Dumb as an ox and stubborn as a donkey

Dumb as an ox and stubborn as a donkey

Isaiah 1:1-9

1 ¶ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 ¶ Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: [but] Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head [there is] no soundness in it; [but] wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

7 Your country [is] desolate, your cities [are] burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and [it is] desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, [and] we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

I. The INTRODUCTION

A. The INTERPRETATION – This prophecy was, given by God, directed to Israel. When studying any Scripture it is important to recognize to whom it is directed and who is speaking. Here God is sending a message to Israel.

B. The INTENDED audience

1. Israel – God is directly reprimanding Israel for her sins.

2. The Church Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. We have the authority and responsibility to look at the message of Isaiah comparing it with our own situation. In my experience there are two ways to learn lessons. One way is by instruction, either by receiving instruction by someone or by watching them in their experiences. The other is by experience. Experience is a hard teacher but she teaches her lessons well and they are hard to forget. We should seek to learn from the Bible without having to endure some of the lessons of experience. Let us consider:

II. The PROBLEM The spiritual conditions in Israel at the time of Isaiah are similar to those of our day. As we look at the problem in Israel it could be taken from the headlines of today.

A. BACKSLIDING Israel’s history is one of repeated backsliding, then suffering the chastening hand of God, followed by a period of restoration. This is sadly a pattern that is often seen in the lives of many believers in our present day. My old pastor, Brother Ken Jacques, once preached a message entitled “God as a spare tire.” When under the chastening hand of the Lord or suffering the consequences of their own sin many will seek God’s help and favor, only to abandon Him again when the crisis has passed. The behavior of most who claim to be saved is difficult or impossible to distinguish from that of the lost around them. This is diametrically opposed to the command in 2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, Most church members shy from the sacrifices that living according to the Word of God entails. The lure of worldly pleasures and dread of the consequences of living for God in an evil and corrupt world. 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

B. REBELLION Not only do many shrink from battle which is ours to fight (2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.), but also rebel against God’s authority as the Sovereign in our life. We are to live for Jesus and His glory, doing His will, proclaiming His Gospel. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. The flesh, the world and the Devil all oppose the Christian’s obedience to the will of God. The flesh will fight every moment to keep one seeking the fleshly and worldly pleasures. It is easier to give in to the flesh and experience an illusory and momentary pleasure than to suffer for God and receive eternal rewards. This has been called the ‘microwave generation’ because of the expectation to have every desire fulfilled instantly. We seem to expect God to conform to our schedule rather than we wait on Him! Many or perhaps most act as spoiled children stomping their feet and saying “I want it now!” They obey the desires of their flesh in rebellion against God.

C. CORRUPTION in all facets of life – Our society is in serious decline. Crime and violence on every hand is increasing at an alarming rate. Old Bible-based norms are being thrown aside with new humanistic ideas that are in constant flux. For all of history it was known that the human race consists of two sexes, male and female. Now we are to believe that there are an infinite number of ‘genders’. The foolish now tells us that biological sex is a social construct. This not only is ridiculous in the face of our experience and medical science, but more importantly it is a direct contradiction of God’s Word. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. This is just one of the latest perversions and rebellions against God. We could list quite a number but the worst is the fact that with the approval and encouragement of the government more than sixty million children have been slaughtered in the womb. Abortion being the most heinous is only one of a multitude of sins and perversions that are assaulting the foundation of our culture. These include homosexuality, transgenderism, the redefinition of marriage and the effort to divide us based on race or other immutable characteristics. God is not the author of confusion and dissent, this is the work of Satan. Demons relish conditions of sin and conflict. Jesus tells us that He is the only way to have that which all desire. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The only way to have the life of fulfillment, that the world desperately seeks in all the rebellions and perversions that fill our world today, is to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and then serve Him faithfully. He tells us that He is life and only in Him can we have life and have it in abundance.

III. The PROMISE

A. The PERMANENT Remnant -God always has a remnant that is faithful to Him. When we see the world around us descending into the chaos and corruption of sin we should hold to the promises of God and the certainty that we are never left alone. we may cry out like Elijah as we read in 1 Kings 19:14- 18 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. Many times our problem is that we, like Elijah, see with the eyes of flesh that can only see the things of the world. We don’t look with the eyes of faith that can see the reality of God and His power. Remember when the king’s men came for Elisha the Elisha’s servant was overwhelmed because of the forces arrayed against them Elisha asked God to open the young man’s eyes and it was shown him the mighty power of God!

B. The PRESENCE of God – We also count with the presence of the Holy Spirit. When God began to deal with us about going to the mission field, the prospect of leaving home and going to a foreign country to live and preach was a daunting thought. As we prayed seeking God’s will for our lives He showed us His promise in Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [is] with thee whithersoever thou goest. Here we found the sweet truth and promise that the Holy Spirit will be us forevermore. We see that we have fellow believers to labor with us and the presence of God with us. What more do we need?

IV. The PRESCRIPTION – If we are to avoid the terrible fate that befell Israel in the days of Isaiah we must heed God’s Word and His will. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Our nation stands in great peril because of the awful blight of sin that is upon us. God is long-suffering and merciful, but He is also holy and will not forever stay His hand of judgment. He will not overlook innocent blood. The great sin of abortion has caused the murder of over sixty-two million babies, and this with the approval of our government. Surely we must look for a certain and swift chastening because of this and many other sins. There is only one hope for us and that is to turn to God in repentance and faith. The time grows shorter each day. It is time for Christians to awake, repent, pray and turn from our evil ways. What will become of us and our land, our decision will determine our fate.

Brother Mike Scott

Pastor of Faith Baptist Church