A contemplative scene of a man prayerfully considering whether he can truly give what he is contemplating. His expression shows reverence and honest self-reflection, and the open Bible indicates that he’s seeking God’s guidance. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

In our previous forays into Ecclesiastes, much has been said about the more “philosophical” content of this Old Testament book. Chapter 5 is a bit different in that it examines what it takes to worship God with reverence.

What do I mean by reverence? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word as:

Using this modern definition, it’s clear to see that Solomon (generally accepted as the author of Ecclesiastes) was setting out guidelines in Chapter 5 on how believers should show the Lord the honor and respect He deserves.

Solomon begins by saying “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it“. A vow to God is a promise you make to do something for Him. Perhaps it is to stop repeating a sin habit once and for all, maybe it is to attend church regularly, or it is finally making up your mind to give your “first fruits” to the Lord in the form of a tithe or charitable giving. Whatever the vow is, your next step after making that vow is to take action and fulfill it.

Enduring Word provides this excellent commentary on verse 4:

This is as true today as it was in the time of King Solomon! Don’t make a promise to God that you’re not willing or able to immediately keep, as breaking that vow is a sin.

The second part of Ecclesiastes 5:4 says “He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.” In the context of this book of wisdom, foolishness doesn’t just mean a lack of intelligence, but living life without respect for God. Anyone who speaks carelessly to the Lord and doesn’t follow through is showing contempt for the holiness of God! He doesn’t just listen to words said in prayer or in passing; God judges the integrity of the worshiper as well.

Fulfilling your vow mans keeping one’s word to God, and that is an act of worship and of reverence to the Lord. In New Testament times, Jesus made a similar call to His followers for simple faithfulness (Matthew 5:33-37).

In verse 5, Solomon goes on to advise that “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.” In other words, don’t make a promise that you can’t keep — especially to God!

God doesn’t require His people to make voluntary promises, He just wants them to obey His commands. Speaking a vow to God in the time of Solomon brought a person under a very strict obligation, so carelessly making a vow could not later be chalked up to empty speech. Israel was commanded to fulfill whatever any of its people voluntarily promised to God!

These vows were made in times of need, when those who worshipped Yahweh sought His help or blessing. There are many examples in the Old Testament of vows being made to the Lord, and in those cases where worshippers faithfully fulfilled those vows, God was faithful in return.

One such example is found in 1 Samuel 1:11, 27-28, where Hannah vowed that if she was given a son, he would be dedicated to the Lord. She brought Samuel to serve at Shiloh after God answered her prayer. Giving up a son is a serious commitment, but Hannah made her vow after a lot of reflection and prayer, and she followed through.

Not fulfilling a vow broke the covenant with God and revealed a heart that did not obey. God is always faithful to His Word, and He calls for His people to reflect that faithfulness in every commitment they make.

I’ll close out this devotional with a commentary from Our Daily Bread cited on Precept Austin.

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Lord, I thank You for the wisdom that Solomon captured in Ecclesiastes. Help me to always remember that it is better not to vow than to make a vow and renege on it. Grant me the strength and commitment to always honor my promises to You, and to approach You in prayer and worship in a sincere and humble manner. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

BibleHub was accessed on October 27, 2026 for commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

Precept Austin was accessed on October 27, 2026 for commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

“Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?

Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?

That would be like a club wielding those who lift it,

Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood.

Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors;

And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame.

And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame,

And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.

And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body,

And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.

And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number

That a child could write them down.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭10‬:‭15‬-‭19‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The Lord continues to speak through Isaiah with words of warning to Assyria. He is using them in His plans to chastise Israel and Judah, but they should not think that they are in control. Let’s look at the commentary from Enduring Word on this passage:

a. Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? The LORD uses the pictures of an ax, a saw, a rod, and a staff to make the point that the instrument should never take credit for what the worker does with the instrument. The scalpel can’t take credit for what the surgeon does; the strength and the skill are in the user, not in the instrument.

• i. If it is easy for an unknowing instrument of God to become proud, it is also easy for a willing instrument of God to become proud. Jesus said we should have a different attitude: So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10) As wonderful as it is to be an instrument in the hand of God, the instrument deserves no special glory.

b. Therefore the Lord…will send leanness among his fat ones: Assyria sat “fat and sassy” at the time, but God would send leanness to them. His judgment will be like the burning of a fire among them, and it will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field. The Lord will leave Assyria just a shadow of its former self.

• i. Bultema on both soul and body: “Calvin warned against inferring from this that the soul is not immortal. What is meant, according to this keen expositor, is that the soul of this tyrant will have to pay for his wicked deeds on earth after the destruction of His body.”

I believe the cautionary tale is to be wary of church leaders and pastors who become so proud of their ability to deliver a message or lead the church effectively that they think their own skills are what should be credited for their success. The instrument in the hands of the Lord should never take credit for what the user (God) does with them. I’ve known more than one pastor who seemed to preen and bask in the glow of applause and compliments after they delivered a particularly good sermon. The same cautionary principle could apply to someone like me, a rank amateur, who is trying to deep dive into scripture to gain further illumination and discernment. I admit to liking the “likes” on my devotionals, but I must remind myself every day that I am an unprofitable servant who is doing my duty for the Lord.

The Lord will destroy Assyria, making it just a shadow of its former self. Let’s look at a little bit of the history of Assyria. This is from Wikipedia (the links have been left intact):

Assyria^[e] was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization that existed from the 21st to the 7th century BC which conquered and administered most of West Asia from the Assyrian heartland in Upper Mesopotamia.^[4] Assyria is called the first true military superpower in human history, and pioneered major inventions and advances in the first libraries and large-scale preservation and accumulation of knowledge, as well as in statecraft, centralised government, bureaucracy, warfare, military organisation, propaganda, art, and architecture.

Assyrian imperial history spans the early Bronze Age to the late Iron Age, from its beginning as small Akkadian settlement in northern Mesopotamia to its zenith and collapse as the largest empire at the time, and is typically divided into the Early Assyrian (c. 2600–2025 BC), Old Assyrian (c. 2025–1364 BC), Middle Assyrian (c. 1363–912 BC), Neo-Assyrian (911–609 BC), and post-imperial (609 BC–c. 240 AD) periods.^[5][6] The Assyrian people survive to this day and continue to live and practice their culture in their ancient heartland and in the diaspora.

…

The remaining Assyrian people, who had survived and preserved their native culture in northern Mesopotamia, were among the first people to accept Christianity in the 1st century AD, traditionally having been evangelized by St. Thomas the Apostle, one of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus Christ, and by the disciples St. Addaiand St. Mari, went on to develop a unique East Syriac rite and establish the Church of the East (which would go on to spread Christianity throughout large parts of Asia). The ancient Mesopotamian religion persisted at Assur until Assur’s final sack in the 3rd century AD, and at certain other holdouts for centuries thereafter.^[10] A number of religious and cultural symbols, practices, customs, artistic styles, and genres from the ancient Mesopotamian religion and culture continue to be used and repurposed in Syriac Christianity to this day, such as the star of Shamash and the Easter Monday ‘gayasa’ (a play in the Sumerian disputation genre).

The triumph of ancient Assyria can be attributed not only to its vigorous warrior-monarchs but also to its adeptness in efficiently assimilating and governing conquered territories, using inventive and advanced administrative mechanisms. The developments in warfare and governance introduced by ancient Assyria continued to be employed by subsequent empires and states for centuries.^[7]Ancient Assyria also left a legacy of great cultural significance,^[11] particularly through the Neo-Assyrian Empire, making a prominent impression in later Assyrian, Greco-Roman, and Hebrew literary and religious traditions.^[12][13][f]

I find it fascinating that the remnant Assyrians were among the first people to accept Christianity and their customs are still used by Syriac Christians today.

Here’s a map showing the extent of the Assyrian empire during two different eras (also from Wikipedia):

Note that by 671 B.C., the 10 northern tribes in Israel are completely absorbed by Assyria, but the tiny Judah (and Jerusalem) are not part of that empire. This map is from a completely secular source (Wikipedia), which goes out of its way to cast doubt on anything Biblical or supernatural or miraculous. But the map tells the story!!

A group known as the Biblical Foundation for Freedom has this excellent summary of the timeline (chart and text). Although we looked at this already in my introduction to Isaiah, it’s worth noting it again; that introduction was over three months ago and I’m still in Isaiah 10!

Three Periods of Judah During Isaiah’s Ministry

• Uzziah (792–740 BC) and Jotham (750–732 BC): Judah flourished, but Uzziah’s arrogance and temple sin ended in leprosy, while Jotham served as co-regent for a time.

• Ahaz (735–715 BC): This era was marked by decay, open idolatry, hostility from Syria and Israel, and a pro-Assyrian foreign policy.

• Hezekiah (715–686 BC): He purified the temple and resisted idolatry. Some chronologies instead place his reign at 725–697 BC; the exact calendar years remain debated.

Assyria’s Four Major Pressures on Israel and Judah

• Tiglath-pileser III (744–727 BC): Ahaz responded to the threat from Israel and Syria by sending tribute to Assyria.

• Shalmaneser V (726–722 BC): Assyria besieged Samaria; the city fell in 722 BC (2 Kings 17:5–6).

• Sargon II (721–705 BC): Judah became associated with the Ashdod revolt of 713–711 BC, though it escaped the harshest consequences.

• Sennacherib (704–681 BC): Assyria devastated Judah’s towns and fortresses before Jerusalem was miraculously delivered (2 Kings 19:18–19).

So our passage today describes the miraculous delivery of Jerusalem, albeit at great loss to other parts of Judah, from the raid of Sennacherib. This event happens in one day, according to Isaiah 10. Isaiah is looking forward (prophetically) to events at a later day, as documented in Isaiah 37 and 2 Kings 19:

““Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, ‘He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield, or throw up a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he will not come to this city,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

Then the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭37‬:‭33‬-‭38‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“‘Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,” ’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh. It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭32‬-‭37‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The texts are virtually identical. The destruction of the forest by the fire of the Lord in Isaiah 10 is considered by most scholars to be metaphorical, describing the actions of the angel of the Lord against the Assyrian army (185,000 struck dead overnight). I don’t plan to skip Isaiah 37, so we will go through this again, perhaps with a different perspective after the intervening 27 chapters.

My next devotional examines Isaiah 10:20-27 - God will preserve a remnant of Israel.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - I am thankful for the guidance to go and study the historical aspects of this passage. In spite of the doubts that secularists at Wikipedia have about anything from Christianity and Scripture, the map aligns with Isaiah and 2 Kings. Help me to always be a humble instrument of Your will. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/27/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:15-19.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/27/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:15-19.

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

Other sources accessed for this devotional:

Wikipedia

Biblical Foundation for Freedom

Two neighbors stand beside a stone boundary wall in first-century Judea, their disagreement giving way to reconciliation. A gentle, older believer helps them reach understanding, while one neighbor extends his hand to the other. Behind them, golden grain stretches across the hills—a natural connection to the harvest of righteousness. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

When I have God select the Bible verses I should study for Heaven On Wheels, He sometimes points me to a single verse that has a lot more impact and makes more sense when it is included with another verse. That’s the case with today’s verses; I think God wanted me to look at both verses 17 and 18 from Chapter 3 of the Epistle of James.

James is a short epistle; just five chapters. As I’ve mentioned previously, it is commonly accepted that James is James the Just, the half-brother of Jesus (see Matthew 13:55 for the genealogy) who led the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13) and the brother of Jude, who wrote the very short (one chapter!) Epistle of Jude.

Chapter 3 discusses two things that all Christians need to learn — how to tame our tongues, and how to demonstrate our faith to others through living wisely; a wisdom that comes from heaven, not from earth.

In verse 17, James lists eight attributes of the wisdom that comes from heaven. Let’s take a short look at each of these:

1 - It is pure. The Greek word used here is ἁγνός (hagnos), an adjective that means more than just “pure,” but pure from every fault, immaculate. Pure from carnality. Chaste and modest. 20th-Century theologian William Barclay, in his commentary on James cited on Precept Austin, said this about the pure wisdom from heaven:

2 - It is peace-loving. εἰρηνικός (eirēnikos) is the original Greek, translated as “peaceable, pacific, loving peace.” Once again from Barclay:

3 - It is considerate. The Greek is εὐπειθής (eupeithēs), which has the meaning “easily obeying, compliant.” In our time, those attributes have been twisted to mean “pushover,” but when you think of a God-fearing Christian person, they obey God’s commands and comply with His commandments, and they follow those human laws and regulations that uphold those commandments. Call me old-fashioned, but I think those are attributes that should be given a place of honor and respect in our society.

4 - It is submissive. Another word that is disliked in this day and age. From the Greek ἐπιεικής (epieikēs), meaning “equitable, fair, mild, gentle.” Barclay once again offers a definition of epieikēs that makes perfect sense:

5 - It is full of mercy. This comes from two Greek words; μεστός (mestos), which means “full” but is defined as “in reference to persons, whose minds are as it were filled with thoughts and emotions, either good or bad”, and ἔλεος (eleos), best defined as “mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.” In other words, having a mind filled with kindness or good will and the desire to help others.

From Precept Austin’s Bruce Hurt:

6 - It is full of good fruit. Another two words from the Greek; ἀγαθός (agathos), defined as “upright, honourable” among other things, and καρπός (karpos), meaning “fruit”, but the definition “praises, which are presented to God as a thank offering” seems to fit better.

Precept Austin quotes D. Edmond Hiebert: “The many acts of practical mercy mature in a rich harvest of variegated fruit." Think also of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

7 - It is impartial. Often translated as “unwavering,” from the Greek ἀδιάκριτος (adiakritos), “without dubiousness, ambiguity or uncertainty”. Barclay provides us with even more commentary cited on Precept Austin:

8 - It is sincere. This word is in some translations as “without hypocrisy,” which is closer to the Greek ἀνυπόκριτος (anypokritos). Barclay has done such a good job with the other attributes of the wisdom that comes from heaven that I’ll use his commentary for this final word:

That is heavenly wisdom. John MacArthur, also quoted from Precept Austin, said this about hypocrisy:

James has just described all of the attributes of Jesus in one verse! These attributes are goals for Christians to aspire to in our lifelong transformation to reflect the nature of Jesus Christ.

After that lengthy dissection of verse 17, let’s move on to verse 18: “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” Precept Austin thought that the NIV translation (which I use for my HOW devotionals) was an “excellent, straightforward rendering” of the verse.

