Contemplate these questions as you dwell in Isaiah 17:1-14:

1. How does the passage in Isaiah emphasize the importance of returning to God as the ultimate refuge and source of salvation, especially in the face of God's judgments? What lessons can we apply to our own lives regarding seeking refuge in God?

2. The text mentions the concept of "remnant" in verse 7. What does this concept signify in the context of God's judgment and redemption? How does it relate to the broader theme of God's desire for repentance and faithfulness among His people?

3. What are the main elements of idolatry and rebellion that the passage addresses, and how do they contrast with the worship of the one true God? How can we guard against idolatry and remain faithful to God in our own lives?

Transcript:

Another hard word of judgment. This is what we're coming to expect as we come to the Isaiah. We know that there are these oracles one after the other, and there is a lot of speaking of the judgment that is coming in the first few verses of this chapter, we see that there is a judgment from God in the screen of crops. The cities are going to have these issues. We read that further down as well. There's going to be... As I've been saying, as we've been going through these previous 15 chapters, it's always important for us to remember that there is an end goal to what God is doing in these judgments. Of course, first and foremost, we understand that is Reformed folk, that God is doing this for his own glory. There is a way that he has brought glory through what he is doing. We understand that. We put our trust in that that he works all this to get good. But we also have seen the important point that this isn't punishment for punishment. The greatest desire in this punishment is that it will call people back to himself. They will come back. The goal here is repentance and turning from this rebellion and his idolatry, God wanted people to worship him, not something that they made not a rock, not a plant, not whatever.

God wants idolatry to be vanished and for himself to be glorified in that. He wants his people to return those famous words throughout the Old Testament. Specifically, we see them in the Salter, return to the Lord your God, be of gracious and slow to anger and about him instead from his love. We remember that. We also have to understand those important words that tell us about God as we read these words of guilt. We see here in verse 7, there will be a remnant. There will be those around who will look God. This is really a beautiful passage, I think, in that day, man will look to his maker, and his eyes will look on the holy woman, who's with him. In other words, you're going to understand who is in charge here. It's not going to be whoever you were worshiping the altars. It's not going to be an idol that you made, will not look on anything that you have done, and nothing with the assuring or with the altars of instance. In other words, what the prophet is saying is you're going to understand who you're making this. You understand the things that you have made, the things that are in front of you don't have the power to create.

They are not your enemy. And so, we're seeing that night in that day, there are strong cities will be like the places of the wooded heights and hills and hills as they deserve. Because of the children of Israel, there will be desolation here. God is going to... You will see that this is his hand doing because no one else does this. But what do we read here? People have forgotten the God of their salvation, not remember the wrath, their welfare. God is who they need to return to. They have forgotten him. Another being called back to this one, the one who has. But most importantly, the one who has saved them. God is calling them back in these punishments, these judgments to be faithful. He is the God of transformation. He is their true refuge. No matter where they go to hide, they're not going to truly find salvation. It won't be in whatever Asherah worship would have involved for them. It won't be in their idol. It won't be going up to the high places doing pagan activities. That's not your refuge. You will not be safe. God is going to bring all of that to a desolation.

So return to him. He is a refuge. So as we think about what this means for us, as we are daily called for pains and faith, we need to remember that we can't find a place to hide in. We build up this being important in our lives. Our only hope is in the God of Israel, the God of our salvation. He is our refuge. So may we daily hide in Him. May we find our strength in him that we might bring glory to Him. For who he is and for what he has done.