Isaiah - Week 8

Oak Pointe Church • Novi

The Fall of Empire

Isaiah 47

Teacher: Jon Morales, Lead Pastor at Oak Pointe Church

“O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country love

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness,

And every gain divine!”

Author Katharine Lee Bates penned the above poem-turned-song “America the Beautiful” in 1895 after being inspired by the natural beauty she saw during a trip to Colorado Springs. It has since become the unofficial anthem of the United States, declaring the country’s brotherhood, blessings, and bounty.

As believers, we know that Christ is our Lord and Savior. And we also remember that Jesus said we would not be removed from the world, but that we would remain in it. How do we walk in the tension of being citizens of a worldly country, yet also citizens of heaven? Is it right to take pride in political success and power? How do we balance our hope in the visible and invisible?

This Sunday we will walk through Isaiah 47 and dissect “The Fall of Empire,” exploring what God’s Word has to say on the matter.