Proper 5 (OTA)

Isaiah 30:8-17

⁸ And now, go, write it before them on a tablet

and inscribe it in a book,

that it may be for the time to come

as a witness forever.

⁹ For they are a rebellious people,

lying children,

children unwilling to hear

the instruction of the Lord;

¹⁰ who say to the seers, “Do not see,”

and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right;

speak to us smooth things,

prophesy illusions,

¹¹ leave the way, turn aside from the path,

let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

¹² Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel,

“Because you despise this word

and trust in oppression and perverseness

and rely on them,

¹³ therefore this iniquity shall be to you

like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse,

whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;

¹⁴ and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel

that is smashed so ruthlessly

that among its fragments not a shard is found

with which to take fire from the hearth,

or to dip up water out of the cistern.”

¹⁵ For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

But you were unwilling, ¹⁶ and you said,

“No! We will flee upon horses”;

therefore you shall flee away;

and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”;

therefore your pursuers shall be swift.

¹⁷ A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;

at the threat of five you shall flee,

till you are left

like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,

like a signal on a hill.

Do we really despise the Word of the Lord?  If you are reading this most likely you read other devotions.  Thus, how can someone say that you despise the word of the Lord?  If you meditate upon his word everyday, do you despise it?  Well it would be interesting to think of how you approach your devotions.  Do you get up every morning and excited to do your devotions?  Or do you pull out your morning devotions and think of all the things you would rather be doing?

There are many of us that do devotions as a reaction to the Law.  Others do there devotions through motivation of the Gospel.  Either way one should not say you despise the word of God.  But here is the greater issue.  What do you get out of your devotions?  I read through some of these and they give a little lesson.  Other times I seem to really talk about some interesting part of the text.  But do your devotions really convict you of your sins.

Isaiah is convicting the people of God.  They have despised his Word.  And therefore, the Lord God is going to despise them.  God has given them life, Land, family, home, and everything they have.  He has watched over the Nation of Israel since the time of David or really Moses.  They have continued and repeatedly turned their back on him.  They have done what is evil in the Lord's eyes and what is good in their own eyes.

So Rightfully so, God is going to cast them away.  He is going to tear down their crops.  He is going watch them flee and be pursued after.  This is What God is going to do to all people who are liars and reject him.  He will not allow for them to live (eternally).

Okay, but if you are reading this devotion or other devotions you also know that Jesus Christ is the Holy One of Israel.  Jesus Christ has died for the forgiveness of all your sins.  Jesus Christ was killed and cut off in your place.  He took the full punishment upon himself so that you can live eternally.