July 25 - Isaiah 28-30
The book of Isaiah is amazing in that it has so many sub-themes for us as we read about God's punishment of His people and others because of their sins. It was one of those sub-themes that spoke to me loud and clear this morning. Did you see all of the references to learning God's truths? The entire passage is filled with jewels about the way to learn what God is teaching us in life.
God does not teach us all at once, but He teaches us a little at a time. We must take what we learn, remember it, and build the next precept upon what He has already taught us. (28:10,13) This gives us a complete understanding, and it shows us our errors. If we learn in a disjointed way, there will be many holes in our understanding of God's truth.
Some people don't want to learn, so they base their lives on lies. (28:15) This never works because God uses justice and righteousness as His standards of judgment. (28:17) That is why He must punish these people. It is to turn them from their lies. They must see that they can't make up their order of things. God has established it. (28:23-29)
When a person is disobedient to God's truth it produces a blindness or a drunkenness. (29:9,10) In their hearts they have wandered so far from the Lord that they can't see Him. They only say they fear Him, because they are commanded to do so, but their hearts are far from Him. (29:13) They end up trying to tell God what to do even though He is the Creator. (29:16) This will continue, until they hallow Him in the hearts. Their learning is not a head problem, but a heart problem, so God will respond when they change their hearts. (29:23,24) However, many people just want to keep trusting in the ways of this world like Israel trusted Egypt. (30:1-5) They will not learn because of their rebelliousness. (30:9) Therefore, God sends the bread of adversity and the water of affliction to show them their need for Him. (30:20)
I hope we all will take these principles and apply them, so we can learn all that God has for us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 31-34.
God does not teach us all at once, but He teaches us a little at a time. We must take what we learn, remember it, and build the next precept upon what He has already taught us. (28:10,13) This gives us a complete understanding, and it shows us our errors. If we learn in a disjointed way, there will be many holes in our understanding of God's truth.
Some people don't want to learn, so they base their lives on lies. (28:15) This never works because God uses justice and righteousness as His standards of judgment. (28:17) That is why He must punish these people. It is to turn them from their lies. They must see that they can't make up their order of things. God has established it. (28:23-29)
When a person is disobedient to God's truth it produces a blindness or a drunkenness. (29:9,10) In their hearts they have wandered so far from the Lord that they can't see Him. They only say they fear Him, because they are commanded to do so, but their hearts are far from Him. (29:13) They end up trying to tell God what to do even though He is the Creator. (29:16) This will continue, until they hallow Him in the hearts. Their learning is not a head problem, but a heart problem, so God will respond when they change their hearts. (29:23,24) However, many people just want to keep trusting in the ways of this world like Israel trusted Egypt. (30:1-5) They will not learn because of their rebelliousness. (30:9) Therefore, God sends the bread of adversity and the water of affliction to show them their need for Him. (30:20)
I hope we all will take these principles and apply them, so we can learn all that God has for us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 31-34.