Jeshurun (Isaiah 44)

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

February 24, 2022 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Jeshurun (Isaiah 44)

For the past three or four months we have been systematically going through the Book of Isaiah. Shortly after last week's message from Isaiah 43 I began to re-read Isaiah, Chapter 44. One word in that chapter seemed to jump off the page. That word was "Jeshurun." Then, about 3 a.m. this past Sunday morning, the Lord woke me up and started speaking many things to me about Jeshurun. I have rarely experienced such an absolute confidence that this is the word of the Lord for today.

Jeshurun, which means "the upright," or "the upright one," is a symbolic name for Israel. Jeshurun has nothing to do with a geographical location. In scripture, Israel at times refers to the natural nation of Israel; in other verses it refers to Jacob, after he encountered the Lord; in some verses it refers to Jesus; and in other verses it refers to the body of Christ. How can we know which Israel is referred to? only by the context and revelation from the Holy Spirit. Revelation comes only from God the Father.

What the church has always needed the most is revelation knowledge of the Person of the Lord.

After 30 years of ministry, Paul said, "that I might know Him."

Revelation 1:1, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John:"

A little child does something "wrong" like hitting a sibling and we parents say, "no, no, don't do that." Then the child learns not to do that specific thing. Then the child does something right and we parents say, "yes, do that." Then the child learns to do that thing. But that method of learning in the spiritual realm is called legalism.

Ecclesiastes 12:12, "And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."

The word "study" means "intense mental application." What a huge difference there is between that kind of much mental study and revelation by the Spirit of God! 

Paul, in Ephesians 1:17-19 prays, not only for the church at Ephesus, but for us Christians over all of time 

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power."

We desperately need the SPIRIT of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the Lord. But even that is not sufficient. Revelation without application is of little value. Otherwise, we just become like the Athenians who spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.

Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." 

That verse says the purpose of revelation is so that we might do the will of the Lord.

Another word of caution, or perhaps I should say a word of exhortation .... we Christians tend to listen to some message and pull the word down to our own experiential level. If it is a word we agree with, we say Amen and then get back to what we were doing. But if the Lord speaks any true word to us, He wants to lift us up to a higher level of understanding and maturity in Christ.

It is not possible for me to convey in words the impact that this word on Jeshurun has made on me personally. I can only say that I have received a greater level of appreciation and awe of the majesty and glory of the Lord. My hope and prayer for each listener is that the Spirit of God will impact your life as much or more than this word has done for me.

By the evening of this past Sunday, the Lord added another word ... namely singing to the Lord. There is a definite relationship between singing to the Lord and Jeshurun. It is because we are overwhelmed with the majesty and glory of the Lord that we sing praises to the Lord. Back in the 1970's a prophecy came forth in one of our gatherings as follows ... Why do my people sing about me instead of singing to me? Every believer is familiar with two sets of verses which speak about singing to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:18-21.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

We could say, "and be not drunk with natural wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit, wherein is no excess." In other words, being filled with the Spirit is not a one-and-done event.

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Most denominational churches sing many hymns but not many spiritual songs. Most charismatic churches today sing many spiritual songs but not many hymns. According to Scripture psalms are listed first and the order in Scripture is important.

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Should we give thanks unto the Father when another believer says something untrue about us? Yes indeed! But we should never try to defend ourself.

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

If we cannot submit one to another whom we have seen, how can we submit to God whom we have not seen? A similar set of verses is in Colossians 3:16-17, 

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."

I believe it is common knowledge that David and the Old Testament saints used to sing psalms and other scriptures to the Lord.

Moses wrote three songs. One was sung after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15); one is recorded in Psalm 90; and the third was written in the last days of Moses' life, in Deuteronomy 32: 1-43. We could learn much by looking at those three songs by Moses. They seem to correspond to three stages in the life of a believer as we grow in Christ.

Back in the early 1970's the Lord gave a good brother a tremendous ministry of singing to the Lord. He received both music to some scriptures as well as new songs from the Lord. One of his songs came from Psalm 90, verses 12, 14, and 17, as follows:

12 Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands.

What a message there is for us in those three verses!

Another good song is based on Psalm 8.

1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest Him?

