In a literal sense, Isaiah offers yet another description of the sorrows of Manasseh's reign. Prophetically he describes the nation as Jesus found it. Spiritually, he offers a look at how God operates among humans, particularly regarding the duty of social and civil leadership. Human governments, regardless of place and time, are obliged to maintain the covenant which applies to them. Isaiah uses Manasseh as a concrete example of eternal principles.
God has made promises under every covenant He established among men. Moses revealed the Lord's desire to grant Israel shalom, summarized as prosperity, health, safety and security. Plainly stated in Moses, these were implied under the broader global Covenant of Noah. They apply universally, as do the curses also detailed in Moses. This is the way all Creation operates until the Return of Christ. When under Manasseh, the prayers of Judeans for God's provision of shalom failed, there was an obvious reason: The leaders of the nation refused to hold up their end of the Covenant, were disloyal to their True King in Heaven. Had not Jehovah demonstrated from the very beginning His willingness and power to grant generously everything promised? Isaiah graphically portrays Judah's failures as a screaming cry which drowned out their faint whispers for redemption.
God's standards of justice were simply too obvious and clear. There was no excuse. Words of prayer mean nothing when arising from acts which defy His commands. There was no part of them which desired what God desired. Did they believe it was simply some kind of magic, like a slot machine? Say the words, do the rituals and that's it? You can't get song birds from viper's eggs.
The gossamer strands of a spider's web do not a covering for sin make. Such was the entire "holiness" of Judah's leaders. That men must have a covering of sin need not be said. These people didn't even bother to hide their sins, but eagerly ran to them. Both in their impulses and long term plans, they were committed to anything but God. They couldn't find peace if it were drawn in on a map.
Isaiah sadly finds himself in the middle of this mess. He personally reaps the whirlwind of injustice brought by Manasseh's court. The days were dark and evil, indeed. No surprise, then, when his heirs were thrilled at finding a copy of the Law, and deeply shocked by what it told them. Manasseh consciously sought to destroy, literally and figuratively, all knowledge of what God had revealed. Still, no one was fooled; they knew instinctively. Their sins crowded around like family members at a reunion, beloved one and all. Anyone who dared to seek the path of righteousness were hounded and oppressed as an enemy. It was a good guess you could identify righteousness as just about anything unpopular with the elite.
If God came to visit, He would be deeply disappointed at finding no welcome. Nobody would meet Him at the gate, longing for His arrival. Whatever it was God planned to do would require Him to act alone. Fine; He would wear His Truth like armor, and attack sin directly. Those wedded to their sins would suffer loss and desolation. When He was through, they would surely know the standards once again, from one end of the Universe to the other. Who would be left alive to embrace them and serve His Name?
When the Messiah comes, where He makes that first footfall will be Zion. Not because He's coming to some place already named Zion, but that where He stands is Zion by definition. Those among any nation, but the Children of Jacob in particular, who embrace Him as Lord will be "Israel." This will be the New Covenant, with a New Nation of God. His own Spirit will hover over them, His revelation will be their new nature, and so it will be to anyone born into this New Nation. It will surely grow by its nature, and it will be eternal.
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By Ed Hurst
21 August 2009
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