Eat Or Be Eaten

Isaiah 1:19-20: "'If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.' For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

When reading through the book of Isaiah, one quickly finds that the prophet penned its words to call the Israelites to account for their chronic sinful behavior against the Lord. Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah cited God's words of anger at the grossly evil ways of the covenant community. God said that His people were "rebelling against me . . . (a) sinful nation . . . a brood of evildoers" (1:2b,4). As a result, God had begun enacting judgment against these people for their waywardness. God told them that their nation was being destroyed by foreign nations because they were not surrendered to Him as their Lord (see 1:7).

God also addressed the nation's worthless practices of worship. Now, these Israelites were great at participating in the pomp of ceremonial worship. They could offer impressive sacrifices and prayers; yet their hearts were far from the Lord. In response, God told the people to "stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me . . . I cannot bear your evil assemblies . . . My soul hates your festivals and appointed feasts . . . . When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen" (1:13-15). All that their perfunctory worship observances did was heighten God's frustration with them; worship was exacerbating their relations with God, not improving them.

God then laid before them the ultimatum: "If you are obedient to me, you will feast on my blessings; otherwise my judgment will devour you!" (1:19). Only through surrender of their lives and their wills to the One True God could the covenant community be expected to be delivered from the judgment that otherwise would befall them. Later in chapter 1, God refers to the "weeding out" process that He would enact toward the people. God exclaims that He would "redeem with justice the penitent ones (Hebrew: sabim='those who return') with righteousness" (1:27); but He would also "break the rebels and sinners" leading to their destruction.

In our application of this passage for our lives today, we must remember that perfunctory worship practices are not enough. God is less interested in our actions and more interested in our heart's disposition towards Him (which will necessarily lead to actions that please the Lord). We must be submitted to the Lord as our Savior and King; only then will we enjoy the choice morsels of His righteousness and His eternal blessing. To kick against His Sovereignty through our wanton rebellion is to invite His righteous wrath against us.

In the end, we will either eat the fruit of our surrender or we will be eaten by the judgment of God for our disobedience. The choice is ours.