Advent 2022 – Day 5: Isaiah 9:16
for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
Isaiah 9:16, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
We do horrible things to ourselves, to each other, and against God.
We want to hear about the good things in this world and that good things will come to us.
We want to surround ourselves with people who will tell is what we want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
And there are people who are willing to tell us those happy things, saying many of the right things while also ignoring or omitting the things that don’t sound as good.
In other words, there are teachers willing to teach what others want to benefit themselves. (1 Timothy 6:3-10; 2 Timothy 3:1-9)
But this is not new. Many of the prophets and priests of Israel had done that for centuries (which is something Isaiah is talking about), and it clearly stretches throughout history.
The religious leadership added rules to or new interpretations of God’s Word. Balaam accepted money to speak and fight against Israel (even if he still only spoke blessings). All the way back to the beginning, the serpent twisted God’s Word to “help” people be more like God.
And we have allowed ourselves to be consumed with selfish lies.
Yet, God came to give us the truth and lead us back from false teachings by revealing Himself as the Truth.
May we seek the Lord who has given us truth through His Word (The Bible) and His life, death, and resurrection.
a simple man of God 