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Sunday 8 December 2019

Isaiah 48:16,17 - I am the Lord your God

48:16
Isaiah calls the people to listen. They need to pay attention to the word of the Lord, for they can learn from it and live. The same applies today. Isaiah had not hidden in a temple nor an ivory tower, but had spoken openly. Jesus said the same (John 18:20), and, of course, Jesus also was endowed with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18,19), and Isaiah also was filled with the Spirit. Isaiah had been sent by God, Jesus was sent by the Father, as John’s gospel repeatedly makes reference to.

48:17

People look to many sources for help and guidance; Israel had looked to idols and to other nations. This was a foolish course of action to take. Likewise our own society will look to anything but God. Even worse, much of the church will look to anyone but God for guidance and instruction. It is the Lord who is our Redeemer. He alone teaches us what is best for us, no one else will. We see this most clearly in the area of sexual morality. The ways of the world have been most unhelpful in increasing human happiness. The Lord should be our teacher and our guide.

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