Chronological Reading Plan for July 17, Isaiah 23-27

Today's readings are Isaiah 23-27. Tomorrow's are 2 Kings 18, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalm 48.

Isaiah 23 pronounces judgement on Tyre and Sidon, two great and mighty ports on the Mediterranean. Sidon is about 30 miles North of Tyre. 

We've seen similar judgments proclaimed over all the pagan nations surrounding Israel and Judah as well as the empires prophesied to invade both. In all this regional judgment from the hand of God, only Israel and Judah have the hope of redemption and the promise of deliverance. Only His children will be spared His full wrath and total destruction. 

The following chapters show us that God's judgment will, one day, be meted out upon the entire earth. We've seen, over and over again, that God will not only use unbelieving nations to refine His people and turn His children back toward Him, but He will judge those ungodly nations for what they do to His own in the refining process. He is not just the God of Israel, He is the God of all creation. This can be easy to forget when we, like Israel and Judah, are under siege.

This should be an important lesson to us. God is constantly refining us, just as He was refining Israel and Judah. The process may be extremely trying, at times. He may use ungodly people to do it. They may cause us pain and suffering. They are nothing more than tools in the hands of a sovereign potter, used to shape and refine His precious creation. God is just, though. They will be reserved for judgment for their ungodly actions. You and I  have the hope of redemption and the promise of deliverance, just as Israel and Judah did. Those who persecute us and seek to harm us, unless they turn to the Lord, only have judgment and eternal, conscious torment awaiting.