Feasting vs. fasting
“…Called for weeping and for mourning…..But instead joy and gladness...” Isaiah 22:12, 13.
I
t’s God’s immeasurable mercy that He warns us in time. Our failure to heed His counsel and return to Him will only bring disaster upon our life.
In spite of their sins and rebellion, the Lord called upon the people Jerusalem “for weeping and for mourning, for baldness and for girding with sackcloth.” But they paid no attention to His advice. God says, “But instead, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine...”
How terrible mistake! Instead of feeling sorry for their fallen, sad state and humble themselves before the Lord, they chose to enjoy life. They should have fallen at His feet seeking forgiveness and restoration. However they began to arrange entertaining party on the top of their houses, indulging in self- gratification. Their logic is, ‘any we shall die tomorrow, then let us eat and drink today’.
This is the philosophy the people of this world follow even today. Cf. 1Corinthinas 15:32. They do not see life beyond death. They have no faith in God. They are obsessed with the world and its lusts. They live to enjoy as much as they can. They do have the resource too. So, they are living a carefree, unconcerned and amusing life.
As Christians we should not forget how the Lord views such materialistic, pleasure-seeking mentality. He hates gluttony, drunkenness and revelry etc. God’s people should not be carried away by the ideologies and practices of the world.
Sad to notice that in many social functions among the believers today, they have enough time to eat, enjoy, and meet people, but they have no time to listen to the word of God. God is not against enjoying life and treating dear ones, but there should be some limit. Excess in any thing is not good for us. Once we cross the border, there is no stop, and the world will take us to the extreme. So be careful, be aware of our limit and happily abide with the norm.
Listen what God says to the people of Jerusalem, “Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, even to your death.” V. 14
For the rebellious and hard-hearted people, even if they are God’s own people, there is nothing more God can do for them. Deliberately rejecting the word of God and obsessively indulging in pleasure-seeking find no pleasure with God.
It is His grace that He calls upon them to weep and mourn today. Shall we obey His voice?
NTK
9/9/2010
