Isaiah 58 - 62

 Click HERE to read the passage.

I once worked with a person I’ll call “Don.” Don, at first, seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Whenever I'd ask for his help to get something done he'd politely say, "I'll get that to you first thing in the morning!" However, he seldom did.

Don had a habit of over promising but underdelivering. But, here’s the funny thing about Don - despite rarely turning things in when he said he would, he showed no compassion when other people didn’t meet their deadlines. If someone was late with work they owed Don, he’d offer little sympathy and would instead rail on about the importance of “being dependable” and a “team player.”

Don was a good example of a hypocrite.

Don's baffling double standard was not only tiring, but toxic as well. His hypocrisy of setting expectations and not delivering, while showing little sympathy for others, was the reason our company decided to let Don go.

Do you have any Don's in your life?  One thing is for sure, nobody likes a hypocrite!

Sadly, that's exactly what God calls His people - hypocrites!  As we begin reading in chapter 58, God is sickened by the hypocrisy of His people. He can't stand it anymore. And like Don, He decided to let His people go into exile. Listen to how He describes their fake attitude towards Him, "They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me."

Sound familiar?  Do you know anybody at church like that? They seem like they enjoy the preaching of God's Word, they seem like they love to worship the Lord, yet once they hit the streets they're cussing like a sailor, drinking like an alcoholic, and mean as a junk yard dog. This is NOT the kind of person you want to hang with!

In fact, as we read verses 3 through 5, it sounds like Jesus may have resorted to these verses when describing the religious leaders of His day in Matthew 23:3-5 - "So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show."

Sadly, God knew their hearts better than they did. And, He gave them what they deserved. The Bible teaches us that we should never mock God by living that way. God wants us to be real with Him and with others. He sees right through your fakery. You can't fake out God. In the end, you reap what you sow!

Throughout the next two chapters, God reminds them of what they've done to Him and why He punishing them. Yet in the end, He reminds them that one day Hi anger against them will subside and they will enjoy a world where Israel will be a glorified nation where Jesus will be their king.

Of all the Scriptures Jesus could have read in the Temple one Sabbath Day, he chose to read the first few verses of Isaiah 61. He was handed the book of Isaiah by the Temple leader. As Jesus opened the book or scroll, he continued until His eyes fell upon Isaiah 61. In fact, Jesus told the crowd at the synagogue that day that the Scriptures were fulfilled that day.  It stunned the crowd to say the least!  You can read about it in Luke 4 - "So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captive, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

The rest of chapter 61 and 62, both speak of the glory the nation of Israel will one day enjoy!  While God explains His frustrations, and provides an understanding of why He's punished His people, He also offers them hope.  What an amazing God we serve!