ISAIAH 15-162007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Isaiah 15-16

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. This section of the book, chapters 13 through 23 that we're studying through.

are prophecies of judgment on the nations. It's really the nations that are surrounding the nation of Judah, and God is pronouncing judgments upon those nations. We looked at Babylon and Philistia last week, and this week we'll be looking at a few, Moab and Syria and Israel. And as we continue on in the chapters, we'll be looking at some other nations as well.

And you could easily ask the question, why is God pronouncing all this judgment? It's easy to get lost, really, in these chapters, in the sections of Isaiah that really deal with judgment and God's wrath being poured out and wonder, who is this God? It doesn't seem like the God that we're used to, the God that we know in the New Testament. Why is God pronouncing all of this judgment upon the nations?

Well, let me assure you that it is due and it is just and it is the same God of the New Testament. But there's some things that we tend to forget. First of all, if we do not understand God's judgment, then it's because we do not understand man's rebellion.

If we do not understand God's judgment, then we do not understand man's rebellion. The judgment that God is pronouncing is righteous and holy. It is what is just and fair. In fact, it is still merciful, and it's after much long suffering on God's part that this judgment is pronounced and that it will take place. See, we forget that God is working amongst the nations.

He's not just working in the midst of Israel. He's not just working with the nation of Judah and in the city of Jerusalem because God is not willing that any should perish. He is continually working within every nation. Even today, he's not just working within the United States. No, he's working in China. He's working in Russia. He's working in Iraq. He's working in Afghanistan. He's working across

In the uttermost parts of the earth, God is at work. He is not willing that they should perish. And he is ministering to those who are in power. He's ministering to the common people. He is seeking to find those who will be saved.

Now, the Bible does not detail all of the ways that God is working in these surrounding nations because the Bible is focused on the nation of Israel. The Bible is primarily focused on the line of the Messiah, preserving that line until Jesus comes. And that's the point, really, and the focus of the Old Testament. But God was continually working in the nations surrounding Israel as well. If you remember Jonah, where was he sent?

Nineveh is not part of Israel. In fact, Nineveh is way far away from Israel. It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Nahum as well, the prophet Nahum, was Minareth.

His ministering, his message, his book is entirely directed to the city of Nineveh as well. Even Isaiah we see in these chapters and throughout the book, he's ministering to other nations. We saw that in the lives of Elijah and Elisha and their ministry in 1 and 2 Kings, that God was continually sending them out to the surrounding nations to anoint people as kings, to deliver messages, to pronounce judgment, so on and so forth.

You remember Balaam, he was a prophet of God, not part of Israel, but God used him and spoke to people.

Remember Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. God was working in his life and even reduced him to being a madman to prove to him until he would recognize that God alone is on high, that he is worthy of all glory and honor. And until Nebuchadnezzar recognized that, God allowed him to dwell with the animals and eat the grass. And so God was working in all of these nations. He was at work, but the problem was...

They would not receive God's work and they were in rebellion against God. In Psalm chapter 2, David asked the question this way, Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying, Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.

David's asking the question, why is it that the nations are raging against God? Why are they so opposed to God? Why are they in rebellion to God? And God will bring judgment upon them for their rebellion. And so that's what we're dealing with here as we begin chapter 15. Let's look at verses 1 through 4.

It says, the burden against Moab, because in the night, Ar of Moab is laid waste and destroyed. Because in the night, Kir of Moab is laid waste and destroyed. He has gone up to the temple and Daivon, to the high places to weep. Moab will wail over Nebo and over Medeba. On all their heads will be baldness and every beard cut off.

In their streets they will clothe themselves with sackcloth. On the tops of their houses and in their streets, everyone will wail, weeping bitterly. Heshbon and Elielah will cry out. Their voice shall be heard as far as Jahaz. Therefore the armed soldiers of Moab will cry out. His life will be burdensome to him.

