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God's call to His children-WPS Office.pptx

God's call

Spiritual◦
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Isaiah 1:2-3, 11-12, 15 KJV “2 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. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. ”
Isaiah starts with a trial scene, with an indictment of the professed people of God. Their utter failure to appreciate and profit by the unprecedented opportunities afforded them as a nation is amazing beyond words. With poetic expression God summons the heavens and the earth to stand as witnesses in this trial. Witnesses are called upon because God has a case with Israel. The heavens and the earth have been 'watching' everything. They 'know' how God has done everything possible to establish them as a nation. He delivered them from Egyptian bondage miraculously. The waters of the Red Sea are present to 'testify.' The rock where water gushed out for Israel to drink is present. The heavens were servants of God to deliver manna for them. They can 'testify.'
The sun can 'testify' how it paused in the days of Joshua to give advantage to Israel. The earth can 'remember' how is swallowed the Korah and his accomplices who could have jeopardized their successful movement to the Promised Land. As it were, God calls upon them as witnesses to the astounding situation among those for whom He has done so much and who have been so utterly unmindful of Him. Before the universe the rebellious people of God stand guilty, and God is justified in the course He is about to take against the rebels.
The inhabitants of other worlds are acquainted with God’s law and know of the rebellion of the inhabitants of this world against Heaven. They understand the plan of salvation and know of the opportunities granted to Israel as the chosen people of God. And throughout their journey back to Canaan God was with them and fought for them. But now they have abandoned Him because they are settled in the Promised Land.
It is very possible that most of us have become like ungrateful Israel. So many of us have forgotten how God has led us to where we are now. Let me remind you of how you were praying for that jobs, marriage, children, business contracts, passing exams, healing and many more things. And God granted us our requests, is our relationship with Him now still intact? Most of us, unfortunately, are now worshipping the gifts and we have forgotten our God the Giver. The heavens and the earth are 'seeing' everything that God has done for everyone of us and they 'know' everything we are doing against Him. They will 'give' a fair testimony in our trial. God has a case with most of us. It pays to be grateful and do things that please God throughout our lives.
I have nourished The relationship between God and His people has been that of father and son. Everything a father could do for his children, God has done for His people. Being the recipients of His fatherly care, God’s people should have accepted the responsibilities of sonship along with its privileges. They renounced the authority of their Father in heaven and ignored the requirements He made of them.
God is expressing His disappointment with Israel. If animals of lower forms can act sensibly, human beings need to behave better. If you have worked with oxen you'll agree with me that once you train an ox in a certain way, it will follow. Any command you train it to obey, it will do so. A donkey does not forget where it eats from. A manger is a trough where cattle or horses and donkeys feed from. Alas Israel forgot that their sustainability comes from God. They have forgotten that their lives are in the hands of God. They have turned their backs from the LORD who delivers them from seen and unseen danger. They are comortable with doing evil. God wants to save them but they are not willing.
Many of us are behaving like Israel of old? Could it be that there are some among us who feel like obeying every word of God deprives you of pleasure? Today God would describe our generation in worse terms. There are things that animals can never do because they are against nature but human beings today are busy promoting. God has a good case against this generation. Many have lost reverence for God in their daily lives. Even some of those who teach the Word say one thing and do the other. Let us return to our God. We must not allow anything ungodly to attract us. We must focus on things that please our God.
Israel, including Judah, was a special nation to God. Their history was lit by God's protection and miraculous provision for their needs. All surrounding nations knew about the kind of God Israel worshipped. Theirs was God who was ever present with them. The closeness of God to Israel made them unique. _"What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to Him?" (Deuteronomy 4:7)._ However, Israel did not appreciate this. At the time of Isaiah, Israel and Judah had turned away from God. Now He sends Isaiah to reveal the consequences of their persistent rebellion. Their city and fields would be grabbed by strangers. This is what eventually happened to them later. The warning was meant to bring Judah back to obedience to God.
We are not different from Israel of old. To us Jesus Christ says, _"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20)._ Jesus and God have not changed their position. They want to be with each one of us always to the very end. But do we really appreciate this offer. Before Jesus promises His presence with us, He first gives His credentials that He has all authority in heaven and on earth (verse 18). What a privilege to have such a powerful person with us throughout our lives.
But because of our depraved desires we do not enjoy His company. His plan is to have all of us saved. But He will not do so endlessly. In the end He will destroy the heavens and the earth, including those who persistently continue sinning. Very soon _"the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.... Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives, as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming" (2 Peter 3:10-12a).
