No Confidence in Flesh – Isaiah 56, 57; Philippians 3, 4

Two groups pf people were addressed in Isaiah 56: 1) the foreigner that fears exclusion and 2) the Eunuch that fears bearing no fruit (no child).

Typically, Eunuchs keep the sabbath by doing what pleases God and hold fast to his Covenants. Promise: to give within the LORDs temple and its wall a memorial better than sons and daughters.

Foreigners: bind themselves to the LORD to minister to the LORD, to love the name of the LORD and to be Gods servant. So, they had to keep the sabbath as well without desecrating it and who hold fast to his covenant – these he will bring to and sacrifices will be ACCEPTED on your altar; for Gods house will be called the HOUSE of PRAYER (not exchange or money). Matthew 21: 13, for all nations where he will gather the exiles of Israel.

Gods’ accusation against the wicked in his house: The prophet Isaiah begins to say that Israel’s watchmen are blind, lacking knowledge, and are mute dogs that can’t bark that lie down to dream, loving sleep. (Psalms 132:4-5 4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”), Israel are dogs are with mighty appetite that never have enough, they are shepherd who lack understanding that turn to their own way and seek their own gain; God decides to release the BEASTs of the field to come and devour, ALL the beast of the forest. The primary role of Gods watchmen or pastors or priest were for him to find temples (body) where he can dwell in; not feed their appetite (again tied to eating food and apple as in the garden).

Isaiah 57 Gives us a peak to how the righteous perish but no one lays it to heart. He talks of those who burn with LUST and those who sacrifice their children. In verse 8, 9, 10 he talks of them using pagan symbols to make pacts and thus look with LUST at naked bodies going to Molek with Olive oil to increase their perfumes. To get renewal of strength when they were faint because they are weary. They dreaded and feared they had not been true to God because God had been silent for so long, they do not fear him? Isaiah 57 vs 11 so God promises to expose their righteousness and works that will not benefit them, He says when they cry out. Let their idols save them.

God says the wind could carry all their idols off in a mere breadth, only those who take refuge in the lord will intently possess Elohim’s holy mountain and land. He will comfort those of a contrite and lowly spirit to revive the spirit of the lowly (It is the lord who does this not man). He will accuse them forever (guilt) nor will he always be angry else they’d faint away. He was enraged by their greed, so the lord punished them and hid his face in anger as they kept on in their willful ways.

However, those repent of their sins, the lord has seen their ways and will heal them (Vs 18) to guide, restore and comfort them as Israels mourners. But the wicked have no peace.

Philippians 3, 4:

Paul considers himself as a foreigner forfeiting his Hebrew roots from Benjamin (as with Abraham becoming a foreigner in Haran, Ephesians 2:19-22) as Christians we are all foreigners to the things of this world and eunuchs). Paul clearly highlights he left everything for God (as Paul died single, he could be termed as a Eunuch). He lost all for Christ’s sake as he places no confidence in fleshy things. Paul states that the righteousness based on law he was faultless – Philippians 3:6. As whatever was gain for him, he considers it loss for the sake of Christ. He then asks us to watch out for dogs as with Isaiah and the watchmen whose God is their belly, and their GLORY is their shame.

Because the power of Christ resurrection and the participation in his suffering, becoming like him in death make us as a Eunuch because he lost all to gain Christ. A foreigner, because to the Jew he was a Jew, and to the gentile he became a gentile 1 CORINTHIANS 9:20-22. So, in Christ, we forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead. The goal is to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 4, Philippians 3:9.

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