5 For thou hast made Him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned Him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest Him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Note that this Psalm starts and ends with the phrase "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth." The word "excellent" can be translated as "glorious" or "powerful." This Psalm is in praise of the Creator, not of man. David magnifies the name, the character, the innate nature of the LORD by recounting the honor He has put upon man, especially the man Christ Jesus. David observes, with awesome wonder and thankfulness, how God has condescended to extend favor or grace to man. This speaks of the divine majesty, glory, and grace of God and calls for our praises.

What glory and majesty do we see in the earth and in the sky? Any creator is greater than what he creates, but to what degree do we apply that truth to God? Do we see in creation our holy Creator's power, order, and beauty? Some degree of this understanding will occur if we make the effort to seek Him. God intends this Psalm to direct our thinking toward His greatness and man's insignificance.

Yet, our majestic, awesome God is glorifying Himself in man by creating in us the desire to be like Jesus! He has chosen what is weak and foolish, by the world's standards, to appreciate and respect His majesty and His glory. Rightly understood, this should be a truly humbling awareness. Verse 4, says, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest Him?" This describes human frailty on the one hand, and the glory of human destiny through Christ on the other hand. The first occurrence of "man" in Verse 4 undoubtedly speaks of us mortal humans. It is common knowledge that the Lord called Ezekiel "son of man" (with no preceding article). If I counted correctly, Ezekiel is called "son of man" 97 times. Ezekiel could not help but realize his own human frailty and limitations in the face of God's unsurpassable majesty and glory. Neither can we!

"The son of man" in scripture always refers to Jesus and no one else. Thirty times in the book of Matthew, Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of man. Jesus repeatedly prophesied that His return would be "the coming of the Son of man." For example, in 

Matthew 24:27, "For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

"Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes" (Matthew 24:44). 

Are we all ready for His return? The teachers of the Law during Jesus' time on earth would have readily understood Jesus' meaning when He applied the title of the Son of Man to Himself.

The incarnated Lord Jesus was both the Son of man and Christ because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and became an ordinary man, living in the company of other men. Jesus is the personification of humanity and is still the Son of man. 

1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 

But Jesus, as a Man, was also God in the flesh. He was and is the embodiment of truth. Only the Lord Jesus could redeem mankind through His crucifixion and bring to man the way of repentance. Jesus is the sinless One, humanity perfected, the one to finally reconcile God and man.

The word used for "visitest" can express a visitation for mercy, for judgment, or any other reason. This visiting of Jesus should not be understood in terms of wrath, though He was so visited by God when He bore the chastisements of His people; but in a way of favor, by bestowing upon Him without measure the gifts and grace of His Spirit; by affording Him His gracious presence, and thereby with spiritual peace and joy.

Hebrews 2:5-9, 

5 For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under Him.

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Another lovely spiritual song is titled, "The Majesty and Glory of His Name," which is intimately related to both singing to the Lord and Jeshurun. The words, which are based on Psalm 8, are as follows:

When I gaze into the night skies and see the work of Your fingers.

The moon and the stars suspended in space. 

O what is man that You are mindful of Him?

You have given man a crown of glory and honor, 

and have made Him a little lower than the angels.

You have put Him in charge of all creation:

The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea.

But what is man O what is man that You are mindful of him?

O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of Your name 

transcends the earth and fills the heavens.

O Lord our God, little children praise You perfectly, 

and so would we, and so would we.

Alleluia, alleluia, the majesty and glory of Your name.

Alleluia, alleluia, the majesty and glory of Your name.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

You can find a great number of different recordings of that song on the internet. It took me less than two minutes to find renditions from 12 different Baptist churches and one from a Methodist church. It is one level to speak about the majesty and glory of the Lord; it may be the same level to sing about the majesty and glory of the Lord. But the Lord wants to bring us to the level of experiencing and walking in the majesty and glory of the Lord.

Several years ago I listened on the internet to another spiritual song, the words of which are very true. It was led by a man who has been given a tremendous gift of music, both singing and playing the piano. The event was a conference put on in 2001 by a well-known evangelist in an arena in Shreveport, Louisiana, before 15,000 professing Christians, a choir of at least 100, and an orchestra of about 30. When you have that many folks singing that kind of music, it creates a huge emotional experience. But a word of caution. We do not mature as a result of emotional experiences, as good as they might be. I have never been an emotional person, but when I listen to songs like that on the internet, I almost always start weeping. I just seem to get caught up in the Spirit. Neither do we mature by hearing much good teaching and preaching. We mature by working out or walking out our own salvation with fear and trembling, as it says in Philippians 2:12. As I listened to that recording, a thought went through my mind that if all of those professing Christians were walking with the Lord, then hurricane Katrina never would have hit New Orleans in 2005. Hurricane Katrina caused over 1,800 deaths and $125 billion in damage, particularly in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the costliest tropical cyclone on record.

