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When God Begins To Shake His Church

"Isaiah was saying to Israel, 'God is going to have to shake you up. He will deal with you in chastisement, but He will work through to your blessing." - Plain Talk On Isaiah


In Isaiah 1:24-31, we find a very important message from the Almighty. Before delivering His prophesy through Isaiah, He introduces Himself in a rather unique manner - "Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel..."

What God was announcing to the people was that He was the Master, Owner, Ruler, or Lord over all. As "the LORD of hosts," He rules in the heavens and has everyone and everything under His control and at His command, executing His purposes.

As the "Mighty One of Israel," He "upholds all things by the Word of His power." He is the Great Defender of His people, able to overthrow all who rise up against them.

Why such an introduction to His message?

Isaiah 1: 24-25 - Because what follows is a word of threatening to his adversaries and a word of admonition to His people - "...Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies: And I will turn My hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin."

God had two directives in mind here. He was about to execute vengeance on His adversaries and chastise His people for their wanderings and sin.

He was utterly grieved by those who were in rebellion to His Holy Laws and commands. His patience was pushed to the limit, and His passion was stirred. It was time for His judgment to fall on those who refused to go His way.

To make matters worse, His people had become idolatrous and worldly. He had no other choice than to turn up the "fires of affliction" and "purge" and "take away" all "mixture" in their lives - that which was keeping them from being a pure and holy people.

Oh! Saint of God! Have you recently felt as though God has turned up the "fires of His Holy Furnace" in your life?

1 Peter 4:17 - The Apostle Peter informed us that "...judgment must begin at the house of God..."
The Apostle Paul added in Ephesians 5:27 that Jesus is coming back for a "...glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

God is after something in our lives. He is against everything that is contrary to His image and likeness. He will not rest until He "purely" purges and takes away all that is ungodly, unclean, fleshly, carnal, worldly, and sinful in us.

He informed Israel, and He is telling us today - "And I will turn My hand upon thee..."

Have you felt His "turning hand" upon you?
Have you felt His chastening hand, trying to turn you around in the opposite direction of which you are headed?

How have you been reacting to the "heavy hand" of God?
Have you been resisting His work?
Have you been kicking against the pricks?
Or have you had enough sense to simply humble yourself under "His mighty hand" and let Him have His way?

In dealing with His people, God always starts at the top with the leaders.

In Isaiah 1:26, He insinuated that the principal cause for Israel's wickedness was evil, corrupt, crooked, and unfaithful judges, magistrates, ministers, and advisors.
Isaiah 1:26 - As soon as they were removed, then the Lord said that she would once again be called - "...The city of righteousness, the faithful city."

There is a popular adage which states - "A fish stinks from the head down." In other words, if there is any corruption in a body, oftentimes it will found at the top first.

Sad to say, but there is much corruption in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ today. And the finger of God is pointed at the Leadership - the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. There is sin in the camp, and God knows that the Pulpit is to blame - either for not taking a bold stand against it by rebuking it or for committing blatant acts of sin and giving place to the devourer to come in and spread the "leaven" - ungodliness, adulteries, perversions, and wickedness - throughout the Body.

Isaiah 1:25 - God said - "And I will turn My hand upon thee..."

The Almighty has an agenda. No matter who likes it - He is going to have a people who are holy and pure. They are the only kind that He will acknowledge as His own.

He has two messengers who will get the job done - "judgment" and "righteousness."
In Isaiah 1:27, God promised - "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness."
Isaiah 1:28 - And all those who refuse to co-operate with His program and plan shall be destroyed - "And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed."

Ultimately, what is God after in all of us?
What was His chief criticism in Israel?
Was it not that they sought for help from the false gods of the surrounding nations instead of to the True and Living God?

We see this exemplified in Isaiah 1:29 - "For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen."

This type of terminology relates to idolatry.
In ancient times, the people practiced their worship of false gods among the groves. Here, amidst the great cluster of trees and the fertile gardens, you would find temples, altars, and implements of worship.

In the Church today, we may not have our particular groves or temples, but we sure do have our altars on which man, self, reputation, education, money, psychology, etc. are honored and revered.

Isaiah 1:29 - God said - "For they shall be ashamed of..."

After He got through with turning His hand upon Israel, they were "ashamed of" that which they depended upon besides the Lord.
It will be the same in our lives and the lives of every member of His Church. After undergoing His chastening process, we shall be "ashamed of" any and all that we have placed before the True and Living God.

Isaiah 1:30 - We shall discover that our "oaks" have faded leaves and our "gardens" are like those that have "no water."

In the Eastern countries, there were places that were "hot spots" where, if there wasn't a constant supply of water to the garden, it would immediately burn up and be destroyed by the heat of the sun. This is a perfect illustration for all those who trust in idols and lean on "the arm of the flesh" rather than "the arm of the Lord."

Isaiah 1:31 - That which is considered "strong" or dependable is shown to be "as tow" - broken pieces of flax which are very easily kindled and consumed at the touch of a flame.

God knows exactly how to get us to the place where we will completely trust in Him. That which we once so inordinately longed for or desired will become "as tow" - easily consumable - at the end of His chastening process in our lives.

Once again, let's consider our opening quote - "Isaiah was saying to Israel, 'God is going to have to shake you up. He will deal with you in chastisement, but He will work through to your blessing."

Right now, He is shaking everything that can be shaken. He is dealing with His own in chastisement. The Good News is that if we allow Him to work His eternal work in us, He will work through to our blessing.

Will you let Him have His way?
If not, you will be "consumed" and destroyed with the "transgressors," "sinners," and all those who "forsake the Lord."

What will you do with this message from the "Lord," "the LORD of hosts," "the mighty One of Israel"?


May God Bless His Word.

Connie

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