Sin Is Essentially Against the Lord
Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-11
Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the LORD …
Isaiah 3:8
At times a young person’s pride and lack of gratitude can reach the point of denying the kindness of parents and teachers who nurture him. In such instances, the pain and disappointment of those who love that young person can be heartbreaking.
But God himself experiences such a sense of betrayal. God’s own people denied their dependence on the Lord, who guarded and protected them and provided for their every need. In God’s place, they were willing to say to a piece of timber or metal that they had shaped with their hands, “Save me, you are my god” (Isaiah 44:17).
What staggers us is that delusion can grasp an entire society, regardless of education or social status. Isaiah writes, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray” (53:6). This included everyone from soldiers to princes, prophets, judges, and skilled workers as well as the spiritual con-artists who distracted people from following God.
Isaiah’s opening chapters paint an honest picture of God’s judgment. But judgment does not come without grace. In Isaiah 65:2 the Lord describes his posture toward his wayward people: “All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people.”
The loving Father is willing to restore his wayward children to their honored position in his family (see Luke 15:21-24). Do you see yourself in that scene?
Father, we confess that we are guilty of sins that deserve your anger. Thank you for Jesus, who not only came to take our place on the cross but also intercedes for us. Amen.
About the author — Victor Atallah
Rev. Victor Atallah is the broadcast team leader for The Back to God Hour Arabic ministry and the general director of Middle East Reformed Fellowship. These meditations are based on texts of Arabic broadcasts aired a few years ago and an Arabic commentary on the book of Isaiah prepared for publication. Rev. Atallah and his wife, Lisa, live in Larnaca, Cyprus, where The Back to God Hour Arabic ministry is based. The ministry reaches Arabic-speaking people throughout the Middle East and North Africa, introducing them to Jesus Christ, Savior of the nations.
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