DON T REMOVE YOUR HEART FROM GOD

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Sharlene Hunt
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1 DON TREMOVEYOURHEARTFROMGOD 29 Woe to you, Ariel, O Ariel, the city where David settled! For still another year, continuetoobservethecycleofyoursacredfestivals. 2 ThenIwilldistressAriel,shewill mournandlament butshewillstillbetomelikea[pleasant]hearth,[anariel]. 3 I will encamp against you on every side, I will besiege you with troops stationed all around,iwillerectsiegeworksagainstyou. 4 Thenyouwillbebroughtdown,andyou willspeakfromoutoftheground;yourspeechwillbeamumblingfromoutofthedust. Yourvoicewillsoundlikethatofapersonpossessedbyaspiritwhohascomeupoutof theground.yourspeechwillbe[merely]awhisperoutofthedust. 5 Butthemultitude ofyourenemieswillbecomelikefinedustandtheruthlesshordeswillbelikechaffthat isblownaway.indeed,thiswillhappensuddenly,inaninstant. 6 Jehovahofhostswill come to [Ariel] with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempestandflamesofaconsumingfire. 7 Thenthehordesofallthenationsthatfight against Ariel all who attack her and her stronghold, all that distress her will becomelikeadream,likea[passing]visionofthenight. 8 Itwillbelikewhenahungry mandreamsthatheiseating,buthewakesupandisstillhungry;orwhenathirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he wakes up and is faint, with his thirst unquenched.sowillitbewiththehordesofallthenationsthatfightagainstmount Zion. 9 Stopandstare,blindyourselvesandbecomeblind.Theyaredrunk,butnotfrom wine;theystagger,butnotfromstrongdrink. 10 [Onthecontrary,]Jehovahhaspoured outuponyouthespiritofdeepsleep:hehasshutyoureyes,[namely,]theprophets;he hascoveredyourheads,[namely,]theseers. 11 Thewholevisionhasbecometoyoulike thewordsofascrollthatissealed.menbring[thescroll]tosomeonewhoisliterate, asking,pleasereadthis.buthereplies,icannot,becauseitissealed. 12 Thenthescroll isbroughttosomeonewhoisilliterate,[andagain]theyask,pleasereadthis.buthe replies,iamilliterate. 13 ThentheLordsaid,Becausethesepeople[only]approachme withtheirmouthand[only]honormewiththeirlips,buthaveremovedtheirheartfar from me, and their reverence for me is [nothing more than] a tradition they have learned by rote; 14 therefore, take note, I will proceed to do an astonishing thing to these people, an amazingly astonishing thing. The wisdom of their wise men will perish,andthediscernmentoftheirintelligentmenwillvanish. 15 WoetothosewhotrytodeeplyhidetheirplansfromJehovah,thosewhodotheir worksinthedark,thosewhosay,whoseesus?and,whoknows[whatwearedoing]? 16 Youturnthingsupsidedown!Shouldthepotterbeviewedasbeingthesameasthe clay,sothatthethingthathasbeenmadecansayofhimwhomadeit,hedidnotmake me?orcanthethingthathasbeenformedsayofhimwhoformedit,hehasnoskill? 17 Inaveryshorttime,willnotLebanonbeturnedintoanarablefield,andwillnot thearablefieldseemlikeaforest? 18 Onthatdaythedeafshallhearthewordsofthe scroll,and[even]inthegloomanddarknesstheeyesoftheblindwillsee. 19 Themeek willaboundwithjoyinjehovah,andthepoorpeopleof[theworld]willrejoiceinthe HolyOneofIsrael; 20 becausetheruthlesswillvanish,thescofferswilldisappear,and allthosewhowatchfor[theopportunitytocommit]iniquitywillbecutoff 21 those who condemn a man on a mere technicality, those who lay a trap for the man who speaks out [against evil] in the courts, those who deprive the innocent of justice by

