Leave the Ruinous Heap

 

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word:

 

Isa 17:1 The burden against Damascus. "Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. 2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid. 3 The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, The kingdom from Damascus, And the remnant of Syria; They will be as the glory of the children of Israel," Says the LORD of hosts. 4 "In that day it shall come to pass That the glory of Jacob will wane, And the fatness of his flesh grow lean. 5 It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, And reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim. 6 Yet gleaning grapes will be left in it, Like the shaking of an olive tree, Two or three olives at the top of the uppermost bough, Four or five in its most fruitful branches," Says the LORD God of Israel. 7 In that day a man will look to his Maker, And his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel. 8 He will not look to the altars, The work of his hands; He will not respect what his fingers have made, Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.

 

Isaiah now prophecies against Damascus. The proud city will become a ruinous heap, other cities will be turned into pastureland. The glory that was once bestowed upon Jacob will wane and lean times will come their way.

 

When the lean times come, when the proud fortresses come tumbling down, when man understands that there is only one true God, then his eyes will have respect for the Holy  One of Israel. He will wake up and see the folly of trusting in the works of his hands.

 

Sometimes, God has to strip away things in order for us to stop and consider who He really is. When your world comes crashing down, remember the One who created the world, and look again to the Holy One of Israel! And remember the words of David in the 24^th Psalm!

 

Ps 24: The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

 

Clean hands and a pure heart are only found in Jesus. Be found in Him through God granted faith and leave the ruinous heap of your own works behind as you and ascend into the holy place of the Lord.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.