Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Desire of Nations”. Isaiah 59 and 61 are the primary chapters of focus for this week. In it we see the reason God does not hear. Not because “God chooses to ‘ignore’ His people” (Quarterly for Monday). God never chooses to ignore the cries of His children. Especially His most sinful children. He does not hear because those cries make no-sense (or nonsense). It’s like the prayers of the pugilist in the fight ring that prays to God for the strength to pummel his opponent into insensibility. So the prayers of those whose “feet run to evil”, who “make haste to shed innocent blood”, whose “thoughts are thoughts of iniquity”, and who have “no justice in their ways” (Isaiah 59:7, 8) are almost exclusively, prayers of nonsense. No wonder He does not hear.
Some have said that the reason God does not hear is because He cannot listen to evil or look upon evil. That it is too repugnant for Him to look upon. But all of Isaiah 59 refutes that idea. “His ear (is not) heavy so (He) cannot hear” (verse 1). And regarding all the evil recorded in the whole chapter, “the Lord saw it and it displeased Him (or distressed Him)” (verse 15). In our efforts to maintain God’s holiness, we make such false claims about Him… that He is too holy to look upon sin. Not realizing that coming to sinners where we are; taking our leprous bodies in His hands; and dwelling within our sinful wicked minds is precisely what God’s holiness is. For in Christ we see the truth about our God. We understand that He does hear the cry of the wicked (and can respond if the cry is sincere) and does see the sin of the wicked (and can do something about it… if we will). What is it that He does about it? “His own arm brought salvation for Him and His own righteousness, it sustained Him” (verse 16). And He does this by being the “intercessor” (verse 16).
In this verse, we see what an intercessor does. He does not bring the things of man to God. Because it is evident from Isaiah 59 that God already hears these things of man, sees these things of man, and knows these things of man. An intercessor brings the things of God to man… “fury to His adversaries and recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay”… because it is the only remaining way for “Love” to reach them. Tough times call for tough love. And when He does this, “so shall they fear the name of the Lord” (verses 18, 19). “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him” (verse 19). And this is Love. Love that will lift up a standard to confront the wicked and show the wicked their way. Love that will do all it can to lead the wicked to turn from transgression. And if the wicked turn, then “the Redeemer will come… to those who turn from transgression...” (verse 20).
We misunderstand our passionate, pursuing God of Love. When God comes as our Intercessor, to bring the things of God to us, he puts “on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head… the garments of vengeance for clothing and … clad with zeal as with a cloak” (verses 17, 18). And this intensity of vengeance and zeal leads us to think He is two-faced. Forgiving and kind to those who love Him; revengeful and disgusted to those who hate Him. We do not see that His vengeance is love, and His love is vengeance. The love that consumes sin, is the same love that brings vengeance upon sinners. The love that brings vengeance upon sin, is the same love that consumes sinners. Love that consumes sin, wherever it is found. Consuming sin in sinners that will yield to that love. Consuming sinners that will never yield to that love. Passionate zeal. Pursuing love. Ardent jealousy. Love that will not stop until we are every whit clean. Praise Him for His vengeance! Praise Him for His zeal!
Our Father’s reputation is on the line. We who love Him and know Him must be forthright in defending His honor in-front of those who misunderstand Him and know Him not. God’s reputation is in our hands. And in these last days, we must be sure “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 60: 2). The day of vengeance against sin. Which is today and every day. Vengeance of the highest order… because He loves us, and will save us from the death that sin causes… if we will. Let us welcome the vengeance, even as we see it for the intense love it is. May we lead others to see that love and welcome it, too, is my prayer for us all.
With brotherly love,
Jim