January 12: TO RAISE UP THE FOUNDATIONS
Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. Isaiah 58:12
The Lord certainly knew long ago of the deterioration that Satan would inflict upon the relationships of people with Himself. The written Word contains frequent reminders to stay on the narrow path that leads all the way back to Him: Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (Deuteronomy 5:32. See also 17:11; Joshua 1:7; Proverbs 4:27; Isaiah 30:21).
Our faithfulness to the LORD our God is meant to be guided and shaped by His Word. Receiving and teaching it in a wholesome and holistic manner is crucial for the integrity and unity of His people. We are often discouraged by the deteriorating conditions of the world, but, beloved, be encouraged that faithfulness to Him, according to His Word, will come full circle in the form of answered prayers of many generations. How did the old waste places get to be that way? Are the foundations that were given to us in the beginning still in existence? The Christian experience of so many today is bleak and barren due to neglect of the very precepts that God laid out for us at the beginning. The losses suffered because of man’s choice of disobedience can be restored; God’s Plan of Redemption is an invitation to restoration.*
Beloved, do you desire to build the old waste places? It starts within yourself. Begin by allowing His truth to replace the error that you have allowed into your life. Be deliberate in casting aside stubbornness, conceit, or self-centeredness, for God cannot lead those who hang on to these things. Spiritual drought often becomes dire before one realizes it, but God promises to refresh all who sincerely seek to honor Him and to be a blessing to their fellow man. The rest of Isaiah 58 zeros in upon the Lord’s holy day (v.13). In His omniscience, the Lord certainly knew when He created this special, sanctified “temple in time” (see Genesis 2:2-3) that it would come to be disregarded, even among His professed people. He spoke through Daniel to remind us of this problem (see Daniel 7:25) and again through the apostle John (see Revelation 13:3-4, 14-15) to apprise us of how widespread the problem would become. The foundational teaching of God’s weekly seventh-day Sabbath (stated three times in Genesis 2:2-3) is crucial for God’s people, for during this special time, chosen by Him, He comes to intimately teach and perform healing within hearts and minds that have been injured and broken in the world. Satan wants to prevent all such teaching and healing; he is the mastermind behind the idea of changing the Sabbath to a different day.
The man, woman, or child who desires to be known as the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In is promised delight…in the LORD (v.13)!
Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4
*Compare the first three chapters of the Bible to the last three!