Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Halfway through Isaiah in our look at 'Heart/hearts' in the entire Bible (as reported in the NIV 84 Exhaustive concordance), we have some very meaty verses in today's section.
Starting with the first. I could probably do a whole post on just this one...
The LORD says, "These people come near to me with their mouths, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is made up only of rules taught by men." -- Is. 29:13; 'hearts' is the most common Hebrew word translated 'heart' -- Strong's H 3820, Leb - inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
Friends, this is social religion. Doing the thing because, well, it is what one does. Doesn't matter if that thing is leaving a bit of one's possession along a walking path so as to not go farther afield than what has been determined an appropriate distance to travel on a particular day, or going through the motions of a church service...of whatever doctrine/denomination...without actually engaging in what is happening. And that can describe someone in a two-stepping rambunctious worship set just as much as in a stand-up-sit-down responsive reading. It's not a question of what, exactly, one is doing during a time of worship; it's a question of where one's heart is positioned. Am I regarding the voice of the Spirit? Listening for correction and encouragement; thankful for all the grace I have been shown? Or am I thinking about...something else? It's easy to fall into routine and giving everyone around us the impression that I am being pious, or am abandoning myself to uninhibited worship...when, in fact, I am more concerned about the opinion of other people...not God. Sort of like Barnabas bringing the proceeds from a property sale to the church...and Ananias and Sapphira deciding they wanted the same good opinion Barnabas got, only they didn't want to give it all up. Just look like they did. (Acts 5). And...let's just say it kinda backfired. Because God knows our true motives. Even if we lie to ourselves and pretend really well that our motives are altruistic. God knows the truth.
Like I said, I could do a whole post on that but I gotta keep going.
The next verse is from a passage describing Israel's rejoicing when God's deliverance comes
And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; your hearts will rejoice as when people go up with flutes to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. -- Is. 30:29; 'Hearts' is the second most common Hebrew word translated 'Heart', Strong's H 2834, Lebab -- inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
There is something so...joyful...about a rejoicing heart. This verse reminds me of a couple of dreams I had years ago. One was just a simple outing...as I recall, our church choir was on a picnic in the fall. We were making piles of leaves and jumping in them like we were little kids, having an absolute ball. That's what stood out to me when I woke up; that child like sense of just pure fun. The other, which I don't remember happening particularly close to the first one, also involved some of the choir, only we were taking a perilous journey; the feeling I had was that we were fleeing government agents who were rounding up believers. We clambered through mountainous terrain, over old ruins, along chasms, and finally arrived at a massive amphitheater that was in the top of a mountain...like an extinct volcano crater. I'm not sure why that was safe, but it clearly was as thousands of other believers were pouring into the amphitheater from all directions, worshiping as we gathered. Again, I woke up with a sense of joy and wonder and, yes, a glad heart.
Those were good dreams, lol.
Here's another verse about God's deliverance; encouraging those who are giving up:
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong and do not fear; your God will come with vengeance; with divine retribution, he will come to save you." Is. 35:3-4; 'hearts' is H 3820 again.
I had never considered those two verses together; I'd always just focused on verse 3, about strengthening arms and knees. But verse 4 explains WHY the arms and knees are weak; the hearts are fearful. But if one really knows that rescue is coming, soon...that's hope that brings strength.
Isaiah 40 is the basis for some of the most recognizable bits of Handel's Messiah, and our next verse shows up there as well...at least, the King James version of it,
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those who have young. -- Is. 40:11; 'Heart' is a word we have only seen once so far, Strong's H 2436, heq -- bosom, hollow bottom, midst. KJV renders this 'carries them in his bosom', which, technically, is 'close to his heart', which is the phrasing that makes the most sense to our modern ears.
Messiah as shepherd is an imagery that Jesus himself used (John 10) -- the Good Shepherd who truly cared for his sheep...and the sheep knew his voice and followed him. Of course he would carry the lamb near his heart.
Getting the previous verse here, for context...
Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law. So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart. -- Is. 42:24-25; 'Heart' is 3820 again.
Punishment, judgement, consequences...all descended upon the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, because of their idolatry, but they put it down to anything BUT God. They did not do any kind of self - appraisal, because that would have led them to repentance. It is dangerously easy to convince ourselves that events are caused by circumstances outside our control...when, in fact, they are simply consequences of our own behavior. Cain, for instance, had his error laid plainly before him by God. Yet...he didn't take it to heart, and killed Abel instead. It really is inescapable...what we sow, we will reap. Unless there is genuine repentance. Which means taking God's word to heart.
One more.
This one is in a passage discussing the uselessness of idols
He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie? -- Is. 44:20; 'heart' is H 3820 again.
'His deluded heart misleads him....' Is there a better description of the larger part of our western society today? Walking around with a deluded, deceived heart...to the point that lies are not even detectable any more. That is a sad state of affairs.
And all that's necessary is...to take the warnings to heart. Serve God whole-heartedly.
It starts with paying attention to Him.
