October 1927
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affect? (Isa. 1:5; Prov. 15:28; Isa. 59: 3, 7; Psa. 52:2; 115:6; 2 Pet, 2:14.) Did our Saviour prefer gifts to moral duties? (Matt. 5:23-24.) —o— G o l d e n T e x t I l l u s t r a t io n Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Psa. 24:3-4). “I have written orders not to go there,” said a youth, “and I dare not disobey them.” He had been tempted to go to a place where smoking and gambling were going on. “Don’t be such an old maid,” said his companions, “Come along like a man.” “No,” said John, '“I’ve got my written orders.” ‘‘Show them to us/’ his companions challenged. He took a pocket Bible from his pocket and read aloud: “Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away." “They are God’s orders,” John added, “and by His help I am going to keep them.” ’■ T SAIAH 1 has been correctly called “the great arraignment.”?. Verse 1 dates the prophet’s ministry. Verse 2 is a call to the heavens and earth to listen to the of our God, ye people of Gomorrah." The word of Jehovah here refers to the1 message which Isaiah is delivering. The royal house, with all of the government officials and the priestly caste, are termed “rulers of Sodom ”. Sodom and Gomor rah are proverbial names for those who have gone to the very depths of sin and vice. When the leaders of the people are leading corrupt, immoral and irreligious lives, their example will influence the masses, who will follow in their steps. The expression “law of our God” being parallel to the expression “ike word of Jehovah,” refers likewise to His message and not necessarily to the system of law given at Sinai. The populace of Jerusa lem is called “people of Gomorrah” be cause it was engaging in the same evil practices which characterized the people of that doomed city. Today officials in the government should live clean, upright, moral lives, thus setting the proper ex ample for the people. Especially should ministers of the Gospel, elders, deacons and all Christian workers live exemplary lives, setting an example to the flock of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:3). V. 11. “What unto me is the multitude of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah: I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams . . . " It was perfectly proper, when the heart trusted God and the life was conformed to the will of God, for Israel to bring the sacrifices as commanded in the law of Moses. Under such condi tions their sacrifices were well-pleasing to the Lord, but when the life is impure and the thoughts corrupt, thousands of sacrifices and rivers of oil could not atone for the moral delinquency. Today people delivery o f t h e mes sage. Verses 3-9 pre sent a clear statement of Israel’s backslid- ings and the conse q u e n t punishment thereof. V. 10. “H e a r the word of Jehovah, ye r u l e r s o f Sodom: give ear unto the law
seek justice; relieve the oppressed"i-’ll(v. 17). Prove your love to Him by serving your fellow man. Such a man will not have a dull time in this old world, but will find that his inspiration is full, his confidence sure, and his peace calm and deep. “Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be.as white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (v. 18). Though our manner of life has been loathsome to God, and though we justly deserve sud den destruction, if we are ready to get right with Him, He is ready to forgive and to bless us abundantly. Thousands have heard the words of verse 18, have acknowledged the vileness of their sins, and in the greatness of their misery, have found the greatness of the remedy—the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Scarlet is regarded as the most fast of colors. Hence, it is used by Isaiah to represent the fixity of sin in men’s hearts. No human means can wash it out. No external rites, penances or merits can take it away, yet the mercy of God can. remove every stain and make the heart, in God’s sight, as white as the driven snow. “Come now, let us reason together.” This is something very different from reasoning about the Lord. What gain is there in reasoning about His existence and His infinite purposes? All this is beyond the scope of human wisdom. Mil lions, however, have found great gain in reasoning with the Lord—in applying the teachings of His Word, His provi dences, His Spirit. To Him, then, bring your sins, your sorrows, your needs, and “if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (v. 19). —o— P i t h a n d P o in t Like a grounded telephone wire, sin grounds prayer (Isa. 1:15). The sin of cold ingratitude and rebel lion against God’s authority lies at the world’s door today as never before (v. 2). The,want of thought about sin is the gravest cause of barren piety (v. 3). Beware lest while you are going for ward enthusiastically in men’s eyes, you are going backward as God sees you (v. 4). The fire that melts wax only hardens clay. Which are you? (v. 5). Mistake not religious services for ser vice (v. 12). No religious exercise is ever acceptable when moral duties are neglected. —o— S u g g e s t iv e Q u e s t io n s What seven-fold indictment does Isa iah bring against Judah? (Isa. 1:4.) What New Testament “comes" make good companions for the “come” in Isa iah 1 :18? What does God think of our prayers when our hearts are not truly set upon doing His will? (Prov. 28:9. Cf. Isa. 1 :13.) Does God still require thoroughgoing repentance of those who would belong to His fold? (V. 16. Cf. Jas. 4:8; 2 Cor. 7:1.) Does merely ceasing to do evil meet God’s requirements? (Vs. 16-17. Cf. Rom. 12:9.) How much of the personality does sin
It was God who nursed our infanj years, watched over and sustained out growth, brought up our nation to the glory and strength of manhood. Whence are we drifting today? What means the widespread rebellion against God’s au thority, the flouting of His Word? Are we, too, becoming “a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity”? There is but one hope—" Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people" (v. 10). The contempt of the people for God rendered them more senseless than brutes. “The ox knoweth his owner,” declared Isaiah, “and the ass his master’s crib" (v. 3). They had lost their sense of dependence on God. They “did not con sider” the debt of obedience that was due to Him. Out of failure to consider the heinousness of sin, grows a low estimate of sin, and superficial feelings which are easily satisfied with a mere form of worship. Isaiah’s estimate of the hatefulness of sin is not popular today. “The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint. From the sole o f the foot even unto the head there is no soundness" (vs. 5-6). Sin is a deeper disease than our modern superficial thinkers are wont to imagine. God still had “a small remnant" (v. 9) who were faithful. There has’ been no time in history that He has been without this( remnant. There have been times it has been small and feeble, but God’s covenant cannot fail, and His Gospel will be kept alive in the land. No careful student can miss the fact that the prophets always insisted upon the distinction between the outward forms of the Old Testament and their inward spiritual meaning. Isaiah is one who makes it plain that it is not sacrifices and burnt offerings, oblations and incense, church-going and Sabbath-keeping, feasts and assemblies that God delights ’in. It is first of all heart purity and obedience to His will. Apart from genuineness of heart “to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices?” (v. 11). Religious rites and services are appointed of God, but they are a perversion and an abomination unless pervaded by the .moral and spir itual element. “They are a trouble unto Me,” says Jehovah, “I am weary to bear them” (v. 14). “One cup of healing oil and wine, , One offering laid on mercy’s shrine, Is thrice more grateful, Lord, to Thee, Than lifted eye or bended knee,” The very purpose of the sacrifices in the old dispensation was to evince God’s hatred of sin. They were to deepen con4 viction by representing the death which the offerer of the sacrifice himself de served. They were worthless unless the officer recognized the fact that they typi fied the divine Victim upon whom God intended to lay the iniquity of us all. This certainly could not be a substitute for penitence, faith and obedience. We who live in this age of grace should surely understand why God de sires not our sacrifice. Christ has died for our sins, once for all. The blood is on the mercy seat. It need be nowhere else. There is naught that we can bring to win salvation, other than faith in His finished work and whole-hearted readi ness to do His will. ; His word to us today is like that to Israel. Be clean. “Put away the evil of your doings" (v. 16). “Learn to do well;
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