God is Our Redeemer

January 2, 2011

Background Scripture: Isaiah 44
Lesson Passage: Isaiah 44:21 – 28

It is a depressing reality to find oneself in a situation that could have been avoided and should have been avoided but was not avoided because of a poor decision. It is even more sobering when one cannot get oneself out of that situation. It is difficult because in many cases such as this, deliverance must come from the one who was offended by the decision. How do you seek help when the only one who can help is the one who was hurt by your decision? First, you should take accountability for the situation by acknowledging that it was a very poor decision on your part that led to it. Don’t look for anyone to blame or for anyone to share the blame. Second, you must decide if you want to get out of the situation or just remain in it and have an endless pity party. Third, are you willing to place your hope for deliverance completely in the hands of another? Finally, are you willing to take prescribed steps to get back on track with your life? When you are not in an out of control situation, these four steps can sound so easy. When you are in an out of control situation, you are likely to agree to almost anything that promises to bring relief even if you are not sincere in agreeing to prescribed terms. Our thoughts and emotions concerning the four steps are greatly impacted by our feelings about the one we must go to for deliverance. Children of God should be thankful that no matter what the situation or the circumstances, we can always go to God for deliverance. Whether we have brought things on ourselves or not, God is the only one who can truly deliver us from anything. God is never so disappointed in His children that He refuses to either deliver us or sustain us. Israel is once again our example in today’s lesson. Their situation was brought about because of their disobedience to God’s commands, their ignoring God’s warnings, and their occasional reliance on human deliverers. In spite of their shortcomings, God declared that he would redeem them back to himself. Redemption carries with it the notion that Israel was at one time in right relationship with God but had strayed from it. Redemption also implies a desire on God’s part to restore the right relationship with Israel. Today’s scripture text continues the exposition of God’s promise to be Israel’s God in good times and bad. Israel has brought the bad time on herself but God yet remains steadfast with his promise of deliverance and restoration. Not only will God deliver them from their situation, He will also restore them to their former relationship of security in Him. Redemption and restoration provide a clear view of God’s sovereign purpose. God is not just saving Israel from the problems but He is also saving them to Himself. We are not redeemed to follow our own course of action but instead we are redeemed to be in right relationship with God. Again, this is all made wonderfully exciting when we stop and remember that God promised deliverance for Israel about a hundred years before Israel strayed from Him and went into captivity. God looked into Israel’s future and declared that they would go astray and be punished but He encouraged them to not lose hope because when their punishment was fulfilled, God would redeem them back to Himself. Today, we should be encouraged because Jesus taught us that God is also the Christians’ redeemer.

Robert C. Hudson
December 21, 2010

God is with Us

December 26, 2010

Background Scripture: Isaiah 43
Lesson Passage: Isaiah 43:1 – 7, 10 – 12

“Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.” That statement from the song Through It All by recording artist Andrae’ Crouch, is a reminder that God is an ever present help in the time of need. Our lesson today focuses on God’s assurance to Israel that no matter what circumstances they will encounter, He will be faithful to them as their God. God lays claim to Israel as a people that belong to Him. God asserts His right to be Israel’s God by reminding them that he created them, he formed them into a nation, and after they were sold into sin as a result of their own will, God redeemed them. Yes, that’s right. Even after Israel willfully disobeyed God and turned their back on Him, He did not forsake them but rather remained faithful as their God. So now God declares, you are mine. He redeemed them out of the physical slavery of Egyptian bondage and He will now redeem them out of the spiritual bondage of sin. When God says that Israel will not be overtaken by the waters of a flood or the flames of fire, He is providing words of assurance that He is their protector. The word “through” suggests that they will not perish in the midst of their circumstances or conditions. When I know that I am going through, then I have the assurance that things will not always be the way they are. The word through implies transition. “Through” suggests a conduit between two sets of conditions. No matter what the people of God go through, God is there with them. Yes, even during that transition, God assures His people that He is with them. Furthermore, God asserts that He will sacrifice others for the sake of His own. Others will be given as a ransom so that God’s people can again be gathered as one. God’s people will not always be scattered. Today, it sometimes seem as though we will never agree and be as one on anything although we profess to serve the same one and true living God. But in spite of our differences and disagreements, one day God will gather all that are called by His name into one. We have all been created for the shining greatness of God. We are all living testimonies of God’s wonderful and unimaginable grace. We are each a symbol of the works of God’s grace. Together, we will show forth the handiwork of God’s glory in the earth. For those who have been redeemed, we will go through our own floods and fire. Even this will be to God’s glory. When we did not know of a power such as God’s power, He revealed himself to each of us that were created for His purpose. He demonstrated power in our lives to save us from eternal damnation and He gave us a new spirit in us that we had not known before. God has revealed so much of Himself to us so that we could come to know Him and have a personal relationship with Him. We are therefore His witnesses of who He is and what He is able to do. There is no denying for the truly regenerated that God is who He says He is and God is with us.


Robert C. Hudson
December 20, 2010