Here in the beginning part of chapter 15, these first four verses, we find the subject of God's pronouncement of judgment. And that is upon the nation of Moab. Now, Moab was really Israel's neighbor. They were just adjacent to the nation of Judah, the southern part, the kingdom where Isaiah is ministering. And they are just on the other side, the east side of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.

And so Moab, being their neighbors, was closely related to Israel. In fact, Moab is the descendants of Lot, if you remember Abraham's nephew, who was rescued from Sodom and Gomorrah. He went to the region of Moab when he was rescued from there, and that's where his descendants dwelt, and they became known as the Moabites, and that is where they dwelt. This is the nation that God is dealing with. And

And so Isaiah is prophesying about the destruction of Moab, the descendants of Lot, and he's very specific. He lists tons of cities here in chapters 15 and 16 in dealing with Moab. We're not going to get into all of them, and it's not so important that we know where every city was or how to pronounce each one correctly, but the point is that the destruction is going to be total and complete.

Some of the cities are in the north part of the nation. Some of the cities are in the south. Some in the east. Some in the west. And all throughout. And the whole idea is that the destruction is going to come upon the whole land, the whole nation.

As we look at these things, understand that this is a prophecy that has been fulfilled already. It was fulfilled by the Assyrian army when they conquered the whole region. They didn't conquer Judah, but they conquered Moab and all the surrounding nations around the nation of Judah. And so it was fulfilled by the Assyrian empire. He says in verse 1 that it happens in the night, and he repeats it twice, in the night, in the night.

Meaning that this is probably a destruction that is going to happen suddenly and unexpectedly. It's going to happen almost overnight in that sense. It's going to be a great sweeping destruction and there's going to be great sorrow over the destruction that takes place.

It tells us in verse 2 that they're going to go to the high places to weep. The high places where they would go to worship false gods. And so they would have these altars set up and these areas set up, and they're going to go to these false gods weeping and wailing. Why didn't our gods protect us? Why didn't our gods save us? Why didn't our gods keep us from these things?

Also in verse 2, it tells us that Moab will wail. They will have baldness. They're going to shave off their hair. Not only that, but they'll cut off every beard. The people of that day, when they were in mourning, this is what they would do. They would shave their head. They would shave their beards. It was a symbol of shame. It was a pronouncement of humiliation and sorrow.

In addition to that, they would clothe themselves with sackcloth, verse 3 says. Sackcloth is another indication of a person in mourning. You know, today, if you are in mourning, you wear all black, say to a funeral or some type of occasion like that. Well, the sackcloth that they would wear would be this cloth that was made of black goat's hair. It was coarse, it was rough, it was thick, it was uncomfortable clothes.

And it was what they would put on. It was what they would wear whenever they were in mourning. Goats don't have nice fluffy skin like bunny rabbits, right? Have you ever tried to cuddle a goat or had the temptation to cuddle a goat? I don't think so. I remember wrestling a goat when Michael brought his for the petting zoo a couple of years ago for the harvest carnival.

And it wasn't something that I just kind of wanted to rub my face against. It's something that's very uncomfortable. And it's what they would do when they're in mourning, when they were under great sorrow and great distress. And this is what's going to come upon the nation of Moab. Verse 3 says that everyone will wail. This is going to affect the entire nation. They're going to be weeping bitterly. In verse 4 it says even the armed soldiers of Moab will cry out.

The armies, the people, everyone is going to be affected by this judgment. The devastation is going to be quick and it will cause Moab to mourn and to cry out. Let's continue on in verses 5 through 9. He says, My heart will cry out for Moab. His fugitives shall flee to Zor like a three-year-old heifer.

Verse 2.

For the cry has gone all around the borders of Moab. It's wailing to Eglan, and it's wailing to Ber Elim. For the waters of Dimon will be full of blood, because I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him who escapes from Moab, and on the remnant of the land. Here in verses 5 through 9, he continues to describe this devastation and destruction that will be brought upon the nation of Moab.

