Weekly Devotion Week 14 2017

“He (Adonai) put on righteousness as his breastplate, salvation as a helmet on his head; he clothed himself with garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal.” (Isaiah 59:17)

This verse recalls the verses in Ephesians 6:10-18 regarding our spiritual warfare with one important distinction: here we read how Adonai Himself places certain weapons of warfare upon Himself as a visual declaration. What are those things?

First of all, He is the God of salvation (Hebrew: ‘Yeshua’). Yeshua is central to Life and we read in John chapter 10:10 that He came to bring us Life in all its fullness. “In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.” (1:4) This is good news for us, but bad news for the demonic realm!

Second, we read that God clothes Himself with ‘garments of vengeance.’ No evil, however great, can stand even for a moment against Him who seek to defile and corrupt that which He has redeemed. This is also good news for us, but bad news for the demonic realm!

The third garment mentioned by Isaiah is the ‘mantle of zeal,’ which represents wholeheartedness – dazzling and breathtaking; flawless, creative and intricate! He places it upon us with tender love and compassion, though many will casually discard it for
expediency.

God’s zeal is clearly an important covering with which to surround ourselves, keeping us confident and strong in Him. To place upon ourselves this mantle is a wise choice without regret. Who dares serve Him in wholehearted zeal with love, holiness, obedience and integrity? This is good news for us but the worst news for the demonic realm!

“Therefore, put on the complete armour of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground…” (Ephesians 6:13-14)

Here is a heartbreaking story. There was a young Chassidic man in Cracow, who was engaged to a very beautiful girl. When the Germans came, he was taken away and he didn’t know where his bride was.

In Auschwitz, the men and women were separated, but, somehow, from afar, they could see each other. Sometimes they broke through the gates. One night, close to the end of the war, suddenly he saw his bride on the women’s side. Unbelievable. They were blessing each other:

“Hold out! The end is near. Please, hold out until the end.”

One way or another, they sent food to each other. When the Russians came and freed them, somehow they met, and they went off together. Everything was bombed. Finally, they found one house and they were, for the first time, alone. They were so happy to be alone. He had not seen himself in a mirror for years. He didn’t know what he looked like. He had no hair, no payot (sidecurls). He was full of scars and covered with blood. But, even more heartbreaking, she was clean shaven. She had no hair. She had no teeth. Her face was full of scars. They had not seen themselves for so long. They came into the house and suddenly, they looked into a mirror. They were shocked, especially the girl. She said:

“This is the way I look! Not even the Angel of Death looks so bad. Tell me two things. How did you recognise me? And, how can you love somebody who looks like I look?”

You know what he said to her?

“You never looked more beautiful to me than right at this moment.”

This is how the Good Samaritan views each one of us, the wounded person, all of unredeemed humanity:

“You never looked more beautiful than right at this moment.”

The critical issue is how we respond. God patiently awaits our response.