Thursday, February 16, 2012

Isaiah 13, 14 & 15

Isaiah 14 must be one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I feel like I need to add a caveat tht "they're all wonderful, of course" but you know what I mean.

In the first half, we read this:

12 Shining morning star, how you have fallen from the heavens! You destroyer of nations, you have been cut down to the ground. 13 You said to yourself: "I will ascend to the heavens; I will set up my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of the [gods'] assembly, in the remotest parts of the North. 14 I will ascend above the highest clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you will be brought down to Sheol into the deepest regions of the Pit. 16Those who see you will stare at you; they will look closely at you: "Is this the man who caused the earth to tremble, who shook the kingdoms, 17 who turned the world into a wilderness, who trampled its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?" 18 All the kings of the nations lie in splendor, each in his own tomb. 19 But you are thrown out without a grave, like a worthless branch, covered by those slain with the sword and dumped into a rocky pit like a trampled corpse.

I've talked about this on the other blog before, but there are belief systems out there that call themselves Christian, but also say that if you live a good life, have a good religious "holy" marriage and follow all the right rules, then after death, you can be "exalted" and become a god like the god of this planet.

First of all, that's like the opposite of Christianity. I hope that's self-evident.

Secondly, there's only one place in the Bible where someone explicitly desired to become a god. This is it. And it doesn't end too well for him, does it? In case it's obscure from this excerpt, that's Satan that God is talking about.

Don't be like Satan, mmkay?

The second half of Isaiah has some of my most favorite passages ever:

24 The Lord of Hosts has sworn: As I have planned, so it will be; as I have purposed it, so it will happen...26 This is the plan prepared for the whole earth, and this is the hand stretched out against all the nations. 27 The Lord of Hosts Himself has planned it; therefore, who can stand in its way? It is His hand that is outstretched, so who can turn it back?

Phew. I get such a thrill reading that. "As I have planned, so it will be." God doesn't need a plan B. I love it.

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