Isaiah 40:9-17 "O Zion, that brings good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that brings good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, BEHOLD your GOD ! Behold, the LORD GOD will come with strong hand, and HIS arm shall rule for HIM: behold, HIS reward is with HIM, and HIS work before HIM. HE shall feed HIS flock like a shepherd: HE shall gather the lambs with HIS arm, and carry them in HIS bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of HIS hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighted the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance ? Who has directed the SPIRIT of the LORD or being HIS counselor has taught HIM ? With whom took HE counsel, and who instructed HIM, and taught HIM in the path of judgment, and taught HIM knowledge, and showed to HIM the way of understanding ? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, HE takes up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before HIM are as nothing; and they are counted to HIM less than nothing, and vanity."
As wicked nations vie for power and control and dominance, there is great instability on Earth. Alarming news flows steadily from Afghanistan, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and elsewhere. The Bible predicts a coming time of global distress that will be even more difficult: "and upon the Earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth" (Luke 21:25-26). Oh how we need to see the nations as GOD does, remembering that the GOD of Heaven rules "over all the kingdoms of the heathen" (2nd.Chronicles 20:6 above) ! HE is in total control. To HIM the nations are as "a drop of a bucket" and as "the small dust of the balance" (v.15). If a drop of water falls from a bucket or we fail to remove some dust from the scale as we weigh ourselves, who cares ? It is totally insignificant, and so are the nations to the LORD. Before GOD, the nations are as nothing; indeed, they are "less than nothing" (v.17). How can something be less than nothing ? Not only are the nations nothing, but they are worse than nothing because they are sinful. It is one thing to be nothing; it is even worse to be a sinful nothing ! At the end of this age, all the nations will be gathered against Israel and against Israel's GOD, and this will include even the United States, should it still exist (Zechariah 14:2; Psalm 2:2). The folly of sinful nations seeking to do battle against the ALMIGHTY will cause GOD to laugh (Psalm 2:4 above). As believers, when we consider the dire situation the world is in, let us not leave GOD out of the equation. HE is perfectly working out HIS program and plan, and HE does all things well. GWZ
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.
Used with permission. www.feasite.org
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