Isaiah 28:19b – 29

We have seen how the people of Israel would not listen to God’s message and would not trust in His Word. Therefore they were about to experience worse than their worst nightmare (19b).  There is coming a disaster, says Isaiah, in which ”There will be no place where you can rest, nothing to hide under” (20). The Message. As someone said, you have as much protection from lies as you do from a blanket that is too short. The more we resist God the harder we make it for ourselves (22a). ”Sober up, friends, and don’t scoff. Scoffing will just make it worse.” The Message. Just as the Lord fought against Israel’s enemies at ”Mount Perizim” and in the ”Valley of Gibeon’’ (see Joshua 10:10-12; 2 Samuel 5:20) so He is now going to fight against His own (21). Surely there is something ”strange” and ”alien” about this task for God. It’s not what He would want to do to His people. But their stubborn refusal to trust Him; their resistance of His Word and Spirit have made this inevitable. The rejection of God is serious. It breaks His heart, and brings the very worst kind of trouble upon us. 

Verses 23-29 are a parable, showing that God chooses the right instrument at the right time to carry out His judgments. Just as a farmer employs different methods for the various crops and seasons, so the Lord has a special plan for each nation, for each generation, and for each person. ”Listen to me now. Give me your closest attention. Do farmers plough and plough and do nothing but plough? Or harrow and harrow and do nothing but harrow? After they’ve prepared the ground, don’t they plant? Don’t they scatter dill and spread cumin, Plant wheat and barley in the fields and raspberries along the borders? They know exactly what to do and when to do it. Their God is their teacher. And at the harvest, the delicate herbs and spices, the dill and cumin, are treated delicately. On the other hand, wheat is threshed and milled, but still not endlessly. The farmer knows how to treat each kind of grain. He’s learned it all from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, who knows everything about when and how and where.” The Message 

Why would anyone not listen to the God of verse 29? I know I need His ‘wonderful counsel’ and ‘magnificent wisdom’ today. There are nuts I need to crack and I don’t know how to resolve these issues.  From out of His knowledge about everything I need His insight on some things. I am thankful that I can count on God helping me if I ask in faith (James 1:5-7). This also applies to you as well of course! 

Prayer: From out of the unfathomable ocean of your Divine wisdom, I pray that I may be touched by those splashes of insight that I need to live my life for you today.