Stand Now with Thine Enchantments - Isaiah 47:7-15
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INTRODUCTION
People who put their hope in enchantments will one day find themselves without hope. Babylon had come to rely on the counsel of astrologers and sorcerers, and as such, they had begun to trust in their wickedness. Now, they were on a collision course with judgment. They were dwelling carelessly and were proud, but all this would change when confronted with God’s wrath. Who would save them? According to the Lord, they would have to rely on those in whom they had trusted from their youth. They would have to stand with their enchantments. They would have to rely on their astrologers. They would soon learn, those in whom they had trusted would give no refuge.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
- (For smaller children) God wants to be our trust (Isaiah 26:4Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
See All...) and guide (Psalm 32:8I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
See All...; Psalm 119:105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
See All...). He is over all (Isaiah 44:24-25 [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;
See All...). These kings trusted in the guidance of wicked counsellors, but they could not help (Genesis 41:1-8 [1] And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. [2] And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. [3] And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. [4] And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. [5] And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. [6] And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. [7] And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. [8] And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
See All..., 24-25; Daniel 2:27-28 [27] Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; [28] But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
See All...; Daniel 5:4-17 [4] They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. [5] In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. [6] Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. [7] The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. [8] Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. [9] Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. [10] Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: [11] There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; [12] Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. [13] Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? [14] I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. [15] And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: [16] And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. [17] Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.
See All...). - Are you reading fortune cookies or horoscopes to learn of your wellbeing or for guidance? Are you asking palm readers or fortune tellers to guide you? Whom should you be asking?
- What are some ways in which your community is caught up in the same practices as the Babylonians? How does God feel about these practices?
PRAYER NEEDS
- Thank the Lord for showing you the truth.
- Ask God to help you turn from your witchcrafts.
HYMN
Constantly Abiding
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