False Light

Consider the words of the prophet Isaiah:

Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of worthlessness, & sin as if with cart ropes; who say,

“Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; & let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near & come to pass, that we may know it!”

 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes & clever in their own sight!
 Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine & valiant men in mixing strong drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, & take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!  

Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble & dry grass collapses into the flame, so their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust
 For they have rejected the Torah of Yahweh of hosts & despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 

Isaiah 5:18-24

Do you recognize the relationship between these characters?   

People who are wise in their own eyes are featured.  This is the one with high self-esteem, isn’t it?  The one so confident he is right that he can boldly demand that God do His work, and confident that His work will be to their benefit.  These are the folks who are "cool," "righteous," but who fellowship sinners – so long as they have money, popularity and power.   

Have you heard someone describe their church saying things like, “We have problems, sure.  We may not follow all the precise technical things of the bible exactly, but it’s my church, and I love them and will be loyal no matter what.” 

If you were a fool, would you know it? 

The truth is, of course, that being wise in your own eyes (or in the eyes of your friends) means that you are no longer putting God first.  God’s foolishness is far above the wisest wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 1.25).  His Torah is to be followed to the letter, and His Holy One to be followed, imitated, loved and obeyed.  

But when we start thinking we are smart, we substitute the darkness of our own folly for the light of God, and in fact call our own “wisdom” the wisdom of God. 

What about you?  Do you celebrate grace and continue in sin that grace may abound?  Do you tell yourself that your wisdom is sufficient, and your opinion as good as the next guy’s?  Do you walk in the True Light or the false light?

Will you humbly and reverently trust and obey?