Why try God?

WHY TRY GOD?:
FIVE INVITATIONS FROM ISAIAH THAT APPEAL TO OUR SELF INTEREST
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Dr. Paul Manuel—Seventh Day Baptist General Conference—August 6, 2001

Why try God?¹ From the moment you acknowledge His existence, He is intrusive and demanding. He expects you to change, to conform to His standard. Surely it is better to do your own thing and to let God do His...whatever that may be. Why bother cluttering up your life with another person's agenda? That is a question many people ask or, at least, think, and the answer is not what we, having tried God, like to admit.

I heard a preacher once say that God created man for fellowship because God was lonely. Although God is alone, for there is no one else like Him,² He gives no indication of being lonely. The testimony of scripture is that He is quite self-sufficient.³ Consequently, there is no deficiency in God that man can fill ("as if he needed anything" Acts 17:25).

• He does not need our help, because He is omnipotent.
• He does not need our advice, because He is omniscient.
• He does not need our company, because He is other—more different from us than we can imagine.

From eternity past, He has survived without us, and He would get along quite well without us in the future. Besides, if we hold to the trinity, God the Father has the company of the Son and of the Spirit.⁴ In other words, God does not need us, for fellowship or for anything else.⁵ So, we are not doing Him a favor by coming to Him. On the contrary, He is doing us a favor, a very big favor, by paying attention to us at all. As several biblical authors note,

Ps 8:4a what is man that you are mindful of him...?
Ps 144:3a ...what is man that you care for him...?
Job 7:17 What is man...that you give him...attention...?
Job 22:2a Can a...man be of use to God...?
Job 25:6 ...man...is but a maggot...a worm!

Such comments do not bolster our self-image. They do, however, bring us to an uncomfortable but incontrovertible point: We try God because we need God, and that is the basis on which He appeals to us, saying—"Do yourself a favor; seek me and live" (Amos 5:4).

What is particularly wonderful is that, despite being so far above us that we are less than insects to God, He is not aloof. He does not keep us at arm's-length. Neither does He wait for us to make the first move. Rather, He invites us to know Him and explains how that is to our benefit. This study answers the question—Why Try God?—we will consider together Five Invitations from Isaiah that Appeal to Our Self Interest. While God's word contains many such calls, He issues the most through this prophet.

Although you might think that the reason to give your unbelieving acquaintance to try God would be different from your own reason as a believer to try God, there may actually be considerable overlap. Isaiah is, of course, writing to Israel, the nation God has chosen as His own to be a light to the world. At this point in Israel's history, however, in the mid-eighth century B.C., the people are not the shining example they should be.

Isaiah ministers from the end of King Uzziah's reign through King Hezekiah's reign, two good kings. During that seventy-year period, however, the prophet sees Uzziah's religious reforms reversed by Ahaz, a bad king, leading to spiritual corruption that Hezekiah manages to arrest but not eliminate. As a result, Isaiah devotes much of his effort to calling sinful Israel back to God, although he also attempts to encourage the remnant of those who have remained faithful to God. Through the prophet, the LORD Himself speaks, calling His people to look to Him for their needs and giving them several good reasons to try God.⁶

The first step for Judah, indeed, the first step for anyone, including us, is to deal with the chief impediment to experiencing all that God has to offer, that impediment being sin—our willful rejection of living His way so that we may live our way.⁷ The effect of such a decision is that it renders us impure in His sight, unfit for fellowship with Him; and, because He is pure, He will have nothing to do with us as long as we are in that unclean state.⁸ The problem for us is that we cannot rectify the situation on our own. We need His help, His gracious willingness to forgive us when we repent, and that is God's initial offer to Judah. Some may wonder if they have fallen too far, if they are beyond God's forgiveness.⁹ To this, as well, the LORD responds in His first invitation....

I. God presents pardon to the repentant (Isaiah 1:16-18).¹⁰

Isa 1:16 "Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." 18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

A. The offer to people is personal purification.

Is God telling them to take a bath or to launder their clothes?

1. This is a metaphor = a figure of speech that identifies one thing with another because of some resemblance they share.
2. Here, God likens sin in their character to stains on their clothing.

a. Both are unsightly.
b. Both need cleansing.

What has their sin affected?

B. The obstruction before people is their damaged relationship.

1. They have angered God (v. 16b).
2. They have injured others (v. 17b).

Why might this offer sound too good to be true? (v. 18)

C. The objection by people is, "Our sins are too great!"

1. Intentional coloring: High quality dyes in the Ancient Near East were colorfast, including the various purple hues common in scripture that are derived from sea snails (= "scarlet" Danker 1995).¹¹
2. Unintentional coloring: Contact with certain substances (e.g., wine, blood) could also mark clothing with a nearly indelible stain (= "crimson")¹²

What must they do?

D. The obligation upon people is, "Change your ways!" (9 imperatives)

How do the first 6 imperatives differ from the last 3?
What does this say about the nature of repentance? (it must be apparent in our actions.)

