"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE DANGER OF SIN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE DANGER OF SIN"
(Taken from Today's Reading from the One Year Bible)
Isaiah 5:20 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 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!
Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions and a prayer:
Isaiah was a prophet of God sent by God to minister to the southern kingdom of Judah. Like the other prophets God sent him to point out the sins of the people, and to call them to repentance, and back to the blessings of God. God was trying to prevent further destruction from coming into their lives. Unfortunately, they did not listen, and wound up going into captivity by the Babylonians.
These two verses are very descriptive of the depths of darkness the people had fallen into. God, through Isaiah, was warning them of what terror awaited them. The Word "Woe" used in the Bible always speaks of judgement to come. It was coming, and it did come.
1. Judgement will come upon those who call evil good, and good evil.
Isaiah 5:20 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!
It's very amazing at how powerful sin is, that it can make a person think that evil is good and good is evil. And that darkness is light, and light is darkness.
Sin corrupts the mind and reasoning of man so that he gets the truth backwards and lives a backwards misdirected unfruitful life.
God was saying to the people, this is the way you are living and judgement is coming on the heels of your activities.
Destruction is certain is another way of saying it when people have sunk this low and this far away from God's truth.
2. Judgement will come upon those who put darkness for light and light for darkness. Who put bitter for sweet.
Isaiah 5:20 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!
This is basically a repeat of what was said earlier. In the Bible, light is a symbol of truth and righteousness, and darkness is a symbol of evil and lies. God was saying when men get to the point where they are saying that light is dark, and dark is light, they are extremely twisted in their moral character and thinking.
To call good evil, and evil good, and light darkness, and darkness light is perversity at its greatest. There is nothing worse.
This is where the Children of Judah were at.
They had abandoned the Word of God and would not listen to the men He sent to them.
In fact they killed and stoned the prophets of God.
It's not really any different today.
People can get so far away from God that they reject those whom God sends to them. It's frightening what can happen to a person.
3. Judgement will come upon those who are wise in their own eyes. And prudent in their own sight.
Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!
This is another way of describing the sad condition of the people.
They were wise in their own eyes.
Or they were so filled with pride they had no room for God.
They were proud instead of humble.
They had no fear of God in their lives anymore.
They considered themselves to be prudent, or clever.
Man is not what he needs to be apart from God.
We need the wisdom and truth of God.
God calls us to not trust in ourselves, but in Him.
The Children of Judah had departed from humility, and were lifted up in pride.
Some Questions:
1. Do you realize that sin actually blinds a person to the truth of God?
2. Isn't it terribly sad that God's own people were now headed down a path of destruction?
3. Would you agree that we as Christians could stand a good dose of understanding the terribleness of sin more than we do?
4. Guess who is behind all this mixed up thinking? You probably guessed right, it's the devil himself.
5. When you look at our nation today, would you say we are similar to Judah, or do you see us as not being like them?
6. If you believe we are like the children of Judah, what do you think awaits us a nation?
A Prayer:
Father, Your Word has been given to us to reveal so many things. Your Word deals with the important issues of life, like sin, judgement, redemption, reconciliation, repentance, and forgiveness. Your Word also reveals to us how corrupt our hearts can become. Father, we know that Your son is at Your right hand interceding for us to be kept from evil and the evil one. If Jesus is praying for us in this manner, then it must be a very real danger for us to watch out for. Would You help us to be renewed in the fear of the Lord. Please help us, Lord, to be sober minded, and to be alert and watchful, guarding our hearts and watching over our families. We thank You for our church, and pray that we would follow Your leading, and that You would watch over us, and direct us into Your Word. Give us understanding, awaken us where needed. Someone once said the job of the minister is to "comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable”. May we be able ministers of Your Lord God. In Jesus name, amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.