SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 23
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes. [Isaiah 23:18]
Isaiah issues a warning against the prosperous sea-faring nation of Phoenicia and her capitol city of Tyre.
This nation has prospered through trade and commerce and superiority at sea; but she has become an immoral and cruel people, without regard for the weak and the needy.
They profit on the backs of the poor and oppressed, but their day is coming.
This is an important warning for us who live in the prosperous west, whose military and economic superiority allow us to succeed on the backs of the poor and oppressed as well.
A day is coming when the tables will be turned, and the prosperous nations will become poor and needy.
Isaiah predicts a season (70 years) of shame and defeat, but then says that they will come back – only this time their wealth will benefit “those who live for the Lord”.

This reminds me of the parable of the talents, where Jesus describes people (nations) being entrusted with wealth and blessing; 2 of the 3 invest their wealth for the Lord, but one does not.
‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.[Matthew 25:28-29]
His wealth is taken from him, and it is given to “those who live for the Lord”.
When Jesus speaks of “everyone who has” and “whoever does not have”, He is not referring to worldly wealth or success; rather what these people have (or do not have) is a return on their service for the Lord.
Jesus is speaking of the “fruit” or result of a life lived for the Lord – this is what they have or do not have.
This is what the Lord is looking for from every person, and every nation – the fruit of their lives.
Tyre had much wealth, but little good fruit; instead they were producing sour grapes, rotten fruit.

So the question for me, as well as for our nation, do we have the fruit that the Lord is looking for?
We are wealthy, we are successfully (like Tyre), yet are we poor in fruit?
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. [Revelation 3:17-18]

The promise is that those who invest themselves for the Lord and His good purpose – using their blessings to bless others – He will multiply what they already have.
The warning is that those who invest themselves for themselves and their own self-interest – using their blessings for their own benefit – He will take away what little they have, and give it to others.
So that the others can use it to bless others!
This is God’s purpose – to bless people that they may bless others.
Are our lives rich in His blessing, rich in blessing others… or are we “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”?

PRAYER:
Lord, You have entrusted so much to me, and I want to use it for others. Grant me a heart that is grateful and generous, and eager to bless more than to be blessed!