1. General admonitions re: everyone (wash, cleanse, remove, stop, learn, seek)
2. Special admonitions re: oppressed, fatherless, widow¹³

 If they do these things, what will be the result?

E. The outcome for people is a restoration of their relationship.

The apostle Paul states that forgiveness (i.e., justification) comes by God's grace and not by man's goodness. We cannot pressure God to pardon us. All we can do is humbly beg His forgiveness.¹⁴ Nevertheless, we can demonstrate the sincerity of our petition by changing our behavior, because God will not forgive our sin if we do not forsake our sin.¹⁵ That is the essence of His first offer to Judah...and to anyone; and it is the first reason to try God.

• He will forgive the sin of those who forsake their sin.

The second half of Isaiah's prophetic work (chapters 40-66) he addresses to those living two centuries later. It was a period of punishment, as people endured the Babylonian exile in judgment for their disobedience of God's commands. In this different context from the first half of the book,¹⁶ Isaiah offers consolation for Judah's suffering and calls his countrymen to return to the Lord. Some in Babylon may wonder if they have waited too long, if the expiration date on God's favor has passed. To this, God responds with several more invitations, the second of which is that....

II. God presents encouragement to the fearful (Isaiah 41:10-14).

Isa 41:10 [D]o not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and [I will] help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. 12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. 13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. 14 Do not [fear], O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I...will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

A. The offer to people is divine presence.

 Does it sound familiar?

When God says, "I am with you," does He just mean He will keep them company?

1. This is a covenant assertion formula = a statement that affirms God's commitment to His people, a commitment He makes to no other people.¹⁷
2. Here, it includes the promise of His help ("I will help you" vv. 10, 1314).¹⁸

What are the people facing that is so frightening?

B. The obstruction before people is their enemy's persecution (v. 11).

1. It has an emotional component ("rage").
2. It has a physical component ("oppose").

How are they feeling that might make them question this offer?

C. The objection by people is, "We are unworthy of consideration" ("worm... little" v. 14).¹⁹

How does God remind them about His continued obligation to them?

D. The obligation upon people is continued loyalty (because "I am 'your God'" vv. 10, 13).²⁰

If they trust Him, what will be the outcome?

E. The outcome for people is an elimination of their enemies (vv. 11-12).

• Those you fear will be "as nothing.²¹

Fear is a natural response to the things that threaten us, but fear makes us doubt our ability to deal with the danger and may even make us doubt our own worthiness. How can we cope with our fear? The author of Hebrews reminds us of God's promise,

Heb 13:5b "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." [Josh 1:5] 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" [Ps 118:6]

That is the essence of His second offer to Judah...and to anyone; and it is the second reason to try God.

• He is present with His people to protect His people.

God addresses most of his utterances to Israel, which is understandable, given this nation's unique role in the divine plan. When He does speak to other nations, it is usually in condemnation for their mistreatment of His people. Nevertheless, God does broaden the purview of His proposals beyond those in Israel to include gentiles. They cannot come to Him as they please, however, but must do so on His terms. This is His third invitation.

III. God presents salvation to the submissive (Isaiah 45:22-24).²²

Isa 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 24 They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength." All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.

A. The offer to people is divine protection.

How broad does God make this offer?

• To "all...ends of the earth" (v. 22)

What reason might people give for declining or questioning God's offer?

B. The obstruction before people is their competing deities.

• Is there really "no other" (v. 22)?²³

What might their underlying objection be for declining God's offer, and the objection that will make absolutely no difference in the end?

C. The objection by people is their own pride.

How serious is God about this offer? What does the oath do?

D. The obligation upon people is, "I have sworn" (v. 23).²⁴

• This oath strengthens the certainty of the outcome (not the validity of the offer).

God offers salvation to all people, but will all people be saved? What two groups here will be present at the end? How will they be different? How will they be alike?

E. The outcome for people is a submission to the LORD.

• Some will bow willingly (= the invitation), others grudgingly (= the ultimatum), but all will bow.

By extending His offer of salvation to "all [the] ends of the earth," God suggests that He has more in mind than political or military deliverance, even from a superpower like Babylon. The vast scope of this offer becomes evident as God ties it to the culmination of history, to that day when everyone will acknowledge His sovereignty.

For those who accept His invitation, who turn to Him and are saved, the question we might ask is: "Saved from what?" The answer we normally give is, "Saved from the penalty of our sin," which is certainly correct. Part of this punishment, though, and an element we rarely consider, is the stigma of shame that accompanies our conviction.

Several biblical passages suggest that the final trial determining people's guilt is a public one,²⁵ so that they must bear not only the penalty the court imposes but also the disgrace of others' knowing what they have done and where it has brought them:²⁶ Perhaps that is what the final sentence of this passages has in view: "All who have raged against him will...be put to shame." The end for those who accept this third invitation to try God will be quite different.

