ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (JANUARY 14, 2012)

By Grace: Key to a Treasure
Isaiah 33:1-6

"[The LORD] will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure."
(Isaiah 33:6)
Back in the 1990s, I studied Proverbs in some depth. The key to understanding any book of the Bible is the key of which Isaiah speaks here - "the fear of the LORD." To define its meaning, I developed an acronym using the word "fear." "F" stands for "faith." The key to a rich store of salvation is faith in Christ - trusting in His life, death, and resurrection.
"E" stands for "enjoyment." The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that we are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Christ is to be our real and only source of satisfaction.
"A" stands for "active obedience." I will never understand the Bible unless I am eagerly willing to do what it says. Many scholars know the Bible intellectually, but do not know its Author because they've never sought to obey Him.
Finally, "R" stands for "reve-rential awe." Jesus is our great Friend by His grace. But He's not our buddy. We approach Him in His rich majesty and in the respect due to Almighty God. This treasure is ours by His grace alone.
INSIGHT
The "treasures" of this world are nothing compared to knowing the rich and everlasting treasure we have in Christ.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 27-28
Psalm 14
Matthew 22

Isaiah 33:1-6
Distress and Help
1 Woe to you, O destroyer,
you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, O traitor,
you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying,
you will be destroyed;
when you stop betraying,
you will be betrayed.
2 O LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
3 At the thunder of your voice, the peoples flee;
when you rise up, the nations scatter.
4 Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts;
like a swarm of locusts men pounce on it.
5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high;
he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.[a]
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 33:6 Or is a treasure from him