Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
So we are in the latter part of Isaiah in our look at 'Heart/ Hearts' through the NIV 84 translation; starting in chapter 46 today.
"Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels." -- Is. 46:8; 'Heart' is the Hebrew word that has been translated as 'heart', Strong's H3820, Leb - inner man, mind will, heart, understanding.
God is speaking here, and is about to reiterate to the audience who he is and what he does. And he is exhorting them to pay attention and remember it....cause, like, it's kinda important. Might help their decision making..
The next verse refers to the time when God's people are restored to their land and flourishing; referring to children born in a time of bereavement but have grown up to prosperity:
"Then you will say in your heart, 'Who bore me these? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. Who brought these up? I was left all alone, but these -- where have they come from?'" -- Isaiah 49:21; 'Heart' here is the second most common Hebrew word translated as 'heart'.. Strong's H3824, Lebab - Inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
This is an inner amazement at the way things have turned around. After a time of such extreme hardship, now not only are the people prospering but their children are as well. It's almost too much to take in.
Still talking to the restored remnant here:
"Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults." -- Isaiah 51:7; 'Hearts' is H3820 again.
That's a the foundation of knowing and doing what is right...having the law of God in the heart. This isn't just learned information; this is fundamental identity. What is in the heart determines how an individual lives his or her life.
The rest of the verses we'll look at this week are in chapter 57..the first part of the chapter describes folks who are following their own ideas of right/ wrong and ignoring God, with two verses using 'Heart/ hearts':
The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. -- Is. 57:1; 'Heart' is H 3820 again.
This verse kinda slapped me. Righteous folks were dying...or being taken into captivity...and God says it was to spare them from evil. And no one was considering the pattern or wondering why. The point isn't what God was doing to protect the righteous from the evil that was coming...the point is that the hearts of the folks were so far removed from following God that they failed utterly to consider what it might mean.
God goes on to iterate the wickedness of those who were left in the land to bear the coming evil. Sorcery, rebellion, idolatry...it was bad.
Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me, and have neither remembered me nor pondered this in your hearts? -- Is. 57:11; 'Hearts' is H 3820 again.
Who is bigger, more powerful, more to be reverenced and in-awe-of than God? But the people of God had apparently considered another to be more worthy of fear and reverence, as they abandoned the worship of God to follow other practices. And, again, did not consider the impact of this. Kinda like Scarlett O'Hara...they shrugged it off, no doubt to 'think about it tomorrow'.
Nothing good can come of putting off considering God's viewpoint on things.
The end of chapter 57, however, shows the value of repentance, and the last verse from today comes from that section.
For this is what the high and lofty One says -- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." -- Is. 57:15; 'Heart' is, once more, H 3820.
I did a quick search for a definition of 'contrite' and this is what popped up first...feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt
The one who recognizes his/her wrongdoing for wat it is and is repentant...that is a contrite person. And this person is one that God will make his dwelling, to revive the heart and the spirit.
So...once God's word, God's laws, God's character are taken into consideration and pondered in the heart, the response should be repentance...and that brings God and his blessings near.
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