2 meansoffalsetestimony. 22 Therefore,thisiswhatJehovah [thegod]whoredeemed Abraham saysconcerningthehouseofjacob,jacobshallnolongerbeashamed;no longerwillhisfaceturnpale. 23 Onthecontrary,whenheseeshischildrenallaround him,theworkofmyhands,hewillsanctifymyname;indeed,theywillsanctifytheholy OneofJacobandstandinaweoftheGodofIsrael. 24 Furthermore,thosewhohavean erringspiritwillgainunderstanding,andthosewhocomplainwillacceptinstruction. (Isa.29:1 24) Introduction Areyoutakingcareofyourheart?Areyoueatingtheproperdiet?Onethatislowin cholesterol?onethatavoidsalotofcalories?areyougettingenoughexercise?do youhavearegularroutineofwalkingorjogging?areyouinvolvedinsomekindof fitnessprogram? Many people today are very concerned with their physical well being and are instructedbytheirdoctortotakecareoftheirheart thatphysicalorganthatkeeps thebodyalive. TheBibletellsusthatwearetobeallthemoreconcernedaboutourspiritualwellbeing,andourheavenlyFatherinstructsustotakecareofourheart thatspiritual organthatisthecenterofourspirituallife: Aboveallelse,guardyourheart,foritis thewellspringoflife (Prov.4:23.) Are you taking good care of your heart? Are you guarding your heart? Are you offeringyourhearttothelord yourgod?fromthetwenty ninthchapterofisaiah we are warned of the spiritual danger of removing our hearts from God and reducingouracquaintancewithgodtoamerereligiousformality.letusbecareful not to remove our hearts from the LORD, because to do so will prove to have devastating,evenfatal,spiritualconsequences. I.Don tremoveyourheartfromgod, Because,ifYouDo,YouwillExperiencetheLORD sdiscipline(isa.29:1 8) Inverse1theLORDaddressesJerusalemas Ariel. TheHebrewterm(la4yr3a1)has eitherthemeaning thelionofgod, identifyingjerusalemasacitythatismighty andunconquerablebecauseitenjoysthelord sprotection;orthemeaning the hearthofgod, depictingthecityasthehomeofgod,andwhatisportrayedisa warm,cozy,securefiresidesetting.eitherwaytheterm"ariel"isbeingused,itis intended to convey a picture of spiritual confidence on the part of the people; indeed,asenseofspiritualcomplacency theassumptionthatalliswellwiththe soul,thattheirreligiousobservancesarewell pleasingtogod,thatgod sblessing andwatchfulprotectionshallcontinuetoabideuponthem despitethefactthat theyhaveremovedtheirheartfarfromgod(asverse13indicates.)dowefeela sense of spiritual security because we are regular church attenders, or because

3 webelongtoatraditionalbible believingchurch?dowefeelthatwecanremove ourheartsfromgodandnotexperienceanydevastatingconsequences? Because these people have chosen to entertain such a sense of spiritual complacency and (false) confidence despite the message of the prophets warningthemofimpendingjudgmentandcallingthemtorepentance thelord now instructs them:"for still another year, continue to observe the cycle of your sacred festivals." Because they refuse to heed the LORD s command to take warning, He now invites them to continue in their state of spiritual complacency foronemoreyearletthemcontinuetoobservethecycleoftheir religiousfeasts,allthewhileoperatingundertheirchosenfalseassumptionthat all is well with their soul and they shall continue to enjoy God s favor and protection. When the LORD s command for repentance is perpetually unheeded, Hechangesthecommandtofitthecoursethepeoplehavechosentofollow itis a form of giving them up to their sinful desires, note Romans 1:28, since they refusedtoretaintheknowledgeofgod,godgavethemovertoareprobatemind,to dothosethingswhichoughtnottobedone (Rom.1:28.) But attached to this command/invitation to continue on their chosen course of spiritualcomplacencyandfalseconfidencecomesthewarning:"forstillanother year,continuetoobservethecycleofyoursacredfestivals. 2 ThenIwilldistressAriel, she will mourn and lament" (Isa. 29:1 2.) The annual celebration of the sacred feasts shall be replaced with mourning and sorrow. If we think that we can removeourheartfromgodandnotexperiencedireconsequences,letusprepare ourselvesfortheunexpected,andwhenitcomes,maywerecognizeitforwhatit is: an act of God s mercy and faithfulness, designed to make us bring our heart backtochrist. In verse three, the LORD goes on to declare,"i will encamp against you on every side, I will besiege you with troops stationed all around, I will erect siege works againstyou."althoughtheinstrumentofhisjudgmentwastheassyrianarmies, note the strong emphasis upon the LORD personally beseiging His people and setting Himself against them because they had removed their hearts far from Him. Having declared that He will bring distress to Ariel, the LORD now adds these words:"butshewillstillbetomelikeapleasanthearth,[anariel]."thelorddoes not forget His covenant people those who are true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ; His discipline is intended to restore His children, not destroy them; and HistruechildrenrespondtoHisdisciplinebyreturningtotheLORD,noteverse4, Then you will be brought down, and you will speak from out of the ground; yourspeechwillbeamumblingfromoutofthedust.yourvoicewillsoundlike thatofapersonpossessedbyaspiritwhohascomeupoutoftheground.your speechwillbe[merely]awhisperoutofthedust.(isa.29:4)

