82. The Snare of Misplaced Trust (1)

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Hymns: RHC 323 Trust and Obey 324 Trusting Jesus 325 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Isaiah 30

1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: 2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. 4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. 5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach. 6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. 7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. 8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: 9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. 12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: 13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. 14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. 15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. 16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. 17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. 19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. 20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. 22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. 23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. 24 The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. 25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. 26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound. 27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 28 And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err. 29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel. 30 And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. 31 For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod. 32 And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. 33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

The Snare of Misplaced Trust (1)

OUTLINE

  • Confidence in the World (v1-7)
  • Contempt of God’s Word (v8-17)
  • God’s Mercy Still Extended (v18-26)
  • God’s Wrath and His People’s Joy (v27-33)

INTRODUCTION

The Apostle John says to the church in 1 John 2:15-17 (KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

When God’s people turn away from the LORD and turn to put confidence in the world, there is the beginning of trouble.

The admonition of the LORD has always been to put their trust in Him that in chariots and horses.

Psalm 20:7-8 (KJV) Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Proverbs 21:31 (KJV) The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 32:8 (KJV) With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 32:21 (KJV) And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

The turning away of God’s people was described as “rebellious” here in Isaiah 30.

How was Israel a rebellious people? They are lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD (v9).

Isaiah 30:9 (KJV) That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

Isaiah 1:2 (KJV) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

The word “סָרַר” “sarar” means stubborn.

18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

“מָרָה” “marah” means be contentious, refractory, rebellious.

The stubborn and rebellious son has to be dealt with by the parents of the child together with the civil authorities of the city, to nib the problem in the bud before it would proliferate to the greater harm of society at large.

Deuteronomy 9:7 (KJV) Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious (marah – to be disobedient) against the LORD.

Deuteronomy 29:19-20 (KJV) And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

When God’s people turn away from the LORD, they put their confidence in the creature instead of the Creator, from living by faith to living by sight, from depending upon God’s goodness and His omnipotence to the arms of flesh, danger is ahead.

Proverbs 25:19 (KJV) Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

The broken tooth and disjointed foot are not useful to their function but are a source of pain and uneasiness. So is an unfaithful friend in time of trouble.

Proverbs 17:17 (KJV) A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

But many have the name only. Very friendly are they, when they are not needed; when help is truly needed, they are not there. This was what Job felt in the time of his adversity when his three friends – Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to meet with him. It was torment for Job and not comfort, they were miserable comforters.

  • Confidence in the World (v1-7)

1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

The fear of the LORD has departed from His people took not the counsel of Him but relied on their wisdom.

Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

And that cover with a covering – The idea here is that they seek protection or a covering from the impending calamity.

Instead of letting God’s Word and the Holy Spirit guide us in our decision-making, God’s people have turned to making alliances.

Proverbs 1:20-29 (KJV) Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

They add to the sin of rebellion against God that of forming an alliance, that with Egypt. Sins do not usually stand alone. When one is committed, it is often necessary to commit others in order to carry out and complete the plan which that contemplated. [Barnes]

2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

When Abraham first arrived in Canaan and there was a famine, he went down to Egypt without consulting the LORD (Gen. 12:10-20) endangering his wife Sarah and returning with an Egypt handmaid Hagar that will be a perpetual snare to his family.

Jacob went down to Egypt after consulting the LORD at Bethel, the LORD blessed his journey and multiplied his family in Egypt (Gen. 46:2-3).

Genesis 46:1-3 (KJV) And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:

3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

There is a tendency to see with our eyes and make decisions based on our sight rather than seek the LORD and see the spiritual aspect of our decision.

Isaiah warned them against such a alliance.

It was often the fault and folly of the people of the Jews that, when they were insulted by their neighbours on one side, they sought for succour from their neighbours on the other side, instead of looking up to God and putting their confidence in him. [Matthew Henry]

Against the Israelites they sought to the Syrians (2 Chron. 16:2-3).

2 Chronicles 16:2-3 (KJV) Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

Against the Syrians they sought to the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:7).

2 Kings 16:7 (KJV) So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.

Against the Assyrians they here sought to the Egyptians, and Rabshakeh upbraided them with so doing (2 Kings 18:21).

2 Kings 18:21 (KJV) Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

How this sin of theirs is described, and what there was in it that was provoking to God. When they saw themselves in danger and distress, they would not consult God.

They would do things of their own heads, and not advise with God, though they had a ready and certain way of doing it by Urim or prophets. They were so confident of the prudence of their own measures that they thought it needless to consult the oracle; nay, they were not willing to put it to that issue: “They take counsel among themselves, and one from another; but they do not ask counsel, much less will they take counsel, of me. They cover with a covering” (they think to secure themselves with one shelter or other, which may serve to cover them from the violence of the storm), “but not of my Spirit” (not such as God by His Spirit, in the mouth of His prophets, directed them to), “and therefore it will prove too short a covering, and a refuge of lies.” [Matthew Henry]

The shadow of Egypt (and it was but a shadow) was the covering in which they wrapped themselves.

Reliance upon human resources instead of divine help, however, is always a cause of shame.

4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.

They had their ambassadors to go right to the heart of Egypt to find the needful support and help – Zoan and Hanes are places in Egypt that their ambassadors had access to for resources and help.

5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

When they came into Egypt, they found them either unwilling to enter into an alliance, or unable to render them any aid, and they were ashamed that they had sought their assistance rather than depend on God.

Jeremiah 2:36 (KJV) Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. 7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

Their strength is to sit still, in a humble dependence upon God and His goodness and a quiet submission to His will, and not to wander about and put themselves to great trouble to seek help from this and the other creature.”

If we sit still in a day of distress, hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord, and using only lawful regular methods for our own preservation, this will be the strength of our souls both for services and sufferings, and it will engage divine strength for us. We weaken ourselves, and provoke God to withdraw from us, when we make flesh our arm, for then our hearts depart from the Lord. When we have tired ourselves by seeking for help from creatures we shall find it the best way of recruiting ourselves to repose in the Creator. Here I am, let him do with me as he pleases.

Psalm 46:1-11 (KJV) To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

To be continued…