It is straightforward! Those who live according to heavenly wisdom, making peace with others and with the Lord, are planting the seeds that produce a bountiful crop of righteousness. The reward of that righteousness? Eternal life.

Donald Burdick, quoted in Enduring Word’s commentary, sums up these two verses nicely:

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, please help me to embody the heavenly wisdom described by James in this epistle. Through Your wisdom, I pray that I may sow seeds of righteousness and peace in my life and the lives of others. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Precept Austin was accessed on October 25, 2026 for commentary on James 3:17-18

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

Barclay, William “The Letters of James and Peter” (The New Daily Study Bible) (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975)

Burdick, Donald W. “James: The Expositor’s Bible Commentary” Volume 12 (Hebrews-Revelation) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1981)

Hiebert, D. Edmond “The Epistle of James: Tests of a Living Faith” (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1979)

“For it says, “Are not my princes all kings?

Is not Calno like Carchemish,

Or Hamath like Arpad,

Or Samaria like Damascus?

As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,

Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images

Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols?”

So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness.”

For he has said,

“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,

For I have understanding;

And I removed the boundaries of the peoples

And plundered their treasures,

And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants,

And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest,

And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;

And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.””

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭10‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

This is a challenging passage, I must admit. I looked at various commentaries and I think the one in Enduring Word is pretty good:

a. Are not my princes altogether kings: Assyria had such an inflated view of themselves that they regarded their princes to be on the level of the kings of other nations.

b. As I have done to Samaria and her idols, shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols? Here, the LORD described the proud, arrogant heart of the Assyrians. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, which was given over to gross idolatry. Jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah, which still maintained some worship of the Lord GOD. In their pride, the Assyrians thought the Lord GOD nothing more than one of the idols that they had conquered in Samaria or in many other cities. The Assyrians were in for a rude wake-up call.

• i. “The cities mentioned in verses 9 and 10 came under Assyrian control between 740 and 721 B.C., and none of the gods of these areas had provided the slightest help. It was assumed that the ‘idols’ (v.10) of Jerusalem were equally impotent.” (Wolf)

c. I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks: The pride of Assyria and her king was found in his arrogant heart and exposed by his haughty looks. How much pride can be revealed by a haughty look.

• i. The Bible describes God’s opinion of haughty looks: A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin. (Proverbs 21:4) The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure (Psalm 101:5). For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks (Psalm 18:27).

d. By the strength of my hand I have done it: Again, the LORD revealed the heart of Assyria. They gloried in their own strength and wisdom (by my wisdom, for I am prudent). They exaggerated their power (I have gathered all the earth).

• i. Julius Caesar had this heart of pride when he said of his military conquests: Veni, vidi, vici (“I came, I saw, I conquered”). Charles V had a better heart when he said of his military conquests, Veni, vidi, sed Christus vicit (“I came, I saw, but Christ conquered”).

That helps explain this a bit better. The Assyrians and their king are so arrogant and sure of themselves that they consider Jerusalem just another place to conquer because it has useless gods. They don’t recognize the one true God that is still worshipped to some extent in Judah. They consider their princes to be as kings. The cities that came under their control and the idols those people worshipped did nothing to stop the conquering. The king believes that he can do the impossible and gather “all of the earth”.

Some experts consider this verse (repeated below) to be both a short term and long-term prophecy, pointing to our future as well as the time in history in Judah, when the Assyrians are overcome by the Babylonians:

So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness.”

Once again, pride is the deadliest of sins, manifested in the arrogant heart and pompous and haughty looks of the king of Assyria. This guy is long-dead and not remembered at all today, but during his life he obviously felt like he was “king of the world”. Let’s look at the scripture references for haughty looks that are referenced in the commentary:

“Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

The lamp of the wicked, is sin.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21‬:‭4‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;

No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭101‬:‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“For You save an afflicted people,

But haughty eyes You abase.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18‬:‭27‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The Assyrian commander Rabshakeh illustrates this arrogance perfectly in this passage from 2 Kings 18 (found through the commentary from Precept Austin:

“Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live and not die.”

But do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’ ””

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭28‬-‭35‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Hezekiah is, of course, coming up in my continuing studies of Isaiah. The Lord WILL deliver us!

My next devotional examines Isaiah 10:15-19 - God assesses the arrogance of Assyria.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - As I read these words about arrogance and a haughty look, my mind drifted to many examples from our current social climate that worships celebrities. You can’t go five minutes on social media without seeing some celebrity who thinks they know it all looking down on the masses. May we always ask for a heart of humility and a countenance that reflects Your love. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/25/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:8-14.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/25/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:8-14.

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

The Lord is pointing me towards the Gospel of Matthew today following three devotionals in a row exploring a variety of Psalms. Matthew chapter 5 is, to me, the heart and soul of this Gospel. It comprises the first part of the Sermon on the Mount, contains the Beatitudes, and in one chapter, we hear from Jesus exactly what He wants us to learn and to do in our lives. The same teaching from Jesus is also captured in Luke 6:36, although the wording is different:

This short verse can be described succinctly as the Word of Jesus summarizing what He has just finished teaching the crowd of disciples, and commanding all who follow Him (past, present, and future) to live up to the standard that He has set. Earlier during this same sermon, Jesus had told His followers:

This probably seemed like an impossible task to the average Jewish follower of Jesus at the time, as the “Pharisees and teachers of the law” were considered to be brilliant examples of righteousness. Jesus saw the reality — the Pharisees and teachers of the law were pride-filled scholars who didn’t live a righteous life, but a law-abiding one filled with ceremonies, sacrifices, and rote memorization of the Torah. Later in Matthew, He referred to them as worse than hypocrites:

To enter the kingdom of Heaven, the followers of Jesus can’t be like the world or filled with empty righteousness like the Pharisees. We are to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect. The commentary on this verse from The Bible Says explains this well:

Does this mean if we don’t meet the standard set by Jesus we’ll never enter the Kingdom of Heaven? NO - it just means that we will recognize our failure to meet the standard and repent! American pastor and theologian John MacArthur (1939-2025), cited on Precept Austin, elaborates:

The Father’s perfection comprises His holiness, justice, faithfulness, and love, all of these attributes without defects or limitations. Jesus was the perfect revelation of the Father’s character, and as believers we are conformed to His image through the Holy Spirit’s work until God completes His work in us.

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, help me to strive for perfection in my thoughts and actions, and to reflect Your character in all I do. Shower Your grace on me to pursue a life that mirrors Your holiness. Most importantly, teach me to love others as You love me, displaying kindness and compassion in every word and action. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Commentary from The Bible Says © 2026 The Bible Says, All Rights Reserved (https://thebiblesays.com)

Precept Austin was accessed on October 24, 2026 for commentary on Matthew 5:48

MacArthur, J., F. The Gospel According to Jesus

BibleHub was accessed on October 24, 2026 for commentary on Matthew 5:48

“Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger

And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,

I send it against a godless nation

And commission it against the people of My fury

To capture booty and to seize plunder,

And to trample them down like mud in the streets.

Yet it does not so intend,

Nor does it plan so in its heart,

But rather it is its purpose to destroy

And to cut off many nations.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭10‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The remaining verses of Isaiah 10 go into some detail about the Assyrians and how they are first used as a “rod of God’s anger” against Syria, Israel, and Judah and then how they themselves face God’s wrath. I’m taking this a little chunk at a time.

Here is what Enduring Word says about verses 5-7:

a. Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger: In the previous section (Isaiah 7:1-10:4), the LORD revealed that He would use Assyria as an instrument of judgment against Syria, Israel, and Judah. But what about Assyria? Weren’t they even more wicked than Syria, Israel, or Judah? Yes, the Assyrians were wicked; yet the LORD could use them as the rod of My anger. At the same time, none of this excused Assyria, so the LORD says, “woe to Assyria.”

• i. “A similar shift in the object of divine judgment occurred in the case of the Babylonians. God raised up the Babylonian armies between 605 and 586 B.C. to punish Judah (Habakkuk 1:6-11), and then He announced judgment on Babylon (Habakkuk 2:6-17; Isaiah 14:5).” (Wolf)

b. The rod of My anger…the staff in whose hand is My indignation: The rod and the staff were sticks used by shepherds to guide and correct their sheep. God is saying that Assyria was like a stick in His hand, used to correct Syria, Israel, and Judah.

c. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath: In this sense, Assyria was on a mission from God. They were doing the LORD’s will, running His errands when they came against Syria, Israel, and Judah. God gave them permission (I will give them charge) to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

d. Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so: Since Assyria was an instrument in God’s hand, since they were doing the will of the LORD, does this excuse their attack on Syria, Israel, and Judah? Not at all! Though they were instruments in God’s hand, they did not mean so, nor does his heart think so. They didn’t care at all about God’s will or glory in the matter. Instead, it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off not a few nations. Assyria didn’t care about the will or glory of God; they wanted to destroy and cut off many nations.

• i. Psalm 76:10 says Surely the wrath of man shall praise You. God can use the wickedness and carnality of man to further His will, without ever approving of the wickedness or carnality. In fact, God is totally justified in judging the very wickedness and carnality that He used.

• ii. The pattern is repeated over and over through the Scriptures. Joseph’s brothers sinned against Joseph, but God used it for His purpose, and disciplined Joseph’s brothers. Saul sinned against David, but God used it for His purpose, and judged Saul. Judas sinned against Jesus, but God used it for His purpose, and judged Judas.

• iii. This should help with questions that trouble many people. The first question is “How can God bring any good through an evil thing that was done to me?” We can’t often know in advance exactly how God will bring the good, but we can trust that He will as we continue to yield to Him and seek Him. The second question is “Doesn’t God care about what they did to me?” He does care, and God will bring His correction or judgment according to His perfect will and timing.

God uses the ruthless Assyrians as His weapon against the Godless nation of Israel, but the Assyrians do their conquering without regard to God’s role in this action. God uses sinful and wicked people to further His will but He does not approve of their wickedness and will judge them, too! We need to trust God to always bring good out of a situation.

There are also some interesting eschatological connections in this prophecy, according to Precept Austin, with further connections to Micah and Ezekiel. Here are the details:

Henry Morris has an interesting comment on Assyria...

• As in many of the prophecies, there is to be both a precursive fulfillment, in this case the coming invasion of Israel and Judah by the unspeakably cruel and wicked Assyrians, and a final fulfillment, the northern invaders of Israel in the last days, as described particularly in Ezekiel 38. The term “Assyrian” seems, in fact, to be a title of the coming Antichrist (Micah 5:5,6).

• This One (Messiah) will be our peace (cp Prince of peace Isa 9:6). When the Assyrian invades our land, when he tramples on our citadels, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men. 6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, The land of Nimrod at its entrances; And He will deliver us from the Assyrian When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory. (Mic 5:5-6).

[Precept Austin] Comment: While not everyone would agree that Micah’s prophecy describes the future Antichrist, Micah’s prediction of Israeli victory over Assyria has never been historically fulfilled and does leave open this fulfillment as a distinct possibility that it refers to the last days. Morris commenting on Micah’s prophecy writes

• Since Assyria was the chief threat to Judah at the time Micah was writing, many expositors assume that “the Assyrian“ in this verse is simply a metaphor for all her enemies. The context in this passage, however, is strongly Messianic and prophetic, and Assyria was a dead nation long before even the first coming of Christ. With this context in mind, it seems most likely that “the Assyrian” here is a name for the Antichrist of the last days, the leader of the last great invasion of Israel before the second coming of Christ. He is an Assyrian not by nationality (the Assyrians of antiquity have long vanished from history) but by geography, since his capital will be at restored Babylon (Zechariah 5:5-11). In the last days, “the Assyrian” (or Antichrist, or the Beast) will be seeking to establish his world government and especially to eliminate the nation Israel and all Christians in every nation. At that time, this particular prophecy will become clear. There has been no historical fulfillment of this prophecy as yet, which makes it even more obvious that the major context of this whole section must relate to the future. At that time, the Lord will raise up leaders--perhaps from Israel--to organize escape routes and resistance to the Assyrian’s armies and death squads.

Let’s look at the prophecy in Micah (I’m including more than just the reference in the commentary above):

““Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;

They have laid siege against us;

With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,

From the days of eternity.”

Therefore He will give them up until the time

When she who is in labor has borne a child.

Then the remainder of His brethren

Will return to the sons of Israel.

And He will arise and shepherd His flock

In the strength of the Lord,

In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.

And they will remain,

Because at that time He will be great

To the ends of the earth.

This One will be our peace.

When the Assyrian invades our land,

When he tramples on our citadels,

Then we will raise against him

Seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.

They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,

The land of Nimrod at its entrances;

And He will deliver us from the Assyrian

When he attacks our land

And when he tramples our territory.

Then the remnant of Jacob

Will be among many peoples

Like dew from the Lord,

Like showers on vegetation

Which do not wait for man

Or delay for the sons of men.

The remnant of Jacob

Will be among the nations,

Among many peoples

Like a lion among the beasts of the forest,

Like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

Which, if he passes through,

Tramples down and tears,

And there is none to rescue.

Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,

And all your enemies will be cut off.”

‭‭Micah‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

I have a confession to make. I probably haven’t looked at the book of Micah in years (since doing Bible in One Year studies), except now I’m getting sent there quite a bit during this Isaiah study. This prophecy is extraordinary! There has to be a better way to study Biblical texts than just doing a Genesis to Revelation top-level journey (perhaps I’ve stumbled across a better way by doing these in-depth studies of one book and all the ways it points to other books). We have a friend who is doing the books in chronological order, which might make more sense as well.

As we continue through the rest of Isaiah 10, it will become apparent that this passage in Isaiah may be what is referred to as a “double reference”, a prophecy with near and long-term implications. I will dig into this idea more later in upcoming Isaiah 10 devotionals. Meanwhile, here is some commentary from Enduring Word on the first part of the passage in Micah for us to ponder:

a. He has laid siege against us: Micah announced that Israel will be humbled by foreign powers, and even her judges will bear insults.

b. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah…out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel: In the coming time of humiliation under foreign powers, God would raise up a great Ruler from a humble place – Bethlehem.

• i. Bethlehem was well known as the hometown of David, Israel’s greatest king, yet it was never a great or influential city. It was truly little among the thousands of Judah. Yet God chose it as the birthplace of the Messiah, the Ruler in Israel.

• ii. This passage from Micah 5 was quoted by the chief priests and teachers of the law when Herod asked about the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 2:5-6).

