There is an easy way to learn and a hard way. The easy way is to trust God, do what he says, and experience the rewards of obedience. The hard way is to mistrust God, keep doing what he tells you not to do and suffer the consequences. Israel chose to learn the hard way and God would not alleviate her suffering until she had learned that lesson well. In Isaiah 50 and the chapters following, God announces to Israel that her time of suffering is over. She had learned her lesson well. This is remarkably evident from history. Before the exile, Israel could not resist the temptation to worship the idols of the nations around them. The prophets were constantly warning the people that, if they kept on worshipping these false gods, God would give them over to those nations. But Israel continued and so God gave his people over to suffer the consequences of abandoning their protector for the false security of false gods. After seventy years in exile, however, the Jews, though they would have other issues, never again worshipped these gods or any other idols that were worshipped by other nations. Having learned that lesson Israel was now ready for her deliverance, and this is what God announces in these chapters. We should never have to learn the hard way, but if we do, God’s plan is always ultimately to restore us. The words of these chapters remain applicable to any of God’s people who have suffered the consequences of their sin. There is always good news ahead.
Ask God to make clear what he wants to teach you.
Read Isaiah 50-52
