Sand is often mentioned in scripture, and with a variety of meanings. We read of “sand in the sea” and “sand by the sea” and “sand of the sea”. Each has its own nuance and aspect. Sand was obviously a major thing in the desert lands of the Middle East.

We are looking at “sand by the sea” here. It is plain from the context that the ‘sand by the sea‘ is similar to, if not the same as ‘the stars in the sky’. In other words it refers to a great number, as we see in Genesis:

Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
[Genesis 22:15-17 NKJV]

As noted above there are other types of sand - in the sea and of the sea, but there is also ‘desert sand’, and each has a relevance based on what The Lord is saying to us.

Without going into this in too much detail, while desert sand blinds you to the truth (as in a sandstorm), seashore sand is truth revealed; each grain aspires to be dry land or solid ground. In the words of the song “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Returning to Abraham; his descendants were to be as the sand by the seashore - which is each of us who believe. Found in those descendants of Abraham is ‘the remnant’:

For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return; the destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
[Isaiah 10:22 NKJV]

That remnant, which is The Lord’s chosen people, chosen before the beginning of time, are His special treasure ...

They shall call the peoples to the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall partake of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hidden in the sand.”
[Deuteronomy 33:19 NKJV]

Here is Jesus showing us that His Word - good for Isaiah, good centuries later for Jesus Himself, and good for us in today - is an eternal word, liberating us from present troubles and releasing us into the eternal now of His Kingdom. Jesus - as a young man, began His ministry by quoting Isaiah in the synagogue, but with an authority that came from His being ‘the anointed one’.

This blend of Isaiah 61 and Matthew reveals that His word does not change. Something to meditate upon.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek;
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And a final word from Matthew 5: ...

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The character of Haman in the Book of Esther is a ‘type’ for what scripture calls ‘the flesh’; the way we are when we are all out for self. In Esther 6 and 7 - with the destruction of Haman - that this nature in us will be put to death by coming before the King and serving Him. In 1 Samuel 2:30 we are told, But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honour Me I will honour,, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

In our reading Mordecai is honoured by the King - a man whom the King delights to honour - because of his servant’s heart. In John’s gospel we read:

But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour.
[John 12:23-26 NKJV]

God will honour those who put themselves aside to serve Him. The King will honour him with the robe of righteousness (God’s covering) and set him on a horse (power of mastery over the flesh nature).

There is a burning away of things that are in us before we are ready to be The Lord’s. Once that burning takes place then the fireworks happen. There is an awakening, an explosion within that is The Lord’s purpose.

Apostles are ‘sent ones’ and that really is what Isaiah was - sent of God. Are you or I sent? Maybe we would like to be, but most of us are not. We need not be concerned; The Lord has us where He wants us - just keep hearing. If we are called to service, He will speak.

Remember the five fold ministry - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. It is five-fold to show the grace of God to us, but pastors and teachers are really one ministry - and the most numerous.

Be content where the Lord has placed you; He will call on you for greater service when or if you are ready. Do not feel passed over if you are not called; for every service, large or small in our estimation, is of inestimable value in the kingdom of our Lord. He loves us all in a way we cannot comprehend. We will, when at the end, we are with Him.

It is enough - our Lord says so - that we say “Here am I! Send me.” But for how long ...

And He said, “Go, and tell this people: “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
“Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.”
Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate,
[Isaiah 6: 9-10 NKJV]

These are strange verses, but really we are being encouraged to persevere. It is a wonderful example of The Lord knowing our perverse nature. “ You don’t have to believe it; don’t understand if you don’t want to ... it doesn’t make it not so!”

Hang in there. God has it covered and He knows how it all works out. Whatever He has for you, just believe in it - even it you don’t know what it is yet! He will reveal it - and send you to it.

When I was singing about the Spirit moving all over the world, Gill was recalling “Peace Like A River”. So much of the Lord’s leading for us in the last few days has been on the flowing of water.

It is lovely to behold when the Lord sets a word in motion and it becomes “line upon line, precept upon precept”, and there is a flowing of peace when Jesus is with us.

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
[John 20:19 NKJV]

This is always the case when we seek Him. He answers and His word to us brings peace. He always speaks peace to your heart, and like a river it keeps on flowing - a never-ending supply of living water.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
[Revelation 22:1-2 NKJV]

The promise in these words reveals the continuing flow of His peace.