Monday Open Heavens Devotional - Judah

THEME : JUDAH

Memorise: Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Genesis 49:8

Read: Isaiah 1:1-6

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.  Continue...

4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : 2 SAMUEL 8:15-11:27 and PROVERBS 11:4-17

Message

The name ‘Judah’ means praise. Judah was chosen to be the chief and ruling tribe of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:8-12). The sceptre of a king and the office of a lawgiver were all allotted to Judah. Genesis 4:10 says:
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”
Judah is a similitude of the church. In Judah, we can see a shadow of the things to come with respect to the church. Just like Judah, believers are the royal priesthood, expected to show forth the praises of God (1 Peter 2:9-10).

The prophet Isaiah was sent with a message primarily to Judah and Jerusalem – the seat of Judah’s power (Isaiah 1:1). This message contained instructions, reproof, warnings, comfort and encouragement from God to His people. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, the kingdom of Israel had become divided and weakened through civil wars and conflicts with other nations. This same situation applies to the present-day church. The Church today engages in several battles. There are fights within and wars without (2 Corinthians 7:5). Judah was rebellious and ignorant (Isaiah 1:2). They were corrupt, degenerated, depressed, and laden with iniquity; having backslidden, forsaken God and provoked Him to anger. Just like Judah, many modern-day Christians live in ignorance and sin. In this deplorable state, the demand of God on Judah in Isaiah 1:16-18 was:
“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
This speaks of repentance and total consecration. As a Christian, God expects that you present your body as a living sacrifice which must be holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1). Your consecration to God should be personal, voluntary and sacrificial. How committed are you to God? Is your consecration total? Examine yourself.

Action Point:

Do a thorough self–assessment today. Repent of the short comings you identify.

Source: RCCG, Open Heavens Daily Devotional.