Genesis 3:4

Verse of the Day Devotion: Genesis 3:4

“The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!” – Genesis 3:4 

This verse is found in the verses that describe the fall of Adam and Eve.  The serpent in our focus verse is described as the craftiest of all the beast of the field.  The Hebrew word for crafty means cunning (usually in a bad sense).  It also has the idea of prudent and subtle.  He then says to Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” Genesis 3:1b.  There are several things that is intriguing with this.  First, it appears that this was part of a discussion they were having already, and it is questioning her to create doubt in Eve.  But more interesting is this creature had the ability to reason and to speak in a way Eve understood.

She then answers the creature by saying they can eat of any tree in the garden except from the one tree in the middle of the garden, for God has told us we will die if we do.  At this point she still believed what God told her.  Then the serpent counters what God told her.  “You surely will not die!” Genesis 3:4 However, it throws in another idea which, as we will see, caused her to doubt what they were told.  “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5. Aha, it has now told her that God was withholding something from her.  They would not die; in fact, they would actually become like God Himself if they did eat.

So, Eve began to mull this over in her mind.  According to the serpent, they would not die, for the fruit was good for food.  It was lovely and looked incredibly delicious and would allow them to gain in wisdom to the level of God.  These were the things she, and no doubt Adam also, desired.  So she ignored the warning God gave them regarding the fruit and ate it, also giving one to Adam so he could enjoy the same blessing the fruit would impart it on her.

Well, it did not turn out that well for them.  Yes, their understanding increased, but not as they hoped for.  “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” Genesis 3:7. They understood they had done wrong and disobeyed God.  They felt the need to cover themselves with the leaves of the fig tree.  They now lost the peace they had with God.  Not only did they not want to see God, but they hid from Him hoping He would not know.

Satan does the same thing with us today.  We see many of the rules placed upon us by the Word of God as not really meaning what we had always understood.  Satan tempts us by saying, “God really did not mean these things were wrong.  Besides, they are enjoyable and will benefit you as well.” And because we see these things as pleasing to our flesh, we have to make a decision.  Do we obey God, or do we assume we do not truly understand and, like Eve, partake in the sin.  The world does this all the time.  However, many Christians are also tricked into partaking because they also fall prey to the ‘I know more than God’ syndrome.  We may not think specifically we do, but that is the result of pondering the words spoken by the serpent just as Eve did.  And I hate to say we all do this occasionally, with no exception for myself.

It is important that we not listen to the words of the enemy.  We must become so familiar with God’s Word that we do not fall for the serpent’s cunning ways.  We must understand what is acceptable and what is not and stand firm when tempted to go against what God has said.  The enemy tempts us with our self-indulgent sinful desires. We need to understand this and tell him, as Jesus did, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan.’  We must use scripture and our desire to please God to defeat the serpent just as Jesus did in His moment of temptation.  This must be our goal.  We may fail at times, but these times must become less frequent.  And when we do, we need to do as John said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. We must remember the words of Solomon when he said, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12. For just as Eve listened to the serpent and did what she chose which led to death, so will our choosing to do what we want that is contrary to God’s will.

Study God’s Word and know what it says and choose at all times to follow it.  It will help in your battle against the temptations of the enemy.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Psalm 116:15

Verse of the Day Devotion: Psalm 116:15

“Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.” – Psalm 116:15

This is a beautiful picture of how God views the death of one of His children.  We see death as the end of a life. It means decay, absence and their removal, nothing that we prize.  We mourn over the death of someone we know because what we see is separation, the loss of the fellowship and love we have for and with that person.  We hold all these memories and are saddened that those days are over.  However, God knows the end from the beginning, and He has determined our days.  “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.” Job 14:5.  And since He knows our days, the end is not a surprise to Him as it is to us.

How does God see the death of the Godly ones?  Well, it is not separation, for we will be there with Him.  “then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7.  And we will be with Christ. “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:27-28.

