January 19, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Sit in silence and go into darkness, O Daughter of the Chaldeans. For you will no longer be called the queen of kingdoms. I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke. You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome.” (Isaiah 47.5-7)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Have you found some things which God has said to be troubling? I am not talking of such things as the Rich Young Ruler heard from Jesus which made him walk away. That was just a matter of conscience for his own welfare because he was very rich. The call of Christ to “sell all you have, give it to the poor and follow Me” was troubling and challenging. It was not, however, a conflict of an image of God nor a reflection of the image which people may have of God. What happens when we hear God say things about himself that we don’t quite know what to make of? One of those troubling revelations happens here in Isaiah 47. The word is spoken to Isaiah to be heard by the Jews who were impacted by the exile of the leadership community to Babylon. It was also a word that was to be heard by the Babylonian leadership community as well. Now I am not sure how that word was transmitted from one to the other. Was it spoken to the ruling Babylonian authority set in Israel and in Jerusalem to be sent back to Babylon? Was there a visit by Isaiah himself to Babylon to speak directly to King? While those considerations may be “troubling” to a person with a process-oriented mind, it is not so troubling as when God confesses “I was angry with My people. I profaned My heritage. I placed them under your control.” I have heard some people say when something happens that is an expected outcome because someone wouldn’t listen to reason “Aye, aye, aye.” Well, stop to reread the confession of God and hear “I, I, I.” Yes, the Great and Only Yahweh, the I AM that I AM, places the blame and responsibility fully on Himself. Now is that troubling? How can the perfect God of love and mercy whose affection was declared for His people have need to confess anything? Confession is actually a statement of “wrongdoing.” Remember when, in the days of Noah, how God lamented because of the great evil which existed in the world of humanity “I AM sorry I ever made human beings.” Yes, the same God who at the end of the “sixth day of creation” declared “It was good and very good.” Isn’t this the same God who is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful) and omnipresent (all-places at all times)? Could He not have seen the trouble ahead for humanity and prevented it? This is a question many have asked in the years since and continue to do so now. Are we brave enough to ask ourselves, “What was God thinking?” Is there someone daring enough to answer, “It seems God wasn’t thinking about it at all.” Now that is a dangerous conversation which only people of faith could have. Why? Because only by faith could we believe that God’s confession is actually a part of His profession.

What is that profession? A profession is an admission of belief and, at least, a commitment to act upon that belief with the intent to do good. We could take that same portion of verse six mentioned above and see it not only as a confession “I was angry; I profaned; I placed them under your control” but as a profession. God’s intention was to do good by demonstrating His desire for His people [and by extension, the world] to enact a life of righteousness. It is in obedience to “the call,” we all must abide and receive consequences: blessings or curses. I suppose I could say it this way: nothing happens without a reason (and thus, by “accident”) and nothing happens without a consequence. Honestly, we have to grasp the truth that any of us exists in a singularity as if nothing else existed. We certainly know of those, including ourselves at times, who may believe I am alone, on my own and what I do does not impact the world around me. How could it impact the world around them when such thinking would lend itself to “I am the world and the center of the universe.” I daresay, Lucifer of Heaven who is Satan of earth, probably believed that lie and then found a way to become a siren of lies leading angels and humans done that dangerous and ill-gotten road to perdition. But what of God? Isn’t it troubling to think that God profaned His people in anger enough to send them out of the Promised Land? Was He taking His name in vain when He profaned His people? Or are we looking at what God said and did in a skewed fashion based on our human understanding, or misunderstanding?

What is said is that God claims authority and responsibility, that is- sovereignty, over all things whether it is “His people” or those to whom He surrendered control of “His people” as a matter of principle so that His will for good be done. We hear this in great part when God holds the captors accountable as well as the captives. No one escapes the sovereign rule of God! We would do well to remember that as well. Just because we have freewill doesn’t mean we have free rein. Yes, the simple misunderstanding of that phrase is what leads many people to act inappropriately. “Free rein” means without a rein as what one would give to a horse when riding. The rein is meant to give instruction to the horse as to direction and speed. Putting slack in the rein says to the horse “go as you wish.” Unless the horse and rider are very comfortable and familiar with each other, a “free rein” ride could be a very interesting one. The principle of “free rein” is thus applied to human beings as having the right to “do as they please.” It is, by application, a permission given in trust that “good” will come out of it and no harm. This shows the very misunderstanding of the word freedom. Freedom does not mean “do whatever you want.” Authentic freedom is powerful and profitable when it is exercised by those who are in a trusting and trusted community relationship of doing good for one another. What too many people seem to want to believe is that they have “free REIGN.” Reign means “rule, authority or governance.” Another way of saying that is “They believe they get to Lord it over others.” Generally, this happens when the person, himself or herself, is out of control or in a situation they cannot control. Freewill doesn’t mean free rein. There are guidelines to help lead, guide and direct our thinking, our words and our actions. For the believer, these guidelines fall under the heading of righteousness. Righteousness is the true way of thinking, speaking and acting which benefits all people and brings glory to God. Lucifer of Heaven and Satan of Earth, one and the same, forsook and forsake all righteousness. For that, there is a consequence. Did God hope that Satan would learn his lesson in exile on earth? That would be God’s business. What is more important is will we learn our lesson as we are in “exile” on earth because we are not in Heaven? Will we act with all righteousness to all people and promote the same with others? This Babylon did not do and for their disobedience, there would be consequences.

So, God’s revelation of His own thought, word and actions are not so troubling but directive as to His will being done. He continues to work for our redemption, reconciliation and restoration. He continues to work for that today and calls us to that work as well. We have a model to follow in Jesus Christ. But there is a model many others are choosing to follow, and it is Anti-Christ. We may be introduced to that model here in Isaiah 47. Let’s read, pray and reflect on that tomorrow. Until then, shalom.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more real than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free from death. So may we live by the name of Jesus our Christ. AMEN.