Isaiah 9:13-17

¹³ But the people still did not turn to the one who struck him, and they did not seek Yahveh of armies. ¹⁴ So Yahveh cut off head and tail from Israel, palm branch and reed took one day. ¹⁵ The “honorable” elder is the head, the “prophet” teaching lies is the tail. ¹⁶ And the leaders of this people were misleading, and those who were being led were being confused. ¹⁷ For this reason, the Lord did not enjoy its young men, and he did not take pity on its orphans and widows, because everyone was godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks foolishness. In all of this his anger did not turn away, and still his hand is still stretched out.

on being a “Christian”

Isaiah looked all around his people and he saw hypocrisy. The elders who were supposed to be the honorable ones were acting like fools. The prophets were prophesying lies. The leaders were misleading and those being led were just confused. Yet they were all convinced that God could never judge them because they called themselves by his name.

One of our biggest problems today with the Christian community is that so few of us are acting Christian. We talk the talk, but our walk betrays us. Normal morality, honesty and integrity seems to be in short supply. Not much has changed since Isaiah said these things.

So, if you are a “Christian” and you keep telling yourself and others that God would never bring disaster and distress upon us because of his name’s sake, take this warning. That is the very kind of thing that the “prophets” were saying in Isaiah’s day. They are wrong, and so are you. God is faithful to his promises. He promises not to pull back his hand.

LORD, restore us to yourself, before you hand of judgment comes upon the whole land.