Date: Thursday August 02, 2012
Today's Chapters: Isaiah 46-49
Message Title: Rebellious Behavior

Hello My Friend,

To rebel means to refuse to submit to authority or obey rules imposed by others, no matter how old we are we all have rules to follow by someone of authority over us to follow. Those who rebel against God have a tough time in life, but sadly they are too arrogant to see that they can have everything they ever want if they just learn to listen to Him. Through Isaiah, God speaks to the ones who rebel against Him. “Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.” - Isaiah 46:3-6,9,13.

I imagine that God cries a lot for Israel, He chose them to be the nation of God, He birthed them from Abraham, and yet they rebel and refuse to receive His Son. It's just like a child who rebels from their parents and falls into all kinds of hardships as they get older because they have this arrogance to them that no one can tell them what to do. You know, we all want to live the life we want, but it's not always good for us. Anytime we let wickedness lead us to the things we want we are headed for destruction, which is what God is warning Israel. “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.” - Isaiah 47:10,13,14.

Sooner or later every person that rebels from God will seek advice because things are not going the way they want them to go, the sad thing is, they seek it from the world. Many will turn to horoscopes, psychics, and other spiritual means of find answers and get caught up in a bigger mess. Yes, it is a mess, and those who rely on them are receiving advice from the devil himself, and headed for dstruction. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” - 1 John 4:1-3.

Perhaps more upsetting to God than a rebellious person is one who is rebellious against His Word, they want God in their lives, they just do not want to live the way He wants them to live. Through Isaiah, God addresses those who swear by God, but have not idea who He is. “Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.” - Isaiah 48:1,5-8.

It is only by God's mercy and grace that we are not struck down every time we put our trust in money, possessions, lifestyles, or people over Him. God wants us to have the things we need and desire, He really does want us to have a prosperous life, He just wants us to have some morals about obtaining them. God wants all of us, not part of us, while He will not cut us off for not living by all of His Word, we can be sure to face some affliction for our actions. Through Isaiah, God reminds His people that He will not cast them away, but can expect some affliction. “For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” - Isaiah 48:9-12,16,17.

God may speak a lot about Israel, but He has not forgotten about the others, He used Israel to be the example for all nations to follow. Through Isaiah, God once again reminds us that He is not only the God of the Jews. “And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.” - Isaiah 49:6,8-10.

While anyone could have converted to a Jew and follow the laws of the Jews, it was important for them to reject Jesus so that the rest of the world could see the light. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6-10.

Today's Prayer: God, As much as I try to live in Your will and do the things You want me to do I know that the desires of my flesh can overturn my efforts. Lord, give me Your power to live in Your will, to obtain the things I need and desire through Your guidance and not my own. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and forgiveness and also for your patience in me repenting of any rebellious behavior that I might have. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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