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August 2, Sunday
Reading B214 — Isaiah 26 — Perfect Peace Audio: Isaiah 26 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
Long-term Trust — The beginning phrase in this chapter, “In that day…” (v. 1a), looks far forward to the End Times. The focus here is on Judah and its “strong city” of Jerusalem (v. 1b), and it contains an invitation for those with faith to enter its gates (v. 2). There they will find peace from God, as seen in this well-known verse: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you” (v. 3). This includes national, personal, and spiritual peace, and it is based on trust in God, who is “an everlasting rock” (v. 4). Almost everyone is looking for peace, but most of them are looking for it in the wrong places. It cannot be found in financial abundance. Rich people seem to always be striving for more wealth because they have not found in it what they really need: peace. Is your mind “stayed” on God today? Are you trusting Him for your provision, your security, your satisfaction? Does your soul yearn for God and earnestly seek Him? (v. 9). When we find ourselves amid difficulties, we are told to “hide yourselves for a little while … For behold, the LORD is coming” (vv. 20-21). Our ultimate rescue will come at the end, as Isaiah clearly describes the final resurrection: “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise … and the earth will give birth to the dead” (v. 19).
August 3, Monday
Reading B215 — Isaiah 27 — Peace in That Day Audio: Isaiah 27 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
God Calls and Rescues — Five more times in this chapter, expressions like, “In that day,” introduce events still in the future. They will include times of punishment as well as restoration. The source of evil, the ancient symbolic “Leviathan serpent” (v. 1) will be slain. Although God’s people were punished because of their continuing rebellion, being dispersed in Assyria and exiled in Babylon (v. 8), He has a plan for their future full return to Him: “In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom … and fill the whole world with fruit” (v. 6). Even those Jews “lost in the land of Assyria … will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem” (v. 13). In the meantime, our loving God urgently and repeatedly calls out, “let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me” (v. 5). It is the same call that is going out through us to the world today. Almost everyone wants peace, but peace is found only in a right relationship with God.
August 4, Tuesday
Reading B216 — 2 Kings 18 — Assyria Threatens Jerusalem Audio: 2 Kings 18 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
None Like Him — King Hezekiah’s trust in God is at the center of this story, and his trust is the prime example in all the history of the kings of God’s people. As was said of several of Judah’s kings, “he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD” (v. 3). He was compared to David in that regard (v. 3) but even surpassed him in his zeal for serving God: “there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him” (v. 5). He even had the courage to destroy the bronze serpent that Moses made over 700 years earlier because it had become an object of worship (v. 4). That exemplary trust was evidenced in three ways in verse 6. First, “he held fast to the LORD.” That speaks of determination. He decided in advance that God was to have first place in how he lived and in the decisions he made. Yahweh would be his only God no matter what might happen. Second, “He did not depart from following him.” That emphasizes focus. He was not to be distracted by anything else. The pride of his position did not tempt him to make selfish decisions. His financial wealth would not be held closely. Threats from others would not frighten him away from trusting in God. Third, he “kept the commandments.” That says he was obedient. How much of that description sounds like you? Does God have the highest priority in your life, or do you sometimes yield longingly to the distractions of selfishness, money, or lust? Do you obey what God has clearly commanded us to do or not do? What will be written on our tombstone? Will it be, “______ trusted God entirely”?
August 5, Wednesday
Reading B217 — 2 Chron. 29 — Temple Consecration Audio: 2 Chron. 29 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
Continuing Worship — Today, we review yesterday’s story of the early reign of Hezekiah but this time with a concentration on restoring Judah’s worship of Yahweh in the temple. Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, reigned for 16 years and totally turned away from God, literally closing the doors of the temple to prevent worship there. His son, however, saw the great error and its results, and immediately set out to restore the prescribed worship of God. He acted quickly with determination, authority, zeal, and thoroughness. Five times in this chapter, it is said that Hezekiah “commanded” something to be done. He rallied the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and do what God required to restore the temple in readiness for worship. It took only 16 days (v. 17) to accomplish this detailed consecration and cleansing process. It became clear later that not all the priests got onboard right away, however, “for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves” (v. 34). During the previous 16 years, some of the priests had become comfortable in not worshiping God. What a contrast they were compared to Hezekiah! We should never let ourselves be comfortable in not regularly worshiping God.
August 6, Thursday
Reading B218 — 2 Chron. 30 — Restored Passover Audio: 2 Chron. 30 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
Revival! — What an evangelist King Hezekiah turned out to be! He passionately pleaded for all Israel to return to God. The northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered seven years earlier by Assyria, with most of them being deported to other places throughout Assyria. A remnant of Israelites remained, however, and Hezekiah sent messengers throughout their land, urging them to “return to the LORD” (v. 6). Many laughed, but some came. The cleansing and dedication of the temple extended past the time of the prescribed celebration of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, so they celebrated it a month later, the same allowance God had provided earlier for those who were uncleansed or on a journey during the Passover (Num. 9:10-11). The enthusiasm of this gathering was catching. Many of the priests and Levites who had been uncooperative became “ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings” (2 Chron. 30:15). The peoples’ joy from their repentance and yielding to God caused them to ask for another seven days of celebration. That was a revival! Do you head for church on the weekend with that kind of enthusiasm and joy? If not, maybe there is a need for genuine repentance and yielding.
August 7, Friday
Reading B219 — 2 Chron. 31 — Supporting God’s Servants Audio: 2 Chron. 31 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
Revived to Give — The people left this two-week celebration in Jerusalem as changed individuals. Their enthusiasm of dedication to Yahweh led them to destroy all competing worship symbols in their land, including part of the former northern kingdom. They wanted to worship God alone. King Hezekiah then led by his own example of giving (v. 3), in organizing the service of the priests and Levites, and in challenging the people to support these leaders of worship. The response of the revived people was amazing: “Israel gave in abundance … the firstfruits [for the priests] … And they brought in abundantly the tithe [for the Levites]” (v. 5). They “laid them in heaps” (v. 6) so that they had “plenty left.” Notice God’s involvement in their willingness to give generously: “for the LORD … blessed his people” (v. 7). Hezekiah then organized the distribution of these offerings to the priests and Levites scattered in various cities of Israel and Judah. Notice the purpose for this support: “to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the LORD” (v. 4). Their spiritual leaders did not have to work part-time jobs but could concentrate on serving the Lord. That is what we provide when we give to our local church: we let our ministers concentrate on ministry. Let’s give until it heaps!
August 8, Saturday
Reading B220 — Psalm 48 — Great is the Lord Audio: Psalm 48 (ESV)
An audio recording of the following comments is available below:
Protecting His People — We have previously read about the blasphemous threats of the representative of Assyria’s King Sennacherib, who shouted to the people on Jerusalem’s wall that Hezekiah misled them by saying, “The LORD will deliver us” (2 Kings 18:32). This psalm fits well here in anticipation of the fact that God would wipe out 185,000 men in Assyria’s army. God protects His people. I love the way this psalm begins: “Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised.” It recognizes who God is and honors Him for it. Has God performed a miracle in your recent history? Recognize it and praise Him for it! The city of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, had just been conquered by Assyria. Their army seemed to be invincible. How could Jerusalem possibly stand against them? It would stand, however, because God is great. Jerusalem also stands today, still threatened by the shouting Muslim world surrounding it. Will it stand? Yes, because it is “the city of the great King” (v. 2), the exact term that Jesus used to describe it over 700 years later (Matt. 5:34). God will continue to protect His people until Jerusalem will be “the joy of all the earth” (Ps. 48:2) and the praise of His name “reaches to the ends of the earth” (v. 10).
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