May 30, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“You [who have chosen not to be My servants] will leave behind your name as a curse for My chosen ones, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but to His servants He will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth, and whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the former troubles will be forgotten and hidden from My sight.” (Isaiah 65.15-16)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

We might call these verses “An Ode to Justice.” Have you walked through a cemetery and read some of the epitaths engraved there? They might say “Loving Mother,” “Loving Father,” “Beautiful Baby,” “Great Friend” or some other enduring sentiment. Have you ever seen one that said “Liar and a Cheat,” “Deceiver,” “Drunk,” “Thief” or “He was what he was”? Perhaps in the cemetary, the adage “If you can’t say anything nice, say nothing at all” is the best practice. What would you hope your loved ones will engrave on your headstone, if Jesus doesn’t come first? Let us consider that, as believers, we are given that new name which is of Jesus the Christ, the Resurrected and Glorified One who took our old name to the grave and Himself was raised with a new name that we don’t know yet. We know of Jesus the Christ, the Messiah of God’s people, in His fulfilled name which was given by God to Mary and Joseph via the angelic proclamation. The day is coming, however, when that “name which is above all names” (Jesus Christ is Lord- Philippians 2.9) will be made known with the name of God’s justice as “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19.6) On that day “every knee will bow and every tongue confess. There will be a reign of peace for 1000 years unlike anything the world has ever known. Those who have anticipated it as the Messianic Kingdom and refused Jesus as the Christ of God when He dwelt on earth 2000 years ago, will be caught in that moment of truth. What is that moment? It is when “Justice will roll down like mighty waters.” (Amos 5.24, Isaiah 43.2-3 and Revelation 21.6) It will be authentic justice as the Son of God and Son of Man can execute. There will be no debate. There will only be rejoicing or “the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.” God may be blamed by those who will experience eternal demise, but they will only have themselves to blame. Before the cross occurred in Jesus’ life or after when He descended death’s staircase into the pit of Hell, those who were given the opportunity to believe will receive the Word of salvation. Since that day, it is by the declaration of the Church and the mighty ones of God who testify to “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly” in the paths of righteousness as did Jesus when He was on earth. As John the Baptizer “made way” for Jesus, so Jesus made way for us and now we make way for this “next generation” which is the Age of the Church.

What will be left behind by those who refused to “seek the Lord while He may be found“? The etching of their names will survive as a curse which will bring fear of what is yet to come. The dead will cry out, as did the Rich Man who gave no mind or heart or justice to poor festering Lazarus, “Please send word to my family.” The response will be as Abraham declared, “If they did not believe one who was alive, how will they believe in one who came back from the dead?” Woe to those who decided that the lie was the truth and those who traded the truth for a lie. They will become forgotten as time moves forward. Consider this, mighty ones of God, that once we arrive in Heaven “on that day,” the former things will have passed and they will be forgotten. Heaven is a place with “no more sorrowing, no more crying, no more hungering, no more dying.” Those who are left behind will no more appear to our heart and mind. No eye shall see them. No ear shall hear them. They will forever dwell in the echo chamber of Hell. Beyond it shall resound the joy of our salvation and it will be our strength. Oh, that it would be this for everyone, but it will not. Yet, let us persist in sharing the Good News and proclaiming the Gospel Truth with the hope that we shall still win some.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free in Jesus’ name. AMEN.