Continuing from last week’s article (098), the rebellious Southern Kingdom of Judah did not respond well to Isaiah’s message from God. So, God said to Isaiah…these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions. They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel’” (Isaiah 30:9-11).

Hmmm…Is this not the same general attitude today as the rebellious, ungodly people of Isaiah’s day? Is this not what the world is presently screaming at the Church and God? Are they not in our faces, unashamedly directing us to not tell them what is right! Instead, they are open to hear nice things…they want to hear lies! They want us to forget all the gloom that abounds in the world; to get off our narrow way and stop telling them about God and righteousness!

To the stubborn and hard-hearted Judeans, God said, “Because you despise what I tell youand trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come upon you suddenly —like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it will collapseand come crashing down.  You will be smashed like a piece of pottery—shattered so completely that there won’t be a piece big enough to carry coals from a fireplaceor a little water from the well” (vv. 12-14).

Friends, it’s a loving God who patiently goes to great length to warn stubborn sinners of the perils of continuing to live off-side of His truth… preferring instead to hear lies. The Universe belongs to God! The world and mankind were created for moral living. Living according to His truth will automatically reflect His character in our lives and bring much deserved glory and honour to Him. Everything created, animate and inanimate, is intended for His glory… He is the Creator and we are His creation!

Sadly, stubborn and rebellious hearts are unresponsive hearts to the truth of God… no matter how well the truth is demonstrated and declared! This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, said to the people of Judah: “Only in returning to meand resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.But you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!” (30:15-16).

Friends, the un-regenerated human heart is hard, hostile and closed to the truth of God. The condition of this heart is deadly… for it says, “Tell me lies!”  

Best wishes
Bill Joukhadar