Isaiah 59:1
Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you,
nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
You have to feel sorry for Isaiah as he was given this chapter to speak to the nation of Israel.
People were scoffing at God, denying His involvement in human affairs and even calling Him too weak to do anything or too deaf to hear any prayers.
Isaiah's job was to proclaim that there had been no retirement of the Lord, no deterioration of His Omnipotent Power and He didn't need a hearing aid to hear their prayers.
Then comes the sting in the tail - to have to tell the nation that their sin was preventing God from helping and would lead to their destruction!
No one likes the word "sin" anymore - it is a dirty word! Rather call it a mistake or misdemeanour, something I couldn't help, my upbringing caused it etc etc.
Back in Isaiah's time, it wasn't too popular either, but nevertheless, Isaiah boldly speaks out.
Isaiah 59:2-4
It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.
Because of your sins, He has turned away
and will not listen anymore.
Your hands are the hands of murderers,
and your fingers are filthy with sin.
Your lips are full of lies,
and your mouth spews corruption.
No one cares about being fair and honest.
The people’s lawsuits are based on lies.
They conceive evil deeds
and then give birth to sin.
God is certainly merciful, but there are things He cannot bless.
How hard it is to speak out in our day and age! Our national sins are much more hidden and deceptive.
How many lives are being snuffed out before they've seen the light of day - we're not allowed to call it murder, but it really is a silent holocaust. The most vulnerable, helpless are being left undefended in the womb.
We bow our heads in shame at the six million Jews murdered in the the Nazi's Final Solution, but ignore the silent screams from the aborted lives.
We recoil in horror at how the the Nazis made an industry out of the killing - making soap, fertiliser and even lampshades out of the slain - but say nothing as the embryos are used in the cosmetic and drug manufacture.
Telling the truth can be labelled "hate speech".
Isaiah 59:15-19
Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him
That there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,
And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay,
Fury to His adversaries,
Recompense to His enemies;
The coastlands He will fully repay.
So shall they fear
The name of the Lord from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
As God's people let's join the intercession, to see our nation turned around and return to Jesus.
52 years of abortion in the UK: 9,335,879 lives lost since 1967 — one unborn baby every 3 minutes: https://righttolife.org.uk/news/52-years-of-abortion-in-the-uk-9335879-lives-lost-since-1967-one-unborn-baby-every-3-minutes
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