Focus Chapters:
- Isaiah 28
- 2 Kings 17:5
- 2 Kings 18:9-12
- 2 Kings 17:6-41
- Isaiah 1:1-20
Standout Verse(s):
Isaiah 1:4-7 NLT
Oh, what a sinful nation they are—
loaded down with a burden of guilt.
They are evil people,
corrupt children who have rejected the Lord.
They have despised the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.Why do you continue to invite punishment?
Must you rebel forever?
Your head is injured,
and your heart is sick.
You are battered from head to foot—
covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds—
without any soothing ointments or bandages.
Your country lies in ruins,
and your towns are burned.
Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyes
and destroy everything they see.
Observation (s):
- Israel is being punished for turning their backs on God. However, instead of repenting and returning to God, following the first warning rounds of punsihment, they continue to rebel.
They have despised the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.Why do you continue to invite punishment?
Must you rebel forever?
Your head is injured,
and your heart is sick.
You are battered from head to foot—
covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds—
without any soothing ointments or bandages.
Your country lies in ruins,
and your towns are burned.
Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyes
and destroy everything they see.
Application:
When two countries go to war, things don’t escalate over night. There are warning signs and escalating diplomatic talks and negotiations. Only when these tactics fail do the big guns come out. God uses similar tactics. He never draws for the big punishment guns first. Rather, he starts small and gives us numerous opportunities to repent. Our failure to repent and continued rebellion are the triggers that results in increased magnitude of punishments.
Everything is going wrong! You continue to receive hits after hits that leave you battered from head to toe because you refuse to obey the rules of the game. You are pushed out of the ring many times and placed in the time-out zone. These are mild punishments and indicators that you need to get your life back on track and place God back at the center of your life. Yet still you rebel. You are faced with a terrible loneliness. Your heart is sick. The people around you continue to let you down. Door after door after door keeps closing yet none seems to be opening. Your body, mind, soul and spirit are damaged. Your life is in shambles. The truth is, you are no longer your own. You have no control and are tossed by every wind that blows. Yet still you rebel. Israel’s rebellions led to them being removed from the land that God gave them and made to serve Assyria. What will be the results of yours?
When will you turn back to God? Why do you continue to invite His punishments? Your disobedience and rebellion serve as an invitation for God to get you back on track. Don’t let Him pull out the big guns.
