, God is assuring Israel that when the remnants returns to Him, He will intervene in their situation, His presence and His purpose will be felt. The Assyrians who had wielded a rod and club against Israel will suddenly find themselves suffering under God’s whip and staff (vv. 24, 26). God will stand up for the remnants as he stood up for the Israelites during the time, he gave Gideon victory over the Midianites at the rock of Oreb (9:4; Judges 6:25). He will show his power against their enemies as he did when he miraculously rescued the Israelites from the club of their Egyptian oppressors (Exodus 14). It is worth knowing that Israel’s bondage actually ended according to the promise of God in 539 BC with a new exodus from exile.
In the same way, the God of Heavens armies whom we serve is assuring us that He will suddenly rise up against the enemies of our nation Nigeria that are stealing public funds, oppressing, enslaving, maiming, and persecuting his people, in Jesus name. And then there will be time of abundance when there will be increase in the land, and the people will no longer be enslaved by the wicked enemies of the nation and there will be righteousness in the land. The words of Isaiah 10:24-27 should strike a chord in the heart of well-meaning citizens of our nation Nigeria. Our nation struggled to fight for independence, yet we are embracing those who formerly enslaved us, and we continue to enslave and oppress ourselves. We are also embracing wickedness against ourselves for peanuts, fame, and riches that will one day perish. Even when we die, our children may never inherit. It is time to break away from the wicked powers, and our emotional and financial ties with those oppressing and enslaving us. It is time for us to take the bull by the horn, take positive initiatives, work out our own freedom and development and God will help us.
Whatever we do, let us remember that it is God himself that is training our hands to war and our fingers to battle. It is God that will empower us to break the bondage, he will break the yoke, save us from slavery and lift up our heads when our obedience is fulfilled.
What do we do?
Let us recognise and appreciate God as the God of all flesh who is able to fix, do and solve all things.
As well as being determined to free ourselves and working out our freedom and development, we surrender the battle to God, the Man of War.
We stop settling for crumbs from our national heritage;
We rely on God’s wisdom, knowledge, understanding, insight, discernment and plan in all that we do.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
Thank You Lord for the salvation of our souls, in Jesus name.
Thank you for teaching our hands to war, our fingers to battle and for making available to us Your weapons of warfare, in Jesus name.
Lord thank You for we are the works of Your hand, and You are able to do with us whatever You will to make us produce good fruits that will last, in Jesus name.
Father, keep our children, teenagers, youths and young adults as the apple of Your eyes, in Jesus name.
Lord intervene in situations of Christian marriages, fix broken relationships, save, heal and deliver for your name’s sake, in Jesus name.
Father, fill the body of Christ with Your love and peace, in Jesus name.
Our Father and our God, use the situation in our nations, especially Nigeria to populate Your Kingdom, in Jesus name.
Father fill our world with Your love, mercy, concern and care for the poor, the helpless, orphans and widows, in Jesus name.
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