Isaiah 30:8

THE PERVERSITY OF JUDAH

"Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for time to come forever and ever. For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Jehovah; that say to the seers, See not, and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits, get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us."

God instructed Isaiah in Isaiah 30:8 to write his prophecy in a book, "that it might be a witness forever, in order to prove the accuracy of the prophesy after history had vindicated it."[12] This is another example, among many, many others, of behavior on the part of the prophet that cannot be reconciled with a "prophecy written after the event." Note that, "The perpetuity of the written Word is here accepted as a certainty."[13]

"Children that will not hear the law of Jehovah ..." (Isaiah 30:9). One needs to be outraged by such a comment as that of Dummelow who wrote, "`The law' here refers to `oral instruction' given by the prophet."[14] No indeed! It is a favorite canard of critics that the Pentateuch did not exist at so early a date; but we are absolutely certain that references of this kind, of which there are literally dozens of them in all of the prophets, point squarely at the Pentateuch, which traditionally has for countless ages been called "the law," there being no true basis whatever for denying that meaning of the words here.

The rebellious Israelites are here represented as saying to Isaiah, "Get out of our way ... stop talking about that Holy One of Israel ... Prophesy things we want to hear ... Do not bother with the truth at all." Of course, as Hailey said, "Surely they were not honest enough to come right out and say such things";[15] but these verses graphically reveal their true sentiments.

The same attitude prevails in our world today in which people will not support preaching which reveals their sins and the certain punishment a righteous and holy God will execute upon wicked and unrepentant men, but prefer preaching that portrays God as a senile old grandfather, too lazy or indifferent to spank one of the children no matter what crimes of blood and lust rage beneath his very nose. Yes indeed, God is a God of love; but he is also a God of righteousness and justice; and "Vengeance belongeth unto God." Gleason also noted this "modern" development: "Very modern is this demand that their clergy temper their messages to the desires and preferences of the people, rather than preach some unpopular doctrine derived from the Word of God."[16] This attitude destroyed ancient Israel; and it will do no less for any generation that is foolish enough to adopt it.