Day 162: Isaiah 5-8

One of the things I've been thinking for a long time is that one of the things that makes today's culture different than that of a generation ago is the denial of the idea of sin. It's not that people of a generation ago didn't sin, they did, but generally speaking there was a recognition that it was sin and they did it anyway. Today the entire concept of sin is gone. In fact, not only do people deny the idea of sin, some of the attitudes and actions that were recognized as sin in generations past are now considered virtues. I thought this was something new...a characteristic of this generation. However, it's not new at all. Listen to Isaiah...

Woe to those who call evil good
   and good evil,
who put darkness for light
   and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
   and sweet for bitter. (5:20)

Isaiah is prophesying the fall of Judah. He predicts that god will use, of all people, Assyria to carry out His plan to punish His people. Assyria (if I understand correctly) was quite possibly the most barbaric, heathen nation you could imagine. And yet they become instruments in God's hands...

In that day the LORD will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard also. (7:18-20)

I suppose God can use anyone He wants to do whatever He wants...He is after all, God.

Isaiah contains many statements of prophecy that the NT writers recognize as pertaining to Jesus, the Messiah. Here are a couple from today's reading:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (7:14)

He will be a holy place;
   for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone that causes people to stumble
   and a rock that makes them fall. (8:14)