It's going to be horrendous. Larry taught me a new word this last weekend on the men's retreat. It's going to be horrendous. It's going to be something that is just devastating to them. Ah, and shocking in their minds.

There will be some left though. It won't be complete in that everyone will be cut off. In verse 5 it tells us that his fugitives shall flee to Zoar. This again is the city where Lot fled to when he fled from Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels told him to go into the mountains. He said, hey, I can't make it up there, but I can make it to this little city. Will you save this city? And so it's the one city that was preserved in the judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

And it was there a part of the nation of Moab. And so all of the fugitives will, like Lot, flee to this place. As God's judgment is poured out upon Moab, much like it was poured out upon Sodom and Gomorrah, the fugitives, those who are left, the remnant, will flee to that city for protection.

But it's not done at that. It will also include a drought that is going to take place. He says in verse 9, the waters of Nimrim, I'm sorry, verse 6, the waters of Nimrim will be desolate. There's not going to be anything green. So they're going to have this attack by the army of Assyria that's going to wipe them out. But there's going to be this devastation by a drought as well.

Many are going to die. Verse 9 says that the waters of Dimon will be full of blood because of the great loss of life, because of the mass massacre that will be taking place. So there's great destruction and much sorrow for Moab. Now again, these things have been fulfilled. They've already taken place, fulfilled by the Assyrian army when they came and swept through the land.

But now as we go into chapter 16, continuing on talking to Moab, there's also some things that appear to be prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled. And we'll look at that here in the first part of chapter 16. Look at verses 1 through 5 with me. It says, "...send the Lamb to the ruler of the land, from Selah to the wilderness, to the mount of the daughter of Zion. For it shall be as a wandering bird thrown out of the nest."

So shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon. Take counsel. Execute judgment. Make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day. Hide the outcasts. Do not betray him who escapes.

Verse 4, Let my outcasts dwell with you, O Moab. Be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler, for the extortioner is at an end. Devastation ceases. The oppressors are consumed out of the land. In mercy the throne will be established, and one will sit on it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.

Here in verses 1-5 of chapter 16, it's believed that this is not something that has already been fulfilled, but this is something yet future to take place. Let me give you some quick background to understand the context of when this might take place.

During the tribulation period, we know the tribulation is the seven-year period when God is pouring out His wrath upon the whole world. We've talked about it several times, the judgment that will come at that time.

We also know that the church will be raptured prior to this tribulation period. It has not happened yet. It's yet future. It's coming upon the face of the earth. But it hasn't occurred yet. And before it occurs will be the rapture of the church. The church will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we will forever be with the Lord. Amen. But Israel, Israel on the other hand, because they have rejected Jesus Christ,

Israel as a nation, Israel as a whole, is going to go through the tribulation period. All who have rejected Jesus Christ will enter into this tribulation period and God will begin to work again with the nation of Israel there in the tribulation. Halfway through the tribulation period, they will realize the truth. They will realize that Jesus Christ is the Messiah when the Antichrist sets up

An idol. It's the abomination of desolation that Daniel prophesied about and Jesus mentioned in Matthew chapter 24. When he sets up this idol within the Holy of Holies, within the temple, it will be the middle point of the tribulation period. The first three and a half years will kind of go okay for the nation of Israel and things will be going good. They'll believe that the Antichrist is their Messiah. But when he does that,

Then their eyes will be opened. They will realize that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. And it's at that point that the things will turn. The covenant will be broken and the Antichrist will be out with a vengeance against the nation of Israel. He'll be seeking to destroy them and wipe them out. The Antichrist is going to come against Israel at that time with great fury.

And so Jesus says in Matthew 24, verses 15 and 16, hey, when you see the abomination of desolation, when you see that event take place, He says, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

When this happens, and if you're in the area, those who are in Judea, they're in the area where Jerusalem is, where the temple will be established again. Hey, if you're in this area, when this happens, flee to the mountains. Don't stick around. Don't hang out there. Get out of town. Get out of the country and flee into the mountains.

