Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 65:17-25.

“¹⁷ “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
¹⁸ “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
¹⁹ “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
²⁰ “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.
²¹ “They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²² “They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.
²³ “They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the Lord,
And their descendants with them.

²⁴ It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer;  and while they are still speaking, I will hear.  ²⁵ The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox;  and dust will be the serpent’s food.  They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.”  Isaiah 65:17-25.

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Although there are promises in today’s Scripture that will only be fulfilled in Heaven or fulfilled to the fullest extent in Heaven such as in verses 19, 20, and 25, there are promises in today’s Scripture that are fulfilled to some extent now, after Christ was born on the earth such as verses 21, 22, 23, and 24.

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him (Christ) they are yes;  therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”  2 Corinthians 1:20. 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;  I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”  Romans 8:11.

And, the importance of such a belief is that we do not reserve all of our happiness, gratitude, and praise for God until we reach Heaven.  When we are “glad and rejoice forever” in verse 18 about God has created, the “forever” includes our time now on earth.

It is true that we “keep seeking the things above, … not on the things that are on earth.”  Colossians 3:1-2.  “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21.

But, it is also true that “… everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;”  1 Timothy 4:4.  And, “… since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;”  Hebrews 12:28.

“¹³ Do return, O Lord;  how long will it be?
And be sorry for Your servants.
¹⁴ O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, confirm the work of our hands.”  Psalm 90:13-17.

“⁶ For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.”  Isaiah 9:6-7.

“¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”  Luke 4:18-19.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
³ Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
⁴ Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
⁵ Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”  Psalm 103:1-5.

“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.”  Verse 18.

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 65:1-16.  Here is a link to this Scripture –  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+65&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me;
I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me.
I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’
To a nation which did not call on My name.
² “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,
³ A people who continually provoke Me to My face,
Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks;
⁴ Who sit among graves and spend the night in secret places;
Who eat swine’s flesh,
And the broth of unclean meat is in their pots.
⁵ “Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!’
These are smoke in My nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
⁶ “Behold, it is written before Me,
I will not keep silent, but I will repay;
I will even repay into their bosom,
⁷ Both their own iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together,” says the Lord.
“Because they have burned incense on the mountains
And scorned Me on the hills,
Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”

⁸ Thus says the Lord,

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah chapter 64.

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down,
That the mountains might quake at Your presence—
² As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
³ When You did awesome things which we did not expect,
You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence.
⁴ For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear,
Nor has the eye seen a God besides You,
Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.
⁵ You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways.
Behold, You were angry, for we sinned,
We continued in them a long time;
And shall we be saved?
⁶ For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
⁷ There is no one who calls on Your name,
Who arouses himself to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us
And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 63:7-19.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+63&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“⁷ I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, the praises of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has granted us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has granted them according to His compassion
And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
⁸ For He said, “Surely, they are My people,
Sons who will not deal falsely.”
So He became their Savior.
⁹ In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the angel of His presence saved them;
In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
¹⁰ But they rebelled
And grieved His Holy Spirit;
Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy,
He fought against them.
¹¹ Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses.
Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?
Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,
¹² Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses,
Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,
¹³ Who led them through the depths?
Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble;
¹⁴ As the cattle which go down into the valley,
The Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So You led Your people,
To make for Yourself a glorious name.”   Isaiah 63:7-14.

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“⁹ …  In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
¹⁰ But they rebelled
And grieved His Holy Spirit;
Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy,
He fought against them.”  Verses 9-10.

Despite receiving many good things and deliverances from their enemies and other troubles from the LORD, Israel rebelled against the LORD.

We have seen this story of Israel repeated over and over again through Scripture.  And, there is a lesson for us to learn.

Israel’s rebellion does not make sense to other doctrine which believes in man’s wisdom, man’s goodness, and man’s alleged free-will.

But, Israel’s rebellion does make sense to Reformed Doctrine which believes in the “Total Depravity” of man.

Other doctrine clings to man’s wisdom, man’s goodness, and man’s alleged free-will.  

But, Reformed Doctrine clings to God providing all that is necessary for salvation from the beginning to the end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. 

If salvation is dependent even the littlest bit on man’s wisdom, man’s goodness, and man’s alleged free-will, then salvation will not be received.

But, if salvation is only dependent on the work and faithfulness of God, then salvation will be received.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.   

“The Rock!  His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.”  Deuteronomy 32:4.

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 63:1-6.