And our new life will be everlasting.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16  Our life will never end.  For we shall be with God, enjoying the blessed life forever with no end.  No longer dealing with the temptations and sins that so easily entangle us (see Hebrews 12:1).  No longer growing weary due to the problems and trials we face every day.  No longer going without and wondering how we will make it.  No longer mourning over hardships that come our way, for we will be at peace, and joy will pervade our existence.  No longer becoming tired and weary, for we will experience true rest.  “The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.” Isaiah 57:1-2.

The trials we face here on this earth are not the product of God, but of man who rebelled against God.  However, through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, we as Christians will be delivered from the chaos wrought by the rebellion of Adam and Eve.  We will be with God who loves us very much and will provide a place for us with Him forever.  He does not like what we go through here, which is why He has prepared a better place on a new earth in a new heaven.

As stated above in Job 14:5, our times have been set.  And also His plans for us have also been set.  We are here to spread the gospel and bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ.  In these times there will be suffering for all saints.  “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12. Also, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” Philippians 1:29-30.   In fact, Paul was told ahead of time that he would suffer for Him.  “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him (Saul) how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16

Unfortunately, reaching out to the lost will undoubtedly bring suffering.  However, at the end, either of our life or this era, we will no longer experience persecution or suffering, for we will enter our new life full of unending joy, peace and love. Revelation tells us what it will be like.  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4.

In looking at death the way God does, we can see that death for the Christian is not a sad event, but a time of rejoicing.  For they have been delivered from this life of trials, sickness, pain, persecution and the like, to a life that consists of eternal peace, joy, rest, contentment and love.  Yes, we will still mourn, for we are still here.  However, God sees one that He loves finding eternal peace and joy beyond comprehension.  And this is why the psalmist writes in our focus verse, “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.” Psalm 116:15.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Isaiah 46:10

Verse of the Day: Isaiah 46:10

“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, my purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” – Isaiah 46:10

This verse should bring us all comfort.  Why you ask?  Because God knows all things; past, present and future.  God loves us and wants the best for us.  Moreover, His best for us cannot be thwarted because His purpose has already been established and thus His good for us will happen.

This is important because He cannot be surprised.  His love and goodness are not based on what we have done, because He knew everything about us before we were created.  He loves everyone, but only some return that love and He knew who those were before they were in their mother’s womb.

So, when you think that God has changed His mind about anything, this is an impossibility.  In this I take much comfort.  God told me a long time ago to prepare for what He had planned for me.  I have not been perfect, but I also know He has not taken back His command to prepare.  This brings much peace and contentment to me.  I pray it does the same for you in your walk.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Genesis 15:6

Verse of the Day Devotion. Genesis 15:6

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6

After Abram rescued Lot from captivity, God gave a promise to Abram in a vision. “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” Genesis 15:1. There was a good reason for God to say this. Abram had just defeated a much larger army made up of a partnership of four kings. He had reason to be afraid, expecting an attack of retribution, but God promised him a great reward. And as we see in the next verse, he has a greater desire which he believes could not be fulfilled. “But Abram said, Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Genesis 15:2. To Abram, having a son to carry on the family line was more important than anything else. During that time, if there was not a son to carry on the line, it would fall upon the head servant of the house, who would then be the heir.

Then we read in verse 4, “Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” Genesis 15:4. What is amazing is that Abram was somewhere between 70 and 80 years old, while Sara would have been between 60 and 70 years old, both long after the age of childbearing.  However, as we see in our focus verse, Abram believed God, and because he believed, God declared Abram righteous, and then shows him something else. “And He took him outside and said, now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them. And He said to him, so shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:5. God told him that the number of stars was a picture of the number of his descendants; innumerable. We see this same idea in Hosea. “Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted” Hosea 1:10a.

