Todays readings.. Joshua 19, Isaiah 25, Hebrews 8&9

“ON THIS MOUNTAIN” 

Not on any mountain, but, declares Isaiah, “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food….” [25 v.6] – and we can perceive the spiritual parallels!  And then, wonderfully, v. 8 adds “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces … for the LORD has spoken.”

What a heart inspiring vision this is in following on from yesterday’s heart-stirring chapter which ended with a vision of when “the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion …” Zion is surely – “this mountain”!

Back in today’s chapter 25, the next verse (9) inspires us further, “It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him …. let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”  How many are waiting for him today?  Only those who read His words and have got to ‘know’ it in their hearts and will therefore be spiritually strong enough to “endure the day of his coming” [Malachi 3 v.2]

We join our prayer with that of David who pleaded to the LORD “Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!” [Psa. 36 v.10]

We now glance ahead at the opening verses in Isaiah’s next chapter. ” In that day this song will be sung … ‘Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter …’ “  This is a spiritual nation!  Peter was inspired to understand and write to believers, telling them (and us) “…you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” [1 Peter 2 v.9]

Then Peter added words which are so appropriate for us in our utterly godless world: “I urge youto abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” [v.11] As members of a spiritual and holy nation, let us make sure we “wage war” effectively.  To do this we must make every effort to stop our godless world from distracting us.

Let us meditate on a final, but most meaningful quotation from Isaiah, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you” [26 v.3]  And in keeping our mind focused in this way, today’s chapter (25), tells us the LORD “will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples” – and above all, “He will swallow up death forever”  With our minds “stayed” (fixed) in this way, that will be our wondrous future