Healed by His stripes – but from what?

 Faithfulness to the Covenant offered National Health Benefits. Neglect of, or the breaking of the covenant would have profound consequences. This would be felt all across the land, its agriculture and of course upon the people. Among the signs of the people being out of favour with Yahweh would be Yahweh afflicting them with the  sicknesses and plagues of Egypt.

Did this promise preclude the Nation from having other health remedies? No! God had already placed on record the healing qualities herbs, and physicians are also mentioned. The treatment of people with skin complaints is well known with those infected being excluded from society until pronounced clean. A distinction needs to be made between individual cases of sicknesses and the Lord’s use of the curses in judgement. Consider the case of Hezekiah. He took ill and was told he would die. The King cried, literally, to the Lord for a reprieve which was granted. His cure consisted of a lump of figs put in a plaster and placed on the inflammation. He was healed.

Therefore, there must be more than mere physical healing when considering what is healed by the Suffering Servant’s stripes. Often the visible expression of a moral or spiritual infection breaks out in a person’s body. Isaiah’s diagnosis of the Nation was a sickness caused by the iniquity of priests and people which corrupted worship. Yahweh turned His back on their rituals. Jeremiah used another word to describe the moral and spiritual condition of Israel. Treachery by leaders, perversion by priests of the sanctuary’s holiness through idolatry and forgetfulness by the citizens he called ‘backsliding.’  The Nation was consistently moving in a direction away from fellowship with their Lord. Before a healthy relationship could be rekindled the people must turn around, an expression for repentance. But, a price had to be paid.

The Nation was morally and spiritually decrepit. If the Covenantal fellowship was to be restored only the Lord could endure the severity of the chastising strokes.

Another factor needing attention was the power of Yahweh’s curse. Deliverance, was needed. When the Law and Covenant were broken the curse was activated. Israel was therefore under its curse. Justice must be pronounced and carried out. A ‘cutting off’ from Yahweh was decreed. It meant a death sentence. As such a breach had happened no human endeavour or sorrow could heal it. How could the Nation survive?  Isaiah 53.8 tells us about the One who stood between Heaven’s wrath and the Nation’s destruction and was ‘cut off on its behalf!

Marriage, expressed the uniqueness of God’s relationship with His chosen people (Jeremiah 3:14). Their unfaithfulness through spiritual adultery cause the Lord to issue a bill of divorcement. But His love for Israel would not be denied. But the ‘bill’ had been issued, how could it be withdrawn? Only by the adultery being punished! How could Israel die and live again? How could Israel survive to be forgiven?  As Israel’s husband He chose to pay the price. He gave up His life on her behalf. Forever the price of such love would be worn. Yahweh’s righteousness was more powerful than the chains of death as shown in His rising again. Isaiah 54:4-10 is a glorious expression of His redeeming love.  He is Israel’s husband, Maker and Redeemer. Though a period of separation is decreed, a day has been set for reconciliation.

Every aspect revealed as offensive act towards God and His word. The judgement upon such action and attitude required punishment or death. Here is grace expressed . The Nation could not be eliminated because Yahweh had decreed its purpose and future. How could Justice be done and yet the promise be fulfilled? In steps the Suffering Servant. He took their place and took their curse, their death sentence and satisfied The Lord God's Holiness. How wonderful to read, ‘He saw His soul’s travail and was satisfied’ Isaiah 53:11.

 

In future studies we will consider the heart of God for this Nation. As we do we will understand a little more of His mercy, grace and faithfulness to us.

 

The Energy of a Joyful Heart.

There is enough going on to crush your spirit. There’s no escaping its ‘arrows’. The effect it can, and usually does have, is to make a person a ‘punctured tyre.’ Sure you can keep going, but the movement is hard work and ultimately damaging. The writer of Provers summed it up this way:  A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.’ Proverbs 15:13. He also wrote in 17:22, ‘A broken spirit dries the bones.’

We live in a ‘wacky’ world. Do yo agree? Do you find it nigh on impossible to have the inner energy required to create a merry heart that doesn’t evaporate? Sure, we have a pleasant moments which touch us and then vanish. Is there something which will grip us, take root within and revive a broken spirit? If there is, and it has a proven track record, are you interested?

The writer of Proverbs likened it to a merry heart. Trouble is we can be merry one moment and mournful the next.  A far better word which also has its own energy power- plant is ‘Joy.’ The term must be linked to someone, something beyond a nice, fuzzy feeling, otherwise it too will crash and burn. The best example from Scripture has to be Jeremiah. This prophet was energised by joy amidst spirit depressing, ‘bone’ crushing experiences.

