|
The Fire of His Breath
Isaiah 30:1 - Woe to the obstinate children, declares the Lord, to those who carry out plans that are not mine forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.
Collectively as the body of Christ we are the obstinate children the Lord is referring to. We carry out plans and make alliances against Him, and we throw sin on top of sin.
Isaiah 30:6-7 - An oracle concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys' backs, their treasures on the humps of camels to that unprofitable nation, to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. THEREFORE I CALL HER RAHAB, THE DO-NOTHING!
The church is the unprofitable nation....and the church is called RAHAB, because the church does nothing.
Isaiah 30:9-11 - These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction. They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!' and to the prophets, 'Give us no more visions of what is right!' Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off the path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!
The church is a rebellious people, deceitful and unwilling to listen to the voice of God. They are telling today's forerunners to stop preaching death to self, they want their ears tickled with sermons and messages of prosperity and financial gains. They tell the forerunners to leave the way, which is Jesus, and get off His path and to stop confronting them with the TRUTH, which is Jesus.
Isaiah 30:12-13 - ...Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging that collapses suddenly, in an instant.
The church rejects the message of the cross and the price that must be paid for true intimate fellowship with Jesus and God the Father. This rejection will become her sin and will cause her to collapse and HAVE to be broken down, so Jesus can build her up.
Isaiah 30:19-22 - O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!"
The Lord will be gracious when the church cries out for help, but she is not crying out for help because she doesn't think anything is wrong. However, He is so gracious and compassionate that once her heart is pierced and she gives into Jesus He will come running. God will speak to her whether or not we are trying to listen. He will speak from behind and say, 'This is the way (Jesus), walk in it (Him)'. Then she will give up all her idols and discard them like a filthy menstrual rag. The things she is worshipping are vile and disgusting and she doesn't realize it, and once she does she gets rid of them.
Isaiah 30:33 - ...It's fire pit has been made deep and wide, with an abundance of fire and wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.
God has fashioned the fire pit to purify the church. He is inhaling, getting ready for the exhale to set the Bride on fire with His breath.