Isaiah 1:19-20If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.....
But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.
Why can we not see that there is a nature, a mind-set, call it what you will, that exist in each of us that woos us to make decisions that run contrary to the will of God?
Sin nature, Flesh, the old man.........I really don't care what you call it, but the hard, cold truth is that it only brings destruction and 2nd death to those who reject God.
I see it manifest every day.
Someone in our program will make a choice that is so wrong......
They may be facing prison time.
They may be on the brink of loosing their family...
And a decision will be made to do something really stupid so that when they are uncovered for making such a decision, they loose everything.
Praise God! He did not leave us to the tug and pull of this "old mind" but through the shed blood of Jesus, broke the power and penalty of sin forever. That, my friend, is the good news. I have been offered a way out of the destruction that comes with sin-choices.
Verse 20 says that by refusing God's offer of salvation and blessing, you will be devoured with the sword.
A real sword?
I think when Isaiah was writing these verses, the possibility of real swords coming into play was very possible. But I also believe that God is talking about the WORD of God.
The Bible or WORD of God is described later as a living, active word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
I believe the enemies of God will be destroyed by the truth of the Word of God.
In our society when someone does wrong and is brought to justice, the cry from the accused is "Give me another chance." I am for 2nd chances. I am for 3rd chances. But what I read in Scripture is that there comes a point where God says, "No more..you have to answer for what you have done."
Maybe our sins and destruction piles up to the point where God has to take action because of the justice and righteousness that are a part of His character. Even if this is true, God does not sit back and wait for judgement to come to an individual or a nation. He sends His Word in an effort to get us to turn away from our sin and confess and repent. God looses His Holy Spirit to bring conviction to our hearts so that we will wake up before it is too late. That is a God of love. I am truly grateful that he does not cast us aside to the trash heap, but is willing to love and woo us back into right standing with Him.
Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer pants after the water brooks, so my soul long for you, O God. My soul is thirsty for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Have a good day, and thanks for stopping by the GREENE STREET LETTERS.
God on you......
mb
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