Falling On Deaf Ears
Opening Prayer
Lord, stretch out your hand—to save and to keep!
Read ISAIAH 9:8–17
8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9 All the people will know it—
Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—
who say with pride
and arrogance of heart,
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.”
11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
have devoured Israel with open mouth.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
13 But the people have not returned to him who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed in a single day;
15 the elders and dignitaries are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
16 Those who guide this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,
nor will he pity the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and wicked,
every mouth speaks folly.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses “and they are a stiff-necked people” (Exod. 32:9).
Think Further
From the sunshine of 9:1–7 we pass under the shadow of the hand raised to strike in judgment (which has already been hinted at in 5:25). This alternation of sunlight and shadow is very characteristic of Isaiah. The historical details are blurred—Jacob, Israel, Ephraim, Samaria (9,21) refer to the northern kingdom, which is under pressure from east and west and from Rezin’s foes (presumably Assyria). We don’t know whether this is a prediction of what will happen or Isaiah’s reflection on what has already happened.
Today and tomorrow I will focus my meditation on the social disintegration outlined in the four stanzas of 9:8 to 10:4. The Lord has sent his Word to his people, through Amos and Hosea and now through Isaiah, but I see the hardening described in chapter 6 taking place as this word falls on deaf ears. First there is arrogance and bravado: we will shrug off trouble, in the city and the countryside; we will build what is bigger and better! Isaiah frequently criticizes pride and arrogance. I pray for my church, for my society and for my town and neighborhood. How is God’s Word available here and how is it being heeded or not? Is my own heart also characterized by pride and arrogance: “I can manage”; “I will do better next time”?
The second stanza of today’s reading focuses on leaderlessness and its consequences. “Return” and “seek” are common features of Isaiah’s preaching, but society’s leaders are not listening; and there are many so-called “prophets” who are tail-waggers and boot-lickers. The result is that the most vulnerable people suffer and idiocy and practical atheism fulminate. I pray for those whose voices carry furthest in my society—the journalists, TV celebrities, politicians, bloggers and electronic games-makers.
Apply
In verse 9b-10, the Israelites expressed confidence in their own ability to deal with difficulty. What constitutes trusting in the Lord for resolution to difficulties?
Closing prayer
Lord, I pray for patience and confidence in You to resolve the problems I face at the moment.
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