Isaiah 1:2-4 – Forsaking the Lord
Holiness brings happiness. Sin brings misery. We see God talking about the people’s sin in verses 2-4. Isaiah calls the creation to look down and be God’s witness on what is almost an unbelievable horror. And what is this horrible thing? Those who are God’s people have rebelled against Him who has given them life. They have rebelled against Him who has shown them such mercy, such kindness, such grace. Unlike domestic animals who know how to be grateful, who know how to be submissive, know how to obey their human masters, the humans here just go on and do what they want. They go off stupidly into sin.
Verse four is a description of the people’s sin. Their sin is something that weighs them down. They are called here an offspring of evildoers. They are children who are not a delight to their Father in heaven, but they bring corruption. They have forsaken the Lord, He who has taken them out of Egypt and brought them into their own land, that they might have fellowship with Him; they have forsaken Him. They’ve run away. They are given such privileges, and they say, we don’t want this. They want to turn away from Him so they can turn to serve idols.
How like the professed church of Christ in our own day! How like our own society today – blessed by God and turning away in order to follow after the idols of popularity, money, power, or whatever. Is this a description of you? Have you been outwardly called? Have you made outward profession? Have you been marked as God’s own by your baptism? Yet are you turning away? You want something else. You think you shall find happiness and freedom in another place? I want you to know that God sees this, God knows this, and God will deal with you.
Questions
- What does sin bring?
- What have these people done to the Lord?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we would pursue holiness.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.