Truth Encounter

Dave’s Devo: Manure Pond Swimming Isaiah 25:9-12

My youth pastor reached out to his waiter in a restaurant and shared Jesus. The next Sunday, Antonio visited our church and soon understood and responded to the Gospel. Near the end of the summer, it was time for him to go home to Mexico, but he had one request, ‘Pastor Dave, before I go home I want to be baptized.’

Our church was meeting in a Day Care, therefore, no baptistry. So, Antonio and I waded out into one of Al Baucum’s cattle tanks on his ranch. When we got deep enough in the murky water, I immersed him friends cheering. What a thrill to witness Antonio publicly declaring his faith. We took care while climbing out of the water not to step in manure.

That tank wasn’t your crystal-clear mountain lake, but it was not nearly as dirty and smelly as some of the drainage puddles that form after a good rain as water runs off manure piles. I’m just thankful that Antonio and I didn’t have to wade out and swim in the kind of manure pond Isaiah pictures as he describes the future of Israel’s enemies

“It will be said in that day, ‘Take a look! This is our God; we have waited for him, hoping that he might deliver us. This is the LORD, we have waited for him, let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain and Moab will be trampled as straw is trampled in the water of a manure pile.
He (Moab) will spread out his hands in the middle of it, like a swimmer extends his hands to swim, but the LORD will bring down his pride. His cunning hands will not allow him to escape. The high and impregnable fortifications of your walls—the LORD will bring them down, lay them low, and throw them down to the ground, to dust.” Isaiah 25:9-12

Earlier Isaiah did show his compassion toward Moabite refugees fleeing from the advancing Assyrian army that ransacked Israel but then also in Transjordan, including the land of Moab. In yesterday’s Devo we realized that Isaiah was looking far beyond his own time to an ultimate future, a time when death would be destroyed and tears wiped from his people’s eyes.

This indicates that here “Moab” is not just the land across the Jordan from Jerusalem but represents the final ruthless nations who will fight against God and his people. In this ultimate battle the Messiah will trample down all those who oppose him, like dirty hay stomped down in muck. Those who oppose him will try to swim away, but it will be like trying to escape while bogged down in a manure pond.

God’s people are invited to take a look at this ludicrous attempt of their enemies to escape God’s just judgment against them and burst into songs of praise. Finally, God’s enemies are destroyed and all who remain bow before the divine King who rules from Jerusalem.

Today this King tells us to turn the other cheek and to pray for our enemies. Don’t ever take this to mean that Jesus’ enemies get away with their ruthless cruelty and injustice. They might think their cunning can enable them to swim away. They’re wrong. Take a look at Revelation 19, 20. Our job today is to get as many people as we can to turn to Jesus’ living water before they get totally bogged down in the crap that will ensnare them forever.

LORD, help me to remember this picture of what happens in the end to all those who continue to arrogantly oppose you. Thanks that I my confidence that you will reign on earth in the end is based on your reliable faithfulness. And again I pray that you will turn many enemies like Saul in the first century to the kind of devotion that the Apostle Paul lived after seeing the light.