Isaiah 28:1 – 31:9 (Continued)

August 08, 2011

Then God says—write this down Isaiah. I love that. Make this clear Isaiah. I don't want any misunderstandings. I want everyone to know why what is going to happen—happens. I want it to be a witness forever.

Here is the why:

• these people lie
• they refuse to obey
• they refuse (unwilling) to listen to me
• they've willfully hardened their hearts
• they are stubborn
• they don't want to know the truth
• they want their own way
• they want to be in control
• they only want to believe what they want
• they demand what they want
• they refused to accept what God was saying
• they've depended on cruelty to help them
• they've depended on lies to help them

You are guilty of these things. So, because you are guilty of these things the following will happen:

• you will be like a high wall with cracks in it
• the wall will fall suddenly and break into pieces
• you will be like a clay jar that breaks
• smashed into tiny pieces
• the pieces will be too small to take coals from the fire or to get water from the well

Utter destruction and devastation. God's words, written in quotes and recorded by Isaiah so it would be a witness forever. But, because our God is a God of love, grace, and forgiveness, He gives them another chance. A chance to return to Him.

"If you come back to me and trust me, you will be saved.  If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong."

Trust me—and there will be repentance and rest. Trust me—and you will have calmness and strength. But sadly, they didn't want to accept God's offer. They still wanted to be in charge of their own destiny. "We will ride away on fast horses." But their enemies horses would be even faster. You will be vulnerable to your enemies threats and "you will be left alone like a flagpole on a hill..." Totally exposed.

Trying to be "in charge" of your own destiny never works! Man has no power to do that. Only God. Only God determines our destiny, and He does it in direct response to the choices we make. He seeks us. He pursues us. He wants us.

"The LORD wants to show his mercy to you. He wants to rise and comfort you. The LORD is a fair God, and everyone who waits for his help will be happy (blessed)."

The verse Jane (Her Name Was Jane) asked me to read again. Jane said, "Read the part about wait on the LORD again." The verse I didn't even know I had read. The verse I had to find by using my finger to retrace and line-by-line scan the words beginning from the end of the chapter. The verse that was a confirmation in September of '07 to what Jane told me to read in July of '07. A verse I am still learning about today. 

For the past week or so, in praying Psalm 140, I have concentrated my praying on the words found in Psalm 140:6  - "Hear O LORD our cry for mercy." When I look back to the dates I began writing about Isaiah 28–31, my focusing on that phrase would have had to start about the same time as I started writing about these chapters. I've never focused my praying on that particular phrase before.

Psalm 140:6–7 - "But we say, You are our God. Hear O LORD our cry for mercy. O Sovereign LORD, our strong deliverer, who shields our heads in the days of battle. Do not grant the wicked their desires. Do not let their plans succeed or they will become proud."

So, for the past week I have focused on the phrase, "Hear our cry for mercy." And now, as I am writing about Isaiah 30, (which Jane asked us to read in September of '07), and I begin to write about verse 18, (the verse Jane told me to read again), I now notice things in the verse that take on new meaning. I've been quoting Psalm 140:6 - "Hear my cry for mercy," and Isaiah 30:18 says - "The LORD wants to show his mercy to you. He wants to rise and comfort you." He is a fair God, wait on Him. Then Verse 19 goes on to say when He hears your cries for mercy, He will help you. The NIV says He longs to show you compassion. We just need to ask.  

LORD, we are asking. Hear our cry for mercy. LORD, you know "the storm" situation we are facing. Hear our cry for mercy, LORD. Hear our cry for mercy.

Yesterday in church we sang a song we haven't sang in a long time. I Love the LORD

"I love the LORD, for he heard my voice. He heard my cry for mercy. I love the LORD for he turned his ear to me; I will call on him as long as I live. The LORD is gracious and righteous. The LORD is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simple-hearted; he has become by salvation. I love the LORD, for he heard my voice. He heard my cry for mercy...."

I believe the song was written from Psalm 116:1–2, but it could have just as easily been written from Isaiah 30:18–19. We've been in the "waiting room" a long time. (The waiting room—a place where God "grows" us. His purpose is not to destroy us, it is to make us more like Him.) We haven't been anxious or impatient. It has basically become the norm. So, I was a little surprised by the nudge from the Holy Spirit to focus on the phrase "hear my cry for mercy" this past week. Why does what God continues to do keep surprising me? And the obvious answer is—because He is God and I am not.

LORD, I know you have heard my voice. I know you have heard my cry for mercy. I know you have turned your ear to me. I know you are gracious. I know you are righteous. I know you are just. I know you are full of compassion. I know you are fair. I know you have promised us your protection from "the storm." I know you are faithful. I know you are the one who blesses. I know you are our defender. I know you are our peace. I know you are our salvation. We put our faith and trust in You and you alone.

Addendum: 5/9/15 ~ "Hear our cry from mercy..." Several months ago (in early March) that phrase became my prayer of focus again. LORD—have mercy! "The storm" was once again brewing around us. We were caught in situations we had no control over, and I once again cried out to the LORD for mercy. We can't control what happens around us but we can control what happens in us and how we respond to it. We choose to go to the LORD and cry out for HIS mercy. We choose to believe HIS promises. We choose to wait on Him to save us. Even if there are storms brewing around us, we remain secure on our island of peace because we trust HIM.  


Next Entry: Isaiah 28:1 – 31:9 (Continued)