Their Tongue And Their Doings Are Against The Lord
Isaiah 3:8— “For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory.”
Isaiah was one of the greatest prophets to ever live. Actually, the Lord quoted Isaiah more than any other prophet. Isaiah’s ministry was almost exclusively to the kingdom of Judah. He did address other countries, but only as they related to Judah and Jerusalem.
Isaiah’s style of ministry would not be too appreciated by today’s modern church. He was bold and uncompromising in his preaching. He did nothing to curry favor with anyone. Though his preaching was harsh and stern, at the same time, he had great compassion and tenderness for the souls of men. He detested Judah’s sin, but he mourned over the fate of their eternal souls.
It is interesting to note that from Moses to Christ was approximately 1,500 years. Were two men to start a journey of time with one beginning during Moses’ time going forward, and the other beginning during the time of Christ, going backward at an equal pace, they would intersect at Isaiah 53:6: “All we like sheep have gone astray: We have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Simply put, one could say that Isaiah was a “Cross preacher.” What a great compliment.
JUDAH’S APOSTASY
When Isaiah began his ministry, Judah had lost her way. In Isaiah 1:2, the Lord, speaking through the prophet, would say: “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me.”
Their rebellion came about because Judah had abandoned the Word of God. When a nation abandons the Bible—God’s Word—the only outcome is complete insanity. Government becomes corrupted, business becomes corrupted, morality becomes corrupted, and there is no respect for human life.
I think it is fair to say that this is a perfect picture of America and much of the church today.
Yet despite Judah’s sin and rebellion, the Lord tried to bring them back. Actually, the prophecies given by Isaiah to Judah concerning her destruction were given about 100 years before they would come to pass, even though the Holy Spirit through Isaiah speaks in the past tense as though these events had already happened.
This tells us two things: First, it tells us of the grace of God. The Lord doesn’t want one soul to go to hell. He will plead and He will send prophets to warn them because He loves them. Second, it tells us that the Lord knew they would not repent; therefore, He spoke in the past tense.
JERUSALEM IS RUINED, AND JUDAH IS FALLEN
As one reads these sobering words, one’s heart should feel the pathos and pain of the words. God’s people have turned their back on the one true God and are now worshipping idols, even to the point of offering up human sacrifices in honor of the idol Moloch.
Is it wrong to think that one could say today, “Washington is ruined, and America is fallen”? I don’t want to take the idea too far, but the similarities between Judah of old and America of today are striking.
Washington is ruined. We have no leadership. We have no respect for God, His ways, His people, or His book—the Bible. Washington is nothing more than a cesspool of wickedness with our leaders promoting and glorifying abortion, same-sex marriage, socialism, and intolerance of people of faith.
Washington is ruined and America is fallen. We are just a shell of the nation we once were. Our once glorious country has fallen as it worships its idols of humanism, socialism, secularism, and atheism.
However, the real truth is this: the church is ruined and the church is fallen. A nation can always be judged by the condition of the church of that nation.
I believe that just as God raised up Isaiah to speak to the nation of Judah, the Lord has also raised up SonLife Broadcasting Network to speak to the nations and to the church. Please do not take that statement lightly. Time is running out for our country and the church; there must be a voice to cry out, “return to the old paths”; there must be a _“voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” _
I believe the Lord has spoken to my heart: “SBN is a church for the world.” I believe that with every fiber of my being.
THEIR TONGUE AND THEIR DOINGS ARE AGAINST THE LORD
This phrase gives us the reason for Judah’s ruin. It tells us that when there is a departure from the Word of God, then the church and the nation is “against the Lord.” The Word of God—the Word of the Lord—is the only book of truth in the world. The Bible is the criteria for all life and living.
The Bible is the story of Calvary and any message preached, any belief system followed that is not based on the foundation of Christ and Him crucified is a message and a life that is “against the Lord.” Let me say it this way, when the church leaves the Cross and begins to promote other ways of salvation and sanctification, it means, “their tongue and their doings are against the Lord.”
TO PROVOKE THE EYES OF HIS GLORY
The phrase, “To provoke the eyes of His glory,” presents an unusual metaphor. God’s glory seems here to be identified with Him as being of His very essence, and thus “provoking the eyes of His glory” is simply provoking Him to look on the individual with anger.
Sin is always against God no matter how it is carried out. Sin is an affront to the glory of the Lord, who is pure righteousness.
Is it too late for the nation? Is it too late for the church? The answer is yes and no. Yes, because the majority is too far gone, and no, because there is always a remnant that won’t bow.
“Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh. 24:15).
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August 13, 2016 at 7:11 PMWhen Jimmy Swaggart sings, it is the Holy Spirit singing through him... for that reason it is unique
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