Isaiah 48:3-8 – Prophecies For The Unworthy
We’ve seen that the people of God, the ones who professed to be His, were in very many ways unworthy. God in His goodness, God in His kindness to His people, gives them prophecies. We see in verses 3-5 prophecies in the past. Every single thing that God prophecied, every single thing that He promised to His people, came to pass. All this, of course, shows God’s sovereign power. He is able to do all things that He has determined. Further, it shows God’s sovereign knowledge and wisdom, for He is not only able, but He knows how to bring all this to pass, and in a way that shows His glory and is consistent with His holy nature.
Why was it that God uttered these prophecies to these people? Why didn’t He just bring them to pass? Well, He explains here in these verses, particularly in verses four and five. The people, had God not said anything, would have sought glory for themselves and claimed that all was done by their hand. They were obstinate. They didn’t want to bow down to God. They didn’t want to listen to God. They would make up gods that they liked better than the living and true God, gods who were more easy to manage and get control over than Jehovah, and they would follow after the nations and give all glory and credit to these fake gods.
God goes on to speak to the people in verses six through eight. He wants to keep them from saying, ‘I knew that. I knew that.’ No, you didn’t. God confounds the pride of man, and He acts unlike the utterly powerless idols that can’t even keep themselves standing up straight.
Often enough, because of things going on in the world or things going on in your own life, you are discouraged. But this same God who has fulfilled all His promises, the same God who has brought to pass all these prophecies, has not taken back a single promise from you or His church. But as He said in Isaiah’s day, so it is still the case. He brings His will to pass in an instant, in ways and in manners unlooked for. Do not despair. Yes, you’re unworthy. Yes, you deserve much less, but it does not depend upon you — and thank God that it doesn’t. All is in Jesus. All has been earned by Jesus. All shall be brought to pass through Jesus.
Questions
- What does prophecy tell us about God?
- What can encourage us when we look at things God has done in the past?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that God never changes.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.