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LL the way back in Isaiah 65:5 we find that, in ancient
days, Israel thought more highly of themselves than they should have. They had
the proverbial "holier than
thou" attitude, (which both God and men despise in others). They said,
"Stand by yourself, come not near to
me; for I am holier than thou." Incidentally, God responded with words
of His own, "These are a smoke in my
nose, a fire that burns all the day." For sure, none of us have a
reason to declare ourselves to be holier than anyone else. Sinners are we,
every one.
Notice the order of events as they are presented
here in Isaiah 65. God sought before He was pursued. Those who were not even
looking for Him found him. Most wonderfully, God said of His people, "Before they call, I will
answer..." (Isaiah 65:24). This is both marvelous and absolutely
necessary. If God waited until we made the first move before He came to our
aid, we would perish without hope. The Jews who thought themselves so holy were
in God's eyes rebellious and self-absorbed (Isaiah 65:2). They were blatantly
disobedient (Isaiah 65:3-4). They were on the wrong train going the wrong way.
They were setting themselves up for some serious retributive pain. Yet, despite
all of their misdeeds, God had a plan of grace for them. Israel is not to be
destroyed. It will be a place of prosperity and peace. Their enemies will go
down in flames, while they are exalted.
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