In response to all these promises, we read in our focus verse. “Then he believed in the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. Notice the wording ‘believed in the Lord’. The action of faith preceded the vocabulary of faith. In other words, by virtue of his earlier obedient response to a word from God, Abram was putting his faith in God. And this was the case even though he saw this impossible, because of his and his wife’s age, which was well beyond childbearing age. It was deemed an impossibility as far as Abram was concerned, but because God promised him many offspring, Abram believed and trusted God that He would bring it to pass.

There are two things we can glean from this.  First, God can do anything no matter how impossible it may seem to be.  If God promises us something, it will come to pass. There should be no doubt about this.  So, we can look at the promises of God throughout the scriptures and know that they will  come to pass.   And second, this is a beautiful picture of the gospel.  If we truly believe that Christ died, was buried, and then rose again for our salvation, and we accept it and live our lives as such, then our salvation is sure.  Note Jesus’ words in John’s gospel, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16  Do you truly believe, and does your belief reflect the light of Christ to others?  If so, then God has declared you righteous and His promises will be fulfilled for you. Let us all who truly believe rejoice!

 William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, President and Founder of True Devotion Ministries.

Isaiah 46:8

Verse of the Day Devotion. Isaiah 46:8

“Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you wrongdoers.” – Isaiah 46:8

As we read in our focus verse, God is calling His people, Israel, to remember something which He reminds them of in the first seven verses of this chapter. Through Isaiah, He is encouraging His people. First, we will look at God’s comparison of Himself and the gods of Babylon. “Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over; Their idols have become loads for the animals and the cattle. The things that you carry are burdensome, a load for the weary animal. They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden but have themselves gone into captivity.” Isaiah 46:1-2. He is telling His people that the gods of Babylon are actually a burden rather than helpers. Instead of these false gods rescuing them from their burdens, they become a part of the burden of their people.

Then God tells them that He has never been a burden to them, but actually has carried them. “Listen to Me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been carried by Me from birth and have been carried from the womb; even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will carry you! I have done it, and I will bear you; And I will carry you and I will save you.” Isaiah 46:3-4. God now turns the tables. With a call to pay attention, he addresses the people as ‘house of Jacob’ and ‘house of Israel’. He was bringing to their minds the whole long story that established their identity. He was using the idea mentioned above, asking them when in all that time had they ever carried their God? He reminds them it never happened. From the very beginning of their existence as a nation, from the hour of their birth as a nation, God had been carrying them!

He then shows them there is no comparison by way of a rhetorical question. “To whom would you equate Me and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we would be alike? Those who lavish gold from the bag and weigh silver on the scale, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down; indeed, they worship it. They lift it on the shoulder, carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It does not move from its place. Though one may shout to it, it cannot answer; It cannot save him from his distress.” Isaiah 46:5-7. The only logical conclusion of this contrast between God and the false gods is that there is no comparison between God and the false gods. To which of the idol-gods can the Lord be compared? Absolutely none. They are the creation of humans and are subject to all the limitations of time and space. He is the Creator of humans and all else and is limited by nothing.

Now we come to our focus verse. “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you wrongdoers.” Isaiah 49:8. And what are we to remember? “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10.  The main point is that God’s people must remember this about the LORD; that He knows the end from the beginning and is in control over all things. When we remember this, we will show ourselves to be ones who trust God no matter what. We can have tremendous courage in our God when we understand and remember who He is and what He does.

In closing, we read in the last two verses of chapter 46. “Listen to Me, you stubborn minded, Who are far from righteousness. I bring near My righteousness; it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel.” Isaiah 46:12-13. These two verses represent a call to accept that God can and will deliver his people. These words are directed to those who are stubborn and far from righteousness. God tells them that these accomplishment of righteous acts of salvation are sure, are near, and will not be delayed. One can be confident it will happen because God is not one who is far away from his people. In fact, he is so near to them that it is possible for him to care for them and act positively on their behalf.