4 ThereisadeephumblingofHispeople:"youwillbebroughtdown,andyouwill speak from out of the ground." The hand of the LORD, heavy upon His people in chastening, will cause them to "whisper" a prayer for mercy, compare Isaiah 26:16,"Jehovah,theycametoyouintheirdistress;theycouldonlywhisperaprayer whenyourdisciplinewasuponthem."butthatprayerwillbeanswered,andthey shallbespared. When the LORD s chastening/disciplining work has accomplished its purpose, when His people seek Him with all their heart, there follows a divine act of deliverance:"butthemultitudeofyourenemieswillbecomelikefinedustandthe ruthless hordes will be like chaff that is blown away. Indeed, this will happen suddenly,inaninstant"(vs.5.)thewholemultitudeof theruthlesshordes shall bereducedto finedust and chaff thatshallsuddenlybesweptaway.versesix goesontosay,"jehovahofhostswillcometo[ariel]withthunderandearthquake andgreatnoise,withwindstormandtempestandflamesofaconsumingfire."the LORDshallcometotherescueofHispeoplewithamightydisplayofHisawesome powerexertedontheirbehalfandfortheirdeliverancefromtheenemy.whenhe doesso, ThenthehordesofallthenationsthatfightagainstAriel allwhoattackher and her stronghold, all that distress her will become like a dream, like a passingvisionofthenight. 8 Itwillbelikewhenahungrymandreamsthatheis eating,buthewakesupandisstillhungry;orwhenathirstymandreamsthat heisdrinking,buthewakesupandisfaint,withhisthirstunquenched.sowill itbewiththehordesofallthenationsthatfightagainstmountzion.(isa.29:7 8) The whole multitude of nations who fight against God s people shall be like a dream; they shall prove to be transient, fleeting, and ultimately of no consequence swept away before the awesome majesty of the LORD when He exerts His omnipotent power for the salvation of His people. Verses 5 8 are referring to the LORD s miraculous overthrow of the Assyrian armies when they laid siege to Jerusalem. They find their ultimate fulfillment in the LORD s final judgmentofthenationsattheendofhistory.wemustnotlosesightofthefact that this miraculous deliverance came only after the people of God had been severelychastisedforwithdrawingtheirheartsfromthelordtheirgod,andonly aftertheyhadrespondedwithrepentancetothatchasteningworkofthelord. LetusnotremoveourheartfromtheLORDourGod,orelsewewillexperienceHis discipline.considerthecaseoftheprodigalson: the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, therewasaseverefamineinthatwholecountry,andhebegantobeinneed 17 Whenhecametohissenses,hesaid,Howmanyofmyfather shiredmenhave foodtospare,andhereiamstarvingtodeath! 18 Iwillsetoutandgobackto