• iii. Bethlehem means House of Bread, and Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35). “And now for that word Ephrathah. That was the old name of the place which the Jews retained and loved. The meaning of it is, ‘fruitfulness,’ or ‘abundance.’ Ah! well was Jesus born in the house of fruitfulness; for whence cometh my fruitfulness and thy fruitfulness, my brother, but from Bethlehem? Our poor barren hearts never produced one fruit or flower, till they were watered with the Saviour’s blood.” (Spurgeon)

c. Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting: This glorious promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and Micah’s prophetic voice declared that though Jesus came from Bethlehem, He did not begin there. His goings forth are from before the foundation of the world.

• i. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13). This means from the very beginning, Jesus was there. There was never a time when Jesus did not exist.

• ii. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He existed as the Second Person of the Trinity (John 17:5, 17:24). These passages tell us that there was a relationship of love, fellowship, and shared glory that the Father and the Son shared before the creation of all things. The name “Jesus” was not known as a name for the Second Person of the Trinity until the angel Gabriel announced it to Mary (Luke 1:31). But the eternal Son existed before He revealed Himself as “Jesus.”

• iii. Before Bethlehem, Jesus was the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16-17, John 1:1-3). “He was before all things. As he is the Creator of all things, so he is the Eternal, and no part of what was created. [Every] being but God has been created. Whatever has not been created is God. But Jesus is the Creator of all things; therefore he is God; for he cannot be a part of his own work.” (Clarke)

• iv. In the Old Testament, Jesus appeared as God made visible or the Angel of the LORD. There are many instances in the Old Testament where individuals are shown to have had a face-to-face encounter with the LORD (Genesis 16:7-13, Genesis 18, Genesis 32:24-32, Joshua 5:13-15, Judges 6:11-24, Judges 13:8-24, Daniel 3). In each situation, the Person is given different titles, but in all cases the person is plainly referred to as the LORD Himself but appearing in a human form.

• v. From before the creation of all things, God’s plan of the ages included Jesus (1 Peter 1:20, Ephesians 1:4).

• vi. Knowing that Jesus’ goings forth are from of old, from everlasting shows us some important things:

  • · It shows us the glory of Jesus, that He is far more than a man.

  • · It shows us the love of Jesus, that He would leave the glory of heaven for us.

  • · It shows us the nature of Jesus, that He would add humanity to His deity.

  • · It shows us the sympathy of Jesus, that He remains fully man and fully God.

…

a. He shall give them up, until the time: Micah anticipated a future time, one that was partially fulfilled in the Babylonian exile and return, but will be ultimately fulfilled in the great tribulation and restoration of Israel. In both those eras, the LORD will seem distant from Israel until the time for restoration is ready.

b. Then the remnant of His brethren shall return…. He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the LORD: After the time of Israel’s trial, the LORD will restore gloriously. The Ruler born in Bethlehem will tenderly care for His flock in the strength of the LORD.

c. They shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth: The greatness of the Ruler from Bethlehem guarantees the standing of His people. They abide because of His greatness.

d. This One shall be peace: It isn’t just that the Ruler from Bethlehem brings peace; He is peace. As Paul wrote of Jesus in Ephesians 2:14, He Himself is our peace.

…

a. When the Assyrian comes into our land: After the pattern of the prophets, Micah blended near and distant ages in his prophecy. The threat of the Assyrian would come against both kingdoms shortly, but Micah also used the idea of the Assyrian for any pagan nation or empire set against God’s people.

b. We will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princely men: Though the enemies of God’s people would come against them, under God’s blessing leaders will raise against them mighty men. God often works this way to deliver us from our enemies.

My next devotional will examine Isaiah 10: 8-14 - The Boasting of Assyria.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - Thank you for helping me do exegetical studies of Isaiah, bringing into view so many other pieces of the tapestry of Your will and Your creation! Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/22/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:5-7

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/22/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:5-7.

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

An older King David sits beneath an olive tree overlooking fields at harvest. Nearby, a family shares bread while children play and a shepherd tends his flock. David watches with a grateful, contemplative expression, recognizing God’s goodness in the everyday blessings surrounding him. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

We’re back in the Psalms, this time with a psalm of David. As you’d expect with documents that are 3,000 years old, what exactly David was experiencing in his life is unknown. David Guzik’s Enduring Word introduction to Psalm 27 explains:

The latter part of Psalm 27 is quite different from the first part. In the first six verses, David sings of his confidence in God and his desire for God’s presence; the last eight verses (of which Psalm 27:13 is a part) are a prayer.

When I write these devotionals, I usually take a look at multiple translations of the Bible. Most do a very good job of making the original Hebrew or Greek words understandable in English, but there are variations in the overall meaning of those words. For Psalms 27:13, I felt that the NASB 1995 translation had much more impact than the NIV translation I usually use. Here’s the NASB version:

The NKJV translation also has the same “feeling” to it:

Rather than saying that David would have “remained confident,” these two translations provide a much more powerful statement — that the King would have given up (lost heart, despaired). But he knew that God, who had helped him throughout his life, would find a way to display His goodness in his future life with the Lord as well. Charles Spurgeon quoted 17th Century theologian Richard Baxter in a commentary found on Enduring Word:

Another way to interpret “the land of the living” is David’s earthly life. With this interpretation, David would have been saying that he had that confidence (as seen in the NIV translation) that the Lord would continue to help him in the remainder of his life. That’s a strong reason to not surrender to despair or death.

Whether we interpret this verse to be about this life or the life to come, we have assurance that death will not be victorious over those who belong to the Lord.

Remember, we have hundreds of devotionals dedicated to the Book of Psalms. Read and learn more by clicking the button below:

Study More Psalms

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I pray to You today with a heart filled with hope and gratitude. I trust that I will see Your goodness in my life, both now and when I am with You. Help me to always be strong and courageous throughout the inevitable times of trouble, and to reflect the love, forgiveness, and mercy of Jesus as I deal with other people. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

“Woe to those who enact evil statutes

And to those who constantly record unjust decisions,

So as to deprive the needy of justice

And rob the poor of My people of their rights,

So that widows may be their spoil

And that they may plunder the orphans.

Now what will you do in the day of punishment,

And in the devastation which will come from afar?

To whom will you flee for help?

And where will you leave your wealth?

Nothing remains but to crouch among the captives

Or fall among the slain.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The fourth stanza of this “Speech of the Outstretched Hand” targets those who pervert justice and righteousness. They write evil statutes and record unjust decisions, targeting those who are the most vulnerable. They may “walk the walk” and claim solidarity with the poor and those needing justice, but they do the opposite in courts and in legislatures.

J. Vernon McGee is quoted in Precept Austin with some pithy commentary that lands this right now, in our modern times:

This verse is very much up-to-date. I think we are seeing the working out of this in our contemporary culture, because the courts are to hand down justice and mirror the justice of God, and they don’t. Lawlessness abounds. People sink into degradation. The idea of freedom has been distorted. Every criminal who is arrested ought to be given a fair trial but in order that my family and your family can walk the streets in peace, criminals will have to be punished. Many who are guilty of crimes are set free by a softhearted, softheaded judge. That judge is not giving justice to me and my family or to you and your family....

One of the leading political analysts in this country recently stated on a telecast that every program that has been devised to help the poor has hurt the poor. What is wrong? The only One who will give justice to the poor is God. Judges are supposed to represent God on earth. Today many godless men are judges. They are in no position to judge at all until they recognize that they are representing God....

It is a farce to have a man put his hand on the Bible and take an oath in a court of law today, because most judges do not believe it is the Word of God. The lawyers, the jury, and the men who are taking the oath probably do not believe it is God’s Word. When you don’t believe it, you might as well take an oath on a Sears and Roebuck catalog. Some of them may have more respect for that than they do for the Bible.

God is dealing with principles; and, until a judge represents God, he cannot represent the people. We have gotten so far from this concept that I am sure I sound like a square! And that’s what I am....

God is saying to the judges, “You are to represent Me, and the day is coming when I am going to judge you.” I feel that every judge ought to recognize the fact that he is one day going to stand before God and give an account of how he has handled his responsibility here on earth. Judges in our day seem to have bleeding hearts; they want to show mercy to the poor criminal. Well, they should be meting out justice to both rich and poor. In the day of reckoning, the unjust judges will stand before the Just Judge.

Referring to the Sears and Roebuck catalog dates this commentary a little bit (J. Vernon McGee died in 1988), but he would be astonished at how this situation has not improved, but is actually getting much worse. Judges who release criminals over and over again are not giving any justice to actual or potential victims. It is a form of “suicidal empathy” (being overly empathic or sympathetic to those who would harm or kill you, thus overlooking the victims). It is even worse when those who are in the country illegally commit crimes and are released to do it again and again.

I’m going to detour into something political now because I think it is crucial for Christians to not sit on the sidelines: There are candidates in recent elections for what is known as the Democrat Socialists of America. They are well-funded and are winning primaries and general elections by running on the Democrat ticket, beating out other more mainstream Democrats. They are getting attention because people are perhaps not happy with the current administration so they look for the new shiny object. There have been rumors or reports abounding that this organization advocates eliminating the police and abolishing prisons, letting all offenders go free. Many of the DSA candidates have denied these rumors as the midterm elections loom closer, so I thought I would go straight to their website and see their intended plan rather than sharing someone else’s opinion (see excerpt below):

DSA Political Platform

For all of the working class to achieve collective liberation we must constrain, diminish, and abolish the carceral forces of the state — from prisons and police themselves, to their manifestations in all forms throughout society. Each step forward in reducing the size, power, and authority of the repressive forces of the state expands the space for mass, organized, and collective action of the working class, and clears ground for us to build the institutions of a society to serve our communities with real justice and equality.

We are committed to the horizon of abolition and the path leading us there. Our demands:

• Defund the police by rejecting any expansion to police budgets or scope of enforcement while cutting budgets annually towards zero

• End the criminalization of working-class survival

• Freedom for all incarcerated people

• Demilitarize the police and end colonial policing of our cities and neighborhoods

• Freedom of working-class self-organization and democratic political action

• Invest in community self-governance and care, not cops

I’m not sure I can speak Marxist double-talk very well, but I can read and this sounds like they are certainly advocating eliminating the police and opening up the prisons, plus they are calling for the elimination of laws that “criminalize” working-class survival. I believe this advocates open theft of anything that a “working-class” member deems necessary for their “survival”; I would surmise that might include the latest iPhone and the best clothing, beyond stealing food and other basic commodities. If these policies are implemented at the national level (along with their other super socialist ideas), well, I leave that to your imagine what life would be like, as millions and millions would be victims. It would certainly get Isaiah’s attention, so we need to pray to God for true justice to prevail, not anarchy or totalitarianism (true socialism is impossible to implement without force).

Another part of the McGee commentary is worth looking at: One of the leading political analysts in this country recently stated on a telecast that every program that has been devised to help the poor has hurt the poor. Here’s the response from my web search engine AI on the “War on Poverty”:

Total Spending on the War on Poverty

Since its inception in 1964, the War on Poverty has seen significant financial investment.

Spending Overview

Year Introduced 1964

Total Spending (Adjusted for Inflation): $25 trillion

Key Points

• The War on Poverty was launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in response to a national poverty rate of around 19%.

• Despite the expenditure of over $25 trillion, poverty rates have remained relatively unchanged over the decades.

• The effectiveness of these programs has been debated, with many arguing that they have not sufficiently addressed the root causes of poverty.

This substantial investment highlights the ongoing challenges in effectively reducing poverty in the United States. Sources: Texas Policy.com, US House of Representatives

I would say that the last statement is in the running for the understatement of the century. As a taxpayer, I would love to know where that money went. As a Christian who should be concerned about those who are poor, it boggles the mind that the government has spent this much money in 50 years and the needle on the poverty rate has barely moved. Interestingly, poverty has decreased overall, but this is credited to increases in market income and not the effects of over 100 government welfare programs. Another tragic side-effect of this spending is the loss of intact black families (see this article here) because of some of the rules of the welfare system that discourage marriages because it will reduce benefits.

Well, I know this is a Bible devotional, but God’s wisdom in His Word is applicable to our lives in every aspect, including the decisions we make when we vote. If believers advocate judges and legislators who are Godly, we will naturally be accused of Christian nationalism. Remember, though, we should always honor God in what we do and not pay attention to the voices raised against our beliefs.

The day of reckoning was coming for those who perverted justice and enacted evil statutes. According to Precept Austin, the reckoning and devastation was coming from Assyria:

More from Precept Austin on the devastation and the rhetorical questions:

Devastation (07722) (so’ah - feminine form) means ruin, desolation or devastation, which can be sudden or unexpected (as something crashing - Cheyne calls it “the crashing ruin”) such as the arrival of a disastrous storm (so’ah = “storm” in Ezek 38:9). It describes that which is laid waste by plundering or destroying and implies a complete ruin of the affected area. In Zeph 1:15, this word describes the dreadful Day of the Lord. The storms of war were stirring and would soon sweep over the Northern Kingdom (722BC).

This prediction is not just desolation but describes sudden, and complete destruction. [Note from Barb - this noun So’ah can also be written as Shoah, which is the term used by the Jews to describe the Holocaust].

…

Boyd describes the brutality of the Assyrians...

• The Assyrian Kingdom became one of Israel’ s mightiest, most brutal foes. It was a nation with the highest culture, a highly formal religion, and skilled in the crafts and arts of mankind, but was unmercifully cruel in its punishment of its enemies. Their acts were atrocious. King Ashurnasirpal (883–859 BC) was its great leader of expansion. His armies of bowmen, spearmen, slingers, cavalry and charioteers made up one of the most feared and dreaded units of military might of that day. Such was what the prophet Nahum had in mind (Nah 2:3, 4; 3:2, 3).

• Ashurnasirpal described his dealings with a certain city he had conquered as follows: “Six hundred of their warriors I put to the sword; 3000 captives I burned with fire; I left not a single one among them alive to serve as a hostage. Kholai, their governor, I captured alive. Their corpses I piled into heaps; their men and maidens I burned in the fire; Khulai, their governor, I flayed and his skin I spread upon the wall of the city of Damdamusa; the city I destroyed, I ravaged, I burned with fire.” (Assyrian Brutality -- By Bob Boyd)

…

To whom will you flee for help? - Another rhetorical question calling for a negative reply. There will be no one to rescue or defend from the foreign foe. They had sown the rotten seeds of failing to help the helpless and would reap their bitter harvest of helplessness in the face of the onslaught of the notoriously brutal Assyrian forces. The ESV Study Bible has an interesting note that “Corrupt wealth buys helplessness.”