In Revelation 12, verse 6, where it's talking about the overall picture of the war of the enemy against the nation of Israel. It talks about the Son being delivered, which of course is a reference to Jesus Christ as the Messiah. And then during this time, during the tribulation period, it says the woman, that's a picture of Israel, fled into the wilderness.

where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days, or three and a half years. And so for the last three and a half year of the tribulation period, God has a place prepared in the wilderness that they will flee to. Jesus says, flee to the mountains.

Revelation says they'll flee to the wilderness. There's a place there that God has prepared. They're speaking of the same thing. They're fleeing to this particular location. And what particular location is that? And that's going back to Isaiah chapter 16. That's where this fits into the picture. Right there in verse 1, it has a reference to Selah in the wilderness. That word Selah is the Hebrew word for rock.

Now, for 25,000 bonus points, can anybody tell me what's the word for rock in the Greek language? Petra. Wow, you guys all, man, I don't know if I have that many bonus points to give, but Thela in Hebrew is the word for rock. Petra is the word for rock in the Greek, and it just so happens that there is a city named Petra, the rock city, there in the land that is occupied...

By Jordan, which occupies the area that Moab used to occupy. So there in the land of Jordan is a city named Petra. It's been called Petra for a long time. But it's occupied by the nation of Jordan right there, neighboring Israel. And it's believed that there in Petra is where God will protect his people during that time.

It's there where Jesus is saying, hey, flee to the mountains. Flee to the wilderness in Revelation. Flee to the place that God has prepared you. The rock city. Perhaps, very likely, the city of Petra there in the land of Jordan. So he's telling Moab, hey, there's great destruction. The judgment is coming upon you. But it's not going to be complete annihilation. There's still going to be a remnant left. And when the time comes...

He's telling them to protect his people. Look, in verse 2, he calls his people the wandering bird thrown out of the nest. Why? Because God told them to flee, to get out of the city. In verse 3, he describes them as the outcasts. And he tells Moab, do not betray him who escapes. The one who escapes, the one who gets out of town, the one who does what Jesus says, God says, don't betray them.

Look at verse 4. He says, "...let my outcasts..." This is God speaking. "...my outcasts..." He's speaking about His people. He says, "...let my outcasts dwell with you, and be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler." Which we would believe then to be a reference to the Antichrist. So it seems to fit well with what God has promised to do with His people today.

It's one of those things that, to know for sure, I think we'll just have to wait and see how it works out. But it seems very realistic and probable that it's the city of Petra. And it's the area there in the southern part of the Jordan, the nation of Jordan, where God will protect Israel for that three and a half years.

Now as we go on in chapter 16, we go back to the prophecies of judgment and destruction upon Moab that pretty much have already taken place. In fact, they have because he tells us a time frame at the end. So let's look at verses 6 and 7 here back in Isaiah chapter 16. Verse 6 says, We have heard of the pride of Moab. He is very proud of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath.

Here in verses 6 and 7, God explains to us why this judgment is coming upon the nation of Moab. Now last week we saw in Isaiah chapter 14 that Moab was a nation of Moabites.

The fall of Satan was because of his pride. Saying, I will ascend. I will be lifted up. I will be like the Most High. It was because of his pride that he fell and he turned from God. Pride is one of those things that God absolutely hates. I was listening to a teaching on the radio just this last week.

The teacher was talking about how there's these different lists throughout the Scriptures of the things that God hates, and somehow pride is always there on the top of the list. That God hates pride. It's one of the top things that He hates. We might think of murder or rape or those types of things as the worst types of sins possible. But God, when He lists His sins, He says, I hate pride.

It's something that he is opposed to. James chapter 4 tells us that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. He resists the proud. God's judgment, all of the judgment that we will see here and in the other chapters of Isaiah, God's judgment is against everything that is high and lifted up.

