April 7, 2013

From Gary V. Womack... On Eagle's Wings: Patience in Waiting



On Eagle's Wings
Patience in Waiting



Background: Isaiah lived during the reign of 4 of Judah's kings:

Isa. 1:1 "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."

Uzziah (787 - 735 BC) Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah (726 - 695 BC)

Isa. 6:1 "In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the 
              Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, 
              and the train of His robe filled the temple."

Isaiah's prophetic work begins about 735 BC
734 BC Northern Israel carried away by Assyria

721 BC Samaria fell & the rest of Israel is carried away by Assyria.

713 BC Assyria entered Judah & destroyed 46 cities & 200,000 captives to the north of Jerusalem by king Sennacherib.

701 BC Assyria stopped by an angel at the walls of Jerusalem 185,000 Assyrians slain. (2 Kgs. 18-19) & (2 Chron. 32)

Isaiah warned Judah & Jerusalem of their eventual fall:

Isa. 1 - 39 Foretells events leading up to Babylonian 
                captivity (606 BC)

Isa. 40 - 66 Gives words of comfort, salvation, and of future glory & the Messiah.

Isa. 40:1-2 Spoken of a people who have suffered punishment = to their sin.

2 Cor. 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our 
                     Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 
                     mercies and God of all comfort, (4) 
                     who comforts us in all our tribulation, 
                     that we may be able to comfort those 
                     who are in any trouble, with the 
                     comfort which we ourselves are 
                     comforted by God. (5) For as the 
                     sufferings of Christ abound in us, so 
                     our consolation also abounds through 
                     Christ."

Isa. 40:3-8 Foretells John the baptist's coming to 
                 prepare the people for Christ.

Isa. 40:12-26 God's ability to supply our needs.

Isa. 40:27 The accusation that God doesn't 
                 notice (or care) for our needs

Psm. 73 Never give up!!! God is near.

Isa. 40:28 He neither faints nor is weary - His 
                 understanding is limitless.

Psm. 119:89-93 "Forever Your precepts are 
                           settled in heaven."

Isa. 40:29-30 He gives power to the weak - To 
                     those who wait on Him.

God's delay in answered prayer is often intended to only enhance the coming blessings.

God's delay is a test of our faith & trust - He often comes in the 11th. hour

Examples: At the Red Sea:

Ex. 14:13 "And Moses said to the people, ÔDo not 
                 be afraid. Stand still, and see the 
                 salvation of the Lord, which He will 
                 accomplish for you today. For the 
                 Egyptians whom you see today, you shall 
                 see again no more forever.' "

At Marah, 3 days later

Ex. 15:23-25 - Bitter water made sweet.

At the wilderness of sin, 2.5 months out of Egypt

Ex. 16:1-12 - Gave manna in the morning & quail 
                     in the evening.

At Horeb in the wilderness

Ex. 17:1-7 - Gave water from the rock.

At Jerusalem, as Assyrian king Sennacherib taunts them at the wall.

2 Kgs. 19:10-19, 35-ff - Hezekiah prays to God - 
                                     He sends an angel to 
                                     defeat Assyrian army 
                                     185,000 killed.

Isa. 40:31 Those who wait on the Lord shall 
                 mount up on eagle's wings.

Note: Mother eagles train their babies to fly by pushing them out of the nest and catching them on their back. They will carry the baby on their back then let the baby fall so it will learn to fly, and rescue it on her back until they learn to fly on their own.

NO TIME IS A GOOD TIME TO GIVE UP
Remember, our reward is just over the horizon. And as Paul said,

Rom. 13:11 "And to this, knowing the time, that now 
                     it is high time to awake out of sleep; 
                     for now our salvation is nearer than 
                     when we first believed."

God is faithful - Ready & able to swoop down and catch you up until you are able to mount up on eagle's wings.

1 Cor. 10:11-13 "Now all theses things happened to 
                           them as examples, and they were 
                           written for our admonition, on 
                           whom the ends of the ages have 
                           come. (12) Therefore let him who 
                           thinks he stands take heed lest he 
                           fall. (13) No temptation has 
                           overtaken you except such as is 
                           common to man; but God is 
                           faithful, who will not allow you to 
                           be tempted beyond what you are 
                           able, but with the temptation will 
                           also make the way of escape, that 
                           you may be able to bear it."