There is a tragic irony for the only Refuge is the very One Who brought the devastation through His instrument Assyria.

Clarke comments...

• As the people had hitherto lived without God in worship and obedience; so they should now be without His help, and should perish in their transgressions. (Isaiah 10 Commentary)

There is also a twist of irony in the questions in this passage for it is as if he is asking

• “When you have forsaken others in their time of need, who will you go to for help when you are in need?”

…

And where will you leave your wealth? (cp Ps 49:17) - A final rhetorical question. Where will your ill-gotten gain be safe and secure? There was no bank or safe that could keep their wealth safe, for the land would be devastated by the ferocious Assyrian forces. When God’s hand of judgment falls on Israel, all the wealth these leaders had gained through corrupt, unjust methods would vanish like the wind, reminding us of truths in other Scriptures...

• When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. (Pr 23:5)

• Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. (1Ti 6:9)

This fourth stanza ends the same way as the previous three:

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.”

Enduring Word has this to say about this phrase at the end of each stanza:

e. For all this, His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still: Once again, this chorus is heard. The judgment against Israel’s injustice was not enough. There was still sin to judge, and God wasn’t ready to stop His work of judgment.

• i. The repetition of the phrase reminds us that God’s judgment is persistent. It moves from phase to phase until it finds repentance. This means that it makes sense for us to repent now, because God’s judgment is persistent for all eternity. “If even physical death does not satisfy the fierce anger of this holy God, what dread and punishment lies beyond the grave?” (Grogan)

• ii. It makes perfect sense for this message of coming judgment to follow the announcement of the Messiah. His coming was announced, but the people were not ready for Him, and the predicted judgment would come before they were ready.

So the four stanzas of this speech or poem addressed the following things that keep God’s anger from turning away (true back in the days of Israel and Judah and true today):

1. Pride and arrogance

2. Failed leadership

3. Selfishness

4. Perverted justice and righteousness

My next devotional examines Isaiah 10: 5-7 - Woe to Assyria, the rod of His anger.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - I pray for justice and righteousness. I pray that the candidates of the DSA are not successful in this election and that the people vote for judges and candidates who are godly. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/21/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:1-4

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/21/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 10:1-4

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

An elderly King David weeps as he prays to God and places his trust in the Lord’s mercy. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

The Lord has directed my attention back at the Psalms, as we visited Psalm 71 on Monday and today He selected Psalm 39:12 for me to study. If you feel inspired to read more devotionals focusing on the Psalms, we have many of them for you to study:

Be Inspired By The Psalms

Psalm 39 is titled To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. Who was the Chief Musician? Some Bible scholars think David meant the Lord God, while others think it might have been one of the worship leaders or musicians from David’s time, like Heman or Asaph. Jeduthun is also mentioned several times in Psalms; he was one of the musicians David appointed to lead Israel’s public worship.

Many of the Psalms can be tied to a specific event or time in David’s life, but Psalm 39 provides no clues. Some think that it was written towards the end of his life, but that’s pure speculation. However, 18th Century bishop and scholar George Horne (cited on Enduring Word) notes that it was commonly used at funerals:

David is appealing to God to hear his prayer, his “cry for help,” and pleads with God to “not be deaf to my weeping”. Why is he in tears? David is feeling a sense of separation from the Lord, as he says “I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.“

David was most certainly not a foreigner or stranger in Israel; he was born there, lived his life in the land, and was its most famous king. But he did feel that he was a stranger with God. In other words, David was saying that both he and God were strangers in the fallen world.

Again from Enduring Word, we have these words from F.B. Meyer:

and of course Charles Spurgeon had some brilliant insight into David’s thoughts of being a stranger in his own land (from Enduring Word):

David Guzik explains:

The Bible Says also provided some eloquent commentary on this verse:

David’s psalm should resonate with all Christians who find themselves despondent about their place in a world where they feel like a stranger.

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Lord, when I am in times of despair and sorrow, I ask for You to hear my prayers and to take note of my tears, to turn Your attention toward me and provide comfort. Like You and King David, I am a foreigner in this fallen world, and I take solace in knowing that You have promised me redemption and eternal life through Your Son and my Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

Commentary from The Bible Says © 2026 The Bible Says, All Rights Reserved (https://thebiblesays.com)

Horne, George “Commentary on the Psalms” (Audubon, New Jersey: Old Paths Publications, 1997 of a 1771 edition)

Meyer, F.B. “Our Daily Homily: Psalms-Song of Solomon” Volume 3 (Westwood, New Jersey: Revell, 1966)

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon “The Treasury of David: Volume 1” (Psalms 1-57) (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1988)

“For wickedness burns like a fire;

It consumes briars and thorns;

It even sets the thickets of the forest aflame

And they roll upward in a column of smoke.

By the fury of the Lord of hosts the land is burned up,

And the people are like fuel for the fire;

No man spares his brother.

They slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry,

And they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied;

Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm.

Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,

And together they are against Judah.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

This third stanza describing God’s anger with Israel is pretty disturbing. According to Precept Austin, this situation describes the sin of extreme selfishness, but it goes beyond that to a vision of a place where no man spares his brother because of the extreme wickedness in the land and the anger that springs from arrogance. The people are like fuel for a raging fire. I find it fascinating (but not a coincidence; God often points at scripture that mirrors the world) that this passage comes to the forefront in light of the extreme unrest and riots and looting and burning of public buildings in several countries in Europe (these protests started in Paris a few days ago).

Let’s look first at the fury of the Lord and how this contrasts with humans. This commentary is from Precept Austin:

ʿEbrāh (עֶבְרָה) — Wrath, Fury, Overflowing Anger - The Hebrew noun ʿebrāh (עֶבְרָה) refers to wrath, fury, or an outburst of intense anger, conveying the idea of anger that overflows beyond restraint. The word derives from the verb ʿābar (עָבַר), meaning “to pass over, overflow, or exceed.” This root suggests anger that passes its normal bounds, surging outward like a flood. Thus the term often describes anger in excess—rage that erupts violently or sweeps over others with destructive force. Because of this imagery, ʿebrāh can denote a powerful emotional outburst or fury that overwhelms restraint, emphasizing both the intensity and the overflowing nature of wrath.

In the Old Testament the word appears over thirty times and can describe either human anger or the wrath of God, though the nuance differs depending on the subject. When applied to human beings, ʿebrāh often portrays sinful, uncontrolled anger driven by pride or wounded arrogance. An early example occurs in Genesis 49:7, where Jacob condemns the violent fury of Simeon and Levi for their brutal revenge against Shechem. In this sense the word highlights cruel, merciless rage motivated by pride or insolence, a trait closely associated with arrogance (Prov. 21:24; Isa. 16:6). Human ʿebrāh therefore reflects a fault of character—anger that erupts destructively because it is rooted in pride and self-exaltation.

When the word is used of God, however, it carries a different emphasis. Rather than uncontrolled passion, it describes the fierce, overwhelming expression of divine justice against sin. God’s wrath is portrayed as burning, overflowing, and sweeping away wickedness, emphasizing its irresistible and comprehensive power (Ps. 78:49; Ezek. 22:21, 31). The prophets frequently associate this term with the Day of the LORD, the climactic time when God’s judgment pours out upon rebellion. That day is described as a “day of wrath” filled with destruction, darkness, and desolation (Zeph. 1:14–18; Isa. 13:9, 13). Wealth and human power cannot avert this judgment (Prov. 11:4; Ezek. 7:19), because it represents the righteous outpouring of God’s holiness against persistent sin. At times God even raises nations such as Assyria as instruments of His wrath (Isa. 10:6), demonstrating that divine fury can operate through historical events.

The word also appears in wisdom literature to illustrate moral consequences and royal authority. For example, Proverbs 14:35 contrasts the king’s favor toward a wise servant with his wrath against one who acts shamefully, reflecting the idea that legitimate authority may express just anger against wrongdoing. Yet even here the concept ultimately points beyond human authority to God’s greater judgment, reminding readers that righteousness—not riches—delivers in the “day of wrath” (Prov. 11:4).

In summary, ʿebrāh conveys the idea of overflowing, intense wrath that bursts beyond restraint. When describing human beings it usually depicts prideful, destructive rage, revealing the moral danger of anger rooted in arrogance. When used of God it emphasizes the fierce and overwhelming manifestation of His righteous judgment, particularly in connection with the Day of the LORD, when divine justice will overflow against all rebellion and bring wickedness to an end.

Two key takeaways:

1. Human fury is depicted as a prideful, destructive rage; the anger, which is morally dangerous, is rooted in arrogance.

2. God’s fury is a righteous judgment and in the Day of the Lord it will bring wickedness to an end.

Sadly, throughout our recent history here in this country we have had what you might describe as an epidemic of school or public area mass shootings. In spite of new gun laws overlapping old gun laws, these acts still happen on a regular basis (I happen to be an advocate of the Second Amendment and I know that these laws usually don’t work). In places where actual gun confiscation has occurred, the acts of extreme violence are committed with whatever is available (knives, machetes, explosives, airplanes, cars, rocks, etc.) I searched for “root causes” in an internet search for these acts and found many of the psychiatry sources to be woefully inadequate and incapable of recognizing the true sinful wickedness in human fury that is driven by prideful arrogance; they are too focused on the availability of tools rather than the behavior. It is also not a coincidence that many of the recent shooters suffer from gender dysphoria and are full of rage against those who may have tried to help them or perhaps even bullied them. Their egos will not concede that perhaps they are wrong, but so is the sinful society that pushes them to mutilate themselves.

This type of extreme selfishness creates behaviors that can jeopardize other people’s lives, even if there is no overt act of direct violence or it causes someone to casually put their own life on the line to accomplish a dangerous feat” regardless of the impact on friends and family. We watched a fascinating mountain climbing documentary Sunday night on Apple TV called “The Last First: Winter on K2”. K2 is the second-highest mountain in the world and is considered one of the most challenging climbs, even in the “good” climbing season. The documentary explores the tragedies that occurred in January 2021, when several groups tried for the first winter summit of K2 (all other peaks over 8,000 meters, including Everest, have been successfully climbed in winter conditions). This was considered the “last first” for extreme mountaineering.

One small group, led by a seasoned extreme mountaineer from Iceland and his climbing partner from Pakistan (and that climber’s son), tried to get there first. Unfortunately, a large group of commercial climbers, complete with camera crews and huge support staff, also showed up at base camp and so do some Sherpas, intent on doing it first for Nepal. Needless to say, there are betrayals between groups on a summit plan and also some ill-prepared climbers who demand shelter at the highest camp creating exhaustion for other climbers; the result is the death of several climbers, including (sadly), the climber from Iceland, who left behind a wife and six children, and his climbing partner from Pakistan. In a side concern, there was speculation that the Sherpas cut ropes that had placed near the summit, but this turned out to be a false rumor (that would have been a truly murderous act). The winter summit (the “last first”) was successfully completed by the group of Sherpa climbers, led by an egotistical Sherpa who held many records for fast consecutive summits and other feats. Ironically, this hotshot died earlier this year in an avalanche with several other climbers in Pakistan.

What struck me about the documentary is the “dog-eat-dog” mentality and soaring egos of so many these mountaineers. They were not satisfied with what they had already done, so they figuratively tried to do what is in this passage in Isaiah:

They slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry,

And they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied;

Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm.

The climber from Iceland was not satisfied with what he had already accomplished. He could not look at his children and be content, but he looked past them at another chance for “glory”. The Sherpa group wanted to gain glory for their country and their ethnic group, which had been on the sidelines for many years to western climbers even though they are among the best mountaineers. The commercial climbers spent a lot of bucks to be able to brag to their buddies that they had a “first”. I vaguely understand this human mentality, as most people are NOT content and want to do something profound in their lives. The glory of finding God is that we can be content to just be His and not get caught up in these furies and ego wars.

Believing in God relieves us of the need to prove ourselves to others. It shuts down that ego and the wrath that comes with arrogance. Improving ourselves for HIS sake is proof that we are redeemed by His blood.

Turning back to that passage in Isaiah, we have to be aware that there may also be a literal reading of that passage (yikes!). Here is the commentary from Precept Austin:

Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm - Some interpret this figuratively, but there are other passages that suggest a literal reading, while unsavory, is not unreasonable. The Law had given stern, sobering warnings that conditions would be so bad that even such a barbaric act as cannibalism would be practiced.

Further, you shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters you shall eat. (Lev 26:26)

Then you shall eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy shall oppress you.54 “The man who is refined and very delicate among you shall be hostile toward his brother and toward the wife he cherishes and toward the rest of his children who remain, 55 so that he will not give even one of them any of the flesh of his children which he shall eat, since he has nothing else left, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy shall oppress you in all your towns.56 “The refined and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and refinement, shall be hostile toward the husband she cherishes and toward her son and daughter, 57 and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her legs and toward her children whom she bears; for she shall eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy shall oppress you in your towns. (Dt 28:55-57)

Comment: OT prophetic warnings in the Law of Moses were literally fulfilled in a later siege of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70AD. Josephus gives a dreadful detail respecting a woman named Mary, who, in the extremity of the famine, during the siege, killed her sucking child, roasted, and had eaten part of it, when discovered by the soldiers!

• And the king said to her, “What is the matter with you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ “So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.” (2Ki 6:28, 29, cp Jer 19:9, Lam 2:20, 4:10 Ezek 5:10 - [Jeremiah, Lamentations and Ezekiel refer to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in the years preceding 586BC).

Well, that’s certainly unpleasant.

The final verses in Isaiah 9 (and the end of this third stanza) talk about the dissolution of Israel and Judah. Manasseh “eats” Ephraim (and vice versa) and together they are against Judah. John Oswalt, a Wesleyan professor of the Old Testament, made this observation, as quoted in Precept Austin:

The particularly devouring power of sin is seen in its capacity to destroy human relations. These connections, upon which humanity is most deeply dependent, cannot survive the fire of self-serving. It is sad when the environment is abused through sin; it is tragic when human relationships are destroyed. Yet, that had been the history of Israel up to and including Isaiah’s own day. (The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1–39)

If you are a believer, you must hate sin more and more every day, especially the sin of pride. It destroys everything it touches. The self-serving egos of the leadership of Japan and Germany before WWII led to the raging fires of that war, the deaths of 60-70 million people and the widespread destruction of many places across the world.

