The Tale of Two Lives
The Tale of Two Lives
Isaiah 26-30
“Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls” (26:8-9).
In Isaiah 26-30, the prophet sets forth the indictment of Israel and Judah for their rebellion against God. In a series of pronouncements, God warns the nations that if they continue to reject him, they will face the certainty and severity of judgment. In 30:9-11, we see the reason for their judgment. In their rebellion, they refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord. Yet the words of warning that God gives to Israel could easily be applied to our world today. They did not want prophets who confronted their sin and pointed them towards repentance. Instead, they wanted teachers and prophets who would only give promises of blessing. They wanted prophets who speak “pleasant words,” who promise blessing and happiness rather than call them to repentance and forsaking sin. When confronted with sin, they refused to listen. Because of their sin and rebellion, they would become overwhelmed by fear (30:16-17).
We see the same attitude and response today in our culture. We gather around us preachers who only affirm us rather than confront us, who promise God’s blessing without requiring repentance. We want our cake, and we want to eat it too. As a result, like Israel during Isaiah’s time, we also have also become gripped by a culture of fear.
We are plagued with the deep feeling that something is dreadfully wrong and disaster is around the corner. We fear the future but are unwilling to turn from sin in the present. When we live for the present, the unknown of the future becomes terrifying.
However, we are not without hope. In Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah affirms that God is gracious and compassionate, and He is willing to forgive and restore those who turn to Him. The answers to today's fears are not found in human wisdom but in the wisdom of God (26:3-4). We find security by focusing our attention upon God. When we trust in God, submit to His Word, and walk in obedience to Him, we are no longer overwhelmed by fear; instead, we discover peace and tranquility within our souls. Those who find peace place their trust solely in God. Instead of looking to humanity for guidance, we turn exclusively to God. Because we trust in God, we seek to obey all His laws. The world rejects God’s law in the pursuit of its own wisdom and experiences fear and anxiety. When we trust in God’s word and obey Him, we find perfect peace because we have a place of unfailing security—a truly “everlasting Rock” (26:4). The person who trusts in God is the one who desires nothing more than to follow God’s judgments. He desires nothing else in life but the knowledge and presence of God in his life (26:9). This challenges us to examine our hearts and ask the difficult question, “What do we long for?” Do we long to live our lives as we please, following the wisdom and morality of men, or do we long to know God and obey His commands? Do we listen to preachers who tell us what we want to hear, or do we listen to those who challenge us on how we live? Do we follow our own desires, or do we make it our only purpose in life to know God (26:9)? Do we pursuit our agenda in life, or is our sole agenda in life the desire for fellowship with God? How we answer these questions determines whether we discover joy or live in fear. Those who live by the wisdom of our culture discover a life of fear. Those who live by pursuing God discover security and peace. Which do we choose?
Isaiah 26-30
“Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls” (26:8-9).
In Isaiah 26-30, the prophet sets forth the indictment of Israel and Judah for their rebellion against God. In a series of pronouncements, God warns the nations that if they continue to reject him, they will face the certainty and severity of judgment. In 30:9-11, we see the reason for their judgment. In their rebellion, they refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord. Yet the words of warning that God gives to Israel could easily be applied to our world today. They did not want prophets who confronted their sin and pointed them towards repentance. Instead, they wanted teachers and prophets who would only give promises of blessing. They wanted prophets who speak “pleasant words,” who promise blessing and happiness rather than call them to repentance and forsaking sin. When confronted with sin, they refused to listen. Because of their sin and rebellion, they would become overwhelmed by fear (30:16-17).
We see the same attitude and response today in our culture. We gather around us preachers who only affirm us rather than confront us, who promise God’s blessing without requiring repentance. We want our cake, and we want to eat it too. As a result, like Israel during Isaiah’s time, we also have also become gripped by a culture of fear.
We are plagued with the deep feeling that something is dreadfully wrong and disaster is around the corner. We fear the future but are unwilling to turn from sin in the present. When we live for the present, the unknown of the future becomes terrifying.
However, we are not without hope. In Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah affirms that God is gracious and compassionate, and He is willing to forgive and restore those who turn to Him. The answers to today's fears are not found in human wisdom but in the wisdom of God (26:3-4). We find security by focusing our attention upon God. When we trust in God, submit to His Word, and walk in obedience to Him, we are no longer overwhelmed by fear; instead, we discover peace and tranquility within our souls. Those who find peace place their trust solely in God. Instead of looking to humanity for guidance, we turn exclusively to God. Because we trust in God, we seek to obey all His laws. The world rejects God’s law in the pursuit of its own wisdom and experiences fear and anxiety. When we trust in God’s word and obey Him, we find perfect peace because we have a place of unfailing security—a truly “everlasting Rock” (26:4). The person who trusts in God is the one who desires nothing more than to follow God’s judgments. He desires nothing else in life but the knowledge and presence of God in his life (26:9). This challenges us to examine our hearts and ask the difficult question, “What do we long for?” Do we long to live our lives as we please, following the wisdom and morality of men, or do we long to know God and obey His commands? Do we listen to preachers who tell us what we want to hear, or do we listen to those who challenge us on how we live? Do we follow our own desires, or do we make it our only purpose in life to know God (26:9)? Do we pursuit our agenda in life, or is our sole agenda in life the desire for fellowship with God? How we answer these questions determines whether we discover joy or live in fear. Those who live by the wisdom of our culture discover a life of fear. Those who live by pursuing God discover security and peace. Which do we choose?
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January
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February
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