Everything that lifts itself up against the name of God. This is why Moab is being judged, because they're full of pride and they refuse to honor God. They refuse to humble themselves before God. It's something that we deal with as well. And so you need to know, hey, if you're full of pride, if you refuse to be obedient to God, if you will not recognize him and worship him as God, watch out because God resists the proud.

And you might say, "How can I tell if I'm full of pride?" Well, there's lots of ways, but just a simple look at the word "pride." What's the center letter of the word "pride"? "I." Hey, if "I" is the center of your life, then you are full of pride. If it's the center of your conversations, then you're full of pride. If "I" is the center of your thoughts and plans and purposes and goals and desires, then you're full of pride.

And you need to humble yourself and let Christ be the center of your life. So Moab is full of pride and that is why they're receiving destruction. He says in verse 7, Therefore, because of their pride, Moab shall wail for Moab. They're going to experience destruction and judgment because of their pride. Why? Because Proverbs 16, 18 tells us, Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Let's go on verses 8 through 11. It says, For the fields of Heshbon languish and the vine of Sibma. The lords of the nations have broken down its choice plants, which have reached to Jazer and wandered through the wilderness. Her branches are stretched out. They are gone over the sea. Therefore, I will bewail the vine of Sibma with the weeping of Jazer. I will drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elayla.

Verse 10. Here in verses 8-11, it says,

Again, it's just a picture of the completeness of destruction. Not only are the people going to be affected, not only is there going to be a drought, but here he describes and talks about all of their crop. We get the picture of a nice, bountiful land, a very productive economy, a land that's really producing a lot and going well. There is great joy and happiness and many things going on, many good things.

But here's a part of the judgment of God. All of their crops, their fields, and their vineyards will be destroyed. The fields of Heshbon, the vine, the choice plants. He says, I will bewail the vine. In the vineyards, there's not going to be singing anymore. There's not going to be anybody treading out wine. It's going to be all desolate, all wiped out. It's going to be a place to be inhabited by the animals, no longer populated with the people of Moab.

Verses 12 and on it says, And it shall come to pass when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he will come to his sanctuary to pray, but he will not prevail. This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning Moab since that time.

But now the Lord has spoken, saying, within three years, as the years of a hired man, the glory of Moab will be despised. With all that great multitude and the remnant will be very small and feeble. Here as we conclude chapter 16, Moab has refused to recognize God. And so instead they will turn to false gods. Verse 12 says that they will go to the high place. They will go to their sanctuary to pray, but they will not prevail.

That's one of the things about worshiping a true and living God. God hears us. As we were praying before the service earlier, one of the people was thanking God for hearing our prayers. And I just began to reflect upon that. How amazing it is that God listens to us. Now, if you think about our own selves, when we get full of pride, when we're high and lifted up, you know, someone underneath you at work perhaps wants to try to tell you something.

And you know what it's like. Can you imagine a little kid tugging on you and you're busy, you've got things to do, and you're not so concerned about what that child has to say. But here's God, Creator of the universe.

And he's interested in what we have to say. He's interested and desires to hear and listen to us and receive what we have to say. We can lift our petitions to him. In fact, he says, cast your cares on me. Come and tell me what's troubling you. Come and share with me what's on your heart. Hey, you're going through difficulties. You're going through hard times. Come to me. Let's pray. Let's talk this out. I want to hear what's going on in your heart.

We have a God that listens. We have a God that's alive, that's able to come to our aid and to meet our needs as we seek first the kingdom of God. But here, the nation of Moab, because they've rejected God, they've turned to these other gods. They go to their sanctuary to pray and they might as well be praying towards a brick wall. They might as well be praying towards the dirt. They might as well be hoping for the tree to be able to save them that they're praying to.

Because the God that they worship is not alive. He does not hear and he cannot save. And so they will not prevail. And that's the thing, guys. You cannot fight against God and win. You cannot be full of pride and escape destruction. You cannot rebel against God and not receive the judgment that's due. Now apparently this is a message that Moab has heard.

God has already prophesied about these things because in verse 13 it says, This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning Moab since that time. Hey, it's been some time now. God has been speaking these things to Moab.

