Isaiah 19

ScriptureIsaiah 19:25The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”Observation - What does it say?Yet again, Isaiah utters another prophecy of coming destruction and God’s wrath against a nation. In Egypt’s case, we see the nation was filled with idols, prideful leaders and people who were consulting idols, spirits of the dead, mediums and spiritists… basically seeking anything or anyone but God.God planned to bring judgment against their sin and strike them (vs 22), but with a goal in mind (vs 25)!Understanding - What does it mean?Imagine visiting an operating room at the hospital for a week. During the course of that week you are forced to watch surgery after surgery. It's painful and disgusting to watch. You begin to cringe every time the surgeon picks up his scalpel because you know what's about to happen next. Before the week is over, you become convinced that the surgeon is a horrible individual. What kind of man would cause all these innocent people so much pain and discomfort? “What a sick and twisted man,” you think.Then one day your perspective completely changes as you see one of the patients you watched him cut open. You are surprised to see that the patient is not just alive, but he is now healthy and strong and in much better shape than before his encounter with the surgeon.I have to admit, this morning I found myself rolling my eyes a bit as I began this chapter, thinking, “Here we go again.” Sigh. It is depressing reading chapter after chapter of destruction and coming wrath. But I realized if it's depressing for any of us, we must recognize that it’s because our perspective is limited and we aren’t seeing the bigger picture.The doctor had to make painful cuts in order to set right the things in his patients’ bodies which were wrong, in order to remove the things causing problems and pain, and in order to bring healing.God disciplines people and allows temporary trials so that they can be healed, so that they can learn to trust him alone, so that they can be called blessed and called his own.God's discipline doesn’t show he is evil and heartless but rather the opposite. His discipline proves his love!Proverbs 13:24 MSG A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them.Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves…Life ApplicationRejoice that we have a God who loves us enough to discipline and correct us!Trust that God, our divine surgeon, knows exactly what we can handle, exactly where to cut, and that he is doing it all for our good.God, thank you for your great love. When we endure trials, help us to see them from the proper perspective. Please keep us from rejecting you when we experience difficulty. Instead, may we turn to you and allow the trials to bring about what you intend in us. We trust you. Amen.