Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

My wife just ran off. Her friend, Sherry, who heads up BIAOR (Brain Injury Association of Oregon), just called about an hour ago to confirm her plans to run over the mountains to a short conference in Bend, and asked Becki to join her. She’ll return late tonight.

I still face some variables in my day. I’m thinking that I’ll carry on with my mill job this afternoon—and spill over into the evening—maybe quit about 8pm.

Have a great day doing whatever.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Each of these three chapters begin with the word, “Woe.” Chapter 28 is “Woe to Ephraim”—or Israel and Judah. Chapter 29 is “Woe to David’s City”—Jerusalem. Chapter 30 is “Woe to the Obstinate Nation”—aimed again at Israel and Judah. There’s a lot of “woe” going on here—the opposite of blessing. I’m reminded of the three related “woes” of Revelation—“As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: ‘Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!’” (Revelation 8:13). If we were to gather together all the woes of the Bible, perhaps we could establish a basic bottom-line Biblical message that goes, “WOE TO EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING THAT IS TOO PROUD AND/OR NOT WILLING TO SEEK AND SUBMIT TO THEIR MAKER!”

The popular and pitiful attitude of human pride is a common theme in these pronouncements of Isaiah. Consider 29:16—“You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘He did not make me’? Can the pot say of the potter,’He knows nothing’?” The error of perspective that Isaiah addresses centuries ago is still with us today—alive and well—inflicting the same death and disease. This description is as contemporary as it ever was.

Once again we are presented with more support for the fact that no one will find positive and blessed relationship with their Maker by accident—while they are tromping along with their own arrogant independence. That relationship must be humbly sought. And that seeking is what activates the capacity to find. That’s what Paul affirms when he says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15). That too is precisely what Isaiah affirms with this expression: “For you this whole vision is nothing but words in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say to him, ‘Read this, please,’ he will answer, ‘I can’t; it is sealed’” (29:11). The word, “sealed” was actually used in the previous verse—“The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep. He has sealed your eyes” (29:10). I see here still further evidence that the All-Seeing God of the Bible sees to it that no one will see His truth and meaning in His Word who does not see in Him someone important to see—and to serve. I’m reminded of Jesus’ frank words to Nicodemas—“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3)—the activation of spiritual sight, allowing one to see things not seen by others.