He's been promising, hey, judgment is coming. Just like we see in the Old Testament, all of the prophets, like Isaiah, sent to the nation of Israel, sent to the nation of Judah, saying, hey guys, you need to repent, you need to turn back, God's judgment is coming. If you don't get right, in the same way, Moab has been receiving this message. God has been sending warnings. He's been warning them, hey, this is coming, the judgment is coming.

It's the same message they've been receiving, except now it's modified a little bit. Verse 14 says, But now the Lord has spoken, saying, Within three years. Within three years. Can you imagine how that would change things about the prophecies that we're waiting to be fulfilled? So we're waiting for the rapture of the church. We're waiting for the tribulation period.

Now, if God came and sent a message saying, hey, within three years, it's the message that's been preached from the beginning of the book. It's the message that God has already shared, that this judgment is coming upon the world. But now, here's the message. Within three years, this is going to take place. How would that change the way that we live? How would that change the choices and decisions we make? How would that change our outlook on our life and the goals that we have?

For the nation of Moab, this should have been a powerful wake-up call. But they continued on. They were destroyed in the way that God promised. And it happened within three years of Isaiah sharing these things because they would not and did not turn back to God. And so the glory of Moab was despised. That great multitude became very small and feeble. There was but a remnant left.

Now also, put yourself in the nation of Judah's shoes. Here's the nation of Judah. They're also in rebellion against God. Oh, they have their good kings where they turn back to God. And then next year, they have their bad kings where they walk away from God. And then their good kings where they draw close to God again. And then their bad kings where they walk away from God. They're in continual and constant rebellion against God. The people as a whole, they have good kings that...

Kind of slow down their rebellion a little bit. And they have bad kings that accelerate their rebellion. But overall, the people of Judah, they're in rebellion against God. But here's Isaiah prophesying to the nation of Moab, hey, within three years, you're going to be destroyed. You're going to be wiped out because of your pride, because you would not turn and honor God. As he's using Isaiah to deliver these messages, Judah would be able to watch, right?

Okay, let's start counting. Okay, year one, yeah, still hasn't happened. Year two, still hasn't happened. Maybe he's not a real prophet. Maybe we don't need to listen to whatever he's saying. Year three, oh my goodness, look at Moab. They've been wiped out by the nation of Assyria. They would be able to see the fulfillment of this. They'd be able to see God fulfilling his prophecy and the judgment being poured out. This would be an awesome testimony to the credibility of Isaiah. He is a prophet of God.

God is speaking through him. We better listen up the things that he says about us. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the biggest proofs that God is who he says he is and that we should believe his word. For you and I, we have not just the three years that Moab was destroyed, but we have hundreds of prophecies that have been fulfilled. Proving that God says what he means and means what he says. Proving that God knows the beginning from the end.

Proving that when he says something, it will come to pass. Jesus, when he came, fulfilled 300 prophecies there in the Old Testament. And there's many more about his return. Just as he fulfilled those prophecies coming the first time, he will fulfill the other prophecies coming a second time. They will be fulfilled. We need to be ready. Are you ready? Are you prepared? Jesus taught us by many parables.

That we need to be ready. We need to be prepared. We need to be watching. Because the Lord's going to come like a thief in the night. It's going to be a surprise. It's going to be sudden. It's going to be unexpected at a time we don't expect Him to come. Are you ready? Are you prepared? God has fulfilled His word. He wiped out Moab. He's fulfilled His word. He came and died upon the cross for us.

He's fulfilled His word. Israel has become a nation once again. He's fulfilled His word time and time again. And He's promised, I will return. If I go, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go away, I will come again to receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Jesus Christ has promised, He will come again. And He sent us many men like Isaiah.

to prove this is His Word. It will come to pass just as He said. We need to be ready. At the very beginning, I shared with you Psalm 2. Can you please turn there? We'll close with this this evening. Psalm 2. Moab is being judged because of their pride and because they would not receive God as God. And God will not be mocked. You can't rebel against Him and succeed.

