Isaiah 30:9-10: “That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; who say to the seers, “Do not see,” And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits”. 

Isaiah was a prophet in Israel during a very difficult period in the history of the nation. They had rebelled against God and were not repentant. Isaiah preached judgment on the nation. But the people did not like it. Look at how God Himself described the people in Isaiah 30:9-10. They wanted Isaiah to preach deceit and flattery. They wanted to be like others.

The same is true of our society today; even in our Churches that have over the years been built on tradition. We want to be like others. We are calling for a new form of teaching, a new form of doctrine, a new form of tradition. Preach to us new things; new ways of life and new morality.

Original photograph by Sandy Chase, via Wikimedia Commons

Hebrews 12:2
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In our last considerations from these verses, we discussed the Excellency of faith – Hebrews 11:1-3; The Demands of Faith- Hebrews 12:1. This verse, Hebrews 12:2 is very closely related to verse one.

In Hebrews 12:1 – we see all the negative things to lay aside lest they hinder us and weigh us down. It is a case of negative before the positive and this order is emphasized all through the Scripture. There must be turning from the world, before there can be a real turning unto the Lord (Isaiah 55:7); self denial before we can follow Christ (Matthew 16:24); there must be a putting off of the old man, before there can be any true putting on of a new man (Ephesians 4:22-24). There has to be a denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts before we can live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 3:14); there has to be a cleansing of ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit before there can be any perfecting holiness in the fear of God (Romans 12:2-3) the principle goes on.