When Isaiah writes about Israel, it may start out harsh realities of the coming future but then ends with hope. There always seems to be a light at the end of the dark days. If only the people of God would learn from God's discipline and turn to God. In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you. (Isaiah 26:9) Isaiah is consistent in the themes of God's people need to seek God and follow God's instructions. This means fighting for justice and caring for the poor. This means trusting in the Lord instead of worshiping other gods. 
Isaiah 28:7-10 Now, however, Israel is led by drunks who reel with wine and stagger with alcohol.
The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol and lose themselves in wine.
They reel when they see visions and stagger as they render decisions.
Their tables are covered with vomit; filth is everywhere.
“Who does the Lord think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?
He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time, one line at a time,
a little here, and a little there!
The priests and prophets stagger with alcohol and lose themselves in wine.
They reel when they see visions and stagger as they render decisions.
Their tables are covered with vomit; filth is everywhere.
“Who does the Lord think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned?
He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time, one line at a time,
a little here, and a little there!
Human pride seems to always lead us away from following God with all our hearts. Who is God to instruct us? Are we like little children? God's response to the people's pride is:
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,
a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
Whoever believes need never be shaken.
17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice
and the plumb line of righteousness. (Isaiah 28:16-17a)
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
Whoever believes need never be shaken.
17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice
and the plumb line of righteousness. (Isaiah 28:16-17a)
Peter quotes this passage in 1 Peter 2:6 and refers to Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Jesus being our rock and foundation is the key to overcoming our pride and our self-dependence. Jesus being our rock and foundations allows us to take shelter in God during the storms of life.
Jesus concludes his most famous sermons with these words:
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. (Matthew 7:24-25)
The reality is the storms of life have come and will continue to come. The reality is that we have a tendency to depend on a lot of things when those storms some but only one thing is needed... Jesus, the Rock.
No comments:
Post a Comment