Let me generalize that truth. The disciples in the early church after the Day of Pentecost turned the world upside down. Today, and for at least the past 100 years, the world has turned the church upside down. If even half of the millions of professing Christians in the United States were walking with the Lord, then our country would be in a dramatically better and more Godly state than it is now.

Marion Fretwell, a precious brother in Christ and personal friend of ours for many years, even though he always lived on the West coast, had a saying related to what I just shared about the big conference in Shreveport, Louisiana. Marion said, "Go to the house of worship on Sunday, then foreclose the property of a widow on Monday." Many long years ago another precious, fiery preacher and personal friend of ours named Joe Nieves said, "Be careful if you ask the Lord to make you an overcomer because then He will give you some things to overcome." 

Another lovely, spiritual song is "The Potter's Hand," the words of which are:

Beautiful Lord, wonderful Savior, 

I know for sure all of my days are held in Your hand.

Crafted into Your perfect plan. 

You gently call me into Your presence, 

Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit. 

Teach me dear Lord 

to live all of my life through Your eyes. 

I'm captured by Your holy calling.

Set me apart 

I know you're drawing Me to Yourself.

Lead me Lord, I pray. 

Take me, mold me, 

use me, fill me. 

I give my life to the Potter's hand.

Call me, guide me, 

lead me, walk beside me. 

I give my life to the Potter's hand.

Leonard Ravenhill, a highly respected 20th century English evangelist and preacher once said, (quote) "Christians don't tell lies, they just go to church and sing them. How many times have you stood and sang, "Take my life and let it be" and haven't given Him a scrap?" (end quote)

I have never shared any word about Jeshurun before tonight. I have never heard or read anyone speak about Jeshurun. The name, "Jeshurun," appears only four times in the Bible, all in what we call the Old Testament. The first occurrence is in Deuteronomy 32:15-18, but let us look at a few more verses in Deuteronomy, chapter 32. 

1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God

4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.

Skipping down to Verse 9,

9 For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.

10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.

11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;

14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

From verse 15, Jeshurun initially enjoyed the blessings and prosperity given freely to him by the Lord. Sadly, over time, those material blessings and provisions became more important to him than the Provider Himself. Verses 16 through 18 record the end product. 

16 They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they Him to anger.

17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

Those verses clearly speak of the fallen Adam ... the carnal man ... even carnal Christians ... those who are doing their own thing. The first man, Adam, was originally designed to be Jeshurun, the upright one. However, we all know that through his disobedience, he forfeited that honor. Adam fell into a state the opposite of that to which he was destined. The same thing happened to the Israelites in the time of Moses. The same thing happened in Judah and Jerusalem in Isaiah's day. Human nature has never changed, so the same thing has happened with God's chosen people over and over again. The same thing has happened in today's church world. How could that tragic, spiral downturn happen to the Jeshurun who was designed to be the upright one? One small step at a time.

The second and third occurrences of Jeshurun are both found in Deuteronomy, Chapter 33.

1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

What a blessing we see from the following verses 2 through 5! And what a prophetic message for all of mankind over all ages! Everything in these verses speaks of the glorious manifestation of His holy majesty and glory and the love of the Lord for His people.

2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints: from His right hand went a fiery law for them.

The prophecy about Jesus coming with ten thousands of saints is repeated in Jude, verse 14.

We need to remember what happened at Sinai, Seir, and Paran. More importantly, what was the common purpose of those events? The meaning of Sinai is "from the clay desert." At Mount Sinai God revealed His glory and all of the people heard His voice. Sinai also was the making of the second covenant through which Israel became God's people and the Lord became Israel's God. The first covenant made with Israel was when God said to Abraham, "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you." In Genesis 14:13 Abraham is called the first Hebrew. Later, he is told that the covenant includes granting the land of Canaan to his seed (Genesis 15:18). That was an unconditional covenant. Abraham was granted God's gifts and blessings because of his faithfulness to God. The covenant at Sinai was not a gift, but a conditional agreement between two parties: 

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:5-6). 