There are many today who fall within the category referred to; stubborn minded and those who are far from righteousness. There are believers who are struggling in difficult situations who need an assurance that God will bring them through and the He will be coming to deliver them from this world. We need to help them remember what God has done in the past, which shows He can do anything, including delivering and helping them in all situations. And sometimes He allows us to go through trials with the purpose of showing us we are never alone. God’s people need to remember that God’s timing is always perfect and wise. When we are stubborn hearted, we need to listen to the LORD and remember He never delays and is never late. God always has His deliverer, and always knows exactly when to bring His deliverance.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, President and Founder of True Devotion Ministries.

Psalm 4:1

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Psalm 4:1

“Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” – Psalm 4:1

First, I want to clarify that David is not telling God to answer him, but asking Him. David has been through a lot in those days. In Psalm 3, we read about him dealing with the troubles brought about by his son Absalom who rebelled against him along with the vast majority of Israel who followed Absalom.  Now, in chapter four, we see that many great men were lying about David, speaking ill of him, and ultimately defaming his character. “You sons of man, how long will my honor be treated as an insult? How long will you love what is worthless and strive for a lie?” Psalm 4:2. David’s life as king was not an easy one. He found himself suffering through all kinds of trials. But he understood with full clarity what would truly bring God’s people through rough times, that being the Almighty God. “But know that the LORD has set apart the godly person for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him.” Psalm 4:3.

Then David lays out four basic imperatives directed at the people there, and to us as well. First, we are to tremble but not sin. “Tremble, and do not sin;” Psalm 4:4a. We are to understand that to go against what God commands is sin and thus we must focus all our efforts and thoughts on not sinning against Him. Unfortunately, too many people ignore this and twist the verse such that they see, ‘sin, but tremble not’. We see so many people, who call themselves Christians, going about sinning and not thinking anything about it. This is especially true of many who believe that once you are saved God forgives anything you do going forward. This concept is known as antinomianism which has the idea that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of following any moral, religious or social norms or laws. The word itself is from the Greek that means ‘against the law.’ Our hearts must be such that we tremble at the thought of sinning at all. Next, we are to think about what we are doing. “Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still. Selah” Psalm 4:4b. On your bed, calmly consider and meditate on these things in the silence of night, when you are at leisure from distracting business. Be still and compose your tumultuous minds. Think about what you do, and if it is right then continue, but if it is wrong, then stop and ask forgiveness and no longer continue in this way.

Next, “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the LORD.” Psalm 4:5a. Do not attempt to offer a sacrifice to God for prosperity in your present rebellious conduct. Such a sacrifice would be a sin. Turn to God from whom you have revolted; and offer to him a righteous sacrifice, such as is lawful and such as He can receive. In other words, do not just offer something to God so that you can receive something from Him, or offer up to God something that is not acceptable to Him. And finally, we are to trust in the Lord. He loves us, wants the best for us, and can do anything. This is the God we serve, and He is the only one we can trust completely.

Then David finishes this with the following. “Many are saying, who will show us anything good?” Psalm 4:6a. He starts this by asking a rhetorical question ‘Who will show us anything good?’ After continual disappointment from man, we may begin to doubt if God will show us any good. But not David. He says, “Lift up the light of Your face upon us, LORD! You have put joy in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine are abundant. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, LORD, have me dwell in safety.” Psalm 6b-8. Despite what the cynics said about God not being there or ignoring them, David trusted that the LORD would give him joy beyond what the ungodly had in their prosperity. And because he trusts in God, he can lie down and sleep in peace because the Lord provides them safety in all their ways. We can imagine a man lying down to sleep, tormented by all of what his enemies or fake friends say about him. David could be that man, but instead he trusted in the LORD. He therefore had a gladness that the world could not take away, even with all their slanders and lies.

