Devotional by Bro. Mike Goerlich; from Baptist Bread
Isaiah 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing: go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
In the eighth century B.C., the nation of Assyria invaded the northern tribes of Israel; and in the sixth century B.C., Babylonianish armies did the same to the remaining tribes in Judah, destroying Jerusalem as well. After seventy years in Babylon, the captives of Judah were allowed to return to rebuild Jerusalem. Prophesying that return, the prophet Isaiah warned Judah not to bring "Babylon" back to Jerusalem--to "go out of the midst of her... [and]... be clean..." (vs. 11).
The apostle Paul picked up on Isaiah's words and applied them to Christians. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (II Cor. 6:17). We aren't leaving captivity in Babylon, but we are leaving the captivity of sin. The temptation when leaving spiritual Babylon and returning to Christ is to bring that lifestyle with us--the lifestyle of the world. But Paul says to separate ourselves from the world--its lifestyle, its priorities, its values, and its methods.
Did you pack your bags when leaving the world and coming to Christ? If not, it may be time to divest yourself of that baggage. All Jesus needs is you. You cannot take the extended hand of Christ if your hands are filled with that which you have brought from the world. C.H. Spurgeon said, "Hold everything earthly with a loose hand."
Isaiah 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing: go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
In the eighth century B.C., the nation of Assyria invaded the northern tribes of Israel; and in the sixth century B.C., Babylonianish armies did the same to the remaining tribes in Judah, destroying Jerusalem as well. After seventy years in Babylon, the captives of Judah were allowed to return to rebuild Jerusalem. Prophesying that return, the prophet Isaiah warned Judah not to bring "Babylon" back to Jerusalem--to "go out of the midst of her... [and]... be clean..." (vs. 11).
The apostle Paul picked up on Isaiah's words and applied them to Christians. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (II Cor. 6:17). We aren't leaving captivity in Babylon, but we are leaving the captivity of sin. The temptation when leaving spiritual Babylon and returning to Christ is to bring that lifestyle with us--the lifestyle of the world. But Paul says to separate ourselves from the world--its lifestyle, its priorities, its values, and its methods.
Did you pack your bags when leaving the world and coming to Christ? If not, it may be time to divest yourself of that baggage. All Jesus needs is you. You cannot take the extended hand of Christ if your hands are filled with that which you have brought from the world. C.H. Spurgeon said, "Hold everything earthly with a loose hand."
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