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SOAP Isaiah 34: Our Need for Jesus

Rachel T.

Our Need for Jesus



"Look in the scroll of the Lord and read: None of these will be missing, not one will lack her mate. For it is his mouth that has given the order, and his Spirit will gather them together.“

Isaiah 34:16 NIV


I can’t help but feel like God is demanding accountability from his people. Asking that consequences of sin be written, remembered, and reflected upon. In this way, his people will know his character. After all, he told us, didn’t he?


I had a hard time with the imagery in this chapter. It’s rather graphic and I found it tough to stomach. It’s so violent. Did you feel this way too? The question that kept rolling around in my head was…. “How can this vengeful God be the same loving gracious God I know?” How can I reconcile this in my head and heart?


The violent and graphic reality of human sin points us to the NEED for our savior, Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we are not under the law of the Old Testament and the threat of its horrific punishment. Instead, we are saved by grace through faith. We don’t need to work to earn it. We just need to receive it!



“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9



There are warnings concerning the coming judgment of God in both the Old and New Testaments. Those who have knowledge of these warnings are “without excuse.” Once we know, we know and then it’s our responsibility to live as if we know. Let us be wise and heed God’s warnings. Yes, we should aim to live a life that pleases God. More importantly, we must understand that we will never able win God’s love. Our human flaws are made perfect by Jesus. We need Jesus. We are incapable of perfection. We fail every day and our attempts at good works will never do for us what only Jesus can.


I am walking through a season in my life right now that is challenging my heart. I am working towards forgiveness in a relationship that caused me endless pain. The last few weeks I have been realizing how I cannot do it on my own. It feels impossible because it is. I cannot do it without Jesus. I can only do it with Him. I must be willing and able to be in cooperation with Him.



Prayer: I fall to your feet today. I run to you with my brokenness.  I am saved only by your grace.  No matter how I fail you are there to catch me, love me and redeem me.  My life with you is far from perfect but I shudder to think what it would look like without you. I need you, I want you and I seek you.  Thank you for all you give me and the ways you show me love, grace and mercy each and every day.  In your precious name I pray, Amen.




A few questions to consider:


·        How does the theme of justice play out in this chapter? How does this resonate

with you or something in your life?


·        How can this chapter help us understand

the consequences of going against God’s

will?


·        Does the certainty of God’s wrath

influence your faith? If so, how?


·        How can I reconcile the gruesome

depiction of God’s wrath with the

concept of his love, grace, mercy, and

forgiveness? 

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