Fathering in Faith

Before this begins, I’ve been dwelling a lot during the holidays about family and grief and joy. I’m still processing that all honestly. So there might be a blog on that eventually.

The last seven years, I’ve read the chronological bible in a year plan. I was gifted a wonderful spiral bound ESV journaling Bible that is split into sections (cause it’s so huge). So I decided to start with the prophets this year instead of go chronologically.

As I was reading Isaiah this morning, I rekindled an idea that I’ve become pretty passionate about and wanted to share.

This year, will you be more concerned with God’s image or your own?

The beginning of Isaiah sets us up for the spiritual condition of Israel and Judah. The split kingdom was full of injustice. In several instances you see their lack of taking care of the poor and the widow.

Simultaneously, you see their people spend their time and money on pleasure instead.

“Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them! They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.” – Isaiah 5:11-12

Although this specific text contrasts the indulgence of the people with the hunger of those lesser, I think there is another application as well. It’s making sure to those around you that you look like you are doing all the right things. If you look in previous chapters, it was very much about status and looking like you have everything together.

The funny thing to me about this text is that God understands their true idol is their own image. The indulgence is just a branch of their true goal: to look like they have it all together. People (me included) do this all the time, but so do churches. We fear a google review, or the gossip of those who have left. We think, if we just smile and cover up the sin we struggle with, that it will be ok. But God is concerned with our hearts. It’s never been about the outside view.

So God struck His people where it hurt the most.

“Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst. Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure, and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down, her revelers and he who exults in her. Man is humbled, and each one is brought low, and the eyes of the haughty are brought low. But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness. Then shall the lambs graze as in their pasture, and nomads shall eat among the ruins of the rich. Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin as with cart ropes, who say: “Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right! Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them, and the mountains quaked; and their corpses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭25‬

I know that’s a large amount of scripture to read, so I hope it wasn’t skimmed or skipped. It’s more important than my words.

Exile will be the punishment. And with it, a part of verse 14 rings very true to God’s people: “and the nobility of Jerusalem and her multitude will go down.”

God is going to hit them right where it hurts: their image. Why? Because they did not care about His in the process. Take note of verse 20. They called evil good. What does that look like practically? Gossiping because you believe people need to know the truth (guilty… I’ve done that many times in my life). Covering up sin and plots of evil with NDAs or threats maybe? The “good” is that we don’t cause dissension. The evil is that we still cause dissension behind the doors.

At the end of the day, there is really one point to this. And Isaiah models the “right” response.

“Woe is me.”

And what happens when Isaiah humbles himself and repents? “Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” – Isaiah 6:7b

Expose your sin.

Repent.

Ask God to clean your heart.

And He will. He is faithful.