In closing, no matter which way we read the psalm, one aspect of David’s faith is clear: it is to God that he turns for vindication, and it is in God that He trusts. To the extent that the language of the psalm implies an attack on the David’s honor, David names the Lord as God of my righteousness, which put another way, the God who vindicates me. And in wisdom, we must see life the same way. Life for the Christian can be very difficult,  because the enemy hates us and desires to destroy our faith. We need to trust God that no matter our situation, as Christians He is with us and will bring about a good, even if we do not see a good ourselves. Those whom God knew would give their lives to Him can be assured that all things will turn out great. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:28-30.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, President and Founder of True Devotion Ministries.

Isaiah 66:2

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Isaiah 66:2 

“For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being, declares the LORD. But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” – Isaiah 66:2 

Again, we see ‘the heavens and the earth’, the last time was in the previous chapter. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.” Isaiah 65:17. In Isaiah 66:1, He is not necessarily speaking of a new one, but simply the idea of the heavens and earth. Now, the first time this phrase appears is in the first verse in the Old Testament as He speaks about the original creation. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. Now, in all three of these, it speaks of ‘everywhere’, for there is nothing outside of the heavens and earth in His creation. And everything is His temple, for it says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” Isaiah 66:1a.

Therefore, the Lord asks “And where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?” Isaiah 66:1b. The reference to God’s throne and house is somewhat confusing. This appears to be a quotation or a reference to a previous statement that God’s presence cannot be limited to Solomon’s temple. “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee, how much less this house which I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of Thy servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Thy servant prays before Thee today; that Thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which Thou hast said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Thy servant shall pray toward this place. And listen to the supplication of Thy servant and of Thy people Israel when they pray toward this place; hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; hear and forgive.” 1 Kings 8:27-30. Solomon says that there is no way the temple they have built can contain Him, for the highest heaven cannot. It seems to mean the heaven in its most extended compass. Solomon combines with his belief in Yahweh’s special presence in the temple, the strongest conviction that He is no local or finite deity but is ever present everywhere. Then Isaiah continues, speaking for God, “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being, declares the LORD. But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:2. We may want to build God something, but what can we build that is worthy of God? Instead, what God really wants from us is a poor and a contrite spirit, and to tremble at His word. Contrite is literally ‘lamed’ or disabled, here used with spiritual significance: one who is aware of the damage wrought by sin, of personal inability to stand upright before God.

I want to end this devotion with a quote from Charles Spurgeon. “Are you one of those who trembles at God’s word? “They tremble at the searching power of God’s Word. Do you never come into this place and sit down in the pew, and say, ‘Lord, grant that thy Word may search me and try me, that I may not be deceived’? Certain people must always have sweets and comforts; but God’s wise children do not wish for these in undue measure. Daily bread we ask for, not daily sugar.” What Charles is asking is does God’s word make a difference in us? When we go to church, do we simply sit in a pew or chair and listen, or do we take what is in God’s word and examine our lives, seeing if we need to make any changes in order to please God with our lives. Too many attend church so they can say the attended church. However, we should attend church in order to learn where we do not live up to what God wants and make any changes necessary to become who He desires us to be, as well as giving Him all the praise, glory, and honor we can give Him, which is what He so deserves.  Let us look at our time in church not as something simply to do, but as a time to honor Him with our obedience and worship. The church is not His throne or temple, it is where we can focus our attention and focus on Him. It is for His people to come together and worship Him and support each other. What could be better?

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, 

Isaiah 65:17

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Isaiah 65:17

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” – Isaiah 65:17 

This new paragraph begins with an announcement of God’s marvelous work, starting with ‘behold, I’ to emphasize the amazing fact that God ‘will create’ a new heaven and a new earth. Now earlier, the kingdom that God will establish was not described earlier in these terms. Earlier in Isaiah we read, “Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.” Isaiah 24:17-20. And “Lift up your eyes to the heavens and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.” Isaiah 51:6. In both of these, there is the idea to the heavens and the earth will need to be replaced due to the condition of the earth in the last days. I like the way theologian Gary V. Smith. “This new world with its transformed people will be so completely different that God’s servants will not remember the ‘former world’ of sin, suffering, hunger, death, and destruction. In fact, this new world will be so different that even the more positive aspects of the former things will probably fade from memory.” Then in the next two verses, we see that all will rejoice, both of His people and God. “But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.” Isaiah 65:18-19.

