Monday, December 28, 2020

Isaiah 30 - This is the Way, Walk in it.

Isaiah 30 is a lengthy rebuke of Israel's reliance on the strength of man, the doom of those who present themselves as worthy of such trust, and a reminder of the bliss that awaits those reconciled to God.

Isaiah 30:1-2 (HCSB) "Woe to the rebellious children! This is the LORDs declaration. They carry out a plan, but not Mine; they make an alliance, but against My will, piling sin on top of sin. They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, in order to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shadow."

Note the judgment of God: His people, ethnic Israel, proved themselves to be rebels by pursuing a plan of their own. Not being merely ignorant of YHWH's ways but being deliberately against what they know of His ways. They pile up sin upon sin by seeking refuge in the strength of man! These are the same people who declared that some may trust in chariots but THEY would trust in the name of their God. And here they are. Saints - how is it with your soul? Are you THIS DAY trusting in Him or have you slouched into a false security of seeking refuge in wealth, comfort, political success, or those who preach "peace, peace!" where there is none?

Note how it will end for ethnic Israel: Isaiah 30:3 (HCSB) "But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and refuge in Egypt’s shadow your disgrace." This was written for our benefit - we can expect no better result if we have misplaced trust.

Verses 4 - 8 bring us more details of the consequences of this misplaced trust, describing the land as "in distress" and Egypt's help as "completely worthless." Our prophet is given instructions:

Isaiah 30:8-9 (HCSB) "Go now, write it on a tablet in their presence and inscribe it on a scroll; it will be for the future, forever and ever. They are a rebellious people, deceptive children, children who do not want to obey the LORD’s instruction."

We will read later of another message that is to be written on a tablet so all can read it - bringing the good news of the gospel. This message, written on a tablet, is bad news - God's judgment comes upon those who rebel against God and do not obey YHWH's instructions.

Isaiah 30:10-11 (HCSB) "They say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy the truth to us. Tell us flattering things. Prophesy illusions. Get out of the way! Leave the pathway. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel.”"

This reminded me of the encounter between the kings of the two kingdoms in 1 Kings 22. Ahab, king of Israel (northern kingdom) wanted a military alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (southern kingdom). Jehoshaphat is agreeable, but wants Ahab to get confirmation from God (verse 7). 1 Kings 22:8 (HCSB)  "The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can ask Yahweh, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”" All the other "prophets" had told Ahab he would succeed in this campaign. And this was the result: 1 Kings 22:16-18 (HCSB) But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?” So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, “They have no master; let everyone return home in peace.” So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”

The Jews had developed their own brand of the prosperity gospel - thinking God only wanted them to prosper as a nation, conquering all the pagan nations; thinking poverty and illness was a sure sign of sin. We see this highly developed as early as Job's day. It didn't line up with God's plan then and it doesn't now.

Isaiah 30:12-14 (HCSB) Therefore the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message and have trusted in oppression and deceit, and have depended on them, this iniquity of yours will be like a spreading breach, a bulge in a high wall whose collapse will come in an instant—suddenly! Its collapse will be like the shattering of a potter’s jar, crushed to pieces, so that not even a fragment of pottery will be found among its shattered remains— no fragment large enough to take fire from a hearth or scoop water from a cistern.”

We man trusts in man, he has trusted in oppression and deceit; and this will ALWAYS bring judgment and dismay. The description of this judgment is in detail that would imprint itself in the minds of the Hebrews - wall breached and collapsing, reduced to small pieces like a shattered ceramic pot that are good for nothing. If we trust in man for satisfaction in this life or protection from His wrath, we will be dismayed.

Isaiah 30:15-17 (HCSB) For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you are not willing.” You say, “No! We will escape on horses”— therefore you will escape!— and, “We will ride on fast horses”— but those who pursue you will be faster. One thousand will flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you will flee, until you alone remain like a solitary pole on a mountaintop or a banner on a hill.

Here God lays out His plan - return to Him and rest! But they were not willing - natural man is ALWAYS unwilling, trusting in horses and barns. Any excuse to run away from God will do - but all excuses will end badly. But YHWH is unchanging and patient with His chosen ones, no matter how circumstances look to us.

Isaiah 30:18-22 (HCSB) Therefore the LORD is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. All who wait patiently for Him are happy. For you people will live on Zion in Jerusalem and will never cry again. He will show favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you. The Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression, but your Teacher will not hide Himself any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher, and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.” Then you will defile your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, and call them filth.

YHWH is just and He will satisfy those who hunger for Him; they will live with Him on Mt. Zion where there will be no more tears - sound familiar? He will ensure we have enough to live on while we are our earthly pilgrimage, and He will be with us - gave His Spirit to comfort and guide us - during this time. He will instruct us in His way: “This is the way. Walk in it.” A better way than man (even Mandalorian!) can show us. And there will be evidence of this change in heart: we will be cast away false idols - consider them filthy rags (another familiar phrase). Saints: do you cling to idols? Think they yet have value? Consider your ways and make sure you are not mistaken about whose way you follow.

Verses  23 - 26 continue with the description of the care YHWH has for His people, Isaiah 30:26 (HCSB)  "The moonlight will be as bright as the sunlight, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days—on the day that the LORD bandages His people’s injuries and heals the wounds He inflicted." This ought to draw our minds to John's Apocalypse: Revelation 22:5 (HCSB) "Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever." Oh the glory and the true AWE of being in Christ and knowing Him as He knows us! No more tears, no more sin, no darkness!

The balance of this chapter is an oracle against Assyria, the main pain for national Israel. God's judgment on His enemies ought to comfort us just as it did national Israel - for it demonstrates His justice. Our sins weren't "winked at" - Jesus suffered the Father's wrath for our sin. This is part of the covenant God made with Noah and all creation: Genesis 9:6 (HCSB) "Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image." This is why the Son of God put on man-flesh. To know we are reconciled to God, our sin-debt PAID, ought to cause us to rejoice with unspeakable joy.

So He tells Israel to, "Look, Yahweh comes from far away, His anger burning and heavy with smoke. His lips are full of fury, and His tongue is like a consuming fire." (Isaiah 30:27) This wrath is against Assyria for their vengeance against ethnic Israel. Isaiah 30:28 (HCSB) "His breath is like an overflowing torrent that rises to the neck. He comes to sift the nations in a sieve of destruction and to put a bridle on the jaws of the peoples to lead them astray." Note that God not only sifts the nations to destroy them, He leads His enemies astray - into that destruction.

Isaiah 30:29 (HCSB) "Your singing will be like that on the night of a holy festival, and your heart will rejoice like one who walks to the music of a flute, going up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel." In the midst of the doom falling on Assyria, we see this snippet of grace poured out His people. Does your heart rejoice in the knowledge that you are seated with Christ in the heavenlies, destined to be with Him on the New Earth (Mt Zion!) for eternity? Pray for the Spirit of God to stir you - and me! - up to  be honestly excited and joyful at being His possession.

Verse 30 shows God's arm raised to strike, and He will make known the splendor of His voice. Isaiah 30:31 (HCSB) "Assyria will be shattered by the voice of the LORD. He will strike with a rod." Isaiah 30:33b (HCSB) "The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, kindles it." No matter how strong man considers himself, the breath of YHWH will shatter him. There is NO refuge from this judgment apart from union with Christ. If you are His, rejoice!

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