Isaiah 1 – 6
This is one of those sections of the Bible where Isaiah prophecies over the future of Judah and one can look at applying it to today. Chapter 1 lays out the case against Judah to the point where “children deal corruptly.” And their condition is such that “the whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint.” To the point where “there is no soundness in it” the case against Judah is grim. While most of Judah is corrupt and in need of correction, the first part of chapter 2 lays out the hope of the future for the faithful.
But this gets quickly overshadowed by the day of judgment on the people stating in verse 6. Verse 12 sums up the judgment in store for Judah:
12 For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;
This touches on one of my “pet peeves” in prideful people. I find with me personally, when I get full of myself, I tend to get “spanked” often. I assume it’s because of my other “pet peeve” of hypocrisy that I remain in “check” there. The key is you pump yourself up too much there is only one way to go, and that’s down.
Chapter 3 focuses on the judgment on Judah, how beauty and pleasure get quickly turned to ugliness and pain. This chapter in verse 11 starts out a series of “woes” to the wicked and the results of their sins. The chapter continues by exposing the “rot” in their society where “instead of perfume, there will be rottenness.” We like to look at this as God’s punishment towards the people, but often I wonder if this is not just the natural result of sin.
Think about it, when you go outside God’s guidelines, things tend to fall apart. Now is the God wrecking things or just the natural result of leaving the path? I know this is a tangent for these chapters, but really one needs to think about it. In finance God defines a 10% donation, 10% savings and 80% living for a fruitful life. Today this is highlighted by the demise in our economy, where everyone, including the governments throughout the world who are living on more than they make. It has become a recipe for disaster. God is not punishing us; we are just living the natural result of poor money management.
Chapter 5 really digs into the “woes” a verse 8 onward. Again verse 9 makes me reflect on today’s situation where “many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.” All owned by banks who allowed reckless borrowing and through their own greed turned a blind eye. We can look at passages like this and see the ills today while wondering why we let history constantly repeat itself.
We end in chapter 6 where Isaiah takes responsibility for God’s calling. Verse 8 is clear:
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
God asks a Isaiah answers yes. How about you? Do you ever feel “called” to do something? What is your answer to God? Is it “Here I am! Send me.”? Or is your answer “not the right season?” I know I answer the latter more than the first and have to change this. One thing to be clear you need to learn to read emotions over “God’s calling”. More often than not, we get called into something that we wanted over a true “calling”. So learn to discern God’s voice of that of your inner desires or like Judah the natural direction is disaster.