Woe to the Wicked
Yesterday as I was finishing my blog at DIA, they started the boarding call for our flight. This caught us off guard since it was about 20 minutes earlier than we anticipated. So I did a quick submit, shut down my computer and we started toward the gate. It was an interesting experience. We were actually in the third row, but we were the last on and the last off. Another lesson in patience for me.
Our flight went well and Nathan met us at the airport and we ended up a little wound up from the flight and it ended up being a short night. So, I compensated with a morning nap. We have enjoyed our first day with some time at the pool. Grandson Mason (7) is enjoying out swimming me and is laughing at the way I throw. Outside of that we are having a good time. I actually felt stronger walking in the water compared to the last time I went swimming.
When I was in Denver last Friday, I stopped by to say good bye to the grankids, so we snapped a picture that included, “Buddy” their dog.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
and deprive the innocent of his right! Isaiah 5:20-23
This morning as I was reading Isaiah 5 these verses stood out to me. This chapter contains the pronouncement of the Lord on the sins of Israel and Judah. These verses are not the typical ones of encouragement of faith, trust and God’s love; but they speak about our day as much as the day of Isaiah the prophet.
If I were to summarize the description of what had overtaken the people that were to follow after the Lord it would be: deception, arrogance and foolish living.
First of all the word, “woe” caught my attention. This is probably because I relate that word to the judgments found during the tribulation period in the book of Revelation. It is a word that is related to God’s wrath and calls for sorrow and is a prelude to impending doom.
The condition of the Children of Israel did not happen over night. What we see described is a gradual downhill slide, where compromise and idolatry were mix with worship of the Lord. It is important to understand that idolatry did not replace the sacrifices made to the Lord, they were alongside and in competition with the allegiance of the hearts of the people to the Lord. Soon idolatry crowded out the Lord’s voice and influence until the Lord removed His people from the promised land.
This decline lead to deception where the thoughts and hearts of the people were twisted to the point that good was viewed as evil and evil as good. That is a dangerous place to be. That is the epitome of spiritual darkness. I recall hearing someone once describe the “unpardonable sin” as this state of mind and heart. He said it becomes “unpardonable” because an individual will not repent because the good before them is viewed as evil, and the evil in their hearts is view as good. It is the “great reversal” that describes complete moral decay.
The prophet then describes a condition of arrogance. “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes.” This is a state of mind that says, “if I don’t know it or understand it, it doesn’t exist or is known.” This condition places human thinking and thoughts above Gods. They don’t accept God’s word that says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8) As a matter of fact their view would place human thinking above God’s. This sounds like many in our world today.
The last one I would describe as, foolish living. Living to drink, drinking to live, and in the process ethical values are thrown out the window. In our day we understand that alcohol distorts moral judgment. The people described in this condemnation may be viewed as the “life of the party” but they are trapped in an addiction and don’t realize it. The book of Proverbs is filled with contrasts between the “one who is wise” and “fools.”
The take away from this otherwise depressing condition is to accept a challenge to be on guard. To realize that compromises don’t result in a sudden fall, but a gradual decline that takes you where you don’t want to go. These warnings and descriptions in the Bible are there to warn and challenge us today, that we don’t fall prey to the same condition. 1 Corinthians 10:6 says, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”
Remember, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25) It takes courage to stand alone and to confront that which is evil. But as we trust in the Lord, find in Him our refuge; that is the best place to be.
It is noteworthy that the chapter after this one (Isaiah 6) contains Issiah’s vision of the Lord in the temple and God’s call to Isaiah “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) For those who are followers of Christ, it is important for us to be light to those in darkness and life to those in spiritual death. This is not from a position of “better than” but as one who has been delivered from darkness to light. Before Isaiah received God’s call he was made aware first of his sinfulness and was a recipient of cleansing.
Let’s be those who offer to the Lord the true worship of our lives that He deserves and avoid living under God’s woe.