Proper 13 (OT)

Isaiah 29:11-24

¹¹ And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” ¹² And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”

¹³ And the Lord said:

“Because this people draw near with their mouth

and honor me with their lips,

while their hearts are far from me,

and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

¹⁴ therefore, behold, I will again

do wonderful things with this people,

with wonder upon wonder;

and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,

and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”

¹⁵ Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,

whose deeds are in the dark,

and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”

¹⁶ You turn things upside down!

Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,

that the thing made should say of its maker,

“He did not make me”;

or the thing formed say of him who formed it,

“He has no understanding”?

¹⁷ Is it not yet a very little while

until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?

¹⁸ In that day the deaf shall hear

the words of a book,

and out of their gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind shall see.

¹⁹ The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,

and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

²⁰ For the ruthless shall come to nothing

and the scoffer cease,

and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,

²¹ who by a word make a man out to be an offender,

and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,

and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

²² Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“Jacob shall no more be ashamed,

no more shall his face grow pale.

²³ For when he sees his children,

the work of my hands, in his midst,

they will sanctify my name;

they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob

and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

²⁴ And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding,

and those who murmur will accept instruction.”

Our days are filled with people who deny their maker. The world is filled with people who call the potter senseless. God has made all of creation. God has made everything. He has understanding of how all these things work, and people complain that he talks about it like talking to children.

God has made the workmanship of his hand for a purpose. Isaiah reminds us how often we honor God with our lips, and even with some actions, but we keep our hearts far from him. It is our heart that should praise and thank God for all he has done. It is the pot, which should not act like a potter but a pot.

Eventually the book will be unsealed. The one who cannot read will have the veil lifted and see. When the book is finally read people will know their sins. You will know that you are not the potter. You will know you are not acting like the proper pot.

Walk in Love! Christ our Lord has redeemed the children of Abraham. Christ has redeemed you. You like Jacob should be ashamed no longer. The Lord looks at the work of his hands and you will be sanctified. You will act like you are supposed to act. God loves you, and he works in you to love one another. You are the pot, “and those who murmur will accept instruction.”