Isaiah 28
COMMENTARY:
: 2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
DEVOTION: Here we find a warning from the LORD that the Assyrians are going to come to invade Samaria. The nation of Israel is going to fall to an enemy because of their lack of obedience to the LORD.
The LORD is warning Israel because of their departure from HIM. HE wants them to return before the enemy comes but they are unwilling to repent and in fact they were enjoying their sin because they never thought the LORD would do anything like this to HIS OWN people,
We need to realize that the LORD is a holy God and HE will judge HIS people in any generation, including ours, because of our wandering from HIM and thinking that we are going to get away with it.
God has used heathen people throughout the history of Israel to get the attention of HIS people to repent and sometimes they will be in captivity for many years because they are unwilling to repent.
We can be stubborn in our relationship to the LORD and HE will get our attention one way or another to help us understand that sin is going to be judged even before the end times.
Our responsibility to the LORD is to be obedient and to keep short accounts with HIM. We need to daily confess our sin and ask the LORD for help to live a life that is pleasing to HIM. Is this something that we are doing in our personal life and encouraging in the lives of those we love?
CHALLENGE: There are enough warnings throughout the Bible that we need to take God seriously and keep short accounts with HIM. Are you keeping short accounts with the LORD? Judgment is coming to those who are disobedient.
: 7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. (7686 “err” [shagah] means reel, misleading, wander, go astray, deceived, to swerve, to be unable to walk straight, go wrong, or disobey.)
DEVOTION: Most of us have watched a person who is under the influence of strong drink. Their actions are different than when they were not drinking. There are police waiting outside of bars to catch those who drink too much because they can’t drive straight. They can’t think straight. They hurt themselves and others by some of their comments while they are drunk. There are many organizations that have been created to help those who drink too much.
One organization bases their teaching on the fact that there is a high being. They want people to recognize that they will have to answer for what they are doing sometime. They want those in their organization to stop drinking and assign them someone to call when they think they might go off the wagon. Most don’t beat the addictions. They like it too much.
The leaders of the children of Israel were in the same boat as the ones in our society. They were under the control of strong drink. What did it do to them? Well, to start with they couldn’t walk straight in the ways of the LORD. For those leaders who were called Spiritual leaders like priests and prophet they didn’t see what the LORD was trying to teach them but strange visions. Their visions were ones that had nothing to do with obedience to the LORD.
If the leaders couldn’t find their way what was happening to the rest of the people. They were causing them to stumble. Jesus talked about the Pharisees leading people while HE was here on the earth. HE called them blind. HE stated that they were the blind leading the blind.
Our world is full of people who are spiritually blind. Every human born is born blind to the things of the LORD. They have to be taught what it means to be a follower of the LORD. If parents don’t teach their children with words and example, many of their children will have a form of religion but not a real belief system based on the Word of God.
Many leaders are having a problem following the way just like those in Isaiah’s day. These leaders were teaching the people how to go astray rather than living on the right path.
CHALLENGE: The habit of drinking too much strong drink leads in the wrong direction. If you are a leader and encourage those following you to drink strong drink – you will have to answer for your leadership.
:13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little,” That they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: Bullying is a major problem in many schools and neighborhoods today. It seems that many individuals are being confronted and do not know how to handle the insensitive and nasty remarks directed toward them. Isaiah understood that reality as the leaders of Israel confronted and ridiculed him about the message God commanded him to speak. Sometimes the bully is mean and hurtful because they do not understand the perspective being presented. Other times it is a matter of racial, sexual or age discrimination. Regardless the bully is seeking to hurt in order to silence or embarrass an individual. Like Isaiah, when that occurs be prepared with the truth and even when rejected you will be able to move forward.
Isaiah continued to warn the leadership of Israel and so we can pray for those who persecute and mistreat you. Don’t despair and become silent but know who has the final say in every matter!
CHALLENGE: Bullying is a horrible event and one that can be stopped if people will unite and refuse to have their voices silenced. If you see someone being bullied rally around them and support them. Next time it might be you that needs that help!
(Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
: 29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. (6381 “wonderful” [pala] means astound, cause amazement, to be marvelous, be surpassing, be extraordinary, or separate by distinguishing action.)
DEVOTION: God had revealed HIMSELF through HIS prophets. HE gave Moses, instructions in writing. The children of Israel at this time had all of the writings of Moses: Genesis thru Deuteronomy. They had the writings of Joshua. They had some of the other books of history. They had the poetical books of Job thru Song of Solomon. There were enough instructions and examples of how to follow the LORD in all of these books.
In of the books that were written by the time of Isaiah there was also plenty of warning regarding what the LORD would do to those who were disobedient. HE was not a God who didn’t care to give them instruction. They saw what happened to all those who disobeyed from Adam to the time of Isaiah.
God had predicted the fall of both divisions of Israel. They were warned and still they did not listen. HE is longsuffering. HE is a loving God. HE is just. The justice of God has to be honored. HIS love will not overcome HIS justice.
Isaiah continues to instruct the tribes of Israel that captivity is coming. First, he starts with the ten tribes. There capital is Samaria. They thought they were safe. However, there was a storm of judgment coming. The LORD was judging them for their pride. They were under the influence of strong drink.
Second, the tribe of Judah was going to be judged. Both Northern and Southern Kingdoms were given to strong drink. Even their leaders were too drunk to hear the word of the LORD.
The LORD tries to talk with HIS people in short sentences. HE tries to use simple language to reach them but they will not listen. They don’t want to learn about HIM. They don’t want to learn about doctrine. They don’t want to understand how HE works and WHO HE is.
Does this sound familiar to the local churches of today? Many that attend church don’t want to learn doctrine. They just want to be entertained or have their children entertained. They can change churches no matter what their doctrinal beliefs if the programs are better for their children or more entertaining than their last church. People leave a church they have attended for many years over little things. Doctrine is not usually the issue. It seems like people have not changed.
God is still trying to communicate but very few want to listen to HIS Word. They only want to listen to someone that tickles their ears. The milk and meat of the Word of God means nothing to them.
Finally, Isaiah informs both tribes that God is a good farmer. HE knows when to plow up the soil. HE knows went to plant. HE knows how to harvest. HE is acting as a farmer with HIS people. HE uses discipline to plow up their lives to get them to understand who HE is. HE knows when to teach them more about HIM. HE knows when they are ready to spread HIS word to others. What stage are we at now?
The Bible is a love letter from God to HIS people. It is also a book of warning regarding HIS actions toward those who disobey. Check your doctrines or beliefs to see if you hold to them with any kind of authority over your life.
CHALLENGE: Doctrine or the teaching of the Word of God does matter. Listen to HIS instructions. You will be glad you did.
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