The Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? – Isaiah 14:27
The Cambridge Annotated Study Bible renders today’s verse this way: “God is sovereign over all the earth, and His purpose will triumph in spite of arrogant human schemes and systems.”
Evil is evident across the world, be it the barbarism of Hamas, the antisemitic hatred of the Jews, or increasing crimes on the streets and in the stores of America. Television programs that used to be family-friendly are pushing ideologies to try to create new cultural norms, libraries now host drag queen story hours for small children, and school libraries include obscene materials for students.
There will come a time when evil will no longer stand (Psalm 1:5). Revelation chapter 20 reminds you that the devil ultimately is defeated, and will become forever powerless over the earth. Paul Little writes, “The statement that God is in control is either true or it’s not true. If it’s not true, we’d better forget about God. But if it is true and we accept God’s revelation of himself, our faith enables us to enjoy and rest in the certainty of his providence.”
Nothing can interfere with or change the purposes that God has established from eternity past into eternity future. What you can do is fully trust Him. Pray today that God will turn the hearts of the nation’s governing officials to do His bidding.
Today’s Verse: Isaiah 14:27
For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
and who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
and who will turn it back?
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Revelation 20:1-10
20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
