Woe Unto Them

"Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?" (Isaiah 29:15-17 KJV)

Judgment is coming! Surely that is the primary message of the Lord by the prophet. It is a warning. Against whom is this judment written? Is it not against those who seek to hide their deeds from the Lord, and against those who complain of God invading their privacy? and against those who turn things upside down? and against those who excuse themselves of guilt and who blame others? and against those who have no understanding?

How silly and foolish are sinners! How deceived! Sinners find it easy to believe that they can actually hide themselves from the Lord. They also find it easy to blame God, to charge him with injustice and cruelty, to justify themselves.

"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3: 3-7)

Yes, "foolish" and "deceived" is the sinner who continues in his sinful course and who refuses to turn to the Lord for mercy, salvation, and forgiveness. This is the chief evil of sin; it's ability to blind and deceive, its power to delude and to turn away from God and truth.

"Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not." (Isaiah 66: 3,4)

Friend, does the language above describe you and your life? Have you chosen your own way and refused the good way of the Lord? Have you made yourself your own god, rejecting your one true God and Creator? Do you not see the evil of this wicked idolatry? Do you not see that you deceive yourself in disbelieving the words of God sent to you? Do you "put no stock" at all in the warnings of God given to correct and save you?

Do you not see that you are reaping the just consequences of these sins? God promises that he will send you greater delusion if you persist in deluding yourselves.

It is "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved," wrote Paul the apostle, that God will, in judgment, "send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2: 11,12)

Friends, do you not see that all your justifications (excuses) for all your sins and your refusal to reconcile with God, and to repent and turn to God and away from sin, are only increasing your deception, blindness, and hardness of heart? Do you not see how your disbelief of the truth, your false image of yourself, your attitude and beliefs about God, and about his warnings, are all foolish?

I pray that God will wake you up and give you that wisdom which is "unto salvation." Read God's word for, as Paul said again, it is "...the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (II Timothy 3: 15)

The hour is drawing near when the Lord, according to his numerous promises and warnings, will come"To execute upon them the judgment written" (Psalm 149: 9) Are you ready for that day?