March 31, 2009

• The Book of Isaiah Chapter 1 V.12 pt. 1

  In the previous section, we discovered that God was not pleased with the offerings He was receiving. Here, His reasons continue.
  
  Isa 1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
  
  This first section about “when ye come,” has a certain connotation that I found interesting. Basically, it means to go in, enter, come, go, come in. But it also means to fall or light upon, attack (enemy); it has one reaching to attain to, as well as to be enumerated, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon, to be introduced, be put.
  
  Now for me, there were a few words that stood out, but it didn’t really start making sense until I checked out all the words in this verse.
  
  “When ye come,” sounds simple enough, but one would certainly not go to any idea that involves an attack against an enemy, or someone reaching to attain to something, as if they had an ulterior motive. The word enumerated is indicative of numbering or listing. So here, it seems that the very fact that they’ve come is being numbered or listing in a series of errors in judgment they have apparently made.
  
  The first words that stood out in the definition of “to appear,” are to see, look at, inspect, perceive, and consider.
  
  Personally, I wouldn’t automatically come to the conclusion that an inspection was going on, but apparently, it was. God is checking out His people and seriously considering them. This is also evident in several other words defined in this section of the text, such as to learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out, give attention to, discern.
  
  Also found in this text are the words distinguish, present oneself, to be seen, to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at, to be exhibited to, to look at each other, face. This tells me that there was a sense of respect and honor missing in their appearing before God, because this appearing seems to have a purpose of distinguishing oneself as if part of an exhibition. As such, one would want to be judged as “Best in show,” but apparently, the opposite was happening here.
  
  This is even more apparent when the word “before” is looked at because it has the following connotations:
  
  First, it means face or presence, and it references a person Then it references faces of a variety of creatures, such as of seraphim or cherubim, of animals, and then it mentions surface (face) of the ground. This reference to the faces of various creatures really emphasizes the “Best in show” idea in my mind; as if a comparison of species or groups was being done. Certainly one would think then, that God’s chosen people would come before Him and be assessed as the first place winner so to speak. But again, this was apparently not happening, and the opposite was occurring.
  
  I’d be inclined to think that if they had truly been aware of the seriousness of this process…that they were being judged and assessed this much, this seriously, they would have come with the right attitude and the best offering they could. It makes me think of the attitude of Americans. By and large, most Americans take our position, rank, and the wealth and advantages we have in this country, for granted. They really don’t pay that much attention to people outside of themselves and their issues and agendas. So certainly, people outside of the country don’t really fall into the focus of very many Americans. There is a portion of the country that has awareness, but the vast majority is so self-absorbed, that they don’t care about anyone else. In this case, these people were so self-absorbed that they failed to have proper reverence, respect and concern about the nature of the ceremony or offering process and its purpose. They also disrespected God by coming into His presence in this lackadaisical manner.
  
  So then the question becomes, “who hath required this?”
   
  The following words define this question: to seek (to find or to secure), to seek the face or to be sought, require, desire or demand, exact; to ask or request.
  
  I see God asking, “Who demanded this of you? Who sought you out to exact this desire? Who sought to secure this request of you?” In other words, someone must have prompted, demanded or had a noose around your neck and dragged you into this, because it seems you came into my presence under duress. Clearly, you didn’t come before me willingly.
  
  Who hath required this…“at your hand”? When I looked up the word hand…wow! I was rather shocked. It has the following connotations: hand (of man), strength, power (fig.), side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.). In various special, technical senses it means: sign, monument, part, fractional part, share, time, repetition, axle-trees or axle, stays, support (for laver), tenons (in tabernacle), a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure), wrists. There was also a partial meaning towards consecrate.

  • 12:43 am
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