My next devotional examines Isaiah 10:1-4 - The fourth stanza of this poem, the spread of injustice.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - Please guide me to move away from all sins, especially the sins that are driven by prideful arrogance. May my improvements and accomplishments only come through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/19/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:18-21.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/19/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:18-21.

Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

Just about a half-hour ago, Barb and I were standing in church as the closing song of the service began. After a lengthy and beautiful piano introduction, we both realized what the song was — “Goodness of God” — and both of us had tears in our eyes. We weren’t sad; we were both overcome with joy for a God who loves us so much and has done so much for us. So what does God pick for my devotional today? Two verses from Psalm 71 about praising God with music and song. There are no coincidences with God.

It’s unknown if this psalm was written by David. Some commentators think that it is, and that it is a song and prayer written later in his life. Others think that it is just an anonymous psalm. Charles Spurgeon describes it as follows in this commentary cited on Enduring Word:

Reading that bit of explanation by “The Prince of Preachers”, I see this psalm in a different light, as it applies to me — an aged believer. As I read the entire 24 verses of this psalm, I noticed that I had highlighted one verse years ago… and it is even more befitting at my current age:

In all of the verses of this psalm, the psalmist is worshipping God’s deliverance throughout his life through song and music — a public and personal demonstration of worship. Levite musicians used harps and lyres (among other musical instruments) in Israel’s worship after David organized temple music. Today we worship and praise our God through a variety of instruments — whether an amplified band or a single piano — and through our joined voices in song.

The psalmist had received the benefit of God’s covenant promises throughout his long life, being sustained through suffering, attacks by enemies, and even his advancing years. What better way to give thanks than to praise Him through music? It joins together the voices of God’s people to offer thanks for His great mercy and preservation.

The next verse brings to mind why we worship — we remember God’s mercy. In the time of the psalmist, all of Israel worshipped with sung praise in gatherings, at festivals, and in the synagogue. It was a way of linking personal thanks to a public acknowledgment of God’s faithfulness.

The lips shouting for joy, the songs of praise — these are not just a way of “having a good time,” but rather a grateful response of an aged servant to God’s goodness.

Joy becomes audible because the Lord has answered the cry of one who has trusted Him through danger, adversity, and old age. Such praise is not empty celebration but the grateful response of a servant preserved by God.

The Lord had rescued the psalmist from every sort of calamity — physical, emotional, and spiritual. Each time the psalmist had passed through the suffering unscathed, it had been a living testament to God’s faithfulness. When we personally go through hard times into a better day, we’re receiving a reminder of the greater redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ, and that is truly worth our worship!

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I pray to you today with a grateful heart. Like the psalmist, I recognize Your Hand as my refuge and strength throughout my life, in good times and bad. I commit to singing Your praises with joy, expressing my gratitude each day and sharing Your goodness with others. When I lift my voice in worship, I do so with a plea for Your continued guidance and blessings. May I always remember to joyfully praise You for everything You do for Your people. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

BibleHub was accessed on October 18, 2026 for commentary on Psalms 71:22-23

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon “The Treasury of David: Volume 2” (Psalms 58-110) (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1988)

“Yet the people do not turn back to Him who struck them,

Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.

So the Lord cuts off head and tail from Israel,

Both palm branch and bulrush in a single day.

The head is the elder and honorable man,

And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.

For those who guide this people are leading them astray;

And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion.

Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men,

Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows;

For every one of them is godless and an evildoer,

And every mouth is speaking foolishness.

In spite of all this,

His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The second stanza of this four-part poem in Isaiah 9 (continuing in Isaiah 10) is addressing failed leadership, according to Precept Austin. This leadership could be a political leader or it could be a religious leader or both. They are leading the people astray and causing confusion and the Lord will cut off the head (the elder or “honorable” man) and the tail (a prophet who teaches falsehood). Because of them, the Lord will not take pleasure in their young men or have pity on their orphans or widows, because all of them are godless and evildoers and every mouth is speaking foolishness.

So Israel had this problem more than 700 years before Christ. Do you think we have a problem in our current political age? I seriously don’t want to start a discussion about politics or the false leaders that infest many churches, but, yes, IMHO we do have a serious problem. Political leaders on both sides of the aisle, especially as we near an election, have a tendency to moderate their past views and try to tell us that everything is just fine (if their political party is in power at the time of the election) or they scream at the top of their lungs about the apocalypse that is imminent because their party is not in power, due to the alleged lies, corruption and bad judgment of those in power. There is no common ground and the hyperbole goes both ways, as I noted.

Religious leaders are also being swayed by cultural influences, rather than scripture, and many of them are speaking utter foolishness. Progressive churches are prime examples of this, but sometimes those on the conservative side also lend themselves to anti-Biblical statements. I really can’t say it better than this Gotquestions.org article:

The term progressive Christianity can mean different things. By some definitions, progressive Christianity is compatible with biblical faith. Other definitions classify progressive Christianity as contrary to Scripture or self-defeating. In most cases—but not all—the term is associated with an unbiblical perspective. When progressive implies an evolving or drastically changing theology, it’s invalid. When it implies an overly earthly focus at the expense of faithfulness to God’s revealed truth, it’s likewise incompatible with biblical faith.

Politically “progressive” Christianity

Political terms vary over time, as well as by culture. In the modern West, the term progressive is broadly associated with a desire to improve society: to make it “progress.” This implies a decided emphasis on government action. Progressivism is associated with concepts such as social justice, environmentalism, socialism, and so forth. While variations on those concepts can follow biblical ideals, modern progressivism typically aligns with non-biblical views of life, sexuality, gender, and family, and it generally rejects worldview assumptions undergirding the gospel.

In recent decades, implications of the label “progressive” have changed dramatically. Believers of prior generations would consider the expansion of racial and gender rights legitimately “progressive,” because they represented true “progress” toward an understood biblical ideal. But not every social change is compatible with God’s intent for humankind. In that sense, some goals pursued by “progressive” groups are merely “different,” not necessarily “better,” and many of their goals are worse.

A born-again Christian may legitimately believe in a collective responsibility to curate the environment, attain social justice, care for the disadvantaged, and so forth. Those ideas are not unbiblical in and of themselves. In that sense, some Christians may label themselves “politically progressive.” However, taking on that identity raises concerns about the unbiblical concepts also tied to the term. When secular political preferences begin to steer one’s beliefs about God, politics becomes its own form of religion.

Theologically “progressive” Christianity

As political progressivism has grown, so too have attempts to square it with claims to Christian faith. As noted, not all aspects of progressive thinking are unbiblical. Some facets are within the bounds of a biblical Christian worldview. Others are not. Mankind has always tried to take God’s Word and bend it to their preferences. Political trends influence how people attempt to interpret the Bible. That is to say, popular interpretation generally follows cultural trends. The two aspects resonate and amplify one another.

The greatest difference between political progressivism and “progressive theology” is that the latter is wholly incompatible with the Bible. Good theology isn’t guaranteed to remove all “doubtful issues” (Romans 14:1). Yet a person’s approach to theology is either correct or incorrect. God’s Word means what it means and says what it says. Convoluted rejections of clear biblical teachings about sin, gender, sexuality, salvation, sanctity of life, family, morality, Scripture, and so forth are not “progress” toward truth. Neither does a reinterpretation of Scripture represent an evolution of truth. Truth does not progress or develop: it exists, and we either come closer to it or drift further away.

Progressive theology broadly rejects historic views of the Bible. That usually means discarding concepts such as biblical inspiration, inerrancy, and preservation. Progressive-minded readers may attempt to insert their ideas into passages where such ideas were never meant to be found. When eisegesis becomes inconvenient or impossible, the progressive may dismiss certain texts or ideas as outdated and thus safe to ignore.

Christianity, as historically understood, and modern “progressive Christianity” are diverging enough that some consider them separate religions. What once implied “tolerance and openness within a biblical framework” has now shifted. In practice, modern “progressive” faith means “religion conforming to left-leaning political and social trends.” What’s celebrated as “progressive Christianity” today is mostly an earthly, secular, humanist political framework covered by a thin religious veneer.

Truth has no Tribe

Progressivism is not the only path to misinterpreting the Bible in service of cultural preferences. The mirror image of progressive Christianity is described using varied terms: hyper-nationalist, right-wing, fundamentalist, and so forth. As with their counterparts, those terms are sometimes used unfairly, and accurate definitions are important. But the fact remains that those opposing political progressivism are equally capable of warping God’s truth to make it fit their preferences. Just as with progressivism, some ideas associated with “political conservativism” are biblical, while others are not. Some right-wing concepts match the intent and wording of the Bible; others blatantly contradict it.

It's tempting to lump everything associated with a popular label into simplistic bins of “correct” or “incorrect,” for no other reason than association with the “right” or “wrong” side. Reasonable believers ought to carefully weigh issues on their own merits (see Proverbs 18:13, 17). This might mean disagreeing with nearly everything a particular group believes—making it reasonable to dissociate from them. It might mean agreeing with nearly everything—inviting association—while not blindly endorsing everything that group says or does.

In other words, we should be like the Bereans about the claims that are made from the pulpit or by those claiming to be Christian leaders. I think the best takeaway line from this article is this one:

The Gotquestions article above references a term called eisegesis. There are two ways of understanding or interpreting scripture known as exegesis and eisegesis. Here are some excerpts from a Gotquestions.org article on the differences:

Exegesis and eisegesis are two conflicting approaches in Bible study. Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis. The word exegesis literally means “to lead out of.” That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text.

The opposite approach to Scripture is eisegesis, which is the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.

Obviously, only exegesis does justice to the text. Eisegesis is a mishandling of the text and often leads to a misinterpretation. Exegesis is concerned with discovering the true meaning of the text, respecting its grammar, syntax, and setting. Eisegesis is concerned only with making a point, even at the expense of the meaning of words.

…

The process of exegesis involves 1) observation: what does the passage say? 2) interpretation: what does the passage mean? 3) correlation: how does the passage relate to the rest of the Bible? and 4) application: how should this passage affect my life?

Eisegesis, on the other hand, involves 1) imagination: what idea do I want to present? 2) exploration: what Scripture passage seems to fit with my idea? and 3) application: what does my idea mean? Notice that, in eisegesis, there is no examination of the words of the text or their relationship to each other, no cross-referencing with related passages, and no real desire to understand the actual meaning. Scripture serves only as a prop to the interpreter’s idea.

To illustrate, let’s use both approaches in the treatment of one passage:

2 Chronicles 27:1-2
“Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. . . . He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD.”

EISEGESIS
First, the interpreter decides on a topic. Today, it’s “The Importance of Church Attendance.” The interpreter reads 2 Chronicles 27:1-2and sees that King Jotham was a good king, just like his father Uzziah had been, except for one thing: he didn’t go to the temple! This passage seems to fit his idea, so he uses it. The resulting sermon deals with the need for passing on godly values from one generation to the next. Just because King Uzziah went to the temple every week didn’t mean that his son would continue the practice. In the same way, many young people today tragically turn from their parents’ training, and church attendance drops off. The sermon ends with a question: “How many blessings did Jotham fail to receive, simply because he neglected church?”

Certainly, there is nothing wrong with preaching about church attendance or the transmission of values. And a cursory reading of 2 Chronicles 27:1-2 seems to support that passage as an apt illustration. However, the above interpretation is totally wrong. For Jotham not to go to the temple was not wrong; in fact, it was very good, as the proper approach to the passage will show.

EXEGESIS
First, the interpreter reads the passage and, to fully understand the context, he reads the histories of both Uzziah and Jotham (2 Chronicles 26-27; 2 Kings 15:1-6, 32-38). In his observation, he discovers that King Uzziah was a good king who nevertheless disobeyed the Lord when he went to the temple and offered incense on the altar—something only a priest had the right to do (2 Chronicles 26:16-20). Uzziah’s pride and his contamination of the temple resulted in his having “leprosy until the day he died” (2 Chronicles 26:21).

Needing to know why Uzziah spent the rest of his life in isolation, the interpreter studies Leviticus 13:46 and does some research on leprosy. Then he compares the use of illness as a punishment in other passages, such as 2 Kings 5:27; 2 Chronicles 16:12; and 21:12-15.

By this time, the exegete understands something important: when the passage says Jotham “did not enter the temple of the LORD,” it means he did not repeat his father’s mistake. Uzziah had proudly usurped the priest’s office; Jotham was more obedient.

The resulting sermon might deal with the Lord’s discipline of His children, with the blessing of total obedience, or with our need to learn from the mistakes of the past rather than repeat them.

Of course, exegesis takes more time than eisegesis. But if we are to be those unashamed workmen “who correctly handle the word of truth,” then we must take the time to truly understand the text. Exegesis is the only way.

Two examples of eisegesis as an approach to Biblical interpretation are noted below:

1. Saying that prohibitions against LGBTQ+ “lifestyles” are not in the Bible is defended by only looking at the specific words of Jesus in the Gospels, who never explicitly called it out as sin. Obviously Jesus was fully aware of the OT prohibitions, which were numerous and firmly in place in 1st century Judea, so why preach on it? There are many more explicit negative statements in the writings of Paul. Those who practice eisegesis often turn and dismiss the writings of Paul.

2. Saying that abortion is not mentioned in the Bible while only looking at the words of Jesus, who never explicitly discussed such a horrendous idea, is ignoring the commandments against murder and the intimacy that God has for those in the womb before birth (Psalm 139:13). It also ignores the miracles of John the Baptist and his conception and Jesus and His virgin birth and their recognition of each other while both still in the womb.

Charles Spurgeon says it well:

So let’s see how our passage today relates to other passages in the Bible. An exegesis of this passage in Isaiah would lead to many other passages decrying personal, imaginative interpretations of scripture (thanks to Precept Austin for the references):

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being My priest.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

We can ignore or laugh at politicians and their antics and understand that most of it is show, then vote for the less obvious liar I guess. However, we must be certain not to yield a good exegetical understanding of scripture to the cultural winds that are tossing us around like hurricanes. Compromising to keep others happy risks your eternal life! What is more important?

My next devotional examines Isaiah 9:18-21 - God’s anger with Israel Part 3 (selfishness).

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - I learned two new terms today (eisegesis, exegesis) and I pray that my studies are aligned with an exegetical understanding of scripture and themes and scripture relationships in the Bible. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/17/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:13-17.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/17/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:13-17.

Gotquestions.org was accessed on 10/17/2026 to answer the question, What is Progressive Christianity, and is it biblical?

Gotquestions.org was accessed on 10/17/2026 to answer the question, What is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis?

