GOD HEARS OUR CRY!

GOD HEARS OUR CRY!

Isa 30:15-19

15 For thus saith the Lord God , the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

18 And therefore will the Lord  wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord  is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

Early in the chapter God told Isaiah to make a placard that said, "This is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the Law of the Lord" (v. 9). He carried this sign as he walked around Jerusalem, and no doubt most of the people laughed at him. So the people laugh today at the warnings of their pastors. Our nation and our world has rejected the offer of safety from the Lord and have declared their preference for self-made confidence.

          The Assyria’s assault was given to Israel as a gift! It was a teaching tool. God had offered them quietness, confidence and strength if they would only follow and trust Him but they said no thank you. Instead they put their trust in swift horses of war. Therefore the very thing in which they trusted would be the character of their enemy. Swift horses would chase them and only one would put to flight a thousand.

Ps 33:16-17

16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

            The latter part of this chapter describes the coming of Sennacherib's troops (Isaiah 30:27-33). Their advance is likened to a mighty thunderstorm and a flash flood. Yet, if they prayed, God would lasso the enemy around the neck and bring him to his knees. The swift horse would be subdued.

          In verse 19 we find an amazing promise to a rebellious people: “he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.” He watches while we struggle and waits patiently while we curse Him but His ear is bent toward our cry. “When he shall hear it, he will answer thee.”

Dear God, look kindly upon us and forgive our self-willed stubbornness. We are a stiff necked people and we resist your offer of peace while we prefer to trust in our own strength. Thank you for patiently waiting for our cry. Thank you for hearing it. AMEN