Was the Israelites plan better than God’s plan?
The Israelites thought their plan was better than God’s plan. In Isaiah chapter thirty, we read God’s indictment against the children of Israel who chose their own path instead of following God’s way. They set out on a very long and dangerous journey to Egypt because they thought they could find the best help there. Are we any different? How far will we go before we realize we don’t actually have it all figured out?
“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
says the LORD.
“You make plans that are contrary to mine.
You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,
thus piling up your sins.
For without consulting me,
you have gone down to Egypt for help.
You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection.
You have tried to hide in his shade.
But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated,
and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.
For though his power extends to Zoan
and his officials have arrived in Hanes,
all who trust in him will be ashamed.
He will not help you.
Instead, he will disgrace you.”This message came to me concerning the animals in the Negev:
The caravan moves slowly
across the terrible desert to Egypt—
donkeys weighed down with riches
and camels loaded with treasure—
all to pay for Egypt’s protection.
They travel through the wilderness,
a place of lionesses and lions,
a place where vipers and poisonous snakes live.
All this, and Egypt will give you nothing in return.
Egypt’s promises are worthless!
Therefore, I call her Rahab—
the Harmless Dragon.Now go and write down these words.
Write them in a book.
They will stand until the end of time
as a witness
that these people are stubborn rebels
who refuse to pay attention to the LORD’s instructions.
They tell the seers,
“Stop seeing visions!”
They tell the prophets,
“Don’t tell us what is right.
Tell us nice things.
Tell us lies.
Forget all this gloom.
Get off your narrow path.
Stop telling us about your
‘Holy One of Israel.’ ”This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel:
“Because you despise what I tell you
and trust instead in oppression and lies,
calamity will come upon you suddenly—
like a bulging wall that bursts and falls.
In an instant it will collapse
and come crashing down.
You will be smashed like a piece of pottery—
shattered so completely that
there won’t be a piece big enough
to carry coals from a fireplace
or a little water from the well.”This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’
But the only swiftness you are going to see
is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!
One of them will chase a thousand of you.
Five of them will make all of you flee.
You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill
or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.”
So the LORD must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the LORD is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,
Isaiah 30:1–21 NLT
you will weep no more.
He will be gracious if you ask for help.
He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
Though the Lord gave you adversity for food
and suffering for drink,
he will still be with you to teach you.
You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.
We think we have a better plan.
Like the Israelites, we often think we have a better plan than God’s plan. We won’t even ask God for help but then confidently assert that our way is the best way. In the book of Isaiah, we read stories of how God repeatedly invited His children to trust Him. And still, at God’s continuous invitation, we refuse to trust Him too.
The choice is yours. God’s way or your way? God offers to “be with you to teach you. . . . Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Will you listen to him? Will you follow him? He has the best plan!
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Excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis.
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