1 The vision concerning
Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah
son of Amoz saw during the
reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz
and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens!
Listen, O earth! For the LORD
has spoken: "I reared children
and brought them up, but they
have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows his master,
the donkey his owner's manger,
but Israel does not know, my
people do not understand."
4 Ah, sinful nation, a
people loaded with guilt, a
brood of evildoers, children
given to corruption! They have
forsaken the LORD; they have
spurned the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.
5 Why should you
be beaten anymore? Why do you
persist in rebellion? Your whole
head is injured, your whole
heart afflicted.
6 From the sole of your foot
to the top of your head there is
no soundness- only wounds and
welts and open sores, not
cleansed or bandaged or soothed
with oil.
7 Your country
is desolate, your cities burned
with fire; your fields are being
stripped by foreigners right
before you, laid waste as when
overthrown by strangers.
8 The Daughter of Zion is
left like a shelter in a
vineyard, like a hut in a field
of melons, like a city under
siege.
9 Unless the LORD
Almighty had left us some
survivors, we would have become
like Sodom, we would have been
like Gomorrah.
10 Hear
the word of the LORD, you rulers
of Sodom; listen to the law of
our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 "The multitude of
your sacrifices- what are they
to me?" says the LORD. "I have
more than enough of burnt
offerings, of rams and the fat
of fattened animals; I have no
pleasure in the blood of bulls
and lambs and goats.
12
When you come to appear before
me, who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?
13 Stop bringing meaningless
offerings! Your incense is
detestable to me. New Moons,
Sabbaths and convocations- I
cannot bear your evil
assemblies.
14 Your New
Moon festivals and your
appointed feasts my soul hates.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your
hands in prayer, I will hide my
eyes from you; even if you offer
many prayers, I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;
16 wash and make
yourselves clean. Take your evil
deeds out of my sight! Stop
doing wrong,
17 learn to
do right! Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed. [a]
Defend the cause of the
fatherless, plead the case of
the widow.
18 "Come now,
let us reason together," says
the LORD. "Though your sins are
like scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they are
red as crimson, they shall be
like wool.
19 If you are
willing and obedient, you will
eat the best from the land;
20 but if you resist and
rebel, you will be devoured by
the sword." For the mouth of the
LORD has spoken." (Isaiah
1:1-20)
Thought:
(Sent in by Chien Chong)
Headaches are a pain.
Medical researchers now believe
most headache pain is caused by
"triggers"-- foods and other
factors that affect the brain's
chemistry. You must eliminate
the triggers to stop the ache.
Chapter 1 of Isaiah
describes another painful
problem. God condemned the
people of Israel for their
constant rebellion that stemmed
from their corrupted thoughts.
They desired anything and
everything except God. They were
so ungrateful and unruly that
their behavior is described as
worse than the ways of oxen and
donkeys (v.3).
The
problem of rebellion cost the
people of Israel big- time.
God's judgment on them included
letting their enemies defeat and
steal from them, and in
rejecting their prayers and
offerings. What a pathetic
situation-- when your prayers to
God aren't heard and your
situation isn't changed for the
better!
If we as
believers are not careful, we
may find ourselves in a similar
condition. It's easy to become
rebellious, stubborn, or
strong-willed in wanting our own
way. We find it hard to submit
to authority, accept the truth
(especially when it hurts), and
appreciate the good intentions
of the person who is teaching or
correcting us. Like ancient
Israel, we may fail to submit to
God's authority (who He is),
value His righteousness and
truth (what He says), and accept
His good intention behind His
instructions (why He says it).
Since rebellion is
triggered by corrupted thoughts
and desires, the only way we can
avoid it is to have our minds
and hearts renewed (Romans
12:2). Our own thinking and
desires must be transformed by
the truth of Christ. Only then
will we be willing to change our
wrong conduct and avoid the
danger of stubbornness.
With our minds renewed, we can
distinguish truth from error and
avoid rebellion. Only Christ's
transforming work can remove the
pain of a corrupted mind and
stubborn heart.
Questions to consider:
* In what ways am I
rebellious?
* From
today's reading in Isaiah, what
specific steps can I take to
grow to be more teachable?
Rebellion takes root when we
forsake truth.
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