#DailyDevotion Jesus Is The Holy One Of Israel Who Gives Us Spiritual Sight And Hearing

Isaiah 29: 15 Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark,                     and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” 16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker,  “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? 17 Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? 18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. 19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

So they Israelites Isaiah is speaking to really don’t believe the in Lord, the Living God of Israel. Yet for appearance sake they give him lip service. However their real intentions they try to hide from others and from the Lord. Indeed, they try to form the Lord into their own image and likeness rather than conform to the Lord’s.

Not much has changed in 2800 years. Men are still trying to conform God to their image. When confronted with what the Lord has said about himself, they reject it and claim those who stick to God’s word are the ones trying to make God into their own image and likeness. But it is those who refuse to confess what the Lord has said about himself in his word who are making idols of themselves. The very claims the Israelites made are made by them: “He did not make me.” “He has no understanding.” But oh human being, your maker knows you better than you know yourself. Submit yourself to the Lord, the Living God of Israel, he who has come down and taken on your human flesh, namely Jesus Christ.

While we wait for the full fulfillment of verse 17 at the consummation of the age, the Lord, Jesus Christ, has come down and given deaf hearing. Jesus has healed the blind. He has given the mute speech. He has taken away the uncleanness of the leper and restored many people back into the fellowship of Israel. But those were just small things, signs pointing to who he was and is. Jesus also opened the Word of God for all people that they may hear and understand, spiritual sight so they may read and gain knowledge.

All who find themselves poor in spirit, broken by their sinful condition can exult in the Holy One of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, for he has taken away their sins and iniquities. He has made atonement for their sins by his death on the cross. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit that we won’t complain about the one who made us but rather be conformed by the Spirit to the Lord’s image and likeness in true righteousness, knowledge and holiness.

The meek, those who know the Lord, Jesus, obtain fresh joy in the Lord knowing their suffering is not in vain. Their suffering is a participation in the suffering of Christ Jesus. It is not without purpose but rather the Lord is using it to prepare us to bear the weight of his eternal glory which he will give us on the Last Day.

Heavenly Father, grant us your Holy Spirit so that our eyes are open to your word and our ears can receive your truth that our mouths may give glory to you and your Holy One, Jesus Christ being conformed to your true image and likeness through the praise of the same. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.