Think on these questions as you dwell in Isaiah 30:1-17:

1. How does Isaiah use the metaphor of stubborn children to describe the behavior of the people of Israel, and what are the consequences of their rebellion and refusal to seek refuge in God?

2. What significance does the imagery of the people seeking protection from Pharaoh in Egypt hold in this passage, and how does it reflect a recurring pattern of trust in worldly powers instead of God?

3. In verse 10, God offers the people a path to salvation through returning, resting, quietness, and trust, but they are unwilling. How does this offer of salvation contrast with the people's stubbornness and self-reliance, and what lessons can we learn about turning to God in times of trouble?

Transcript:

As the word of the Lord comes to Isaiah and God speaks, he lays it all on the line here, doesn't he? Ah, stubborn children. Now, that's an imagery that we can easily understand, can't we? Now, we might think of a child that we know that is particularly stubborn or was when they were younger, but I don't think we need any specifics here. We know what a stubborn child looks like. We know that stature, that way that they stand when they're being stubborn. They just are being that way. This is what God is saying about the people of Israel. They're stubborn children. They're doing their own thing, who carry out a plan, but it's not mine. It's like a child who is told the best thing, the way to go, and they say, No, I will do what I want to do. It says they make an alliance, but not an alliance with God, not with the Spirit. So what do they do? They not only are going to sin, but they're going to add to sin because they are rejecting God. It's just compiling here. So what do they do? We read here that they're going to set out and go down to Egypt.

They're looking for Egypt to protect them. They're not asking God. They're not seeking His direction. We read, instead of taking refuge in God, they're taking refuge in Pharaoh, and they seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt. Isn't this an interesting irony, for lack of a better way of putting it? Early on in scripture, they're fleeing from Egypt. They're getting away. Now, during that, they want to go back. Why? Because they want that protection that Pharaoh can give them. How? With food. Our belly's are empty here. We go back. Yeah, we were slaves in Egypt, but at least we can get food there. People of Israel have before, desire to go and have protection and refuge in Pharaoh. But what does God always teach them? To have refuge in Him, to trust in Him, and not to seek shelter in Egypt. But they keep doing it. We see that here. God calls them a rebellious people. Once again, we have the imagery of a child. Again, we can easily imagine a stubborn child, but we can also easily have a picture in our minds of a child who's lying. We know that they're lying. They're clearly not telling the truth.

They think they're maybe getting one over on us, but we're the adults. We know what's happening. They're not pulling the wool over our eyes. That would be the same with God here. That's how we feel this text here. God knows they're rebellious children. They're lying. They're unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord. There's so much covering their ears that they don't want to hear. They don't want to see. Notice this, verse 10, Who say to the sears, don't see. We don't want anything to do with this. They're closing their eyes to those who are understanding these prophecies, and to the prophets, don't even speak. We don't want to hear it. La la la la la la. That's that basic idea. They are turning away. They just don't want anything to do with this. And so what we read here is that they don't want anything to do. They don't want to hear any more about the Holy One of Israel. We don't have time for God. We are going to do what we want to do. End of discussion. We are turning away. God speaks even further. We see this language that we've seen over and over.

We see it in all of scripture, but we see it particularly here in the Book of Isaiah. For thus says the Lord God, the holy one of Israel, in returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you were unwilling. In other words, they have their opportunity. God is calling them to this, but they're willingly turning away. They're unwilling to follow God. They're willingly doing their own thing. They have to say, We're going to flee on horses. We're going to go to Egypt on horses. But God says, Nope, your judgment is going to come anyway. You can't go fast enough. They're going to be swifter steeds. Your pursuers shall be just as fast. They're going to catch up with you. You can't run from me. This idea is important for us. As we think about what this means for you and I, how often are we stubborn children when it comes to God? How often are we not wanting to hear and not wanting to see what God speaks to us in His word? We are stubborn in our sin. But we have to remember that we can't pull the wool over God's eyes.

We have to remember that we are running needlessly away from Him because He will catch us. And so may we desire to consistently turn towards God. May we consistently desire to be open to what He has to say. May we here. May we see in His word what He has for us. And may we be open to that, knowing that there is no way that we can run away fast enough. May we rest in Him because He is the one who delivers us.