Isaiah 27  Much of what Isaiah writes is difficult... is he speaking of the present or the future?  Is he speaking of Israel or of others?  He seems to move back and forth, speaking of good and forgiveness one moment and then of judgement and destruction the next.   I need to find a good study on this book...

Meanwhile, I read and pray, "Holy Spirit, teach me the Word and help me to hear Your voice."

For the moment, this is what draws my attention:

V1-2  The Lord vows to destroy "Leviathan" - the serpent; and "the dragon".   This reminds me of the book of Revelation, where John writes this, " And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the abyss..." 

There is coming a day when evil will no longer have any power left... Hallelujah!!  Even now, Christ is victorious and we have been set free from its dominion!

V 9  Isaiah speaks of a time when " iniquity will be forgiven... the full price of the pardoning of his sin.. " will be paid.   It will be a day when " Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout; and they will fill the whole earth with fruit."  It will be a day when the trumpet is blown and the people will gather in Jerusalem to worship the Lord.   Again...  Hallelujah !   We look forward with longing for that day.

V11  Once again those who fail to turn back to God are warned... " For they are not a people of discernment , therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them.  And their Creator will not be gracious to them." 

A time of harvest is coming.  Isaiah tells us that "one by one"  we will be gathered up..  Jesus spoke about this in a parable found in Matthew 13.  A man sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came and sowed tares.  The man instructs his workers to , " Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.'"  Jesus goes on to explain that He is the sower of the good seed and the devil is the one who sows the tares.   The harvest is the end of the age and when the reapers come, the tares, " those who commit lawlessness" and the "stumbling blocks"  will be "cast.. into the furnace of fire".  But, "the righteous will  shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. " 

Father in heaven, Holy One of Israel, You are Sovereign and Mighty and we praise You, revering Your Name.  You have revealed to us clearly what You will do at the end of this age.  Those who love You and serve You, made righteous by the blood of Christ.. forgiven and cleansed by grace through faith.. will forever live with You in Glory.  And those who refuse to repent and trust in the Lord, not discerning Your Word, the Truth... will be cast out.  We are so thankful to call You, our Father, and to put our trust in You. We love You and desire to live always for You and with You.   Yet, we have hearts that yearn to see all of our loved ones come to that same faith in Jesus Christ... to repent and believe.. to know You and give their lives to You.  So we ask You to open their eyes to see the Truth of the Gospel and to open their ears to hear Your voice, so that they might turn to You and be saved.  Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God.. hear our prayers and answer.. to the glory of Your Name.  Amen.