ISAIAH 66
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?
2 All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word. – Isaiah 66:1-2
ISAIAH 66 THE CONTRITE & THE MEEK
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Do you wonder what kind of people the Lord takes delight in?
They are the ones who have a heart that admits sins
He has no arrogance and doesn’t think highly of himself
He is meek and knows his place before His Lord’s majesty
He seeks the word of the Lord for sustenance and strength
He feeds daily on them & trembles to obey what is says
The Lord delights in those who love and fear him
Blessings, wisdom and protection are what God grants them.
In this account, the prophet Isaiah identifies what God delights in. The Israelites were so focused on the temple worship and all the externals of it. The beginning of this chapter narrates God’s thoughts on all their ritualistic worship. The prophet reminded them that God’s throne is in heaven and that the earth is a footstool. In other words, he stresses that although external worship is one form of praising him, he is more pleased with the workings of their heart.
Motyer comments that “contrite literally means ‘lamed’ or disabled, here used with spiritual significance: one who is aware of the damage wrought by sin, of personal inability to stand upright before God.” Spurgeon gives another comment: “Are you one of those who trembles at God’s word? “They tremble at the searching power of God’s Word. Do you never come into this place and sit down in the pew, and say, ‘Lord, grant that thy Word may search me and try me, that I may not be deceived’? Certain people must always have sweets and comforts; but God’s wise children do not wish for these in undue measure. Daily bread we ask for, not daily sugar.”
The Lord is after our hearts and he doesn’t care for rituals or religion. In fact, James says in 1:27 that pure religion according to God is caring for the widows and orphans and keeping our hearts pure and undefiled. Here, Isaiah stresses on humility, contrite hearts and those who take delight in his word.
REFLECTION
- How can a believer stay humble and contrite in his heart?
