Over 2,700 years ago, the prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Despite this being a long time ago, the words that he spoke then are still relevant for us today. Everything that happened to the Israelites at that time serves as a warning for us today, as Christians in the new covenant age. As the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:11:
“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
1.Corinthians 10:11
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What does Isaiah say concerning God’s people?
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me’” (Isaiah 1:2)
This word applies to us believers today as well. Are we not children of God whom God the Father has brought up? Of course! As Christians, we have received God’s life and have become His children. God continues to say, however, that “‘they have rebelled against Me’”. As God’s children are we not rebellious? How often do we obey him? When it comes to doing God’s will we are disobedient. When God says to us “Spend time to pray!”, we say “No!” When God warns us and says “Do not continue to think these thoughts!”, we say “Why not?!” How often do we do the exact opposite of what God desires from us? We are indeed children of God, but we constantly rebel against Him!
This rebellion is a spiritual sickness
God says the following concerning His people:
“The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it […].” (Isaiah 1:5-6)
How tragic! God is not speaking about unbelievers here, but He is speaking about His own people! As Christians, are we not sick in our spiritual condition? Rebellion, pride, covetousness – these are all spiritual sicknesses that we have. Unfortunately, we do not even recognize our own condition because we are blind and God’s light cannot reach us. If we truly realized how sick we are in our spiritual condition, we would not waste any time but would go to the doctor immediately!
But which doctor can heal us from our rebellion against God?
There is only one who can do this: God Himself! In Exodus 15:26 He says,
“‘If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.’”
God Himself is the best physician. Go to this wonderful physician, confess your spiritual sickness and let yourself be healed by him! Do not be self-righteous and think that you are spiritually healthy. Jesus Himself said:
“‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’”(Matthew 9:12)
Jesus is our physician, but we need to come to Him. We do not only need forgiveness of sins, we need healing for our spiritual condition. Many people pray, “Lord Jesus, forgive me for my sins.” Few people realize, however, that behind these sins lies a serious spiritual sickness. Very few cries out to Him from their whole heart and say “Lord, my physician, heal me from my spiritual sickness!”
Let us be those who learn to know God as our physician!