© COPYRIGHT 2002-2026 GOT QUESTIONS MINISTRIES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

A woman steps from a dark, cluttered apartment onto a sunlit porch overlooking a green landscape. Inside, an overturned wineglass and scattered bottles suggest the life that held her captive. Outside, a trusted Christian friend waits with a gentle, welcoming expression. The woman’s tentative smile conveys hope: she is taking a real step toward freedom, with support for the journey. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

This verse from the Second Epistle of Peter says quite a bit in 34 words. It’s a rather lengthy verse and might even seem confusing until it is broken down into its components and interpreted.

To start out, Peter reminds the readers of the epistle of the divine power of God and our awareness of Christ’s sacrifice provides every resource needed for living life in a godly manner.

What are the “very great and precious promises” that believers are given? They’re quite impressive:

• Forgiveness of sins

• The gift of the Holy Spirit

• The abiding presence of Christ

• Resurrection

• Eternal life

All of these promises were given by a faithful God to those who believe in Him, who confess and repent of their sin, and live righteously humbly, and generously to reveal His glory and goodness to the world.

Charles Spurgeon, quoted on Enduring Word, said this about God’s promises:

The next stanza is also a bit mind-boggling — “so that through them you may participate in the divine nature.” Some might misinterpret “participation in the divine nature” as meaning we become gods or share in God’s powers. However, through our union with Christ and being imbued with the Holy Spirit, we are constantly and progressively given renewal of holiness, love, righteousness, and above all, obedience to God. He is conforming us to the image of Jesus.

Paul saw this participation in the divine nature as becoming adopted sons and daughters of God:

‭‭David Guzik of Enduring Word illustrated the incredible love of God in his commentary (from the previous source):

Peter closes out the verse with an explanation of why God has endowed believers with these promises — we have “escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” God delivers those who believe from the condemning power of sin. While we wait for the final redemption of our bodies and creation, our rescue is already realized through a new life in Christ and our allegiance to God.

The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to resist the flesh and put sin to death, giving us the freedom to pursue the holiness of a new life in Christ.

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I thank You for Your very great and precious promises, with gratitude that through faith in Christ, I can participate in Your divine nature. I pray each day that You can help me to live in a way that reflects Your glory and excellence. Guide my thoughts and actions so that I escape the corruption of this world, emulating the character of Christ. May Your will be done in me, and may I share Your promises with others I encounter. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

BibleHub was accessed on October 16, 2026 for commentary on 2 Peter 1:4

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon “The New Park Street Pulpit” Volumes 1-6 and “The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit” Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)

“The Lord sends a message against Jacob,

And it falls on Israel.

And all the people know it,

That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,

Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:

“The bricks have fallen down,

But we will rebuild with smooth stones;

The sycamores have been cut down,

But we will replace them with cedars.”

Therefore the Lord raises against them adversaries from Rezin

And spurs their enemies on,

The Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west;

And they devour Israel with gaping jaws.

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Well, now we have a complete and abrupt change of tone following the magnificent prophecy of the Messiah in verses 6 and 7. The rest of Isaiah 9 and the first four verses of Isaiah 10 are considered to be part of a four-part poem, known colloquially as the “Speech of the Outstretched Hand”, as each stanza ends with the words:

In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away

And His hand is still stretched out.”

The words are apparently directed more towards Israel (the northern ten tribes) than Judah, although there is applicability to both regions. According to Precept Austin, this first stanza addresses the sins of pride and arrogance. I think the commentary from Enduring Word is quite good:

a. The LORD sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen on Israel: The idea is that the LORD brought a word against all His people (against Jacob) and the word has scored a “direct hit” against the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

b. Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria: The tribe of Ephraim was the largest and most influential tribe in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. So, often the LORD refers to the Kingdom of Israel by the name Ephraim. Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. There isn’t any doubt whom this prophecy is directed to.

c. Who say in pride and arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars”: In their pride, the leaders and the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel said, “Who cares if God judges us? Whatever is torn down, we will rebuild with something better. We have nothing to fear from what God can bring against us.”

• i. “Instead of humbling themselves before the face of God on account of the many calamities that had already descended on them, they still entertained a lighthearted optimism regarding the future. This optimism manifested itself in the slogans that were current in that day and apparently on everybody’s lips.” (Bultema)

• ii. “What a brief but deeply psychological picture this is of an unfaithful generation that keeps dreaming of better times to come and lightheartedly ignores the severe judgments of God.” (Bultema)

d. Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries: Because they believed they would be able to weather the storm of attack and then rebuild, God would send successive waves of enemies against Israel (The Syrians before and the Philistines behind). The destruction of Israel would be complete, and their proud promise to rebuild would be unfulfilled.

e. For all this, His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still: For the first time, the chorus is said. The judgment against Israel’s pride was not enough. There was still sin to judge, and God wasn’t ready to stop His work of judgment.

• i. Calvin could say of his day, more than 300 years ago: “How many are the distresses with which Europe has been afflicted for thirty or forty years? How many are the chastisements by which she has been called to repentance? And yet it does not appear that those numerous chastisements have done any good. On the contrary, luxury increases every day, lawless passions are inflamed, and men go on in crimes and profligacy more shamelessly than ever. In short, those very calamities appear to have been so many excitements to luxury and splendour. What then should we expect but to be bruised with heavier blows?”

The people of Israel are essentially saying “who cares if God judges us? We can do better on our own”. This strange optimism that rejects God is driven by arrogance and pride. The observations that John Calvin made over 300 years ago sound like they could be laid on top of our time, yet multiplied exponentially. In Calvin’s time, almost all the people were still attuned to the word of God. That’s certainly not true in our current time.

Here are some key results from various surveys looking at non-religious, atheist, agnostic or the nebulous category “none” across the globe (this was found on a site called WorldData; not all attributes have been brought over); my reasons for sharing this will be explained after the data:

1. Total Nones (2024 Pew RLS) - 28% of US adults — largest single group in the US

2. “Nones” growth: 2007 → 2024 - From 16% to 28% — near-doubling over 17 years

3. Gallup “No religion” growth - From 2% in 1948 to 22% in 2023 — Gallup long-term data

4. All generations: US Christian share - 62% of all US adults — down from 78% in 2007 — Pew

5. Gen Z attending church regularly - Only 15% of Gen Z attend church regularly — Pew (2021)

6. Atheists’ political lean - 69% identify as Democrat or lean Democratic — Pew 2014 survey

7. Raised religious but left - 71% of currently unaffiliated Americans were raised in a formal religious tradition — American Survey Center

8. Religious switching: Christianity’s net - For every 6 who leave Christianity, only 1 joins — Pew 2023–24 RLS

9. Global religiously unaffiliated growth - From 1.6 billion to 1.9 billion (2010–2020, +17%) — Pew global study, June 2025

10. Atheists’ education level - Atheists and agnostics have more education than religiously affiliated Americans — Pew

There are some very troubling trends observed from these data. One positive thing I’ve heard is that there are more Gen Z members finding Jesus since the poll data in 2021. It’s also fascinating to note the political and education components of the non-religious, which should not surprise anyone. When a certain political party booed the suggestion to mention God as the agent of our rights in the party platform at the 2012 national convention, their preferences became known publicly. Those preferences have led to an embrace of many highly disturbing cultural trends (abortion on demand, transgenderism, open borders, etc.). It follows that old saying: The first effect of not believing in God is that you will believe in anything. They obviously don’t fear a God they don’t believe in. It is a sobering thought to know that nearly 2 billion people worldwide are “nones”; this is most likely due to mass media secular influences and not ignorance of religion.

I watched a video recently that echoes what Romans 1 says about unbelief. You know this is true: Many non-believing people don’t get upset if you say you are Buddhist or “spiritual” or “worship” nature or even if you are Hindu or Muslim. They DO get upset and angry if you espouse traditional Christian beliefs. Mentioning Christianity is a trigger that reveals foolish hearts that are indeed darkened and suppress the truth. Here is the passage from Romans 1:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭23‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

When I went on the secular humanist wilderness journey for quite a few years in my earlier adulthood, I was very arrogant and prideful. I went from being a person who was actively involved at my church growing up to someone who sneered at those low-IQ mouth-breathers who still believed in a living God who is loving but also judging. We humans can do pretty much everything without having to worship some God! (That might have been my motto). My return to faith pretty much zapped that arrogance and hopefully killed it. The people of Israel and Judah are driven by their own arrogance that leads to an “optimism” that they can make things better without God. I want to repeat this commentary that was referred to by David Guzik:

My next devotional examines Isaiah 9:13-17 - God’s anger against the leadership

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - I pray for a revival in this nation and around the world and for a return to faith for those who have departed. You gave us free will, but our freedom is only found under Your judgment and mercy. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/15/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:8-12.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/15/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:8-12

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

The survey data at the link references these surveys on religious preferences:

Source: Pew Research Center — 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study (published February 26, 2025); Pew Research Center — Religion Holds Steady in America (December 2025); Pew Research Center — Religious Nones in America (January 2024); PRRI — 2023 Census of American Religion; Gallup — How Religious Are Americans? (2023–2025 data); Wikipedia — Atheism in the United States; Wikipedia — Irreligion in the United States; American Survey Center — Generation Z and the Future of Faith (2025); Dallas Express citing Gallup International (November 2025); NPR (January 2024); CBS News (January 2024)

An elderly Israelite father welcomes home his visibly remorseful adult son, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. The son’s dusty clothes and bowed head contrast with the father’s tender expression. Warm light spills from a simple stone house. This would illustrate God’s delight in mercy through a human encounter. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

Micah is one of the twelve Minor Prophets, sharing that honor with some more well-known prophets like Jonah and Malachi. His name in Hebrew is מִיכָיָ֫הוּ (Mikayahu), meaning “Who is like Yahweh?”. He hailed from a village named Moresheth in Judah, and prophesied during the 8th Century BC.

Wikipedia notes this about the prophecies of Micah:

This is the last chapter of Micah, a book that is divided into three major sections encompassing chapters 1-2, 3-5, and 6-7. Our verse today falls in what is referred to in the Wikipedia article as “a hymnic prayer of petition and confidence.”

The verse begins with a rhetorical question — “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?” In a way, this is a very fitting question from a man whose name asks the question “Who is like Yahweh?” By asking this question, Micah was highlighting the difference between Israel’s living God — who offered holiness, mercy, justice, and power — and the stone and metal idols of the surrounding nations. Unlike those idols, Yahweh rules over all of His creation and remains faithful to His covenant with His people.

Yahweh “pardons sin”. Micah isn’t just saying that He minimizes our sin; He removes the guilt of sin from those who turn to Him with faith. In the context of Micah’s time, the Lord’s forgiveness even reaches out to those who had rebelled against Him and brought judgment onto Israel and Judah. His mercy is as great as His infinite creation.

In saying that God “forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance,” Micah explains that Yahweh isn’t dealing with His repentant people in the way their past behavior warranted. Instead, He is treating them with the same deliverance and forgiveness He showed in the past with Israel’s Passover and would show in the future with the sacrificial death of Christ and its once and for all time forgiveness for repentant sinners.

Why would He do this for the “remnant of His inheritance”? Many in Israel had sunk to idolatry and cheered injustice, but God would never abandon the people He had chosen as His inheritance.

The final sentence illustrates that God does get angry at His people, and He has shown His judgment in the past. But divine anger is not what He has in mind for His redeemed people. He’s committed to the promises made in His covenant, and He will discipline, then restore His people.

The last phrase explains that God “delight(s) to show mercy”. He takes pleasure in demonstrating His unwavering love and mercy for His people. 800 years after Micah wrote these words, God would display His mercy to the fullest through Jesus. Through Jesus, God forgives sin and upholds His righteousness.

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus:

Thank You, Father, for Your unchanging love to me. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Israel and to the Church, despite the times when we have individually or collectively strayed far from You. You showed Your unconditional love for me when You sent the Lord Jesus to take the punishment for my sins. Thank You, Lord, that You delight in mercy. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

BibleHub was accessed on October 13, 2026 for commentary on Micah 7:18

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

If you’re like me, when I read the words of verse 6, I immediately conjure up the wonderful oratorio work “The Messiah” by Georg Frederich Handel in my head. He was born in Prussia and became a naturalized British citizen in 1727 and wrote this timeless work in 1741. The words from this prophecy are used in Part I, Scene 3 of the massive work, as noted in an article about “The Messiah” in Wikipedia:

Scene 3: The prophecy of Christ’s birth

1. Behold, a virgin shall conceive (alto)

2. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (air for alto and chorus)

3. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (bass)

4. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (bass)

5. For unto us a child is born (duet chorus)

Now that those marvelous chords and choruses are ringing in my years, let’s dig into this part of the prophecy in Isaiah 9. By the way, if you live near a symphony orchestra that performs a sing-along Messiah (or just a regular performance) at Christmas time, go and enjoy it! If you happen to have the libretto to bring along, even better. Oh, and I especially loved the AI image for this devotional at the top. People from all ages, times and groups are gathered around an accessible throne with a loving Jesus as their centerpiece.

The best commentary about verse 6 that I read is from Enduring Word. Let’s take it a section at a time. Some readers should be warned that this exploration will be quite long (I sometimes get TL:DR messages but that’s ok):

a. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: Most straightforwardly, Isaiah used the Hebrew literary tool of repetition to emphasize the point. The Child is born, the Son is given. At the same time, we recognize the hand of the Holy Spirit in the specific wording.

b. For unto us a Child is born: This glorious prophecy of the birth of Messiah reminds Israel that the victory-bringing Messiah would be a man. Theoretically, the Messiah could have been an angel. Or, the Messiah could have been God without humanity. But in reality, neither of those options would have qualified the Messiah to be our Savior and High Priest as Jesus is. The Child had to be born.

• i. What amazing mystery! There is nothing weaker, more helpless, more dependent than a child. Theoretically, the Messiah could have come as a fully-grown man, created as an adult even as Adam was created. But for Jesus to fully identify with humanity, and to display in His life the servant nature that is in God, He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7).

c. Unto us a Son is given: This Child would be a man, but more than a man. He is also the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead. Theoretically, the Messiah didn’t have to be God. He might have been a sinless angel, or merely a perfect man like Adam. But in reality, neither of those options would have qualified the Messiah to be our Savior and High Priest as Jesus is. The Son had to be given.

• i. What glorious truth! We needed a perfect, infinite Being to offer a perfect, infinite atonement for our sins. We needed Immanuel, God is with us (Isaiah 7:14).

