Scripture: Isaiah
29:13-14
What did you learn
from marking the references to the people in the passage?
They drew near.
How did the people
draw near to God? Were their hearts in
it? Explain your answer.
Their
hearts were not near to God but far removed.
They followed the traditions of men (Mark 7:6-7) when drawing near. Their reverence (yir'ah (3347))
was simply rote.
- Reverence or yir'ah (3347): "Fear of a person in an exalted position. Standing in awe. This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect. In this sense, the word may imply submission to a proper ethical relationship to God." (Vine's)
In this context what
does draw near mean?
It simply means to
approach, just like we understand the meaning today.
How did God feel about
the people drawing near?
God did not want
people to "draw near" by repeating the traditional things that men
taught them to say and do. Rather God
wanted them (and us) to draw near from their hearts/leb.
- Heart or Leb (3820) is the inner man. I always understood this word to mean the mind, will, and emotions.
What was His response?
He was going to do a
marvelous work and wonder! What mercy!
- Marvelous work or pala' (6381): "to be marvelous, be extraordinary, be beyond one's power to do, do wonderful acts. Used primarily with God as its subject, expressing actions that are beyond the bounds of human powers or expectations (Ps 118:23). Deliverance from Egypt was the result of God's wondrous acts. Praise is constantly due God for all His wonderful deeds (Ps. 9:1). At the same time, God does not require anything of His people that is too hard for them (Deut. 30:11).
- Wonder or pele' (6382): The extraordinary aspect of God's dealings with His people. The messianic title "wonderful counselor" in Is 9:6 comes from this word.
Even
though wisdom and understanding would be hidden from those who consider
themselves wise and discerning, God would still reveal Himself to those who
know who they are (as we noted recently)--those who are meek and poor in spirit
(Matt 5:3).
Would God answer their
prayers? Why or why not?
You know, I think most
people would say no, God would not answer their prayers; but from this passage of Scripture, I don't
see that. God's answer to those whose hearts are far off and consider themselves wise and discerning is to confound
the wise (1 Cor 1:27) as an answer to their pride. That IS His answer to their prayers, so yes, he is answering them. I see this answer of confusing the "wise" as mercy, to get them to see their pride so they repent.
Discuss how this
passage might be relevant to our worship services and prayer life today.
Worship is not carried
out in a church service; it is carried out moment by moment as we recognize
God's sovereignty over our lives. When we
abide in TruthHimself, we will find our worship is not like man tells us it should
be during church services but rather we will worship with our daily
activities. Our prayer life will become
a conversation with our Lord and Master because we draw near with our hearts
throughout the day rather than a religiously set time of lip service.
Linda
Moderator
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