“I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did what was evil in mine eyes, and chose that wherein I delighted not.” (Isaiah 66:4, American Standard Version)
Throughout his prophetic sayings, one of Isaiah’s major themes is that his people have total disregard for the Lord. As early as 1:3, Isaiah criticizes their behavior by saying, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” (ASV) Indicting Judah and Jerusalem, Isaiah contrasts domestic animals’ knowledge of their master with Judah’s willful ignorance of their Lord. What makes this indictment astounding is the gifts that the Lord has lavished on His people: the covenants, the Law, the Land, and the prophets. The Lord has poured out His love, mercy, and grace upon His people. Yet, His people have rejected Him.
In verse 4, Isaiah points to three failures of the people. First, the people failed to answer the Lord’s call to repent: “when I called, none did answer.” A fuller account of their refusal to answer the Lord’s call is in 2 Chronicles 36:15-16. It says, “And the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” The opportunity for repentance from their sins passed them by.
Second, the people failed to hear the word of the Lord. The word ‘hear’ refers to Deuteronomy 6:3 where it says, “Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it;” Do what? Israel had an obligation to keep the Lord’s statutes and commandments. (2 Chronicles 6:2) In this context “to hear” means nothing less than to obey the word of the Lord. Hearing and obeying are synonymous terms in the Bible.
Third, the Lord’s people “did evil” instead of obeying the Lord. In another place Isaiah says, “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths.” (Isaiah 59:7, ASV) The people of the Lord were intentionally doing evil. Also see Genesis 6:5. Rather than being a light to the nations, the people of the Lord were exhibiting the same characteristics of those godless nations. What is the remedy for the people of the Lord?
Verse five gives the remedy. “Hear the word of the Yahweh, you that tremble at His word.” Listening and obeying the word of the Lord is the way back to forgiveness and salvation. In Mark 1:15 Jesus announces, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the gospel.” Turning from sin and turning to the Lord brings life and peace to humans.
The General Conference of the United Methodist Church is meeting in St. Louis, Missouri on February 23-26 in a special session to decide whether to lift its ban on ordaining homosexuals to the Gospel ministry and amending its stance on forbidding United Methodist ministers to perform same-sex marriages. In light of Isaiah 66:4’s message, I pray that the delegates will answer the Lord’s call to repentance, hear and obey the Lord’s word, and refrain from doing evil. May they instead “tremble at His word.”
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