Judah's Social Sins Part 2 (2)

Introduction

Judah;s wickedness

Basic Problem: Judah knew right from wrong, but chose wrong

They acted as if they were ignorant of God and how they were to live

They were overburdened with extreme wickedness

Isiah compares them to Sodom and Gomorrah

They have forsaken the Lord

They have despised the Holy One of Israel

The head and the heart are sick and old wounds were not healing properly

God has disciplined them, but they refused to turn back to God

The problems in Judah’s Religion (vv. 10-31)

Judah’s religion (vv. 10-31)

Note: Isaiah spends only nine verses on Judah’s wickedness, but 21 verses on her religious practices

God gives them appropriate names: Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 10)

Outline of verses

Worship Practices

v. 11: Burnt sacrifices

The people of Judah were obeying God with their religious practices, but were living the rest of their lives as if God did not exist

The Lord rejects Saul 1 Sam 15:22-23 “And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Disobedience to God’s Word in your life is equivalent to witchcraft

Illustration: Jonah

Jonah flees from the presence of the Lord (1:1-6)

Jonah is thrown into the sea (vv. 7-16)

Jonah is swallowed by a big fish (v. 17)

Jonah repented (sort of)

Jonah goes to Nineveh (3:1-10)

Jonah gets angry at God’s compassion (4:1-11)

Application

In my margin: “Always faith and obedience”

God rejected Saul as King

God did not reject Jonah to be a missionary to Israel’s enemy

Point: God is sovereign and will use us as He sees fit, yet He will also discipline us and that may mean taking our ministry from us

Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

We are children of God. This verse is also true of us!

Reason why many people are struggling financially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually is that they are not seeking God’s will.

v. 12-14: Vain offerings and religious observances

Appearing before God with their offerings, but were not living a righteous life

Some Catholics: it is okay to sin as long as you go to confession

Jews seemed to have had the same attitude

These observances were commanded by the law of Moses

Illustration: Starfish Movement by Dan Grider (Nick Graham Impact Church) - “churches have been built on ant hill of volunteers”

Application

American Christians tend to separate Christian and secular life

The Starfish Movement is modeled after Jesus’ ministry and the way the early church operated until the time of Constantine

The organized church is good and necessary, but we must be careful not to bring people into the church and assimilate them into ministry within our four walls devoid of how they live throughout the week

Note: Israel’s responsibility was to be a light to the world, our responsibility is the same

There is no secular and religious. We carry the church ministry to the world in our day-to-day lives.

When we live like the world with no thought to God throughout outside of “religious services” and ministry events, we are no better than Judah

Note to our values: All are based on relationships with God and others

Committed to JOY

Sacrificial Giving

Compassionate Understanding

Encouraging Words and Actions

Living a Bold Faith

Gospel Conversations

Gear Illustration: We must first develop our relationship with God or we very well may mess up our relationships with others (definitely no ministry presence)

v. 15: Prayers

Our prayers could very well be hindered if as well

Are you inclined to listen to the children in your life if they are totally disrespecting or not listening to you?

God will often not answer IOT get us to come back to Him

v. 16-17: call to living righteously

God longs for His children to repent and come back to Him

Note: Action words “Learn” “Seek” “correct” “bring justice” “plead”

“When is a door not a door?” When it is ajar

Put off/Put on (Paul) We must confess our sins, but then we need to replace that sin with righteous living

Jesus warned: cleaning our spiritual house drives out the demons, but if that is all we do, then even more powerful demons will reoccupy

Conclusion

Judah had two choices (vv. 18-20)

Be willing to repent of their sins and turn back to following God thereby eating the fruit of the land

Continue to disobey and be eaten by the sword

The same is true for us

Are you being “eaten” by life due to living outside the will of God?

Are you “eating” of God’s blessings

v. 18-20: Consequences for living righteously and unrighteously

Spiritual Description of Judah

v. 20: Whore and murderer

God’s actions against Judah (vv. 24-31)

v. 2