Thinking in 3’s - Isaiah 30:9-11 - Melting the Message

Thinking in 3’s - Isaiah 30:9-11 - Melting the Message

In our Summer Sermon Series, we have been examining just a few of the many instances in the Bible where we are presented with “the things that sinners say.” Isaiah 30:10 is one of them. “(They) say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right.’” Surrounding these quotes, we have two grouping of 3’s: a description of those who make these demands (v.9); and the instructions that they give to their preachers (v.11).

“For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD;  

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, 

leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”” (Isaiah 30:9–11 ESV)

We can safely say that the human population has been in some stage or intensity of rebellion ever since the first sin. Once the serpent tempted Eve to follow its own sin in wanting to be in the place of God, we all have wanted that same thing. Of course we don’t want to be in charge of everything. Just things that pertain to our own concerns, according to our own wills. If I could link this phrase or characteristic with the first element of the 2nd set of 3, a rebellious person would want for his/her pastor/teacher to leave the way, that is, stop following the ancient paths, but rather, take a new tack; get with the times; try to be more relevant.

The rebellious people are also called lying children. They tell lies because they have believed lies. Further, they want their lies that they have been told and that they are telling, to be confirmed by those who are charged with delivering the truth to them. They want their pastors and teachers to parrot the lies that they themselves have attached themselves to. And so, we see in the 2nd set of 3 that they preach to the preachers that they should turn aside from the path. Don’t keep doing what you have been doing. Do not challenge my point of view. Don’t disagree with me. Join me in this new line of thinking.

The rebellious people, also called lying children, are also designated as children unwilling to hear. These three all go together, and form a difficult combination of characteristics. They, in their persons, have constructed a solid defense against Biblical truth. They are “set” against God. This is not to say that every pastor/teacher is always right. But the Bible is - “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true;” (Psalm 18:30 ESV). And though we do make mistakes of interpretation or application, the Bible is abundantly clear if we would be humble and patient, and if we would seek the mind of the Lord, which entails setting aside for a moment the things that our own minds tend to scream at us. In the end, these people just come out and say it: “Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” They have closed their ears, and thus are now turning their backs, not just to the pastor/teacher, but to the Lord.

So what is the seer or prophet, the pastor or teacher, to do? Well, do what you were called to do. The seer is to see the things of God, and pronounce them to the people. The prophet is to receive the words of God and speak them to the people. Don’t give up just because some happen to fit this description. God has an amazing way of turning stubborn people to Himself. You and I can’t do it, but He can. So let’s do our part, and we will let God do His.