Wednesday, March 25 2009
ISAIAH 29
Key Verse: V13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:”
1. Words
V13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me,…”
Do our words truly come from our hearts?
Talking is cheap, it costs nothing but to mean what we say costs us a lifetime of humbling and learning. The days of prophet Isaiah were no different from today. The people were religiously going to the temple of God, offering their sacrifices, worshipping and praising God with their mouths and lips, yet their hearts were far from God. Their words were not from their hearts but they were just going through the motion or routine of praising God!
2. Worship
V13 “….and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:”
Do our worship truly comes from our hearts?
The people of Israel were worshipping God to demonstrate to others how pious, holy and religious they were. Even though their hearts were far away from God yet they pretended to worship God weeks after weeks, months after months, years after years! There was no fear of God in them but they were worshipping God for their own reputation and ego. This is why God chastises Israel and gives them no peace and joy in their hearts until they repent of their hypocrisy.
John 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.”
3. Wisdom
V14 “Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”
Do our wisdom truly comes from our hearts?
The hearts of the nation of Israel were far from God and whatever they plan or do were from their worldly wisdom and not of God’s wisdom. It is very easy to conform with the worldly wisdom and live like the world. It is very easy to say like the world, “let’s divorce and part our ways as we are no longer in love.”
One of the hardest tests of a Christian is to live for God, obey His Word and be different from the world. Yet when we truly obey God, He shall do a marvelous work in our lives.
Food For Thought
The Heart of the matter is the matter of the Heart.