You can't forget about him and prosper. You will reap what you sow. Psalm chapter 2, again verse 1, Let's jump down to verse 10.

He says,

I want to leave you with this exhortation this evening. David starts out saying, why do the nations rage? Why do they plot in vain? Why do they set themselves against the Lord? We could use this of Moab. Why did Moab set themselves against the Lord? Why didn't they respond when God spoke? Why didn't they respond to the things that God delivered to them? Why did they try to win against God and rebellion to Him? We could say that about our nations in this world today. Even our own nation.

Why does this nation think that we can forget about God and His Word? That we can reject His principles and prosper? Why do we think that we won't be destroyed? Because of our great prosperity? Because of our great democracy? Because of who we are? How great we are? Like Moab, we can very easily be full of pride. But David ends the psalm saying, here's the solution. Here's for you and I. Because there's...

The potential and the danger in our lives of being puffed up with that same pride. Setting ourselves up against God. Although we might not stand on the corner and throw rocks at the church when we disobey God, when we disregard His Word, when we choose to do it our way instead of His way, we set up ourselves against God. When we forget about Him and we're focused on our own selves instead of Him, we set up ourselves against God.

But He's coming again. And we need to be ready. How do we be ready? Because we cannot escape judgment if we set up ourselves against God. So what do we need to do? He tells us. Here's what to do. Be wise. Be instructed. Verse 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Serve God with fear. Understand that He is God. Humble yourself and receive His Lordship and be obedient to Him no matter what the cost.

He tells us also in verse 12, kiss the Son. That's not the S-U-N, the S-O-N, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. Kiss the Son. What does that mean? Worship Him. Love Him. Adore Him. Fall in love with Jesus Christ. If you want to be right with God, kiss the Son. Have a passionate fire and love for Him. Adore Him and worship Him with all your heart.

Kiss the Son lest He be angry. Hey, if you reject the Son, you incur the wrath of God. So serve the Lord with fear. Kiss the Son. And He ends verse 12 saying, Blessed are those who put their trust in Him. Can I encourage you in that this evening? Jesus is coming back very soon. It could very well be within three years or even within three days. There's nothing holding Him back except His patience and desire that none should perish.

In the meantime, we need to get ready. We need to be prepared. So let's serve the Lord with fear. Let's kiss the Son, fall in love with Him, be passionate about Him, and let's put our trust in Him. Let's believe Him at His word and believe that He will do exactly like you promised in our lives, upon this world, and for eternity. Amen?

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your great word. Lord, even in the midst of the judgment that's being prophesied here, Lord, we have great hope in you. Lord, we know that this world is going to experience the tribulation period, but God, we ask that you would keep us from it. Lord, you told us to pray that we would be counted worthy of escape. And so, God, we pray that you would count us worthy.

God, not because of our great works, not because of who we are and how magnificent we are, but Lord, because of what you did for us upon the cross. Jesus, this evening we put our trust in you. God, forgive us where we put our faith in our own selves and trust our own selves more than you. Forgive us, Lord, when we put our faith in our abilities and our bank accounts and our plans and goals. God, help us to recenter our lives not around the I, but around the you.

God, that you would be the center of our lives. Lord, that you would be the focus. That you would be our passion and desire. Lord, teach us to kiss you. Lord, to love you. To adore you and worship you. Lord, to have the intimate relationship with you that you desire with us. And God, I pray that you would help us to serve you with fear. Lord, with fear knowing that you are God. Lord, we will stand before you to give an account. So may we be good stewards of the resources that you give to us.

Lord, the gifts spiritually that you've given to us, the finances that you've blessed us with, the time that you've given to us, may we be good stewards and use our entire lives to serve you and glorify your name. Lord, that we might be like those virgins who are ready. At your return, God, we're prepared. Our lamps are full of oil as we serve you, love you, and trust you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.