“Who is this who comes from Edom,
With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in His apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength?
“It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
² Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?
³ “I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And from the peoples there was no man with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,
And I stained all My raiment.
⁴ “For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.
⁵ “I looked, and there was no one to help,
And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath upheld Me.
⁶ “I trod down the peoples in My anger
And made them drunk in My wrath,
And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”   Isaiah 63:1-6.

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These shocking images force us to consider Who we think God is.

Is our god some type of Santa Claus who only shows lovingkindness?

Or, is our God “a victorious warrior”, the God of Scriptures, Who shows justice as well as lovingkindness? 

God exercises both lovingknindness and justice on earth and delights in both.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Lovingkindness and justice go hand in hand.

We live in a world full of enemies.  God could not show us lovingkindness and save us without first destroying our enemies and obtaining justice.

Also, consider that God also demonstrated His justice by sending His precious only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross, because through His Father’s will, Christ took on Himself the sins of God’s Elect.  If ever there was a time for God to refrain from justice, it was this time.  But, God perfectly demonstrated His justice by even sending Christ to the cross, because justice required punishment for those sins.

Consider how today’s Scripture and other Scripture speak both of vengeance and recompense (justice) and redemption and salvation (lovingkindness).

“⁴ “For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.
⁵ “I looked, and there was no one to help,
And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me,
And My wrath upheld Me.”  Verses 4-5.

“¹⁵ Yes, truth is lacking;
And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now the Lord saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.
¹⁶ And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.
¹⁸ According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.
¹⁹ So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west
And His glory from the rising of the sun,
For He will come like a rushing stream
Which the wind of the Lord drives.
²⁰ “A Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the Lord.”  Isaiah 59:15-20.

“The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”  Zephaniah 3:17.

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah chapter 62.

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
And her salvation like a torch that is burning.
² The nations will see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the Lord will designate.
³ You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
⁴ It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,”
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”;
But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”
And your land, “Married”;
For the Lord delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married.
⁵ For as a young man marries a virgin,
So your sons will marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 61:4-11.

“4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,
They will raise up the former devastations;
And they will repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
5 Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,
And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
6 But you will be called the priests of the Lord;
You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.
You will eat the wealth of nations,
And in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion,
And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.
Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,
Everlasting joy will be theirs.
8 For I, the Lord, love justice,
I hate robbery in the burnt offering;
And I will faithfully give them their recompense
And make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Then their offspring will be known among the nations,
And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.
All who see them will recognize them
Because they are the offspring whom the Lord has blessed.

10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations.”  Isaiah 61:4-11.

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“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”  Verse 10.

Here are a few things in Scripture that may help us understand these “garments of salvation”.

Scripture tells us what they are not and what they are.

These “garments of salvation” are not our works.

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”  Isaiah 64:6.

These “garments of salvation” are also not anything else that we can provide.

The Parable of the Marriage Feast in Matthew 22:1-4 makes that clear.  The “garments of salvation” are only those clothes that God provides to His chosen ones.

“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’  And the man was speechless.  Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness;  in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  For many are called, but few are chosen.”  Matthew 22:11-14.

Specifically, these “garments of salvation” include a “robe of righteousness” which “He” provides as in “He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness”.  Verse 10.

And, “He has clothed me with garments of salvation”.  Verse 10.

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 61:1-3.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
² To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
³ To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”  Isaiah 61:1-3.

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The description of the righteous as trees is in today’s Scripture and elsewhere in Scripture.

God is at work!  God plants good trees!  God is glorified!

“…  So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”  Verse 4. 

“Then all your people will be righteous;
They will possess the land forever,
The branch of My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.”  Isaiah 60:21.

“⁸ But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
⁹ I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”  Psalm 52:8-9.

“¹² The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,
He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
¹³ Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴ They will still yield fruit in old age;
They shall be full of sap and very green,
¹⁵ To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”  Psalm 92:12-15.

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.”  Psalm 1:3.

“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.”  Matthew 7:17. 

Today’s devotion comes from Isaiah 60:10-22.

“¹⁰ “Foreigners will build up your walls,
And their kings will minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you,
And in My favor I have had compassion on you.
¹¹ “Your gates will be open continually;
They will not be closed day or night,
So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
With their kings led in procession.
¹² “For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish,
And the nations will be utterly ruined.
¹³ “The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I shall make the place of My feet glorious.
¹⁴ “The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;
And they will call you the city of the Lord,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.