Occasionally a provocation uttered by an Old Testament prophet proves too good not to discuss. Like how Isaiah taunted the king of Babylon:

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.

A mattress of maggots with a blanket of worms. So much for the glory of Babylon. Isaiah reminded powerful rulers of the Lord’s disdain for pride and arrogance. Sheol represents the grave, and forms the final resting place of vanity and hubris. It’s quite the picture, the trappings of court rotting away in the dirt. Such is the final result of all who seek glory at the expense of the Lord.

How do I apply this teaching to my life? To start, I ask the Holy Spirit to point out areas of pride (or vainglory to use an older term) that move me away from God. Where do I place myself above others? In what areas might I need a dose of humility? Then I reflect on the end result of life. I too will end up in the grave, with the worms who consume both my mortal flesh and my self-centered ways. No one remembers the king of Babylon anymore, nor will they long remember me and you. We all disappear.

The Lord, however, never forgets. My soul, if placed under his care and in the hand of his instruction, will find a better home than a moldering bed of worms.

Isaiah 14:11

Photo by Morten Jakob Pedersen

I walked along the boardwalk above smoking, bubbling cauldrons of mud and murk in Yellowstone National Park. Signs warned not to leave the safety of the passage, but I wondered just how secure was this raised platform of treated lumber over seething hot water? These walkways are temporary, useful for a few years before needing repair or replacement. They stand firm for only for a season because of the diabolical nature of the ground they cover.

I seek a more solid way of walking through life. The prophet Isaiah points to where such a life is found—If you are not firm in faith, you are not firm at all.

What do we consider firm in this world? It’s hard to come up with a list. Certainly not morals or societal norms. What for all of history was considered firm—male and female—now faces upending and confusion. Cultural elites teach that the only truth is that there is no truth, missing the irony of such a claim.

How do I avoid chaos and build upon a true foundation? By investing my faith in the right person. Jesus famously taught us to build our house upon a rock, and when the rains fall, and the floods come, and the winds blow, our house will not collapse. Only a fool builds above the bubbling cauldrons surrounding us.

No other philosophy or religious creed or way of life matches the unyielding solidity found in God the Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit our Advocate. Sink roots in the ground of the Lord. Keep the faith and flourish.

Isaiah 7:9 & Matthew 7:24-27

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Two passages stood out in my Bible reading this morning, both stark warnings about the nature and status of mankind. First, a warning from the prophet Isaiah to the kings of Israel: Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

Then, from the pen of David: Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men!

Both sections of Scripture remind me of the status of men and women before a just and holy God. In the light of His glory, majesty and might, human beings are mere dust, of little regard, of no account. A bleak picture of those who oppose the Lord, and we all stand rightfully accused.

Nevertheless, God chose to love me and you and all ill-regarded men and women. He graciously sent his one and only son to sacrifice his life for us. We’re of no account, yet of the highest value. Hard to understand, and even harder to fathom—how do we plumb the mind of the Lord? But I remain grateful that God chose to account for those of us of no account.

Isaiah 2:22 & Psalm 9:19-20

Photo by Xavier von Erlach

An obscure reference marks the end of a passage describing King Ahaz’s destructive changes to the temple in Jerusalem. We’re told that Ahaz modified the entrance to the temple (likely an awning over the entrance) because of the king of Assyria.

The chronicler described Ahaz as one who did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. In fact, Ahaz gave the Lord the middle finger. He even burned his son alive as an offering to demonic gods, living according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

Why Ahaz turned so hard from the Lord we do not know. Why does anyone reject God? One clue emerges—Ahaz desperately felt the need to please the king of Assyria. In homage to the most powerful ruler in the region, Ahaz shuttered the temple and chopped up its furniture. Worship was held at new pagan alters. Ahaz fawned before the Assyrian king.

Despite a long lineage from the house of David, Ahaz chose to live at the pleasure of his pagan overlord. Ahaz proved a criminal of a human being and a failure as king. Active rebellion best describes his actions toward God.

To be honest, I’m tempted in the same way. How much easier to shunt aside the ways of the Lord and embrace empty philosophies? It’s challenging to read the Scriptures and pray and spend time with fellow believers. It takes discipline and attentiveness, time and energy. Following Jesus remains a counter-cultural lifestyle, but my life and yours flourish when we make decisions because of The King.

2 Kings 16:18

Photo by Christopher Stites