If you own your own home then you really do not own it. Every born-from-above Christian has been bought with a price. We are not our own. Therefore, everything about us, including our home, belongs to the Lord.

The culmination of the purpose of the exodus from Egypt and the great covenant-ceremony at Sinai is given in Exodus 19:16-19. 

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

The majesty of God is described of such excellence, grandeur, and beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe and directed Israel's journey toward Canaan.

Exodus 24:15-17

15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day He called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

One object of the glorious manifestation of His holy majesty at Sinai was the giving of the law. His law works like fire. Fire can melt a hard heart, warm those who are lukewarm, or purify and burn up the dross of corruption if we receive it; but if rejected, fire will harden, pain, and destroy. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down in cloven tongues, as of fire, for the gospel also is a fiery law. The law of God, written in our heart, is certain proof of the love of God shed abroad within us.

Deuteronomy 1:6-8, "The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb [which is mount Sinai], saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them." 

Deuteronomy 2:1-3, "Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. And the LORD spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward."

Seir was the country of Edom, or Esau, the brother of Jacob. The Lord had given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession. Note the prophetic significance in those two sets of verses in Deuteronomy. They speak of the progression of us Christians toward maturity; i.e., we are likewise told to turn and journey toward the Promised Land. And in order to turn, we must repent. 

"Paran," which means "beauty or glory," was a desert in Arabia. Isaiah 43:19 says, 

"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." 

Hagar and Ishmael dwelled in the wilderness of Paran after they were cast out from the presence of Abraham and Sarah. The mention of Paran declares the love of God for the Arab. Numbers 10:12, 

"And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran." 

Paran was a place of refuge for David after Samuel died (1 Samuel 25:1). Habakkuk 3:3, 

"God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise." 

Teman in Hebrew means "the right hand." Before time was, Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father. After His resurrection, Jesus returned to the right hand of the Father.

Back to Deuteronomy 33.

3 Yea, He loved the people; all His saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

Verse 3 is definitely prophetic. "Every one shall receive of thy words" has not yet been fulfilled, but will be at some point in time.

4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

The government of the Israelites during the time of Moses was a theocracy. Their laws came from God. They were guided and directed in all things by the Lord. But they later insisted on a change in their government. They said, "make us a king to judge us like all the nations." In order to have a natural king over them, they rejected the Lord that He should not reign over them. 

5 And He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

Those five verses clearly speak of the Lord Jesus Christ. The only king in Jeshurun is the Lord. Moses was never recognized as king in Israel. The third occurrence of Jeshurun starts in verse 26 of Deuteronomy 33. 

26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in His excellency on the sky.

27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also His heavens shall drop down dew.

29 Happy [or blessed] art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Verses 26-29 again speak of the sovereignty of God

Now let us turn to Isaiah, chapter 44. 

1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

Verse 2 contains the fourth and last occurrence of the reference to Jeshurun. Compare Verse 1 with Verse 2. I believe that Jacob, my servant, speaks of Jesus when He came in the flesh as a man and Israel, or Jeshurun, speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as God. 

3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

5 One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

Verses 3, 4, and 5 seem to speak of all born-from-above Christians. 

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

 

Verses 6, 7, and 8 speak of the sovereignty of God. A title often given to a sovereign is "His majesty, the king." The majesty of the King of the royal household speaks of His supremacy, His dominion, His authority, His power. Remember the lovely song, "The Majesty and Glory of His Name." 

Back to Isaiah, Chapter 44. Verses 9 through 20 speak of the folly of man, even Christian man if he is carnal and doing his own thing. That theme is repeated over and over again in many different chapters of Isaiah. I will leave the reading of those verses to you. Verses 21 through 28 speak once more about the sovereignty of God. 

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Isaiah 6:3 says that the whole earth is full of the glory of God. Jeshurun delights to manifest His majesty and glory to everyone in every place. Why? Some form of the phrase "so that you will know that I am the Lord" appears in the Book of Ezekiel 50 times. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Sadly, some will not receive the Lord. But for those of us who, by His grace, have received Him, how can we not obey Him and sing His praises every day? The Spirit always beckons us to come up higher. May we all continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Amen.