Isaiah 30 Thoughts
This has been weighing on my heart since the beginning of January and I’m still praying into things so bear with me. It all started while I was praying for a friend when I wound up in Deuteronomy 28. Yep. Of all places the last book of the Pentateuch is where I landed. Funny how wisdom never grows old and stands the test of time. It’s right there after a pretty major deposit from God to Moses… (you know, those commandments and laws and whatnot) and in chapter 28 it dives into the blessings for obedience. I’m not going to go into too much detail concerning my study time with this one BUT we’re I landed with this is in verse 14 where it says
…and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left to go after other gods to serve them.
I wrote in the margins of my bible “We’re not to submit to the right or the left but to the authority of God. This is our obedience.” Our obedience, our allegiance, our faith, hope, trust, all is submitted to Him. Quickly after this comes verse 15 about curses for disobedience which I will not be diving into.
Then came a meeting that was supposed to be for one thing and ended up being a 3 hour prayer session and that’s how we ended up with Isaiah 30.
You see, I have been so up and down with the 2020 Election. Yes, my candidate lost but it was the vapid upheaval that had me really shaken. I had no idea how many people believed in and focused on a king to save us instead of the King. Yes, I do understand that certain people think/feel that our liberties are being stripped away… this is coming from a girl who carries and actual copy of the US Constitution on her person at all times… but like… didn’t we see this one coming? Have we not taken a faceplant into the word of God where it says “HEY TROUBLE’S COMING”? And look I do not want to experience things like prison, having my children taken from me, my Bible taken away, blackouts, martial law, or any other thing that has been theorized about… but didn’t Paul say to count it pure joy? Okay… back to Isaiah 30.
1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!”
Oooof… Quick heart check for me personally was: Have I sought the protection of Pharaoh instead of seeking protection under the shadow of El Shaddai? Probably. I push for pro-life laws, I press lawmakers to do my bidding, did I get caught up in the muddy, mess? If I’m not pressing in to the Word of God and being a living testimony for Jesus… then am I seeking out Pharaoh?
8 And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be fort the time to come as a witness forever. 9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; 10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel…”
Uh yeah… this section pretty much calls us out and we need to wake up. First and foremost as children of God - did we ask for the prophets to give us the answers we desired? Did we help stoke the egos of prophets that jumped upon calling up a particular candidate in order to quell the chaos that raged in peoples hearts and minds instead of giving us faithful instruction to turn our eyes to the Word of God? Maybe… I know I needed to answer these questions. Secondly, I see a call to righteousness and redemption. If we read these words we have to realize what this means for leadership. As leaders, we have to be ready to receive and disciple those that have been caught up in asking for a manipulation of the prophetic and for the protection of earthly men instead of seeking safety under the shadow of God’s wings. This includes both sides, not just the one we happen to agree with.
We get so caught up in the thirst for justice, sometimes I think we forget that He is a God of Justice. We are blessed when we wait for His Justice.
So in the famous words of a great friend and teacher, “how then shall we live”? In light of everything I’ve been reading, I’m treading carefully. With my words, my actions, my thoughts… I’ve been thrust to take a look at everything that I’ve put my trust in and unfortunately… I confess that sometimes it wasn’t entirely in the Lord. I don’t want to hold on to prophesy illusions - I want the Word of the Lord. Period. Full stop. Because at the end of the day, we’re all seeking answers and “our truths” to try to rectify and justify our positions. Our positions are in the Kingdom. So my confession and ask for repentance is this: Lord, with all that has rocked me… I confess that I have not put my trust fully in you. I long for Your Peace. Help me Father turn my eyes away from the lust of safety according to the world and into Your Shadow. God I repent of my wrongdoing and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to help me fix my eyes on You. Amen.
