READING FOR DECEMBER 16, 2025: ISAIAH 5, REVELATION 10, PSALM 123 ISAIAH 5 This chapter is a parable that foreshadows Jesus’s parable found in Matthew 21:33-41 about the landowner and vine-growers. In both cases, the builder of the vineyard provided all that could be imagined for the vineyard to be successful. In both cases, the builder was totally disappointed with the harvest coming to him. And in both cases, God, who is represented as the owner, administered justice as a result. In Isaiah, it would be sending the Jews into the Babylonian exile. In Matthew, the text seems to imply moving away from the Jews to those people who will respond to the Gospel of Jesus. A question for us is what kind of vineyard has Yorktown Methodist Church been? Are we bringing in a harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God in a way that our Lord desires after giving us so many resources?
In this chapter, God reminds Judah all that He has done to allow Judah to flourish only to have them produce symbolically worthless grapes. He asks them what more He could have done to help them. In the same way, God, through His Son, His Spirit, and His word, has done all that could be done to allow us to bring in a bountiful harvest of souls and a faithful life.
Starting in verse 5, God informs Judah what He intends to do next. He will break down their infrastructure and create drought conditions. Why? “So He waited for justice, but behold, there was bloodshed” (vs. 7). God also singles out those who acquired wealth by squeezing out others: “Woe to those who attach house to house and join field to field, until there is no more room (vs.8).” Verses 11-12 condemn those who focus entirely on socializing, leaving no time to praise God for His works: “Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord, Nor do they consider the work of His hands” (vs.12).
Finally, He declares that Judah will go into exile “for lack of knowledge” (vs.13). Ironically, this complete humiliation of His people due to their sins will result in the highest exaltation of God: “So the common people will be humbled and the person of importance brought low, The eyes of the haughty also will be brought low. But the Lord of armies will be exalted in judgment, And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness” (vs. 15-16). Do we consider God’s righteous judgment against His people as a sign of God’s exalted status? It does point to God’s absolute justice, holiness, and His involvement. It could also be argued that in the long view it demonstrates His love, wisdom, and patience. Then the text lists four woes for God’s disobedient people to lament:
- Woe to those who bring about wrongdoing and then taunt God to show them what He’ll do about it.
- Woe to those who call good what God has called evil. (This is totally pervasive today.)
- Woe to those who think they are smarter than God. (Think about all those who ridicule biblical truth.)
- Woe to those who are addicted to certain substances and deny justice to others for financial benefit.
Because they “discarded the word of the Holy One of Israel” (vs. 24), “He will also lift up a flag to the distant nation, And whistle for it from the ends of the earth” (vs. 26). BABYLON IS COMING! Interestingly there is famous pastor who advocates unhitching the church from the Old Testament—discarding the word of the Holy One of Israel.
REVELATION 10: Before the seventh trumpet sounds in chapter 11, there is a pause for a message from an angel. He declares that the mystery of God will soon be accomplished and to verify it he gives John a little scroll to eat. Let’s use this chapter to reflect on angels, which are
READING FOR DECEMEMBER 16, 2025 CONTINUED: REVELATION 10, PSALM 123 mentioned over 75 times in the book of Revelation. These beings have a key role in the scenes depicted there. The first thing we can know for certain about angels is that they are real beings. They are not myths like unicorns, nor are they cute chubby children-like cherubs with wings. Angels are a completely different type of creation than humans. Therefore, we do not get our “wings” and become angels when we die. We are humans and will always be distinct from angelic beings. Angels are called ministering spirits: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).
Angels are not sons and daughters of God. They are servants who serve the King and his children. Angels serve those who will inherit salvation. That means us! We may never know how often angels watch over us and protect and serve us. Angels do not have flesh and blood bodies; however, they may have some physical-like properties, for throughout Revelation, they are portrayed holding objects such as trumpets, swords and bowls. Although they don’t have physical bodies, several times in the Bible they take the form of a human being. We are encouraged to be good to strangers because it might be an angel in disguise: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).
In chapter 4, we learned of 100 million angels around the throne. Just as each human is unique, so is each angel. However, throughout Scripture only three angels are mentioned by name: Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer. These names suggest that all angels have names and names imply personality and uniqueness. We know that all angels are not alike for our text today speaks of another “mighty angel” as if to suggest he was superior to other angels.
Not all angels are good. We will learn in chapter 12 that some angels rebelled against God and joined a mighty angel named Lucifer. Rather than serving God’s children, these angels war against them. Take a moment and thank God for His angels that watch over you.
PSALM 123 The Psalmist rightly looks to the One who is enthroned in heaven for direction and support. Only He has ultimate authority. When we look elsewhere, we foolishly settle for help and wisdom that is infinitely less than sufficient. As a former piano student, this writer finds the metaphor of looking intently at the hands of the master extremely meaningful. Good piano students are totally focused on their teachers’ hands so that they can emulate her/his musical skills.
So we as Christians can look to Jesus as the model for living: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:1-2). The Psalmist suggests that there are plenty of other sources of so-called wisdom, but these are essentially the scoffing of those who are full of foolish pride.
