Isaiah 6:9. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Well Friends, I don’t have to remind you that to day is Friday, the eve of the weekend, because I can hear you loudly and joyously shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Yes mih people, we’ll be free from work for two days. Some of you appreciate that while others groan and mutter: ‘Chuh! What is two days eh? What can you do in two lousy days?’ Plenty mih breddren, plenty! No need to get sour and miserable because it’s only two days, and most likely you have a lot of your own stuff to do at home that you can’t do during the workweek. Instead you should be counting your blessings, because plenty people don’t have any days off at all, or any jobs either. So if you have stuff to do at home, just call up Jesus and ask for His help. He’ll gladly show you how to handle all that you have to do. So please put a smile on your beautiful face made in God’s image, some joy in your heart and join us as we chant our Friday Chant. With much verve and gusto, as one voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Hope that helped all of you out there chewing sour grapes. (smile) Remember it’s the attitude we bring to the circumstance that’s important, that makes the difference, rather than the circumstance itself. Now that fits in quite nicely with our Bit: ‘And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed (keep on listening), but understand not; and see ye indeed (keep on seeing), but perceive not.’ Ah mih Friends, that was the Lord sending Isaiah to tell the people of Judah about their sinful, unrighteous living. But as the scholars declare re ‘Isaiah’s Commission: God warns Isaiah that his ministry, for the most part, will fall on deaf ears. The syntax of the sentence indicates that hear ye indeed means “keep on hearing.” Thus Judah will continue hearing but not heeding the prophet’s warning.’ And that my Friends is exactly what’s happening in our evil, unrighteous world today. The gospel is being preached loud and clear, far and wide, yet people are not hearing it, nor understanding what’s happening. They’re seeing the constant and numerous calamities that are befalling our world but are not taking heed of them. No wonder the Lord continued telling Isaiah: ‘Make the heart of this people fat (dull, uninterested), and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.’ (Is.6:10) The scholars have this to say about that verse: ‘Make the heart…fat…ears heavy…shut their eyes indicates that the more he preaches, the more the people will harden themselves to his message.’ Not understanding it all, Isaiah sought some confirmation: ‘Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate. And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking (many forsaken places) in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten (for consuming): as a teil (terebinth) tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them (stump remains when it is cut down), when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof (its stump). (Is.6:11-13) The Lord was referring here to the Babylonian captivity, after which only a tenth of the people shall return to Judah. And we all know that the prophecy was fulfilled. Oh my people, please see the similarity between Judah’s day of reckoning and ours nuh! We are living in similarly sinful and wicked times, unconcerned, or rather trying to eradicate the ONE TRUE God Jehovah from our midst, for the carnal lusts of the flesh and Beelzebub’s evil doings. But Friends, just like Judah, one day our number will play; unimaginable death and destruction will reign down on us, leaving only a handful who heard, saw and believed to be saved. As Jesus said when the disciples asked why He spoke to the multitudes in parables: ‘Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries (hidden truths) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.’ (Matt.13:11) Now according to the scholars: ‘A “mystery” in the Bible implies a sacred secret into which one must be initiated in order to understand it. The mystery revealed would be the new form of the kingdom during the interval between the first and second advents (comings).’ ‘Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith…’ And he went on to quote Isaiah’s prophecy. (Matt.13:13-15) Oh Friends, when Jesus quotes the Old Testament, be assured that we should sit up and take serious notice. People were living in great sin, abandoning God in Isaiah’s time, also in Jesus’ time, and now too in ours. My people, the end times are definitely drawing nigh. It can happen on any day, at any time, so please pay close attention and do whatever needs to be done to guarantee your salvation and eternal life with Jesus. Let’s not be found wanting and be amongst the group Jesus just spoke of, but of this one: ‘But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you. That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.’ (Matt.13:16-17) Oh Friends, we can only be numbered amongst that latter group, if we gladly embrace Jesus and all that He stands for RIGHT NOW! Please be wise and do so. Much LOVE!…to him that hears of Jesus…and does not believe…his will be eternal separation from Almighty God…
SCRIP-BITS 