Good & Faithful

Isaiah 1:18-31


The language used here to talk about reasoning together is a legal term.  God is in affect saying come let us reason and discuss the covenant that I have made with you because they had turned away from God.  They were living in the opposite of purity.  They weren't upholding their side of the 'bargain' so to speak. 


He wanted them to incline their hearts toward Him, but instead their hearts had different inclinations.  He wanted them to SHEMA, to listen with the intent of obeying.


But since they were not doing this He gave them an alternative.  If you refuse to repent (turn back around) or to receive my instruction and you continue to argue your own case then you will be swallowed up - devoured.


You see God's WORD is the final Word.


They used to be known as a faithful city.  They used to be firm in what they believed.  They could be trusted and they were reliable BUT NOW the city / nation / people were making alliances elsewhere with other nations and peoples that were not following the God of their covenant.


Do we ever find ourselves doing this? 


She used to be righteous, she did the right thing and she had peace BUT NOW she is dashed to pieces and crushed.  She is filled with malice and unlawful killings.


LIFE is sacred to God and they were failing to treat it as so.


This wasn't only a problem with the people in general - this went all the way up to the leaders themselves.  They were stubborn and had rebellious hearts.  They watered down their religion.  They began inclining their hearts towards taking bribes and instead of caring for the oppressed (the widows and orphans) it seems they were taking them to court and further oppressing them.


BUT GOD came to them.  He had to 'spank them' so to speak.  He wanted to separate out all their iniquities from them - to purify them again so that they would be willing to listen once again to His wisdom and wise counselors.


He wanted to give them a new name - 'THE CITY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, A FAITHFUL CITY'.


Because God does right, they would be made right and Zion would be set free, but for the sinner and the transgressor and they that continue to turn their back on the LORD (יְהֹוָה Yĕhovah) then they are choosing to be consumed - to living their lives in waste.  They will only know shame, disappointment, failing strength, a life lived without purpose and they will know only emptiness and end the end all that they do will become like hay and stubble and burned up for nothing.


Oh, friend, that we would listen to these words in Isaiah, that we would seek to SHEMA - to listen to God with the intent of obeying Him; that we would incline our hearts to the things of the LORD so that we would be set free and found righteous and faithful in the end.


May we hear the words:


                                  "Well done, thou good and faithful servant:
                                  thou hast been faithful over a few things,
                                  I will make thee ruler over many things:
                                  enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." 
                                                                         ~ Matthew 25:21








Blessings Abundant,


God's word is not just for our information ... it is for our transformation ...


Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12:2 NLT