Tuesday, 19th April 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-7 Hope in the Latter Days
V1-2 ‘Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first He lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.’ Even though we walk in the darkness, we will see light. When we face troubles and challenges, which make us want to give up, we must look up and see the light. Do not focus on the darkness ahead, but focus on the light, which will always be there for those who trust in God. Do not give up and do not be discouraged.
V3-4 ‘You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.’ We will receive the true joy, not from this world, but from the eternal salvation. God loves us, His love is everlasting, and He will deliver. Do not think we can overcome by our own strength, because if we do, at the end we will wear out ourselves. Instead, we must rely on God, and believe His salvation will come through!
V6-7 ‘For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ Do we know who Jesus Christ really is? As Christian, we must know who Jesus is! He has he authority in the Heaven and Earth, He is powerful and almighty, He is our Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace!
See our God as an almighty God, do not see our surrounding bigger than our God. Because the world and the people will only put us down and lead us further away from God. Look up! See our God is above all gods, He is the King above all kings, He rules and reigns on the Earth and in Heaven, He is the light, and all darkness will go away.
Section Two V8-12 Dying with No Repentance
Pride is the root of all wickedness and prideful people refuse to live under the fragrance of the Tree of Life. Do we believe miracles will happen in our lives? It’s not by out strength and our ‘doing’, but only by the power of God. Jesus did not come to the world to show off Himself, but to serve people, to heal, to deliver, to save, and to bring people to the Father. Do we really follow Jesus Christ? We must examine into our lives, get rid of our pride, humble ourselves and follow the Way of Jesus.
Section Three V13-21 God’s Wrath
V13-14 ‘For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, nor do they seek the Lord of hosts. Therefore, the Lord will cut off head and tail from Israel, palm branch and bulrush in one day.’ We must look upon Jesus, do not be cut off from Him due to our wickedness. Turn back to Him, rely on Him, and see His light in our darkness.
V15-16 ‘The elder and honourable, he is the head; the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.’ The teaching of God is to help us to walk on the righteous way, it’s not to destroy us but to lead us the way. But when we do not accept teaching, then we don’t see the real destruction ahead of us.
V17 ‘Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly.’ God wants to give us hope in the latter days, but it’s our pride and our wickedness, which stop us seeing this light in the darkness. We know God prepares and we know God saves, but when we refuse to follow, then we will end like the evildoers. Let us stop staying in the darkness, start seeing the light of God and strive to go toward it!