Scripture Readings April 8, 2013 / Breaking the Yoke: Isaiah 14:24-32

[Dan Rudder]

Scripture Readings

Monday, April 8, 2013

• Isaiah 14:24-32
• Genesis 8:21-9:7
• Proverbs 11:19-12:6

Today’s commemorated feasts and saints

Holy Apostles of the Seventy: Herodion, Agabus, Asyncritus, Rufus, Phlegon, Hermes, and those with them (1st c.). St. Niphon, Bishop of Novgorod (1156). Ven. Rufus the Obedient, of the Kiev Caves (Far Caves—14th c.). Martyr Pausilippus of Heraclea in Thrace (2nd c.). St. Celestine, Pope of Rome (432). The SPANISH Icon of the Most-holy Theotokos.

Monday

SIXTH HOUR

Isaiah 14:24-32

     24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: 25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. 26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? 28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. 29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. 30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. 31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. 32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

VESPERS

Genesis 8:21-9:7

     21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. 3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

Proverbs 11:19-12:6

     19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. 20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. 21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. 22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. 25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. 26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. 27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. 29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. 31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner. 1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. 2 A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. 3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. 4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. 5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. 6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. 

Isaiah 14:24-32    (04-08-13)    Sixth Hour Reading on Monday, Fourth Week of Great Lent

 

Breaking the Yoke: Isaiah 14:24-32 especially vs 24, 25: “As I purposed, so it shall remain - to destroy the Assyrians in My land and on My mountains. They shall be for trampling underfoot, and their yoke shall be taken away; and their renown shall be removed from their shoulders.” The prophecies from Isaiah unveil five mysteries of the kingdom of God. The first of these foretells the end of Assyrian and Philistine oppression for the ancient kingdom of Judah. God also reveals the Mystery of salvation in Christ, including three stunning truths embedded in Isaiah’s words: 1) what God determines cannot be frustrated; 2) divine action frees the faithful; and 3) God provides refuge for His people in and from affliction. Christ is God’s destruction of human bondage and our restoration. No power, not even death, can annul the purpose of Christ, our Life-giver; for in Him the faithful are set free, and within His Church all His members may gain release from bondage to sin and death.

First some history: anciently, two nations oppressed the people of God. The Prophet Isaiah addressed their threat: the Assyrian empire dominated the tiny kingdom of Judah economically, impoverishing God’s people by draining off their livelihood through massive payments of tribute. The neighboring kingdom of Philistia - itself a satellite of Assyria - raided, pillaged, and conquered whole villages, cities, and farms of the land of Judah along their common border. They withered the tiny nation even further. The people felt these impositions as a yoke grinding them down with unbearable burdens (vs 25) - as a punishing rod sent to afflict them (vs 29).

Yokes are imposed on beasts or men to make them bear heavy burdens or pull ponderous loads. Isaiah uses the vivid image of a yoke to describe his nation’s vassalage, a control that Assyria forced on the People of God. The Lord’s immediate message to His ancient people was that the Assyria’s yoke soon would be removed (vs 25), but He expanded His message beyond Judah and Assyria: “This is the purpose the Lord purposed upon all the inhabited world” (vs 26). Notice the universality of the Lord’s statement involving all nations. The prophecy is converted into a type of the saving work of God in Christ - a message for all peoples.

The faithful in Christ hear the loving invitation of the Lord Jesus: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:29-30). We are yoked to “Love [Who] is strong as death” (SS 8:6) and stronger, trampling death by His Resurrection. Thus, He pulls the crushing load we cannot bear. Best of all, God’s saving work cannot be annulled (Is 14:27).

Of old God promised to “destroy the Assyrians in My land and on My mountains” (vs 25).  he promise points to the risen Christ, Who “hath trampled down death by death.” The Prophet asks, “who will reject what the holy God purposed?” (vs 27).

Isaiah also warned the Philistines: the collapse of Assyria would not mean release from God’s wrath for them. “Do not be glad, all you foreigners, for the yoke of him who struck youis broken to pieces. For from the seed of serpents shall come forth the young asps” (vs 29). Woes will follow, for God has purposed to free all His chosen ones: “the humble of His people shall be saved” (vs 32). “Come to Me, all you who labor...and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).

Finally in this passage, Isaiah declares: “The poor will be fed by him.” (vs 30). Today, the Church is understood to be the Zion wherein those afflicted by the demonic principalities and powers, by their own passions run-amok, or by death, escape “the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the...Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pt.2:20).

O Christ our God, the fulfillment of the Prophets, fill our hearts with joy and gladness.

In Christ,

 

Rdr. Daniel Rudder

www.crosscrafter.com

www.web-printsolutions.com