isaiah 1-4
isaiah begins by talking about the tough stuff coming. he launches into the choices jerusalem has made and the consequences that will have on the day of judgment... really encouraging stuff. but then comes chapter 4 ...this little ray of hope, about those who survive. that was when i started to connect with it.
verse 6 talks about a cloud/fire that god will put as a shelter and shield. all i could think was "i really need a shelter from the heat of the day and a shield from the storm and rain". then i looked back at all that jerusalem had been through in the first 3 chapters... some desolate and desperate times; times where hope could not be seen and the work of god was not evident. in verse 4 of chapter 4 god talks about the cleansing of jerusalem. but its not a pretty cleansing like we like to picture in our minds... of water cascading from heaven, "there is a fountain", or floating in a river (ala "find me in the river").
its a cleansing by 2 spirits- judgment and fire.
a couple weeks ago i fell into psalm 51, one of my faves because its about reconnecting after falling. i spent about a week asking god to cleanse me. little did i know...
cleansing by judgment and fire... this is how god cleans and purifies his beloved jerusalem. no gentle bathing in the river here... but purging and burning... consuming fire... dross from the gold... and all that.
how can i embrace a cleansing of fire and judgment?
right now i am desperate enough for the canopy that i embrace the cleansing.
verse 6 talks about a cloud/fire that god will put as a shelter and shield. all i could think was "i really need a shelter from the heat of the day and a shield from the storm and rain". then i looked back at all that jerusalem had been through in the first 3 chapters... some desolate and desperate times; times where hope could not be seen and the work of god was not evident. in verse 4 of chapter 4 god talks about the cleansing of jerusalem. but its not a pretty cleansing like we like to picture in our minds... of water cascading from heaven, "there is a fountain", or floating in a river (ala "find me in the river").
its a cleansing by 2 spirits- judgment and fire.
a couple weeks ago i fell into psalm 51, one of my faves because its about reconnecting after falling. i spent about a week asking god to cleanse me. little did i know...
cleansing by judgment and fire... this is how god cleans and purifies his beloved jerusalem. no gentle bathing in the river here... but purging and burning... consuming fire... dross from the gold... and all that.
how can i embrace a cleansing of fire and judgment?
right now i am desperate enough for the canopy that i embrace the cleansing.
posted by jamie at 10:13 PM
Comments on "isaiah 1-4"
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Cari said ... (4:20 PM) :
post a commentWow. This is right where I am now. I hadn't thought about cleansing fire...and I shivered a little at the thought, but I know that I've got to be there.
Submission really sucks sometimes.
Welp, here's to getting back. Peace and blessings, and a prayer that you'll embrace His grace...and those terrible cleansing flames. I covet your prayers, too.