Then in the next set of verses, it speaks of the sadness that will no longer be in the new heaven and earth. “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them.” Isaiah 65:20-23. Isaiah is using concrete examples that explain why there will be no crying or mourning in the kingdom. They are examples drawn from this current world in order to help Israel understand. He is showing all those things that caused His people pain and suffering, to be in sorrow or to weep. All of the above are simply examples of those things that cause people, in the time of Isaiah, to weep.

And finally, we read in the last three verses what we shall experience in the New Kingdom. “They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the LORD.” Isaiah 65:23-25. God explains this new setting by describing a state of complete harmony and oneness among animals that formerly were enemies. In the future, the wild meat-eating wolf (the predator) and the defenseless little lamb (the prey) will graze together in peace and unity. In addition, the ferocious lion (the predator) will eat straw with the ox (the prey). Although animals can sometimes represent people, there is no indication that these animals are symbolic of anything other than animal life. We see this as well in earlier verses. “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:6-9. 

What a beautiful picture of what we have to look forward to in the new heavens and earth and all the ‘junk’ in this world will go away. And we can look forward to this promise given by God. “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:11-13.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, 

Isaiah 65:1

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Isaiah 65:1

“I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ To a nation which did not call on My name.” –  Isaiah 65:1 

This is a continuation of the prophesy of Christ. Our focus verse speaks about God permitting the Gentiles to come to Him. This is somewhat in answer to the ending verses of Chapter 64. “Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD, Neither remember iniquity forever; Behold, look now, all of us are Thy people. Thy holy cities have become a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful house, Where our fathers praised Thee, Has been burned by fire; And all our precious things have become a ruin. Wilt Thou restrain Thyself at these things, O LORD? Wilt Thou keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?” Isaiah 64:9-12. In these verses Israel is asking God why He is not watching over them. They ask God not to be angry with them or remember their sins. And they point out how their temple has been destroyed, and their land has become a wilderness. Then, in essence, they ask Him if He is going to do anything about it. Paul declared the Gentiles will hear. “But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says speaking for God, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry. Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me. But of Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” Romans 10:18-21.

Then in the next couple of verses, we see God laying out the problem. “I spread out my hands all day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day.” Isaiah 65:2-5. It wasn’t that the LORD had ignored the Jewish exiles in Babylon, and others like them. He stretched out His hands all day long to them. Some responded, such as Daniel and those praying in Israel, but most were a rebellious people who walked in their own way, according to their own thoughts.

But God says this will be addressed. “Behold, it is written before Me, I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will even repay into their bosom, Both their own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says the LORD. “Because they have burned incense on the mountains, And scorned Me on the hills, Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.” Isaiah 65:6-7. The word bosom here refers to a custom among the Orientals of making the bosom or front of their garments large and loose, so that articles could be carried in them, much like the purpose of our pockets. The sense here is that God would abundantly punish them for their sins; that they would carry their sins they would be punished for.

We need to be very careful that we do not find ourselves in the same situation as the Jews, who as Isaiah put it, “who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts”. We are not to conform to this world’s ways. “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2. It has been over 2000 years since Christ went to Heaven, promising to come back for the righteous. Let us not become complacent and fail to give our all to God because He has not come back yet. What God promises, He will fulfill. Continue to believe and walk in His ways and all will go well.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries,

Isaiah 64:6.