5 myfatherandsaytohim,father,ihavesinnedagainstheavenandagainstyou 20 Sohegotupandwenttohisfather.Butwhilehewasstillalongwayoff,his fathersawhimandwasfilledwithcompassionforhim;herantohisson,threw hisarmsaroundhimandkissedhim.(lk.15:13 14,17 18,20) It is best to avoid God s discipline by daily yielding our heart to Christ and not removingourheartfromhim.butonthoseoccasionswhenwedostandinneed ofthelord schasteningwork,itisimportantthatwerecognizethelord sgood intention and that we make the right response: offering our heart to Christ withoutdelay. II.Don tremoveyourheartfromgod, Because,ifYouDo,YourSpiritualLifewillSufferCriticalDamage (Isa.29:9 16) WhenyouremoveyourheartfromGodyoubecomespiritually comatose; your spiritualperceptionandunderstandingfail,asverses9 12indicate. TheLORDhasgiventhesepeopleamessage(containedinverses1 8),butthey cannot comprehend it: Stop and stare, blind yourselves and become blind. They aredrunk,butnotfromwine;theystagger,butnotfromstrongdrink (vs.9.)the spiritualstateofthepeopleiscomparedtoablindmanandadrunkenman:they aretotallydisorientedandwithoutcomprehensionofwhatistranspiringaround themandtothembecauseoftheirdeparturefromthelordtheirgod.because theyhavewithdrawntheirheartfromhim,thelord,asanactofjudgment,has pouredoutuponthem thespiritofdeepsleep aspiritualstupor: Jehovahhas pouredoutuponyouthespiritofdeepsleep:hehasshutyoureyes,[namely,]the prophets; he has covered your heads, [namely,] the seers (vs. 10.) Even the spiritualleaderssharedinthesinsofthepeople,asverse7indicates, Eventhese men reel from wine and stagger from strong drink, [namely,] the priest and the prophet reel from strong drink, they are consumed by wine, they stagger from strongdrink.[consequently,]theymisinterprettheirvisionsandtheystumblewhen they pronounce their judgments. Now they share in their spiritual darkness, confusion and stupor. Consequently, according verses 11 12, the LORD s revelation has become to them like a book that is sealed shut, or like a book given to an illiterate man. When we remove our hearts from God, becoming enamored with pleasure, business, sports, unhealthy relationships, etc., one consequence is a deterioration of spiritual perception and understanding: the thingsofgodbecomedistantandforeign,thewordofgodbecomes blurry and irrelevant. WemustunderstandthatourrelationshipwiththeLORDisdynamic, notstatic:ifwecultivatethatrelationshipitwillgrow,butifweneglectit,itwill witheraway. WhenyouremoveyourheartfromGodyourreligionbecomesempty,formalistic andboring(vs )ThesepeoplewerestilldrawingneartoGod;theywere stillcomingtohistemple,theywerestillobservingthereligiousholydaysand

6 festivals(vs.13a.)buttheyweremerelyhonoringthelordwiththeirmouth,not with their heart and their life (vs. 13b.) Their reverence of God was nothing morethanatraditiontheyhavelearnedbyrote (vs.13c.)theystilldisplayedan outwardshowofreverenceforgod,becausethatiswhattheyhadbeentaughtto do.buttherewasnopersonalencounterwithgodbywhichtheywouldbecome acutely aware of who He is and would respond to Him with a deep sense of worship,reverenceandawe.contrastthiswithisaiah spersonalencounterwith thelord:(isaiah6:1,5) IntheyearthatKingUzziahdied,IsawtheLordseated onathrone highandexalted,andthetrain[ofhisrobe]filledthetemple 5 Then Ideclared, Woetome!Iamruined! foriamamanwithuncleanlipsandilive among a people with unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts. Is our reverence for the LORD nothing deeper than the bowing of our heads during prayer and a respectful silence in worship; or, do we really meet with God and become keenly aware of who He really is, and respond to His presencewithadeepandgenuinereverenceforhim:aholyfearmingledwitha holylove? WhenyouremoveyourheartfromGodyoubecomemorallyperverse.Verse15 warns, WoetothosewhotrytodeeplyhidetheirplansfromJehovah,thosewho dotheirworksinthedark,thosewhosay, Whoseesus? and, Whoknowswhatwe are doing? These people are described as having a secret/hidden agenda; rather than accept the LORD s counsel for their lives, they have their own plan, which they seek to hide from the LORD they seek to deeply hide their plans from Jehovah. Their works are described as being done in the dark; i.e., they thinkthattheycanliveasecretlifeundetectedbythelord.tothemselves,they confidently raise the question, Who sees us? And, Who knows what we are doing? This is the attitude of the wicked, not of the godly, note Psalm 94:7, wherethepsalmistdescribesthewickedassaying, TheLORDwillnotsee,neither willthegodofjacobconsider. Dowehavea secretagenda? DowereallyhavenointentionoffollowingGod s holycounselforourlives?dowehaveourownplansforourlives?inourhearts do we say, I m going to seek first the successful life and the good life of this present world, not the kingdom of God; I m going to pursue relationships that are beneficial and pleasing and exciting for me personally, rather than a relationshipwithchristandrelationshipsthatarepleasingtohim? Dowelivea secret life? Are we one kind of person at church and in the company of Christianpeople,andatotallydifferentpersonatworkorinprivate?Dowesay therightthings,buthavenointentionoflivingthemout?dowebelievethatwe cankeepsecretsfromthelord?doweubelievethatifwecanfoolmen,wecan foolgod,too? The LORD scornfully declares to such people, You turn things upside down! Shouldthepotterbeviewedasbeingthesameastheclay,sothatthethingthat hasbeenmadecansayofhimwhomadeit,hedidnotmakeme?orcanthething that has been formed say of him who formed it, He has no skill? (vs. 16.) Such

