Better to be Punished than to be Destroyed....

It Is Better To Be Punished Than to be Destroyed.....

Isaiah 10:25 

The Lord Will Punish Assyria

24 The Sovereign Lord Almighty says to his people who live in Zion, “Do not be afraid of the Assyrians, even though they oppress you as the Egyptians used to do. 25 In only a little while I will finish punishing you, and then I will destroy them.

God's people are being punished for their rejection of HIM and the laws and direction the LORD has instructed them to take. GOD is so upset with HIS people that Isaiah in the previous chapter records that GOD has hidden himself from HIS people, which goes to the existence of those that belong to HIM. IN the chapters that preceded GOD uses the prophet to illustrate, prophesy, tell, direct, and foretell that a great punishment is overdue for these rebellious once favored of the LORD. Fear can never adequately describe the horrors that they will face from the Assyrian horded who the LORD wills like a tool. But then the tool started thinking that it was more important than the hand that willed it. GOD in his anger to chasten his own by the hand of those fierce and mean tells his people that the time of fear and dread will end, but that HE will destroy those that plot the destruction of the ones HE has chosen but corrected. If we glance at the record that GOD has told Isaiah to record then we see that GOD is nothing to be taken lightly, that HE is serious about HIS laws and ordinances, and even more HE hates pride and arrogance. In fact it was the boasting and the pride that caused HIM to destroy Assyria. So just because you win a battle doesn't mean that you will enjoy the spoil. Never forget that GOD grants victory over enemies. IT is GOD that is due the respect, praise, and honor---and HIM alone. To praise the tool and not the hand is a prescription for disaster as Assyria will soon find out. Don't ever think that GOD will use you to correct another and not correct you---you better hope that your pride has not puffed you up so that it is better to be punished than destroyed.

In my arrogance GOD has humbled me to where I have slept and lived in the dust. IN retrospect one could ague that GOD has turned his back on me (hidden himself from me). Yet, I see that GOD has been merciful to me in not destroying me and allowing me to see his correction. The truth is that GOD has been long suffering with my rebellion and bad choices, though HE has chastened me ----HE has chastened the one HE loves. I see HIS punishment as HIS love and it's better to be punished than destroyed. I am guilty before HIM, even of death. That's right I should be on death row right now and all the demons in hell would be awaiting my arrival----yet GOD has spoken grace over my life and mercy for my failures. I AM  FACE DOWN BEFORE HIM ---IN ADORATION!!!!!

Every time you see anything from me I urge even demand that you go after the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT of ACTS that is a free gift from GOD to all those that come to HIM out of a pure heart with right motives and have confessed that CHRIST IS LORD! Once God seals you---you will have the excellency of HIS SPIRIT in your earthen vessel. And you will be a SPIRITUAL Vessel for HIM to use. You will be the tool and HE the hand, but never forget that it is HIS hand that wills the tool.

So if GOD has corrected you then you know HE will restore you. IT is GOD that tell you to not be afraid though the enemy that defeated you still oppresses you. Assyria represents any enemy that has gained carnal victory because of our spiritual failure. You may feel defeated right now BUT GOD tells you head up, shoulders back because HE will once again come to your aide. HE had to punish you so HE wouldn't have to destroy you, but HE wants you to trust HIM again. Assyria represents the mind that do not recognize the spiritual center of it's universe; it believes that it is it's own spiritual center and strength. GOD will send to you what you have been calling for and when it comes you are not going to like it. IT is a destructive and undisciplined mind; the Assyrian mind was the mind that believed in the formed over the unformed; materialistic over the spiritual. Israel was being attacked by those who possessed the minds that they were morphing into. They were spiritually becoming the formed, undisciplined, materialistic mind and that's who GOD sent to correct them----yet seeing the end result of that mindset which was pride, arrogance, and boasting--- it led to destruction. Fast loot, easy plunder and the Assyrian came running with their weapons drawn. Be careful that the things that you gather don't become bait for the enemy to come knocking. Carnal opulence is not a good indicator of soul wellness. You can be favored by things and rejected by GOD.