Isaiah 66:2 is a window into God's heart. It reveals the character traits of man that will cause the Lord to incline His eyes and ears. This intimacy can't be earned by mechanically donating to the building program, babbling in tongues or dunking yourself in a baptismal tank. It has to do with the condition of our heart.
But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
The Hebrew word for "look" is nabat, which means not to just gaze upon, but to regard with pleasure. The reference to poor doesn't necessarily imply poverty. In Hebrew it describes someone lowly, humble or afflicted of the soul. It means God is moved by the person who walks humbly with Him, devoid of pride and wantonness. And the word "tremble" doesn't mean to cower in fear. The Hebrew word chared stands for reverence, as if to bow a knee or regard with the utmost affection and respect.
Now compare that picture to verses 3 and 4, which detail another condition of the heart:
He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck;
He who offers a grain offer, as if he offers swine's blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
so will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.
This passage is not talking about the heathen of the world, but rather God's people. It alludes to the hardness of heart among the priests in ancient Israel, who had violently corrupted the sacrificial system and reduced it to a hollow ritual. These men chose their own way and delighted in their abominations. In other words, they didn't even try to hide their spiritual nakedness. So what does God do? He sent a delusion upon them. We see the same response in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 – "God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie."
This should be a sobering wake-up call to the church, which has become ensnared by the same idols as the houses of Israel and Judah in the Old Testament. Christianity venerates Tammuz and Ishtar – the gods of Christmas and Easter – as did the Hebrews. The truth still is being violated. But the Lord, who is slow to anger and merciful, offers a cure for spiritual blindness in Isaiah 66:2. He asks us simply to walk humbly with Him and honor His word. Only then can our heart beat one with His.
Posted by Jeff King at October 3, 2004 09:31 AMYou are sincerely in my prayers. I hope you know you will give an account also. You have no idea what type of mantle God has places on the man and woman of God. So how can you say if someone is a false Prophet. I hope you're ready to give an account for the things you have said.
Posted by: Your sister in Christ at October 6, 2004 02:18 PMDear Sister in Christ,
You raise an interesting argument when you stated,
"You have no idea what type of mantle God has places on the man and woman of God. So how can you say if someone is a false Prophet."
That made me think: If we have been given no way of identifying the type of mantle that God places on His servants, then it would follow that neither has God given us the ability to discern a false prophet. This would mean that God places an anointing upon a person's life and then doesn't allow any of His other children to recognize it.
Is the Holy Spirit, who imparts discernment when we are told to "test the spirits", the same Holy Spirit who imparts the mantle? Are some of us "in the know" and others are not? By this I am not calling anybody a false prophet; the purpose of my comment is to look a little deeper into your original comment which I highlighted here.
Anyone else want to weigh in on that argument?
Posted by: Cristie at October 9, 2004 09:19 AMDear Sister in Christ,
I am very aware that I will give an account for every thought and every word spoken or written. I approach this teaching forum with great fear and trembling. I fear that I might misrepresent Yeshua or not please Him. That said, the apostle Paul exhorted all believers to be as the Bereans were – students of the Word and watchdogs, if you will, over the church. False teachers and prophets were infiltrating congregations even in his day for profit and power, and a great deal of the epistles are devoted to warning Christians to be on their guard. We should never close our eyes and ears and blindly follow the precepts of men.
Paul was never timid in exposing the works of darkness. We should be less concerned about the kind of mantle a person believes he is under, and more with their actions and words in light of Scripture. The Bible is our standard. If they are in conflict with the Word, Paul gives a very clear mandate: expose them and avoid them. The problem I see today is that Christians do not read the Word and thus cannot discern God's voice. If the church as a whole would study itself approved, then a red flag would go up every time these charlatans went on TV to prostitute the gospel. But the reality is too many have itching ears and have set themselves up to believe a lie.
Posted by: Jeff at October 11, 2004 10:43 AM