• He will spare them from the stigma of shame.²⁷

While God's salvation keeps those who willingly submit to His rule from experiencing the final humiliation of their earlier rebellion against Him, it also addresses the injustices they may have experienced from others. The people of Israel have suffered many indignities from their gentile captors. Keeping God's law—circumcision, Sabbath, kosher regulations—has prevented them from assimilating into the culture of this foreign land, making them the object of ridicule and persecution. This, too, He will correct, and in the next invitation...

IV. God presents justice to the oppressed (Isaiah 51:4-8).

Isa 51:4 "Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. 5 My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. 7 "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. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations."

How does God reveal His justice? Whom does He ultimately want to know it?

A. The offer to people is divine precepts.

• The plan: Revealing the law "to the nations" (v. 4) will bring justice "to the nations" (v. 5).

How does v. 6 answer the question some probably raise?

B. The obstruction before people is their lingering doubt ("Will this really happen?").

1. This is apocalyptic imagery = a literary genre (form) that reveals events of the last days in graphic or catastrophic terms.²⁸
2. Here, God states that although the world as they know it will end, His program for revealing His justice will surely come to fruition.

Who is responsible to make this happen?

C. The obligation upon people is, "Hear me" (vv. 4,7; "my" 12x).

• This is what they must do ("you...know [and] you...have" v. 7a)

How should they respond to the resistance they encounter?

D. The objection by people is their own fear (v. 7b-8).

1. You must not fear.
2. It will not last.

Whatever their current condition, what result can they count on?

E. The outcome for people is an establishment of their redemption ("justice...righteousness...salvation").

We may not be suffering the indignities of a captive people, but we do see examples of injustice in our society and may even experience them at times. Should this continue unchecked, we might begin to wonder if God will ever fix it. The assurance He gives in this passage is still valid: No matter what happens, even if heaven and earth disappear, God's justice, the part of salvation that corrects what His people suffer at the hands of others, will not fail. In other words, they should continue to try God, even when doing so seems only to make trouble for them.

There is also another reason to persevere in this matter. One day, God's law, the embodiment of His justice, "will become a light to the nations," but we are not to wait passively until that happens. His people, who know what is right and who have His law in their hearts, can and must advance His agenda. This fourth invitation to try God is not only in our self-interest, as we look forward to justice in the future, it enables us to have a positive influence on others by living justly in obedience to His word, because even now...

• He promotes His law through those who practice His law.

Among Jews in Babylon, and even among those who returned to the land with Zerubbabel, there was regret and sorrow over what they had lost when the kingdom fell. The glory of the Davidic monarchy was no more. The mighty nation that once modeled God's kingdom was a mere shadow of its former grandeur. What God's people have lost, they can never regain.., or can they?²⁹ In this fifth invitation...

V. God presents hope to the despondent (Isaiah 55:1-5).³⁰

Isa 55:1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."

A. The offer to people is divine provision.

• God offers free refreshment to those who cannot afford it.

What is wrong with the offer in v. 1?

B. The obstruction before people is their assumed nonsense.

1. God calls those who have no money to buy food and drink, but those who have no money cannot buy anything.

NB: Keep in mind that this was before God created VISA.

How does v. 2 clarify the point?

2. This is not about what they could be eating but about what they are missing, because what God has for them is "good...delight...richest".

What is God going to do (v. 3)?

C. The objection by people is, "The Davidic line has failed."

1. There is no king.
2. There is no kingdom.

What does God propose that is different this time? Who is the "him" in v. 4?

D. The obligation upon people is the "everlasting covenant" (v. 3)³¹

1. God's part: covenant³²

• David['s descendant] will reign.

What does God ask the people to do?

2. Israel's part: Come!

How will this change Israel's current situation?

E. The outcome for people is a realization of their autonomy.

• Israel will fulfill its political potential.³³

As we look back on our lives, there are always things we regret—lost opportunities, poor choices, damaged relationships. We may think these events have irreparably hurt our potential and that we must now just endure our current situation, whatever that may be. This passage, although addressed to Israel, serves as a reminder that what limits man does not limit God, that out of loss He is able to bring gain. We can settle for less, of course, but if we heed this fifth invitation, if we answer God's call to come, to enroll in the program He has planned for His people...

• He will satisfy those who serve Him.

We are not naturally altruistic. We do not choose one thing over another simply because it is the right thing. We may not like to admit it, but we make many decisions, perhaps most decisions, according to whether or not they benefit us in some way. Knowing this, and knowing far better than we do what ultimately will benefit us, God graciously invites us to experience what only He can offer. In these five appeals to our self interest, He persuades us to get with His program, to join with His people, by offering...

• Pardon to the repentant,
• Encouragement to the fearful,
• Salvation to the submissive,
• Justice to the oppressed, and
• Hope to the despondent.

These are, indeed, good incentives and good answers to the question, Why Try God?

For the Bibliography and Endnotes see the pdf here.