Good Word of God, Bad Heart of Man

I. Introduction
A. Last week we talked about the contrasting reactions to the word of God. But mostly we talked about the person whose delight is in the law of the Lord.
1. And yet not everyone receives it warmly. Today we going to talk about mankind’s negative reaction to the word of the Lord, or, to put it more bluntly, mankind’s hatred of God’s word.
B. The setting
1. Assyria rising and threatening
2. Leaders of Judah looking to Egypt for help
3. God keeps sending prophets (seers) to warn them not to rely on Egypt, their former oppressors
4. Trust in Him and He will deliver. Refuse and He will destroy.
II. Isaiah 30:9–13 For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD; 10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” 12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;
A. 9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD;
1. This does not refer to Gentiles, separated from the ways of the Lord. These are God's people here, His CHILDREN, the very ones who would be expected to listen to the Lord's instruction.
2. That Isaiah’s bitter words about his people have been preserved is evidence of the supernatural preservation of the Word. – Oswalt
a. If this was a merely human document, how could such embarrassing and scathing descriptions survive?
3. lying children = false sons carries with it implications which are difficult to convey in the translation. The versions are unanimous in translating “lying.” While this is a technically correct translation of k š, it is not so much that the sons tell lies as that they are lies. They are untrue to what a son should be, which is respectful and obedient. – Oswalt
B. 10-11 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”
1. Many times these words are not said this directly. They probably weren't even said this way back then. There are 1000 ways to say the same things in a way that doesn't sound so rebellious, so close-minded. But Isaiah calls it what it is. This is the bald version of what the human hearts says. Their subtle and couched words only served to disguise their rebellious and defiant hearts.
2. Speak to us smooth things – Wow! Earthly-minded men are so desirous of pleasant news! 2Timothy 4:3 "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,"
3. The universal experience of the (true) Biblical prophets was to speak words which were full of demand for renunciation and commitment and to be rejected for their harshness, while others (the false prophets) were all too willing to receive privilege and honor for saying what people wanted to hear. – Oswalt
4. Not only did they want to go their own way and do their own thing, they wanted God's prophet to endorse their path and commend them for following it. And much pressure is put on every pastor and church leader to approve of unapprovable things.
5. They could not catch a glimpse of God’s transcendent perfection, nor of his glory which is imminent in every scrap of this earth. And since they could not see it, they wished Isaiah would stop seeing (v. 10) too, so that he could speak of smooth, affirming things and not of a God whose splendor demanded impossible things of them. – Oswalt
6. Why are some so eager for Christians to depart from the way of Christ? It is for self-justification. By his example, every person who submits to God condemns those who don't. There is not only a community of the faithful but a community of the unfaithful, who support one another in their unfaithfulness. This is known especially well by those of us who have lived on both sides.
7. "let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel" – This explains why the world really isn't content with a safe environment of opinion-sharing. There's one perspective they just don't want to listen to. The fact is, the truth about God is not safe.
8. They did not ask that preaching cease; only that it be defanged and declawed. “speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions”
9. It isn't the forms of religion that folks have trouble with. It is the God part (which is the heart of it all, of course).
C. 12-13 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;
1. “Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel” This is heavy with irony in the light of v. 11. Do they wish to hear no more of the Holy One of Israel? Then it is precisely for them that the Holy One has a word. – Oswalt
2. It is hard to tell what Isaiah means when he refers to them trusting in oppression and perverseness. Perhaps this is a reference to Egypt's oppressiveness and perverseness. Or, it could refer to the idea that by trusting in Egypt, they will experience only oppression and perverseness, not the promised deliverance and protection.
3. God's judgment is often preceded by warning: the bulging breach, but when the warning is not heeded, the calamity comes suddenly (see v.14).
III. Explanation
A. There’s so much we like about God! There’s so much we like about His word. But taken as a whole, there’s a lot that’s hard to stomach.
B. And so, church goes on, but adjusted. God’s word gets read and taught, selectively and smoothly.
1. Subtly we adjust God's word to what we think instead of adjusting ourselves to God's word.
C. There are so many reasons I am preaching this series. One of them is that the church has a problem with the word of God.
1. It’s not a safe place even for believers. If you don’t know the word of God,
D. This opposition to God’s word can be seen in 1000 different ways in the church today, & in society.
1. We must expect that others will be scandalized by what God says in His word.
E. We must expect that the Bible will be the most hated book in the world.
1. The most loved book in the world, but also the most hated.
2. The prophets got stoned.
3. The Bible has many attackers
4. We can’t view these as simple disagreements.
5. We must expect that others will be scandalized by what God says in His word.
F. This resistance is in us too. And not just in our past. in our present.
1. If we're really honest with ourselves, we know that at times we resist the Lord's word because we don't like what He says to us.
2. Romans 7:18-23 I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
3. Gal.5:17 The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
4. That may be the reason you don’t read the Bible.
5. It may be the reason you don’t like a certain sermon or a certain preacher.
6. “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” – Is.30:10-11
G. And if it’s in the Christian, it’s in the church. That’s why I’m preaching this series.