In Whom Shall You Put Your Trust?

Scriptural Text: Isaiah 2:6-9

In Whom Shall You Put Your Trust?

God’s Trustworthiness

Two young girls were talking, and one said she had ten pennies. The other girl looked at her hand and only saw five. She said, “You only have five pennies.” The first girl replied, “I have five and my father told me he would give me five more tonight. So I have ten.”

She understood that her father’s promise was as good as done.

 Michael P. Green, Ed., Illustrations for Biblical Preaching: Over 1500 Sermon Illustrations Arranged by Topic and Indexed Exhaustively, Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file., (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989).

What is Trust?

Trust. An act of dependency upon another person for the fulfillment of biological, psychological, social, or spiritual needs that cannot be met independently. C. W. Ellison, Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling, 1999, 1232.

It is subjective confidence in the intentions and ability of another to promote and/or guard one’s well-being that leads a person to risk possible harm or loss.

It is said This is the popular notion in the world: “To be happy, adjust to the social norm!” ...

Well, I don’t know about that, I would not put all my eggs that basket. In agreement with the author, “The world does not know where it is going; it has not found life’s highest good; it is instead puzzled, frightened and frustrated.”

This is what happens when you abandon trust in God, which leads to substitutes for human trust.

"The vision of God for the house of the Lord on Mount Zion is obviously frustrated by the children of Israel who not only rebel against His love and flaunt His law, but put their trust in false Gods of their own making. In a catalog of sins, Isaiah lists these substitutes for human trust:

•Eastern religions (v. 6) •astrological divinations (v. 6) •pagan alliances (v. 6) [Le.19:26, Duet 18:10,14, 2 King 21:6, 2 Cor. 6:14-16,1 Jn.2:15-16]

People will follow the world of the occult and sorcery (v.6). They will practice the superstitions of the east, their religions, magic, and forms of meditation and relaxation. In addition, they will practice the divination and sorcery of the west.

Note: Divination is the practice of attempting to manipulate or interpret the environment through mystical or spiritual means. This also includes attempts to gain information about the world through mystical or spiritual means.

People will form evil alliances with unbelievers (v.6). Believers and unbelievers will clasp hands, forming business partnerships, seeking more and more money. They will become as worldly as the sinful, wicked unbelievers they associate with. They will pay little attention to God’s commandment against forming evil alliances with unbelievers.

“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch....For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do” (De.18:10, 14).

•material wealth (v. 7) •military might (v. 7)

God will judge people because they place their confidence and money in the things of this world, in a nation’s economy, weapons, or military (v.7). We must always remember that God does not always condemn wealth but, rather, the placing of our trust in wealth instead of in Him.

•religious idols (v. 8) •technological advancement (v. 8) [Romans 1:18-25; 1 John 5:21; Exodus 20:3-5]

Fourth, God’s terrifying judgment will fall because people engage in idolatry and false worship (v.8). In the last days, the earth will be full of false gods and false worship. False gods are only the creation of people’s imaginations, whether they be tangible or intangible idols or merely an idea of what God is like.

“I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8).

The abandonment of trust in God leads to the same substitute trusts in every generation.

Leadership is a major theme in Isaiah’s prophecy because God counted upon judges to administer justice and counselors to teach righteousness as the climate in which His redemptive purpose could be fulfilled. To betray that sacred trust by social injustice and personal unrighteousness is to punish the people and invite the wrath of God. Unfaithful leaders will be the first to feel the raging storm in the day of the Lord.

A BETRAYAL OF TRUST (Isaiah 3:13-15)

Among the tales of a new America that Robert Reich tells in a book by the same title is the tale he calls, “The Rot at the Top.” In this tale, he identifies the villains of our society with whom we have a love-hate relationship. Political bosses, business cheats, vulgar movie stars, and spoiled athletes lead us by default. At the same time that we deny their ruinous values, we tolerate their corrupting influence.

God will judge them just as He judged the elders and leaders in Jerusalem and Judah for betraying their trust. At their feet He lays the blame for the ruin of His beloved people; they have exploited the poor and oppressed the helpless (vv. 13–15).

In Whom Shall You Put Your Trust? Trust in God

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5)

(Psalm 34:8-10) Invite others to taste God’s goodness.

a. Trust—take refuge—in Him and you will be blessed (v. 8).b. Fear Him and you will have all you need (v. 9)c.Seek Him and you will lack no good thing (v. 10)

God Will Not Forsake You (Psalm 37:1-9)

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

Psalm 37:1–5 (NKJV) 1Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.

3Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.