Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Sick Nation - Isaiah 1:5

Isaiah 1:5 "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more; the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint."

Just about everything has been tried to get the children of Israel to repent and come back to God. They still rebel. The parallel to the discipline of a child is apparent. You know, a spank on the hand, a pop on the back side. Some children are very strong willed and it may take unusual discipline methods for them. Love is unquestioned. It is difficult to watch as a child destroys their own life when doing right would be so much better for them. Such is the case with Israel. Israel is in the wrong thinking mode.

v6 "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 molified with ointment."

It is like the LORD is saying, 'Come let me bind up your hurts.' but they would not.

Jeremiah 8:22 "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?"

Romans 10:21 referring to Isaiah "But to Israel he saith, All day long, I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people."

It is true that when the king of Babylon offered to let Israel go back to their nation, that many stayed where they were because of financial gain.

v7 "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."

It seems that the nation is lost. That blessed and promised nation from which would come the Redeemer has gone to waste. Yet a glimmer of hope is there:

v9 "Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been like unto Gomorrah."

It was a dark time for Israel. I have often referred to the promise of Abraham that in him all nations would be blessed. Also, I compared Israel to being a pregnant lady carrying the promise down through the ages until Christ was born. She has eaten the fruits of idols and failed to accept healing but through the remnant, hope still exist.

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" See also Matt 1:23 and Luke 1:35.

Still, He pleads.

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