Displeasing Offerings While Judah has shown persistence in rebellion against God, they have not stopped offering burnt offerings to God. Let me not discuss all details of burnt offerings today but I will talk about a few and what they communicated. Bringing a burnt offering was a gesture of loyalty to God. Burnt offerings communicated some of the following: 1. A gift to God - the worshipper brought the best of his animals to show acknowledgement that all that he had came from God. 2. Given as a substitutionary offering - It was offered to atone for sin. 3. A gesture of unreserved surrender - the worshipper
Judah was still, outwardly, a very religious nation. Great numbers of sacrifices were offered at the Temple, but there was little true religion. While maintaining the external forms of religion the professed people of God had forgotten what it was that God really wanted of them. They were willing to offer sacrifices, but not to give their hearts to the Lord. They knew the forms of religion, but they did not understand their need of a Saviour or the meaning of righteousness.
By a series of pointed questions he hoped to bring home to them the fact that a religion consisting only of outward forms was an offense in the sight of God. Throughout the ages God’s spokesmen have endeavored to make clear that what God requires is obedience rather than sacrifice, righteousness rather than ritualism (see 1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 40:6; 51:16–19; Jer. 6:20; 7:3–12; 14:12; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21–24; Micah 6:6–8).
Judah did not want to obey God but still continued bringing burnt offerings to Him. The interest of God was not the burnt offerings but Judah. Burnt offerings needed to communicate the good relationship between God and His people. But Judah thought that offerings would appease God to ignore their sins. They did not want to stop sinning and at the same time they wanted to be recognized as people of God.
Even today we must know that while God requires us to bring tithe and offering to Him, His main interest is our hearts. The truth is that huge amounts of tithe and offering do not cover for our sinfulness. God will not ignore our sinfulness because we are consistent on tithe and offering. At the same time, no one who truly has a living relationship with God will be unable to be consistent in tithe and offering. The point is that a good relationship with God should be the driving force to bring tithe and offering. Let us offer our hearts unreservedly to God and our tithe and offering will be as sweet aroma to Him.
God is not forbidding us from bringing offerings but they must be meaningful. But real offerings result from a heart that has been offered to God first. God is interested in a sound relationship with those who come to worship Him. Some of us have turned places of worship into grounds of gossip and hatred. Going to gather on the Sabbath is very good but if we use it as a cover-up for our wickedness during the whole week our worship becomes detestable.
If you have failed to forgive or reconcile with your spouse, relative, but still have the courage to come to the holy assemblies, God is not pleased. The other challenge for Judah was the indifference to the needs of the oppressed, the fatherless and the widow. Our attitude toward those who are in need affects our prayers. If we show no pity to the oppressed then we have no right to pray.
Let us have compassion for the oppressed within our reach. Let us defend them from oppressors. Let us do everything within our means to put a smile on their sad faces. Let us give hope to their hopeless situation and our prayers will rise as sweet aroma to the throne of God. The moment we do something to help them, we will see blessings pursuing us. The message is that we should love everyone and help those who need help and our prayers will be heard.
The lesson Isaiah endeavored to impress upon Israel was that God, “the Holy One of Israel,” requires holiness of His people. Cease to do evil. God called upon His people to cease from sin. He was holy, and they were to be holy. Evil must be put out of the life of every child of God. Sin will not exist in the pure atmosphere of heaven, and all who enter there will wear the garments of righteousness.
Isaiah 1:18 KJV “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ”
A Time To Reason This is a display of God's amazing love and grace. God does not need Judah for Him to be God. But He knows that the safety and hope of Judah is in His forgiveness. Therefore, He invites Judah to a round table. He will save those who are willing to be saved. Judah is assured that no magnitude of sin is beyond God's forgiveness. However, God tells them that the outcome depends on Judah's response. If they were willing, they would have the best of life. But if they resisted, God would let them face the consequences of their decision.
The God of Judah is still our God. Just as He invited Judah to reason with Him, He is calling us as well. For us, we have seen more of God's love and grace through the death of His dear Son on the cross. His blood has the capacity to cleanse us from any kind of sin. But God will not do it by force. Much as He wants all of us to be saved, He will not do so without our permission and cooperation. Anyone who will be finally condemned to eternal death will be condemned because he/she chose so. Heaven and hell are in the hands of our choice. The devil is not responsible for our wrong choices. God gave us the autonomy of choice which He and the devil cannot interfere with.
In this promise the worst of sinners may find comfort and hope. God here assures us that however guilty we may have been in the past, however deep dyed our sin may have been, it is possible to be restored to purity and holiness. This promise deals not only with the results of sin but with sin itself. It can be eradicated and completely put out of the life. With the help of God the sinner may secure complete mastery over his every besetment (see on 1 John 1:9).