For How Should My Name Be Polluted? My Name Will I Not Give To Another - Part 1008

Hear Ye This ... saith the Lord.

"Thou hast heard -- see all this -- and will not ye declare [it]? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldst say, "Behold, I knew them." Yea, thou heardest not, yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time [that] thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously and wast called a transgressor from the womb.  

For My name's sake, will I defer Mine anger, and for My praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, not with sliver. I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction for Mine own sake, [even] for My own sake, will I do [it]. For how should [My name] be polluted? And I will not give My glory to another. 

Hearken unto Me, O Jacob and Israel, My called -- I [am] He; I [am] the first, I also [am] the last." (Isaiah 48:6-22)

Thus saith the Lord -- thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel -- who said, "I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way [that] thou shouldest go ... O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandment." (Isaiah 48:17-18) "I am the Lord, that My name and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images." (Isaiah 42:8) "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)

Interestingly, these very same words that were declared by our Lord God in the old covenant are spoken by Jesus in the new testament. Not a different God but the one and same God -- our heavenly Father who loved us enough to become as one of us in a sin-prone flesh -- so that He could shed His precious blood on the cross for our transgressions. (John 1:1-18) It is He who reveals Himself in the new covenant -- the same He that would not give either His name or His glory to another in the old. He who knew no sin devised a plan of salvation that included becoming our righteousness -- but the only way that we (as believers) would know this is by searching His Word with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Certainly, the religious community of this day is not going to tell you.

But regardless of their stance, there is still "only one mediator between God and man -- the man Christ Jesus" -- the only name given under heaven whereby we shall be saved. (Acts 4:12; I Timothy 2:5) 

This is why we as believers need to cherish His Word. "Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." (Revelation 22:7) "Blessed is he that readeth and they hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein' for the time is at hand." (Revelation 1:3)

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God -- when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)

This same Lord God and Saviour who said -- "And behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me -- to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Revelation 22:12-13) " ... I am Lord, the first, and with the last, I am He." (Isaiah 41:4) 

And He said unto me, "It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." (Revelation 21:6-7; John 4:10)

"Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until He receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:7-8) 

Jesus told us, "Yea, rather blessed [are] they that hear the Word of God, and keep it." (Luke 11:28; Luke 8:21) The former things are come to pass and new things has the Lord declared. And before they sprang forth, we were told of these things through the prophets. That's right. Our Lord God and Saviour has never stopped declaring His wisdom, knowledge and truth to those who seek Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Therefore, "sing unto the Lord a new song, [and] His praise from the end of the earth ... give [Him] His glory and declare His praise." (Isaiah 42:10-12) Stand in the offering plate with Jesus today.