• ii. The Child could be born because the humanity of Jesus had a starting point. There was a time when humanity was not added to His deity. The Son had to be given, because the Second Person of the Trinity is eternal, and existed forever as the Son, even before adding humanity to His deity.

• iii. While Isaiah may have intended the repetition merely for the sake of emphasis, we rejoice in the Holy Spirit’s guidance in every word! Jesus, the Messiah, is fully God and fully man. There was a time when the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, added humanity to His deity. He never became less God, but He added a human nature to His divine nature, and so became one person with two distinct natures, functioning together in perfect harmony.

• iv. That Jesus is both God and man tells us that man really is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and that perfect humanity is more compatible with deity than we imagine. It says that our problem is not our humanity, but our fallenness. To say “I’m only human” is wrong because Jesus was fully human yet perfect. It is more accurate to say, “I’m only fallen.” But remember that the humanity that Jesus added to His Divine nature was not the sinful humanity we commonly know, but the perfect humanity of Adam and Eve before the fall.

• v. Jesus remains a man eternally (Acts 7:55-56, 1 Timothy 2:5). He did not relinquish His humanity on His ascension; but He is now a man in a resurrection body, as we will one day have.

• vi. If Jesus were not fully man, He could not stand in the place of sinful man and be a substitute for the punishment man deserves. If He were not fully God, His sacrifice would be insufficient. If Jesus is not fully God and fully man, we are lost in sin.

This is so perfect! Let’s capture a few takeaways from this first part of the commentary:

1. The repetition in Isaiah and the specific words identify that the Messiah will be a man, who experiences humanity from childbirth. He is not an angel; He is not God without the humanity; He is not just a perfect man like Adam. He is also not “non-binary or transgender” as many progressive church “pastors” are now claiming.

2. He is the Son of the Eternal God, part of the Triune being. Humanity was added to His being because He was born. He is fully God and fully man, telling us that humanity is created in God’s image. His deity is not less for having become human.

3. Jesus remains a man eternally. If He were not fully man, he could not stand in the place of sinful man as a substitute for the punishment man deserves. If He were not fully God, the sacrifice would be insufficient.

This profound revelation in a few words was given to Isaiah more than 700 years before the birth of Christ.

Back to the commentary from Enduring Word:

d. And the government will be upon His shoulder: Ultimately, this will be fulfilled in the Millennium, when Jesus Christ will rule the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 20:4-6, Psalm 72, Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 11, Isaiah 65:17-25, Zechariah 14:6-21).

• i. This ultimate fulfillment of this promise is still waiting. But we can still see the government…upon His shoulder in many ways. Gayle Erwin writes about the government God promises, both ultimately and right now:

  • ·What might such a government look like? First of all, it would look like its king. Politicians of this day look for what they can get from you. Jesus looks for what He can do for you.

  • ·Leaders of this day surround themselves with servants. Jesus surrounds us with His servanthood.

  • ·Leaders of this day use their power to build their empire. Jesus uses his power to wash our feet and make us clean and comfortable.

  • ·Leaders of this day trade their influence for money. God so loved that he gave…

  • ·Generals of this day need regular wars to keep their weapons and skills up to date and insure their own advancement. Jesus brings peace and rest to hearts.

  • ·The higher the plane of importance one reaches in this world, the more inaccessible he becomes. Jesus was Emanuel, “God with us.”

  • ·Leaders of this day are desperate to be seen and heard. Jesus sought anonymity so He could be useful.

  • ·Obviously, Jesus is not in charge of the halls of Washington, London, Moscow, Baghdad, Paris or Berlin. So, how can we ever believe the “government will be upon His shoulders”?

  • ·Actually, His government shows its workings in wonderful ways. Whenever I see someone who miraculously leaves a life of drugs or alcohol and is restored to his family and work, I can see that he is now governed by God.

  • ·Whenever I see loving Christians gently caring for orphans and those rejected by family, I know I am watching people governed by God.

  • ·Whenever I see people eagerly learning the Bible and joyously praising, I know who the governor is.

  • ·Whenever I see people give up lucrative careers simply to go and share the Good News of Jesus, I know they are governed by God.

  • ·When I see pastors carefully teach and lead the flock God has given them, I know they are getting signals from the great King.

  • ·When I see people leave family to live and teach in distant lands because they love the people who have not heard, I know they are governed by God.

• ·So, indeed, the government is alive and working. Often silently, mostly unseen. We can be and are, by choice, governed by God. Hope and joy and peace and rest cover its subjects. Justice, mercy and grace, amazingly coexist. I like this Kingdom. The borders are open. Come on in.

I really can’t add to this. Wherever we are serving Him, we are demonstrating His government, His Kingdom. Human governments will come and go and politicians will disappear and die and then be replaced by even more glib politicians, but His Kingdom stretches on from TODAY to eternity. Serve Him!

Next part of the commentary:

f. The Messiah is Wonderful: The glory of who He is and what He has done for us should fill us with wonder. You can never really look at Jesus, really know Him, and be bored. He is Wonderful and will fill your heart and mind with amazement.

• i. As well, this is a reference to the deity of Jesus. “The word ‘wonderful’ has overtones of deity” (Grogan). This is also seen in Judges 13:18.

The context of Judges 13:18 is the appearance of an angel of the Lord to Manoah and his barren wife. They become the parents of Samson. It is so important to step back from the busywork of being a believer and just sit in awe and wonder gazing at Jesus. Yes, I know we can’t see Him physically in the here and now, but we certainly know Him from His creation and His ministry and His salvation. It is wondrous!

g. The Messiah is our Counselor: Jesus is the One fit to guide our lives and should be the Christian’s immediate resource as a counselor. Jesus can help you with your problems. He may use the presence and the words of another Christian to do it, but Jesus is our Counselor.

• i. How we need Jesus as our Counselor! “It was by a Counsellor that this world was ruined. Did not Satan mask himself in the serpent, and counsel the woman with exceeding craftiness, that she should take unto herself of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, in the hope that thereby she should be as God? Was it not that evil counsel which provoked our mother to rebel against her Maker, and did it not as the effect of sin, bring death into this world with all its train of woe? Ah! beloved, it was meet that the world should have a Counsellor to restore it, if it had a Counsellor to destroy it.” (Spurgeon)

• ii. Jesus is our Counselor in the sense that as God the Son, He takes counsel with the Father and the Holy Spirit for our good. The High Council of the Godhead brought forth our salvation. “Hence you read in the book of Zechariah, if you turn to the sixth chapter and the thirteenth verse, this passage – ‘The council of peace shall be between them both.’ The Son of God with his Father and the Spirit, ordained the council of peace. Thus was it arranged. The Son must suffer, he must be the substitute, must bear his people’s sins and be punished in their stead; the Father must accept the Son’s substitution and allow his people to go free, because Christ had paid their debts. The Spirit of the living God must then cleanse the people whom the blood had pardoned, and so they must be accepted before the presence of God, even the Father. That was the result of the great council.” (Spurgeon)

• iii. The Great Counselor guides our lives. “Remember, there is nothing that happens in your daily life, but what was first of all devised in eternity, and counseled by Jesus Christ for your good and in your behalf, that all things might work together for your lasting benefit and profit…. Oh, how strange providence seems to you and to me! Does it not look like a zig-zag line, this way and that way, backward and forward, like the journeyings of the children of Israel in the wilderness? Ah! my brethren, but to God it is a straight line. Directly, God always goes to his object. And yet to us, he often seems to go round about…. Let us learn to leave providence in the hand of the Counsellor.” (Spurgeon)

• iv. Jesus’ counsel is necessary counsel. Jesus’ counsel is faithful counsel, without any self-interest. Jesus’ counsel is hearty counsel. It isn’t detached and unemotional. Jesus’ counsel is sweet counsel. “Christian, do you know what sweet counsel is? You have gone to your Master in the day of trouble, and in the secret of your chamber you have poured out your heart before him. You have laid your case before him, with all its difficulties, as Hezekiah did Rabshakeh’s letter, and you have felt, that though Christ was not there in flesh and blood, yet he was there in spirit, and he counseled you. You felt that his was counsel that came from the very heart. But he was something better than that. There was such a sweetness coming with his counsel, such a radiance of love, such a fullness of fellowship, that you said, ‘Oh that I were in trouble every day, if I might have such sweet counsel as this!’ Christ is the Counsellor whom I desire to consult every hour, and I would that I could sit in his secret chamber all day and all night long, because to counsel with him is to have sweet counsel, hearty counsel, and wise counsel, all at the same time.” (Spurgeon)

• v. “Why, you may have a friend that talks very sweetly with you, and you will say, ‘Well, he is a kind, good soul, but I really cannot trust his judgment.’ You have another friend, who has a good deal of judgment, and yet you say of him, ‘Certainly, he is a man of prudence above a great many, but I cannot find out his sympathy; I never get at his heart, if he were ever so rough and untutored, I would sooner have his heart without his prudence, than his prudence without his heart,’ But we go to Christ, and we get wisdom; we get love, we get sympathy, we get everything that can possibly be wanted in a Counsellor.” (Spurgeon)

Charles Spurgeon has such a lovely take on this word Counselor. Jesus and His counsel is necessary and faithful and hearty and sweet. No earthly counselor could ever match the wisdom, love, sympathy and guidance that we can receive from our Lord.

Continuing in this commentary:

h. The Messiah is Mighty God: He is the God of all creation and glory, the LORD who reigns in heaven, the One worthy of our worship and praise.

• i. It is difficult to think of a more straightforward declaration of the deity of the Messiah. Yet some groups (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses) try to make a distinction between Mighty God and Almighty God. Scripturally, there is no distinction, because both titles are used of Jesus and Yahweh specifically (Almighty is applied to Jesus in Revelation 1:8).

• ii. In Isaiah 10:21, the prophet uses the exact same phrase to refer to Yahweh: The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God. Therefore, this is a clear statement of absolute deity

• iii. “And indeed, if Christ had not been God, it would have been unlawful to glory in him; for it is written, Cursed be he that trusteth in man. (Jeremiah 17:5)” (Calvin)

• iv. “We extend the right hand of fellowship to all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth; but we cannot exchange our Christian greetings with those who deny him to be ‘very God of very God.’ And the reason is sometimes asked; for say our opponents, ‘We are ready to give the right hand of fellowship to you, why don’t you do so to us?’ Our reply shall be given thus briefly: ‘You have no right to complain of us, seeing that in this matter we stand on the defensive. When you declare yourselves to believe that Christ is not the Son of God, you may not be conscious of it, but you have charged us with one of the blackest sins in the entire catalogue of crime.’ The Unitarians must, to be existent, charge the whole of us, who worship Christ, with being idolaters. Now idolatry is a sin of the most heinous character; it is not an offense against men it is true, but it is an intolerable offense against the majesty of God.” (Spurgeon)

• v. “If Christ were not the Son of God, his death, so far from being a satisfaction for sin, was a death most richly and righteously deserved. The Sanhedrin before which He was tried was the recognised and authorised legislature of the country. He was brought before that Sanhedrin, charged with blasphemy, and it was upon that charge that they condemned him to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” (Spurgeon)

There are some great insights here, again most of them from Charles Spurgeon. Those who deny the fully divinity of Christ are essentially accusing Jesus of the very things (like blasphemy) that allowed the Sanhedrin to condemn Him to death. More and more mainstream (really, progressive) churches are starting to question that Jesus IS the mighty (almighty) God. Some of them even describe Him as a brown-skinned “Palestinian” rebel against the Roman oligarchy. There’s so much that is in error in that characterization that it would take another full devotional to pick it apart. He is the Son of God.

i. The Messiah is the Everlasting Father: The idea in these Hebrew words is that Jesus is the source or author of all eternity, that He is the Creator Himself. It does not mean that Jesus Himself is the Person of the Father in the Trinity.

j. The Messiah is the Prince of Peace: He is the One who makes peace, especially between God and man.

• i.“Whenever, in short, it appears to us that everything is in a ruinous condition, let us recall to our remembrance that Christ is called Wonderful, because he has inconceivable methods of assisting us, and because his power is far beyond what we are able to conceive. When we need counsel, let us remember that he is the Counselor. When we need strength, let us remember that he is Mighty and Strong. When new terrors spring up suddenly every instant, and when many deaths threaten us from various quarters, let us rely on that eternity of which he is with good reason called the Father, and by the same comfort let us learn to soothe all temporal distresses. When we are inwardly tossed by various tempests, and when Satan attempts to disturb our consciences, let us remember that Christ is The Prince of Peace, and that it is easy for him quickly to allay all our uneasy feelings. Thus will these titles confirm us more and more in the faith of Christ, and fortify us against Satan and against hell itself.” (Calvin)

The best age for believers is yet to come. The Prince of Peace makes peace between God and man. I like this illustration of this time to come that was found in Precept Austin:

Here’s one more commentary from Enduring Word on verse 7:

a. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…even forever: The reign of the Messiah will not last merely 1,000 years, though the millennium is a special aspect of His reign. There will be no end to the reign of the Messiah, and He will rule for all eternity.

• i. Handel had it right in the Hallelujah chorus of Messiah: “And He shall reign forever and ever.”

b. Upon the throne of David: Jesus will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom (that is, David’s kingdom – Israel). This is a fulfillment of God’s great covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7.

c. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this: All this may sound too good to be true, but it will be done. God – the LORD of all heavenly armies – has promised to accomplish this word, and part of it has been accomplished already.

• i. Jesus can be Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace for everyone now. One day, these offices will be imposed upon the world. For now, they are real for those who receive Jesus and submit to Him.

We’ve come full circle back to Handel’s Messiah again! From the prophecy to the wonder of eternal life in His rule!

Look away from the irritations and annoyances and turmoil of this life and look to the prophecy fulfilled! I needed this today because I was in a bit of a foul mood earlier, but it is hard to stay that way with this glorious prophecy!

My next devotional examines Isaiah 9:8-12 - The first of four passages on God’s anger and judgment against Israel.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - Thank You for the wonderful descriptions of Jesus that are found in Isaiah. Thank you for inspiring Handel to write the glorious Messiah oratorio and put these passages of scripture to music. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/13/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:6-7.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/13/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:6-7

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

Peter listening intently as Jesus offers His promise, with the other disciples gathered close. The warm light carries the hope, while their expressions preserve the seriousness of His words. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

After a few weeks of Psalms and a focus on sin, it is refreshing to come back to one of the Synoptic Gospels. If you’re new to studying the Bible and don’t recognize that term, the Synoptic Gospels are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Synoptic means “presenting or taking the same or common view,” and with respect to these Gospels, they share the life and ministry of Jesus from three different viewpoints.

