Tim BarkerComment

Woe

Tim BarkerComment
Woe

The Bible says through Isaiah the prophet: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). “Man without God is a contradiction, a paradox, a monstrosity. He sees evil as good and good as evil.

Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet… Isaiah 5:20

“The real horror of this passage consists of the fact that we have here one of the greatest sins that can be conceived, and, at the same time, one of the most common. To call evil good is practical atheism. To call good evil is practical blasphemy. The words of the passage supply a certain vision of the order of the process.

1. To "call evil good" is the sin especially of the young and careless — the giddy and wanton in their way.

2. The calling good evil is the sin especially of the earnest and professedly religious — whether or not their religion is of the kind called Christian. This was the great crime of the Pharisees against Christ. This has been the crime of all the persecutors of the Church of Christ from the Roman emperors to the Romish priests. Also, of many theologians of all sides in controversy; and of politicians.

3. Before our eyes the evil and the good are mingled, in characters and acts and institutions, till it is often beyond our power to extricate. And what are we to do?

Let us call on the name of the Lord, confessing we are helpless often in the matter, remember also this, that although it is in ignorance, our error may be great, like the crucifying of Christ.

Let the Church be improved from within, seeking rather the resources of the heavenly grace to replenish her heart with charity — its native and original virtue.

Let her turn from all the tumult without to Him who is "the glory in the midst of her."

Let her learn her liberality at the feet of Jesus. For evil rolls into the light of Christ and is detected and abhorred. The good that is in evil is caught by that light and gladly hailed. The love of Christ is the best of teaching here.”

"WOE" to the people and nations that call evil actions good, those who exchange light for dark and those who exchange sweet for bitter. Those who are wise in their own eyes, those whose finite minds are puffed up with a high opinion of their own wisdom and despise the counsel and instructions of God.

Are we at this place in America in our relationship with God? "WOE" to us if we are.

The time to come back to Jesus is now! We are being called to no longer live in a state of a hardened heart and willful sin and rebellion against God.

America, no more living according to what is right in our own eyes for now is the time to live our lives according to God's truth that is written in His Word.

God is wanting and willing to remove our stony heart and give us a new heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:27-28 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

America, God is calling us back to Him and His way of life and living.

Today is another opportunity for "decision making" concerning God's truth versus your own.