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!
--Isaiah 5:20 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on September 20, 2013 of Proverbs 6:12-15; Titus 2:9-3:15; Isaiah 5-6.
Isaiah, arguably the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, was born into an influential, upper-class family in Judah, the Southern Kingdom. He frequently associated with royalty, living through the reigns of four kings of Judah (please see Isaiah 1:1), and gave advice concerning foreign affairs and alliances. He also attacked the social ills of the day because he saw them as symptomatic of a more serious spiritual decline. Tradition has it that Isaiah was martyred during the idolatrous rule of Manasseh by being sawed in two inside a hollow log. Before his death Isaiah warned of inevitable captivity in Babylon but gave assurances of a remnant of the people being preserved and the nation being eventually restored.
In chapter five of his beautiful book Isaiah relates a parable of the Lord's vineyard. In this telling, God has given every advantage to this vineyard, in placement, in preparation, in protection. He had every reason to expect it to bear good fruit, but instead only wild grapes grew. What more could He have done, God asks, that had not already been done? What more advantage or gift could He have provided? There is nothing left to do but to destroy the vineyard and all that served it. Of course the vineyard is Israel and the parable relates all that God had provided the people so that they might obey him and do good works. Instead, everywhere He looks He sees nothing but worthless fruits. Jesus continued this parable, as recorded by Matthew in his Gospel account (Matthew 21:33-46), noting that the Owner even sent His Son to the people working the vineyard. But instead of repenting and doing right, the people killed the Son. Again the message is clear that God has given every possible chance to His children but will destroy the bad fruit, reserving all rewards for the good.
God through Isaiah provides additional cautions to the people of Israel, but more intended for us since He knew His chosen would not listen or see. God indicts Israel on six counts, enumerating a woe for each. Woe to land grabbers (verses 8-10). Woe to drunkards (verses 11-17). Woe to blasphemers (verses 18-19). Woe to the conceited and vain (verse 21). Woe to improper and drunken judges (verses 22-25). And the focus of today's devotion verse, woe to those who pervert moral distinctions. These are deceivers, who try to confuse people, who say black is white, or who would convince others there is no black or white, only shades of gray, that there is no absolute right or wrong. This is a form of false teaching that the Apostle Paul so stridently warned about (please see "Deceiving Spirits" and other posts). These people want to excuse their own actions and behavior by confusing us and getting us to follow along in their gray ways. But God tells us there is indeed a right and a wrong. Paul tells us to follow only Jesus, the only right way. Woe to those who would deceive us into doing wrong. Don't be confused. Amen.
Father in heaven, please open our ears that we might hear Your warning and repent before You destroy Your vineyard. Please shield us from the deceivers who would pervert what is right and what is wrong, who would lead us astray, who do the work of Satan our adversary. Help us do only what is righteous in Your eyes. We pray in the precious name of our Savior Jesus. Amen.
In chapter five of his beautiful book Isaiah relates a parable of the Lord's vineyard. In this telling, God has given every advantage to this vineyard, in placement, in preparation, in protection. He had every reason to expect it to bear good fruit, but instead only wild grapes grew. What more could He have done, God asks, that had not already been done? What more advantage or gift could He have provided? There is nothing left to do but to destroy the vineyard and all that served it. Of course the vineyard is Israel and the parable relates all that God had provided the people so that they might obey him and do good works. Instead, everywhere He looks He sees nothing but worthless fruits. Jesus continued this parable, as recorded by Matthew in his Gospel account (Matthew 21:33-46), noting that the Owner even sent His Son to the people working the vineyard. But instead of repenting and doing right, the people killed the Son. Again the message is clear that God has given every possible chance to His children but will destroy the bad fruit, reserving all rewards for the good.
God through Isaiah provides additional cautions to the people of Israel, but more intended for us since He knew His chosen would not listen or see. God indicts Israel on six counts, enumerating a woe for each. Woe to land grabbers (verses 8-10). Woe to drunkards (verses 11-17). Woe to blasphemers (verses 18-19). Woe to the conceited and vain (verse 21). Woe to improper and drunken judges (verses 22-25). And the focus of today's devotion verse, woe to those who pervert moral distinctions. These are deceivers, who try to confuse people, who say black is white, or who would convince others there is no black or white, only shades of gray, that there is no absolute right or wrong. This is a form of false teaching that the Apostle Paul so stridently warned about (please see "Deceiving Spirits" and other posts). These people want to excuse their own actions and behavior by confusing us and getting us to follow along in their gray ways. But God tells us there is indeed a right and a wrong. Paul tells us to follow only Jesus, the only right way. Woe to those who would deceive us into doing wrong. Don't be confused. Amen.
Father in heaven, please open our ears that we might hear Your warning and repent before You destroy Your vineyard. Please shield us from the deceivers who would pervert what is right and what is wrong, who would lead us astray, who do the work of Satan our adversary. Help us do only what is righteous in Your eyes. We pray in the precious name of our Savior Jesus. Amen.
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