Day 13: Isaiah 58:1-8
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
The morning light of the sun appears gently, gradually at first, imperceptibly lightening the horizon with faint bands of color. Slowly the hues deepen, spreading further across the landscape. Then at last, at the climax of anticipation, the sun itself breaks forth in full brilliance above the horizon, its beams shooting across the landscape to illumine all it touches.
God’s covenant promise to us is that this is the way our light will break forth.
But there’s a condition.
Because God is a God of covenant, covenant curses will follow those who are in covenant with Him and yet break that covenant. One of the covenant curses falls upon those who live purposely contrary to the inherent holy and true nature of God: calling evil good, good evil, darkness light, light darkness, bitter sweet, and sweet bitter.
Once again, we see the power of the Word of God reemphasized. (Are you starting to see a theme here?) The picture is one of clinging to instruction, defending her, doing all in your power to keep her closely to yourself. “She is thy life.” Truly the Word of God is life – are you investing your days in doing all you can to guard it within your heart and mind? Praise God for His Holy Spirit within us who guides us into all truth and brings to our remembrance everything Jesus has said!
The darkness of the world, the flesh, and the devil blinds and dims our eyes. Spiritually, we are nearsighted; we look upon our own things instead of on things above and the things of others. No wonder we can only see as in a mirror dimly! No wonder Jesus spoke in parables – “that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not hear, for this people’s eyes are darkened.” As the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, we walk about as blind people thinking that we see. As the church in John’s day, we do not even know that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
This passage is an attempt to corral the ways of God into human terms – a difficult feat, as we know that God’s ways are much higher than man’s. One thing comes out clearly in Job’s words from a hear overflowing with suffering: the way God works isn’t something we can understand. Often He appears to work in contradictions: droughts and floods, spoiling counselors, making judges fools, spoiling princes, overthrowing mighty men, removing the wise man’s speak, removing understanding from the aged, weakening the strength of the mighty, and blessing and then destroying nations.
In this passage, earthly light repeatedly describes the majesty and holiness of God:
Notice the oneness and trust that the Psalmist has with God in this passage. In every aspect of his life, he’s turning to God, trusting God, relying on God for protection, provision, and help. In the midst of his struggles, he is turning to His Father for mercy, understanding, strength, peace, and sympathy.
Today we approach the specifics of the daily process of abiding in the Light. Certainly Jesus Christ is the Light that dwells in us – but what does that look like in our daily experience?
If your life or daily walk is characterized by darkness – confusion, indecision, negativity, fear, hatred, selfishness, pride, apathy, depression, and so forth – it’s by your own choice.
