Sins of Judah

Isaiah 30:8-11. “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: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.”

God told Isaiah to write a permanent record of the stubbornness, rebellion, and sins of Judah. He listed seven specific sins:

1. Rebellion against God
2.  Liars
3.  Refuse to hear the Law of God
4.  They tell the seers not to see
5.  They tell the prophets not to prophesy
6.  They despise the Word of God.
7. They trust in oppression and perversity, and depend upon it.

The people of Judah told their prophets to tell them only “smooth” things, and I am reminded again of how we who call ourselves Christians  tip-toe around words that aren’t “smooth.”  We don’t like to say sin, Satan, hell, judgment.  Instead we say mistakes, The Enemy,  loss, and “don’t judge.”

The world has succeeded in removing the Blood of Jesus from the public arena, calling it too gory, while every violent video game splashes blood around as if it were water.

Preachers, you need to honor your calling and say the truth. You have a responsibility to NOT sugar-coat God’s message. Those of us sitting in the pews need to respect the straight teaching of God’s Word, never criticizing it for being too harsh when it is what God has said.

All this didn’t work out too well for Judah.  It won’t work for us, either.