Monday, October 23, 2023

"God of... truth... the holy prophets"

    This week we will look at two aspects of God: He being the God of truth (2x in Isaiah 65:16) and the God of the holy prophets (Revelation 22:6).

“So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.” (Isaiah 65:16 NKJV)  

    The context in which this verse is found God describes “My people who have sought Me” (65:10) and those who “forsake the LORD” (65:11) and what their lives will be like.

    Those who have sought the LORD and seek to do His will to the best of their ability after returning from captivity will realize God’s mercy in renewing them and not holding their past against them, their past that led them straight into captivity in both a physical and spiritual sense.

    Today we can read this verse and see the enduring truth that those who have sought the LORD and seek to do His will to the best of their ability, who repented of (turned away from) their sins and were baptized for the remission of their sins (Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:37-38, Romans 6:1-14), realize God’s mercy and grace in renewing them (Ephesians 4:20-24) and not holding their past against them, their past that led them straight into captivity in a spiritual sense (Romans 6:15-23, 1 John 3:8; 5:18-20).

    God is the God of truth. The Hebrew word behind “truth” is one that is very familiar to every one of us: ‘amen’did you know you were speaking Hebrew every time you finished a prayer?  Amen means so be it; it is a declaration that all the praise you have spoken about God is true and it also proclaims your confidence in God’s ability to hear what you have said and to do what is best with what you have requested.

    When ‘amen’ is used in this Isaiah passage it would read like this: “…he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of so be it; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of so be it….”

    Simply put: If God says it, it will happen (Numbers 23:19, Joshua 21:45; 23:14, Ezekiel 12:25; 24:14). If God has made a promise it will be fulfilled (Psalm 145, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Hebrews 11:6, and consider John 17:4). God is truth and He can be counted on – you can trust Him with your life and with your soul.

“Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.” (Revelation 22:6 NKJV)

    “Lord God of the holy prophets” – a prophet was given words from God to speak to specific people (kings, tribes, cities, nations, etc.). The prophet was to speak God’s word faithfully (Jeremiah 23:28) and the people, if doubting, would know that the prophet was from God if what was said came to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). The LORD rose early (always well ahead of time) to warn people of their trespasses (Jeremiah 7:13, 25, 25:14) and encourage them toward repentance.

    God used prophets – people among His people – to warn His creation from impending dangers and to trust in the mercy of the LORD, the last of all being His very Son, Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-4). “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken by angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him…” (Hebrews 2:1-3)

    Do you believe God to be the God of truth – the very so be it? Do you believe Him to be the God of the holy prophets, the very writers of the books contained in your bible? All His words have come to pass and we can trust that the words prophesied of what will yet be will be fulfilled. God is the God of truth and the holy prophets spoke only His words, only the truth (1 Thessalonians 1:13, Acts 3:18-21). I encourage you to read His word daily, fully trusting that it is Truth.

You can do it! So can I!!  



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