This prophet had it tough. Branded a traitor, his sermons wasted on the callous and indifferent and being shoved down a stinking well as a prison should crush the spirit. To top it all off, he witnessed the destruction of his beloved city Jerusalem, then was forced to go to Egypt never to return. What legacy did he leave us to verify the case for being energised by joy in a joyless situation?

The book of tears, Lamentations which is the 25^th book in the Bible, reveals the inner energy of joy. This energy is linked with hope grounded in an unconditional promise. Here are Jeremiah’s power-packed words. “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion; therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him" 3:21-25.

Was the prophet delirious in his brokenness? No! Where then did he rest his heart? On what was his hope built? The promise of Yahweh that the Messiah would come through Israel. No apostasy of the nation, no captivity by Babylon or others, no device of the Devil would prevent what we call the Christmas event. Jeremiah recorded “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” Jeremiah 15:16. He also believed the promise that in the future of the nation. “It shall be to me (God) a name of joy, a praise and honour before all the nations of the earth …” Jeremiah 33:9.

Notice the energy supply line. God’s promises, recorded in the Bible, provide hope which can be ‘eaten’ by faith and create joy. In turn this dissolves the darkness of despair and ‘pumps up the tyre’ of the heart. There is something beyond description when a person today feeds upon God’s Word. In the words of Scripture, ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength.’ A faith relationship grounded on the rock of His promise producing hope that energises the spirit.

Next week: What was the joy of Jesus that He promised to share? John 15:11

©Ray Hawkins October 8^th 2017.

Islam's Greatest Fear

Islam in its many shades of black dominates World headlines today. In lands they control they impose a ruthless regime. In countries where they are not yet in large numbers they wear the demeanour of being victims. From whatever perspective and in whatever country their intent is the same. Islam must rule.

What can stand in its way for it seems unstoppable. Those who oppose it can expect the ISIS treatment (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – the terrorist group) of subjugation or beheading. Strange as it may seem ISIS, and Islam in general, have a fear which they suppress through violence upon ‘infidels.’ Such a fear isn’t about conflict or death, it is about engaging in a confrontation with Truth.

This is readily seen by its treatment of those from its ranks who commit their lives to the Truth which out-shines anything Islam has to offer. Consider honour killings inflicted upon individuals who leave Islam for the Truth. Without realising it, this action is in fact a tacit statement of its fear. If this wasn’t the case then Islam would have no cause to murder anyone with a different faith, ideology or lifestyle. Fear is irrational in its frenzy to silence that which it cannot answer or control. We have witnessed it in the murder of women and girls who seek an education. We read about it in mobs who kill, without any shred of evidence, those accused of violating the Koran.

Sharia law has no capability to handle Democracy, the Christian view of Human dignity, female equality or the foundation for marriage. There is an implacable hatred to Israel and the Christian Faith which no appeasement will subdue. Islam denies Israel its history for historical Truth undermines and reduces Islam’s claim to the land. The followers of the Koran pervert the Christian Scriptures concerning the person of Christ Jesus and His death on the cross. No death means the Scriptures lie. No crucifixion means no fulfilment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. No entombment means no resurrection and therefore no forgiveness by faith. It also denies the statements of Jesus and His apostles concerning His return to rule. You must understand also the Koran was compiled 500 years after Jesus walked upon this earth. It isn’t eye–witness accounts as we have in the Judeo–Christian scriptures.

When Muslims chant “There is no god but Allah” it is more a confrontation to the Bible’s affirmation “Jesus is Lord!” They are adamant that God has no Son. This is a direct challenge to the Gospels and the celebration of the virgin birth held at Christmas. Rather than accepting the right of someone to believe what they understand as Truth, Islam cannot abide such mental and spiritual liberty. So when ISIS paints the Arabic letter ‘N’ on a house it signifies a believer in the Nazarene, Jesus. That letter becomes a death notice. Why? Because of the fear the Truth about Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God arouses within their darkened minds.

Why would anyone or any ideology fight against the concept of God being Love is hard to

explain. They might not agree with it but that is different to wanting to obliterate those who believe it. The same goes for the wonderful privilege Christians have in calling God “Our Father!” Our relationship with the Triune God isn’t due to our ability to perform things pleasing to Him. Rather it flows from our conviction about the Truth. What is this Truth? To sum it up means we believe Jesus is ‘The Way, The Truth and The Life. It means no one comes to the Father except through a relationship of a living faith in Jesus. Such Truth is what Islam fears. If it didn’t its leaders would allow those within their community the privilege to choose what they understand as Truth. At the moment to believe is to face death for apostasy. Yet around the world many, many people are taking that risk and making Jesus their own personal Lord and Saviour. That’s what Islam fears!

 © Ray Hawkins