Verse of the Day Devotion.  Isaiah 64:6

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” – Isaiah 64:6     

At the end of chapter 63, Gods people lament for it appears that He is absent or inactive regarding His people. “Why, O LORD, dost Thou cause us to stray from Thy ways, And harden our heart from fearing Thee? Return for the sake of Thy servants, the tribes of Thy heritage. Thy holy people possessed Thy sanctuary for a little while, Our adversaries have trodden it down. We have become like those over whom Thou hast never ruled, Like those who were not called by Thy name.” Isaiah 63:17-19. Isaiah wishes that God had left his heavenly home long ago, had split open the solid curtain in the sky that hides him from human view, had come down to earth in his full glory, and had caused all of nature to quake. The idea of ‘quaking’ because of the Lord is also mentioned in the Book of Judges. “LORD, when Thou didst go out from Seir, when Thou didst march from the field of Edom, The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped, Even the clouds dripped water. The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD, this Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.” Judges 5:4-5.

Then in chapter 64 we read, “Oh, that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Thy presence, As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Thy presence! When Thou didst awesome things which we did not expect, Thou didst come down, the mountains quaked at Thy presence. For from of old they have not heard nor perceived by ear, Neither has the eye seen a God besides Thee, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.” Isaiah 64:1-4. Isaiah, the one who was praying, wanted God to intervene on behalf of Israel. He remembered God’s great work for Israel in the days of the Exodus. Here, He also remembers how the LORD shook Mount Sinai when Israel camped there on their way from Egypt to the Promised Land. And those who wait on God’s work will see Him act on their behalf.

Then Isaiah changes his focus. “Thou dost meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers Thee in Thy ways. Behold, Thou was angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved?” Isaiah 64:5. Isaiah here answers the question, what kind of man does the LORD answer in prayer?” In essence He meets with those who ‘rejoices in doing righteousness’. Those who remember God in all His ways. And then Isaiah said they have not followed His ways.  ‘Behold, Thou was angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time.’ He made it clear that God’s people had sinned, and he asked the question, ‘Shall we be saved?’ And then Isaiah continues in our focus verse. “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” Isaiah 64:6. Isaiah declares their righteous deeds can be compared to filthy rags. The term “filthy rags” is quite strong. The word filthy is a translation of the Hebrew word ‘iddah’, which literally means the bodily fluids from a woman’s menstrual cycle. And the word rags is a translation of ‘begged’, meaning a rag or garment. Therefore, these ‘righteous acts’ are considered by God as repugnant as a soiled feminine hygiene product.

Then Isaiah takes it a little deeper. “And there is no one who calls on Thy name, Who arouses himself to take hold of Thee; For Thou hast hidden Thy face from us, And hast delivered us into the power of our iniquities.” Isaiah 64:7. The idea here, connected to their sin being as filthy rages, is that they have become so corrupt, they did not call on God or worship Him in sincerity. Their iniquities have essentially overcome their desire to worship God in the way they should.

And then Isaiah calls on God for His mercy. “But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, We are the clay, and Thou our potter; And all of us are the work of Thy hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD, Neither remember iniquity forever; Behold, look now, all of us are Thy people. Thy holy cities have become a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful house, Where our fathers praised Thee, Has been burned by fire; And all our precious things have become a ruin. Wilt Thou restrain Thyself at these things, O LORD? Wilt Thou keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?” Isaiah 64:8-12. Isaiah is in a desperate place; he needs the mercy of God because the justice of God condemns him. In his appeal for mercy, he first reminds God that He is their Father and then pleads for mercy for himself and God’s people. Isaiah declares that God is the potter, and we are the clay. It is like saying, LORD we are like clay in Your hands. Deal gently with us, and mold us according to Your mercy.

Let us all, as Isaiah did, not just call out to God regarding ourselves and our needs but let us call out to God for what our brothers and sisters in Christ need as well. Let us pray that we all desire a greater relationship with our Father God, and we acknowledge our sins, ask for forgiveness, and move forward in the life He has called us to live. And let us pray that our righteousness will no longer be as filthy rags, but will be a light to many in the hope of bringing some into the fold.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.