Woe Unto______???              A Word from THE WORD!!! #380

 

“Woe unto them that

call evil good,

and good evil;

that

put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that

put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that

are wise in their own eyes,

and prudent in their own sight!

22 Woe unto them that

are mighty to drink wine,

and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

23 Which justify the wicked

for reward,

and take away the righteousness

of the righteous from him!”  Isaiah 5:20-23

Isaiah is an amazing book, and here we see God’s message to Isaiah for an errant and wayward people, who like many Americans were so full of themselves that they couldn’t and wouldn’t see God and His way!   The passage above could be on the front page of our own newspapers; the question is, will we listen to the “Woes” that God is warning us with?  The saddest thing to me is that so many who claim the name of Jesus (much like Israel of old) walk, and talk, and behave just like the world which is what God was talking to Isaiah about!

Let’s go on in Isaiah and see his call from God, and his faithful and willing response to a life of preaching to an unresponsive people!  It was God’s call, even though a less than appealing one, that Isaiah responded to in repentance, humility, and willingness; a ministry to a people, mostly unresponsive to God!  Notice that God knew but reached out to them anyway!  How about us. I can’t help but see the parallel to America!  God have mercy on us today!

Let’s look at Isaiah’s call!

“In the year that king Uzziah died

I saw also the Lord

sitting upon a throne,

high and lifted up,

and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims:

each one had six wings;

with twain he covered his face,

and with twain he covered his feet,

and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said,

Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts:

the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door

moved at the voice of him that cried,

and the house

was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I,

Woe is me!

for I am undone;

because I am a man

of unclean lips,

and I dwell in the midst

of a people of unclean lips:

for mine eyes have seen the King,

the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me,

having a live coal in his hand,

which he had taken

with the tongs

from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said,

Lo, this hath touched thy lips;

and thine iniquity is taken away,

and thy sin purged.”  Isaiah 6:1-7

I pray that we will understand that truly seeing God/Jesus will either bring repentance or rebellion.  When we see God as God, and bow before Him in repentance and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice at Calvary, then and only then will we clearly hear and see.  Who are you listening to?  Have you been converted?

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

Whom shall I send,

and who will go for us? 

Then said I,

Here am I; send me.

9 And he said,

Go, and tell this people,

Hear ye indeed,

but understand not;

and see ye indeed,

but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat,

and make their ears heavy,

and shut their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears,

and understand with their heart,

and convert,

and be healed.

11 Then said I,

Lord, how long?

And he answered,

Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant,

and the houses without man,

and the land be utterly desolate,

12 And the LORD have removed men

far away,

and there be a great forsaking

in the midst of the land.”  Isaiah 6:8-12

Just because America hasn’t experienced the outright judgment of God, doesn’t mean that it isn’t coming.  Are we willing to answer as Isaiah did, repent, and go where ever God leads, and speak His truth no matter the cost; or are we just going along to get along?  I pray that we will hear the voice of The Lord and heed His voice, repent and obey.  Our good shepherd is all we need, but we must heed His voice and recognize the lies of the enemy!  Remember why Jesus came!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.”           Matthew 1:21

And even Jesus Himself tells us that He is the giver of eternal life!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man

pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.”  John 10:27-30

Jesus told us that when we know God, we will know HIM, and when we know HIM, we will know God!  Do you know the Savior, or have you been misled to ignore the truth and buy the lies?  There is only One right way—His name is Jesus—anything else is the wrong way; and hearing God is to belong to Him by being born again by grace through faith in Jesus substitutionary, atoning sacrifice at Calvary.  Whom are you believing—the Lord Jesus or the father of lies.  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

“Jesus said unto them,

If God were your Father,

ye would love me:

for I proceeded forth and came from God;

neither came I of myself,

but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech?

even because ye cannot hear my word.

44 Ye are of your father the devil,

and the lusts of your father ye will do.

He was a murderer from the beginning,

and abode not in the truth,

because there is no truth in him.

When he speaketh a lie,

he speaketh of his own:

for he is a liar,

and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth,

ye believe me not.

46 Which of you convinceth me of sin?

And if I say the truth,

why do ye not believe me?

47 He that is of God heareth God’s words:

ye therefore hear them not,

because ye are not of God.”  John 8:42-47

Please my friends, I pray that you will come to the Savior if you haven’t already; and if you have that you will let Him shine through you!  Don’t let Satan rob you of holiness and truth—he never tells the truth, and his reward is deceit and hell.  Jesus is waiting for you!  I pray that you will hear the voice of The Savior saying welcome home, not “woe”!  Jesus said it also in Matthew—which gate will you enter through?  Will you find destruction or life in Jesus.  It’s your choice.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction,

and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate,

and narrow is the way,

which leadeth unto life,

and few there be that find it…

….22 Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.” Portions of Matthew 7:13-23

The woe of missing the target is sad to me.  Don’t miss Jesus!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test coming! Isaiah went willingly to a people who didn’t want to hear truth; what is God asking you and me to do?  Remember HE is faithful.

“Let us draw near with a true heart

in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled

from an evil conscience,

and our bodies washed

with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith

without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised😉”. Hebrews 10:22-23

Amen and Amen!!!