Isaiah 56:9-12 Oblivious
Even though God is warning the people of the coming consequences for their sins, their leaders are oblivious. “Nothing bad is going to happen. After all, aren’t we God’s children?”
Isaiah stands in the courtyard and on the street corners proclaiming what it to come. He is also speaking of what will be Judah’s future. He hasn’t given it in detail but the words of “captivity” and “defeat” are certainly among those he spoke. He also spoke of coming out of captivity from Babylon so they should know where their danger is coming from. Yet, the leaders refuse to listen.
Hezekiah most likely listened but he is the one who showed the men of Babylon ALL his treasures. Manasseh refused to listen to God or Isaiah. And I have no doubt that he thought his gods able to keep him safe; until he was truly humbled and came to God. In the end, God sited Manasseh’s egregious sins as the ‘final straw’ for Judah. Not even Manasseh’s repentance and Joash’s reign would save Judah at that point.
I see this happening in our world. Our leaders are oblivious to the wrath they are bringing down from God. They think that they can make enough “policy changes” and political alliances to save this world; to fix what is wrong with it. NONE of them are humbling themselves before God. NONE of them are seeking HIS will and guidance. And their sins keep getting worse and Worse and WORSE! I see judgment on the horizon.
I wonder what will be the ‘last straw’ this time. In my country SOME positive changes have happened but with them they also brought some negative changes. Abortion is no longer a legal nationwide. Several states have now made it illegal. In some of those states they have gone overboard. In one state, ANY termination of pregnancy is illegal and they are even insisting that woman whose child has died in the womb continue to carry it until their body expels it on its own. Not every woman’s body expels the still born child on her own.
Father God, You know the timing of things to come. You know what that ‘last straw’ is going to be. I’m here hanging on to Your hand through all that is going on in this world. I haven’t a clue how to ‘fix it’. I’m leaving that in Your hands too. Don’t let me be blind to what is going on around me but also don’t let me become so caught up in it that I scare myself; or others. Keep me looking to the clouds for my Redeemer drawth nigh! And I KNOW things are going to get MUCH worse before they get better, no matter WHO is President. My hope comes from YOU. NOT this world or its leaders!!!
