A timely 2700 year-old word
16/10/08 14:18 Filed in: Bible
I came across this in my Bible reading the other morning and thought I’d share it with you. People wonder what is going on in this current economic crisis. I can’t give you the definitive answer, but at the very least I think this is part of it. It’s from the book of Isaiah chapters 2 and 5:
The Lord Almighty has a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
and they will be humbled,
for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty,
and all the oaks of Bashan,
for all the towering mountains
and all the high hills,
for every lofty tower
and every fortified wall,
for every trading ship
and every stately vessel.
The arrogance of man will be brought low
and the pride of men humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
and the idols will totally disappear.
Men will flee to caves in the rocks
and to holes in the ground
from dread of the Lord
and the splendour of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
In that day men will throw away
to the rodents and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.
Stop trusting in man,
who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?
Woe to you who add house to house
and join field to field
till no space is left
and you live alone in the land.
The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing:
“Surely the great houses will become desolate,
the fine mansions left without occupants.”
So man will be brought low
and mankind humbled.
Certainly it is without argument that the great nations of our day are being brought low, that those who have set their security in trading, or in property are being humbled, and that we as the celtic-tiger nation have made our silver and gold into idols.
Could it be that God is humbling us to show us that we have been treasuring the wrong thing? Money cannot do what we most need done – it doesn’t heal the hurt in our souls. Only God can do that. We need to humble ourselves as a nation and as individuals, turn to God in sorrow and humility, and ask forgiveness for replacing him with something substandard.
There is a richer treasure to be had, as Isaiah says later on in chapter 33
O Lord, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
The Lord Almighty has a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
and they will be humbled,
for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty,
and all the oaks of Bashan,
for all the towering mountains
and all the high hills,
for every lofty tower
and every fortified wall,
for every trading ship
and every stately vessel.
The arrogance of man will be brought low
and the pride of men humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
and the idols will totally disappear.
Men will flee to caves in the rocks
and to holes in the ground
from dread of the Lord
and the splendour of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
In that day men will throw away
to the rodents and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.
Stop trusting in man,
who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?
Woe to you who add house to house
and join field to field
till no space is left
and you live alone in the land.
The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing:
“Surely the great houses will become desolate,
the fine mansions left without occupants.”
So man will be brought low
and mankind humbled.
Certainly it is without argument that the great nations of our day are being brought low, that those who have set their security in trading, or in property are being humbled, and that we as the celtic-tiger nation have made our silver and gold into idols.
Could it be that God is humbling us to show us that we have been treasuring the wrong thing? Money cannot do what we most need done – it doesn’t heal the hurt in our souls. Only God can do that. We need to humble ourselves as a nation and as individuals, turn to God in sorrow and humility, and ask forgiveness for replacing him with something substandard.
There is a richer treasure to be had, as Isaiah says later on in chapter 33
O Lord, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.