A Time like Now

Isaiah 65:1-7

“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.  I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.  I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig's flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.”  These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.  Behold, it is written before me: “I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap both your iniquities and your fathers' iniquities together, says the Lord; because they made offerings on the mountains and insulted me on the hills, I will measure into their lap payment for their former deeds.”

There are those who say this is God responding to the people’s prayer uttered by Isaiah, and others say it is about the Gentiles, and this writer does not know which is correct, maybe both.  But this I’m convinced of, God’s word is living an active, sharper than a two edged sword, and our Helper the Holy Spirit will open its truth to us, if we ask.  With that stated, are we not living in a time where these words cut to the depth of our society.  The gospel of John states clearly that Jesus became flesh, and He brought life not just for heaven, but also for now.  John makes it clear that Jesus is the only true light and He alone has the power to enlighten everyone, even people like you and I.  And John makes it clear that Jesus who created the world and came from heaven, was not received by the world as their Creator, and even His own, the Jewish people rejected Him.  But listen to verses 12-13, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” 

God is very clear to not add or take away from His word, in Proverbs 30:6, “Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” And in Deuteronomy 4:2, “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.”  And the strongest warning comes from Revelation 22:19, “And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book.”  So I will end with a question; does this sound like it applies to our time: “I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually. . .”   

If your answer is yes, it does apply, but it also applied to the time of Isaiah, and the people of Israel.

From the Back Porch,

Bob