Isaiah 58
We begin now upon the last section or division of Isaiah's prophecy, a sort of appendix to what has gone before.
First is an exposure of the state of the people: "Cry aloud: spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (verse 1). In outward appearance all is well (verse 2), but "the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:77But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)).
Their fasting is hypocritical: "Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure and exact all your labors. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; ye fast not this day to cause your voice to be heard on high" (verses 3, 4).
David's Psalm of confession (the 51St) rightly states: "Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward 'parts." Can anything different be acceptable in the all-seeing eyes of a holy God?
Instead of much religious display which looks to their fellowmen like piety, but is utterly false, "Is not this the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor wanderers to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" (verses 6, 7). Had they really known God, and trusted in Him, these would be their ways, and His blessing would be with them.
Then should happiness, health and other earthly blessings be theirs, with God's approval shown. Then they would not have occasion to complain as in verse 3, as verse 9 shows.
The way of true earthly happiness is further set forth in the remaining verses of the chapter. The happy life is one devoted to the service of God and His people, with self lost sight of. Thus, "If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and the speaking vanity, and if thou proffer thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then Olaf' thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday" (verse 10).
Yet more: "And Jehovah will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought"—happy portion!—"and make strong thy bones; and thou shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters deceive not."
The ruin of former generations would be repaired, the waste places built up, providing habitations for the homeless (verse 12).
More blessed yet is the portion of the Israelite who truly puts God first in all his ways: "If thou turn back thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of Jehovah, honorable; and thou honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking idle words; then shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah, and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken (verses 13, 14).
These words are not addressed to Christians, but the principles expressed are true at all times. Are we negligent as to honoring the Lord with our substance, our energies, our opportunities?
Messages of God’s Love 5/6/1934