Isaiah Chapter 2 – We Have Hope!
Anyone who uses one’s material prosperity to judge one’s relationship with God may be deceived into thinking that the people of Judah were thriving in their faiths.
Isaiah observes, Judah’s “land is also full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is also full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots.” (Isaiah 2:7)
No end to it! This is a mouthwatering state that even the ambitious amongst us may not dare to dream for themselves.
In God’s eyes, however, the lives of God’s people were now “filled with eastern ways”, the practices of the Gentiles. They had also become soothsayers (i.e. people who could see the future) and idolaters, and they were filled with pride (Isaiah 2:6-8).
Being successful in this world – whether it’s reflected in our grades, work performance, growing bank accounts, or social status – truly does not reflect whether God is pleased with us or not.
Perhaps we mistake a smooth and wealthy life as always being one that has God’s hand in it. But that’s not true.
We Christians today may feel wiser than the people of Judah too, thinking we would never bow down to idols.
But I find it interesting that Isaiah describes their idolatry as this: “They worship the work of their own hands” (Isaiah 2:8).
Isaiah probably said this in reference to their idolatrous statues. But it makes me think about the work I do with my hands and their place in my life.
Have I let other forms of work-of-my-own-hands become idols I worship? My professional work? My side hustles? Hobbies I’m trying to monetise? Social media profiles on which I’m trying to gain traction? A future that I’m boasting about and striving to forge for myself (forgetting that the Lord holds tomorrow)?
One way to see if something has become an idol are these hard-hitting questions:
- Is this my greatest joy and source of satisfaction?
- Is this what I most enjoy spending time on?
- Is this what I most love spending money on?
- Is this causing me to disobey God?
- Is it distracting me from pursuing God?
Honestly, I find these difficult to answer for myself. They are questions that evoke some shame and guilt, feelings I want to avoid, because they make me feel bad that after all these years, I’m a Christian who’s still “like this”.
No Christian wants to feel like they’re an idolater. Of course.
If you’re still with me, and you feel what I feel, it’s not the end of the road for us.
Let’s not bury our heads in the sand like ostriches just to avoid feeling bad. Stay with me. This is the important part.
In spite of Judah’s sinfulness, Isaiah knows the merciful heart of the Lord.
Isaiah cries out: “O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:5) Return, Isaiah says. Return!
In fact, Isaiah 2 even begins with a prophesy of hope: The Lord shall generously share His salvation grace with all nations, including you and me.
In contrast to sinful Judah, who are those to be praised?
Those in the prophesy who crave God’s word and seek to be His disciple. Those who want to go up to the mountain of the Lord (Isaiah 2:3). (Let’s make that us!)
Are those who go up to the mountain of the Lord automatically perfect? No.
Remember Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12: “when I am weak…”
Or recall Peter, who denied the Lord, rather violently chopped off someone’s ear, and returned to fishing rather than fulfill Jesus’ mission of evangelism after His crucifixion.
Let’s be real. Today, our hearts may be lukewarm and our faith wavering. We may have a laundry list of weaknesses. The true Lord of our lives may not be Jesus Christ, but some K-Pop celebrity our mind can’t stop thinking about.
But our weaknesses are never beyond God. The Lord of Creation who formed us in our mother’s womb. Who knows our weaknesses better than we do.
We who are washed in the blood of Christ have His promise to continually forgive us. He has come to make His home with us. A home He helps become Spirit-led should we desire it.
When we invite the Holy Spirit to work through our weaknesses, we can truly say, when I am weak, then I am strong. For the power of the Lord rests upon me.
Wherever we have strayed in our faith, return to the loving Father. Wherever our faith is imperfect, God will teach us His ways.
Lord, forgive us for our weaknesses. Remove the idols in our hearts and be the true Lord of our lives.
Together with the Spirit working in us, we can walk in His light.