7 thinking as described in verse 15, and attributed to those who have removed their heart from God, is as foolish as confusing the potter with the clay it is folly,perversity,andevenblasphemy. Let us not remove our hearts from the LORD our God, or else we will suffer criticaldamagetoourspirituallife. III.Don tremoveyourheartfromgod, BecausethatIsContrarytoGod spurposeforyourlife(isa.29:17 24) Verses reveal what life will be like when Christ returns, bringing the kingdomofgodinallofitsfullness. Onthatdaythedeafshallhearthewordsofthescroll,andeveninthegloomand darkness the eyes of the blind will see (vs. 18.) God s people shall hear and understand His Word with clarity; the dullness caused by sin shall be completelyremoved. ThemeekwillaboundwithjoyinJehovah,andthepoorpeopleof[theworld]will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel (vs. 19.) The meek (those who walk humbly with their God) will be filled with the joy of the LORD; they who have waited uponthelordshallfinallyrejoiceinhisfaithfulnessandjustice. Theruthlesswillvanish,thescofferswilldisappear,andallthosewhowatchfor [theopportunitytocommit]iniquitywillbecutoff 21 thosewhocondemnaman onameretechnicality,thosewholayatrapforthemanwhospeaksoutagainst evil in the courts, those who deprive the innocent of justice by means of false testimony (vs )Buttheungodly(thosewhohavelovedtheirsinsmore thantheirgod,thosewhohavepervertedjusticeintheearth,thosewhohave remainedtheimpenitentenemiesofgod)shallbecutofffromtheblessingof GodandgivenovertoHisjudgment. In verses 22 24, using the language of the Old Testament, the LORD makes His gloriouspromises. TheywillsanctifytheHolyOneofJacobandstandinaweoftheGodofIsrael (vs. 23b.) His people shall recognize that the LORD our God is holy, and we shall standinaweofhim. Those who have an erring spirit will gain understanding (vs. 24a.) That spirit that causes us to wander from the truth of God shall be replaced by a true understandingandappreciationofthetruth. Thosewhocomplainwillacceptinstruction (vs.24b.)ourpresentmurmuring (resistancetogod swill)shallbereplacedbyawhole heartedacceptanceofhis will.

8 LetusnotremoveourheartfromtheLORDourGod,becausethatiscontraryto God sgoodpurposeforourlives. Conclusion Areyoutakinggoodcareofyourheart? The Bible tells us that our primary concern should not be our physical health, but ourspiritualhealthandwell being;ourheavenlyfatherinstructsustotakecareof ourheart: Aboveallelse,guardyourheart,foritisthewellspringoflife (Prov.4:23.) MaythispassageofScripturebeareminderandawarningtousthatwemustbe alerttothedangerofremovingourheartsfromgodandreducingouracquaintance withgodtoamerereligiousformality. Let us heed and respond to God s counsel: My son, give me your heart (Prov. 23:26a.)

Isaiah 29 The Mysterious Ways of God This morning, I would like for us to consider three mysterious ways God works. 1. God preserves his people

1 Isaiah 29 The Mysterious Ways of God This morning, I would like for us to consider three mysterious ways God works. 1. God preserves his people through wrath and favor. Let me give a little context as