SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 51
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Therefore hear this, you afflicted one, made drunk, but not with wine. This is what your Sovereign Lord says, your God, who defends his people: “See, I have taken out of your hand the cup that made you stagger; from that cup, the goblet of my wrath, you will never drink again. [Isaiah 51:21-22]
This chapter opens with a promise that God will restore Israel’s fortunes, that He will rescue them from the hand of their oppressor and they will once again be blessed.
The bible often uses the symbol of a cup – filled with a potent alcohol that causes people to stagger – to describe God’s punishment for our sin.
Like alcohol, sin tricks us with its pleasure then ruins us with it’s consequences.
God says, if you are determined to drink that cup, then be prepared for the hangover.
And yet here God is saying that He will take the cup away, that He will spare them the consequences.
“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. [Matthew 20:22]
James and John wanted the best seats in God’s house, they wanted to rule with Jesus.
But notice Jesus’ response – can you drink the cup of sin and judgment and survive it – this is a rhetorical question, the answer is NO, but they don’t get it.
They are tricked by the seductive appeal of pride and selfishness, and think they can handle it.
We can be like that too, we ignore the consequences of an attitude or an action, we think we can do things any way we want and we’ll be OK.
Life without God, a life lived according to selfish values and principles, a life lived contrary to God’s way, may we tempting, but the hangover is deadly, it will make us stagger and crash.
But remember what the Lord says through Isaiah, that He will remove the cup from us, and we will not have to drain it to it’s dregs.
God’s promise in this passage is that He will overcome the hangover, He will take care of it Himself.
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. [Luke 22:19-20]
This is the judgment cup that we are all supposed to drink, but He has taken it from us, He has taken it for us.
This is the cup that Jesus was referring to with James and John, the whole cup, the ultimate hangover.
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” [Matthew 26:39]
Jesus knows how horrible drinking this cup will be, He is aware of how serious sin is – like James and John, we are not, we foolishly think we can handle it.
But as bad as it is, He is determined to drink it for us, because He knows that is the only way we can survive.
Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” [John 18:11]
Thank God, thank Jesus, that He has taken this cup from us.
Unless we refuse to let go, unless we foolishly think we can handle it…
PRAYER:
Lord, I need You to drink the cup for me, I know I cannot endure it. Thank You for taking the ultimate hangover for me, may I never forget it – or foolishly think I can take it myself.