As Jesus speaks in these verses, He is responding to a rather sudden outburst by Peter, who has exclaimed “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28). Jesus has just explained how difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of God, which probably provoked Peter’s comment. The disciples have left their previous lives and livelihoods to follow Jesus, and like most mortal men, Peter is probably getting the thought in his mind —“What’s in this for me?”

The disciples abandoned everything to follow Jesus, setting aside their careers and families in order to learn from the Messiah. It was quite human of them to ask for some sort of assurance that giving up their possessions and personal goals was going to result in some sort of “payback”. They had placed a great deal of trust in Jesus.

For many who hear about Christianity today (and even some who say that they have “accepted Christ”), this same question probably rattles around in their brains! Why should I give up sinning when I’m not getting anything out of it? I must admit that this was my mindset during my desert years as a nonbeliever.

The answer that Jesus gives Peter (verse 29) is an assurance that no sacrifice made for Him is ignored. The disciples were showing incredible courage and faith leaving their homes, friends, and families, especially in a culture and time where the support of others and ownership of a means of gaining income were necessary to survival.

The Bible Says comments on the phrase translated in the NIV Bible as “for me and the gospel”:

Jesus promises that those who sacrifice everything in His name will “receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions.” I can imagine that before the disciples really understood what Jesus was saying, they were probably envisioning palaces, properties, and huge families. The reality is explained clearly from this commentary in The Bible Says:

Hopefully the disciples were listening closely to Jesus when he included “persecutions” as part of the reward for following Him. We live in a fallen world where committed disciples do gain a wealth of relationships and spiritual abundance, but we also experience trials and tribulations. Peter and the other disciples would face many more personal challenges, persecution, rejection by others of their faith, and eventual martyrdom, and we too can expect to face hardship in our lives. While enduring those difficulties, Jesus guarantees believers the hope of fellowship, provision, protection, and — most importantly — “in the age to come eternal life.”

Ray Pritchard, commenting on Precept Austin, offered these words:

That last sentence is golden: “We’ve got it better now, and this is only the beginning.”

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, thank You for Your promise of abundance in this life and the next. Help me to always trust in Your provision and protection, and to remain faithful even in times of trials, sacrifice, and persecution. May I find strength in Your Word, knowing that leaving behind the temptations and sins of this world will be rewarded with abundance for my needs and eternal life with You. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Commentary from The Bible Says © 2026 The Bible Says, All Rights Reserved (https://thebiblesays.com)

Precept Austin was accessed on October 12, 2026 for commentary on Mark 10:29-30

“You shall multiply the nation,

You shall increase their gladness;

They will be glad in Your presence

As with the gladness of harvest,

As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,

The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,

And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The next passage in Isaiah 9 is looking at the promises of Jehovah to the people of Israel. The nation shall multiply, their gladness will be increased, they will be glad in His presence (like rejoicing with the harvest). Their yoke of burden will be broken and rod of their oppressor, as in the battle of Midian. Peace will be the outcome and the personal implements of war (boots and bloody cloaks) will be fuel for the fire.

First, let’s look at the battle of Midian and its outcome, from the book of Judges, as a refresher (the story actually starts in Judges 6, but I elected to share the details of the battle and the drawing of the 300 from Judges 7):

“Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.” So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

Now the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands. But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, and you will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the outposts of the army that was in the camp. Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.”

When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. When the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”

Each stood in his place around the camp; and all the army ran, crying out as they fled. When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against Midian and take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. They captured the two leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from across the Jordan.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-‭25‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

The legend of this battle, won through supernatural means, would be important to Isaiah’s audience. It’s also worth noting that the men of Israel that fought in that battle were summoned from the tribes of Naphtali and Asher! We just learned that the Light will come from the region of Naphtali (near the Sea of Galilee).

So who is the nation that is/will become mighty? I like this commentary from Precept Austin; Bruce Hurt is a literalist when it comes to scripture and he has a good argument against the replacement theologists (those that believe God gave up on Israel and replaced them with the church of Christ):

Multiply the nation - What nation? This may seem obvious but some commentators veer off course and generalize these promises to all nations (e.g., Ray Ortlund fails to interpret these passages as specifically related to Israel in Isaiah: God Saves Sinners - Preaching the Word - Ortlund also refers to the “church” 282 times in his comments on a prophecy that never mentions the church once!). If context is king (and it is!) in assuring accurate Interpretation, the present context leaves no doubt that the nation is Israel. However since the nature of the promises (eg, end of wars Isa 9:5) begs a future fulfillment of the promise to Israel, some who believe that God is finished with Israel are forced to find some other way of trying to explain these great promises. God is not finished with Israel (The miraculous re-birth of Israel as a nation in May, 1948 should be sufficient support that God still has some “unfinished business” with and in Israel! See related study - Israel of God - Is God “Finished” with Israel in His prophetic plan?)

• As an aside, dear reader, if one jettisons the literal interpretation of Isaiah’s prophecy and tries to explain the prophetic references to Israel as actually speaking of “the church”, then many passages in Isaiah become almost impossible to interpret. But if one holds to a literal (I am a literalist, not a dispensationalist!) interpretation of the text and believes firmly that God is not finished with Israel, the prophecies of Isaiah which are not yet fulfilled become exciting and imminently understandable. The reason this point is being emphasized is to alert the Acts 17:11 (note) “Berean” reader that he or she needs to be very careful in reading commentaries on Isaiah (including the one you are reading), because many of the commentaries are geared to be compatible with one’s overall theological leaning (eg, reformed theology, dispensational theology, covenant theology, etc) rather than simply allowing the text to speak for itself (See Read the Text Literally).

So what Isaiah is saying here is that God will cause the nation of Israel to grow and will also increase their joy. What has been only a small believing remnant of Jews over the centuries will be increased at the end of this age.

There are some good links to follow in that commentary, including the one on learning to read the text literally. I, too, believe that God is not done with Israel, because scripture tells me so.

I thought I would share one more commentary quoted in Precept Austin, this one from Rob Morgan (comments from Precept Austin are in brackets):

All of these prophecies [HE IS REFERRING TO Isaiah 9:3-5] have implications for the future, and as we will see in a moment some of them are pointing toward our Lord’s return in glory at the Second Coming. Isaiah was looking beyond our Lord’s first coming to His second coming and the establishing of His kingdom. Instead of a small number, the Jewish people would be a mighty nation. Instead of oppression, they would have joy. Instead of defeat and exile, the Lord will rule and reign over the earth from Mount Zion. Isaiah is full of this message; it’s one of his great themes. For example, look at Isaiah 11:1-5

• “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” [MORGAN SAYS - This is talking about the Messiah, the Son of David, son of Jesse]. “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist.”

Now, if we had time, I’d turn over to Revelation 19:11-21 and read about the moment of Christ’s return and show you how similar these passages are. There are three moments of victory that mean everything to me. One is in the past—when Jesus conquered death and rose victorious from the tomb. One is in the present—for Jesus gives me victory day by day over temptation and sin and sadness. One is in the future—when Jesus will rule and reign as the King of Kings over all of time and eternity. He is our victory-giver. (Sermon)

One more passage from the New Testament seems appropriate. Jesus tells us about the yoke of His burden in the Gospel of Matthew:

““Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.11.28-30.NASB1995

My next devotional examines one of the most beloved passages of prophecy in the Bible found in Isaiah 9:6-7 - For a child will be born to us.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - Thank you for pointing me to great resources about how to read scripture literally. Your Word is sufficient! Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/11/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:3-5.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/11/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:3-5.

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.

A first-century man steps away from a dim gambling gathering toward Jesus, who stands outside in natural daylight. The man has left his dice and coins behind; his expression shows resolve as he meets Jesus’ welcoming gaze. This makes turning from a sinful way of life visible through a concrete choice. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.

Sin is the topic that God has pointed me to for the past five devotionals, and as I like to say, there are no coincidences when it comes to God. He is directing me to examine my behavior and to inspire you to do likewise.

The First Epistle of John deals with love and fellowship with God, so it is fertile ground for devotionals on both of these subjects. In fact, we’ve written 29 separate devotionals about this one letter! Wikipedia notes that:

John begins these two verses with the truth: “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.” This is the mission of Jesus Christ, to take away the sins of the world. This was pointed out before the birth of Jesus, when the angel Gabriel told Joseph “you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NIV) Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua (Yehoshua), meaning “Yahweh is salvation”.

David Guzik of Enduring Word summarizes how Jesus takes away our sin:

We cannot do any of these things. We must respond to the work of Jesus. From the same source:

Jesus had no sin. Out of all who have lived on this planet, He alone was perfectly obedient to the Father. He was tempted in every way common to humanity, but He remained sinless (see Hebrews 4:15) That is why He could take all of our sin upon Himself and “take away our sins.” His sacrifice fully satisfied God’s judgment and brought those who believe into fellowship with God.

The next part of the verse is a bit harder to get our heads around: “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.” John isn’t saying that believers don’t sin — in 1 John 1:8-10 and 2:1-2, he commands confession, and points out Jesus as our Advocate (I suggest following those two links and reading John’s explanation.) What John is saying is that any person united to Christ cannot stay in a pattern of unrepentant sin.

Once again from Enduring Word:

The verse ends with the words “No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” John was writing to churches that were being run by false teachers who claimed spiritual knowledge, but rejected the truth provided by the apostles and disregarded God’s commands. Here, John is avowing that truly knowing Jesus transforms the way people conduct their lives. Devoting yourself to sin in a persistent manner without confession and repentance is a sure sign that you do not live in Jesus.

Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I thank You for sending us Jesus, who came to take away our sins. In Him, there is no sin. Help me to live in Christ and be a living reflection of His righteousness, striving to live in accordance with His teachings and life. I pray for the strength to keep Your commandments to demonstrate my love for You and others. Continue to transform my heart and mind, so I may live a life that honors You. AMEN.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.

Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author and reproduced here in their original format. © 1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com

BibleHub was accessed on October 10, 2026 for commentary on 1 John 3:5-6

“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

We now arrive at Isaiah 9, which has marvelous Messianic prophecies but also has a long section (in four parts) describing God’s anger at the people. The first verse is a direct follow-on to the last verse of Isaiah 8, so let’s look at that verse combined with Isaiah 9:1:

“Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness.”

“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.”

Isaiah‬ ‭8‬:‭22‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭1‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

In earlier times, the Lord treated the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali with contempt, but He shall make it glorious, by way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. First, here’s some background information on the tribe of Naphtali, as noted in Precept Austin; this area suffered the most under the Assyrian invasion:

The inheritance of Naphtali fell in the region of Galilee. Centered around the shores of the Sea of Galilee, this tribe possessed the most fertile and productive region in all of Canaan. Shepherds and farmers alike found the soil and vegetation of this area extremely fertile, and able to support large flocks and herds. The whole of the land is fed by hidden springs emanating from Mount Herman. This area is well watered by multiple sources; principally the Jordan River, the springs of Mt. Herman, and the Sea of Galilee…

The tribe of Naphtali figures in prominently to the history of Israel. This tribe followed in the footsteps of its founder, the sixth son of Jacob, Naphtali. As he was a godly man, so was his tribe. However, they eventually fell into apostasy, as did the other tribes of the Northern Kingdom. The 12 tribes were divided into 10 northern tribes, which included Naphtali and Zebulun, and 2 southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin.

Naphtali left an imprint on the Old Testament through their exploits on the battle field. They were praised by Deborah in the Song of Deborah. They provided one of the major workers on the Temple. Naphtali produced officials in both the courts of David and Solomon. Despite their later falling away from God, the tribe of Naphtali was blessed by God.

They are one of nine tribes which appear in all lists of the 12 tribes of Israel. They are mentioned in the only New Testament list of the tribes, found in Revelation 7. In the final days of God’s judgment, the tribe of Naphtali will produce 12,000 people sealed on the forehead as servants of God. (Tribe of Naphtali).

This prophecy in Isaiah is referred to in the Gospel of Matthew:

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

“THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,

BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES—

THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,

AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

John MacArthur has a marvelous short commentary on these two verses of prophecy about a forgotten inland sea that probably never crossed the minds of those in Jerusalem and the LIGHT that would come into the world and start His ministry there (from Precept Austin):

Just as Isaiah had predicted eight centuries earlier, the despised, sin-darkened, and rebellious Galileans were the first to glimpse the Messiah, the first to see the dawning of God’s New Covenant! Not mighty and beautiful Jerusalem, the queen city of the Jews, but Galilee of the Gentiles would first hear Messiah’s message. Not the learned, proud, and pure Jews of Jerusalem, but the mongrel, downcast, nontraditional mixed multitude of Samaria and Galilee had that great honor. To those who were neediest, and who were most likely to recognize their need, Jesus went first. The fact that Jesus began His ministry in Samaria and Galilee, rather than in Jerusalem and Judea, emphasizes the fact that His gospel of salvation was for the whole world… It was no coincidence of history that “the light of the world” (John 8:12) first proclaimed Himself in Galilee of the Gentiles. It was in and around Galilee that Jesus had spent all but a small part of His childhood and early manhood, and it was there that His ministry first developed and began to spread. As the new day of the gospel dawned, the first rays of light shined in Galilee. (MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Chicago: Moody Press)

Jesus is the Great Light of our salvation, as proclaimed throughout the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. Here are a few examples:

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

From the prophecy of Zacharias (father of John the Baptist):

“Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭78‬-‭79‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.””

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

I love light!! I get a little gloomy during the winter months with the short and cold days and look to the lengthening of days starting on the Winter Solstice. We did a cruise quite a few years ago where we cruised above the Arctic Circle for 10 days in July. I had so much energy from the 24 hours of daylight! And, yes, we had good blackout curtains in our cabin, but it was a marvel to peer out at 2:00 am and see the sun blazing! But the light that shines in our hearts from Jesus is brighter than any noon sun. It is so wonderful to tie this prophecy of Isaiah to the new covenant.

My next devotional examines Isaiah 9:3-5 - You shall increase their gladness.

Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:

Dear Lord - Thank You for bringing Your light to a darkened world. May we be Your light to others so that they can step away from fear and sin by believing in You. Amen.

Citations and Credits:

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.

Precept Austin was accessed on 10/09/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:1-2.

Biblehub.org was accessed on 10/09/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 9:1-2.

Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed.