Biosophilia

Day & Night (Psalm 1)

TOPIC: Smooth sayings

Dear Friends,

And now, go write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness for ever. For they are a rebellious people, lying sons, sons who will not hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, ‘See not;’ and to the prophets, ‘Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more of the Holy One of Israel.’ Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, ‘Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely on them; therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a break in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant; and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel which is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shred is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern. (Isaiah 30:8-14 RSV)

The first thing I notice is that this was written down “as a witness forever.” The second thing is the unwillingness to listen to the truth when it is known to be truth: “Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions” (v. 10). The third thing is that the uncorrected iniquity does not have immediate judgement. But it is “like a break in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse” (v. 13). The judgement is certain, devastating, and we have an advance warning (the wall is bulging out).

How does this apply today? We as Christians have two temptations. We want to hear smooth things so we seek teachers who speak of pleasant things. It is something that Paul warned Timothy of in II Timothy 4:3-4:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but, having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. (RSV)

The second temptation is the willingness to respond to the request or the demand and be the prophet of “smooth things.” We cannot lay this charge at the feet of liberals. It is a major problem among evangelicals. We want to hear and we want to teach “smooth” things.

In the Lord Jesus Christ,
Jim Wilson

Community Christian Ministries
516 S. Main
Moscow, ID 83843
www.ccmbooks.org

(Reprinted by permission.)

Posted by Courtney Huntington at July 26, 2005 01:17 PM