Focus Chapters:
- Isaiah 24-27
- Isaiah 29
Standout Verse(s):
Isaiah 27:7-8 NLT
Has the Lord struck Israel as he struck her enemies? Has he punished her as he punished them? No, but he exiled Israel to call her to account. She was exiled from her land as though blown away in a storm from the east.
Observation (s):
- God’s punishment of our enemies is different from His punishment of us.
Has the Lord struck Israel as he struck her enemies? Has he punished her as he punished them? No, but he exiled Israel to call her to account.
- God punishes us so that we can take responsibility for our actions and eventually get back on track.
No, but he exiled Israel to call her to account. She was exiled from her land as though blown away in a storm from the east.
Application:
I can’t count the number of times that I went to bed crying, hating my mom and plotting to run away, after being punished. Growing up, our parents often punished us but that didn’t mean that they didn’t love us. The punishments were generally well-intentioned and geared towards getting us, the children back on track. Though we, as the kids, didn’t necessarily agree with the methods, sooner or later, we recognized and understood the means and their benefits.
Similar to our earthly parents, God, our Heavenly Father, has to punish us when we give Him reason to. His punishments are designed to call us into account and get us back on track on the road to our purpose. The one thing we can take comfort in is that God’s punishments are well-intentioned and delivered with love. He does not see it fit to punish us, His children, in the same way that He punishes our enemies. Even whilst we are being punished, we, God’s children, are given special treatment.
