Problem must be solved at its root, not merely at its tip For instance, consider a poisonous tree bearing toxic fruits. Simply removing the fruit won't eradicate the problem; it will regrow. Trimming a branch may temporarily alleviate symptoms, but the root remains, and the tree will eventually resume its destructive behavior. Hence, to resolve such issues permanently, one must uproot and destroy the poisonous tree entirely. Similarly, if an individual suffers from an internal illness, merely suppressing its symptoms with medication may provide temporary relief but won't cure the underlying issue. Eventually, the disease could worsen, potentially leading to severe health consequences or even loss of life. Therefore, a deadly illness requires comprehensive treatment, not just to relieve the pain but to eradicate it completely. The root cause: abandonment of God Where does everyone's issue stem from, and what is its root cause? If we fail to identify the root cause, we cannot resolve it. The root cause of all societal problems is the abandonment of God. Nevertheless, people often remain unaware that they have abandoned God. Let us look at the various forms of abandonment of God. Do you find yourself among the above categories of those who abandon God? The Israelites abandoned the Lord The Lord himself says that the Israelites have abandoned their root, the Lord, and are living according to their own ideas. The Lord himself said this about them: "Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” 4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him (Isaiah 1:2-4) Why did God make the heavens and the earth listen? Did the heavens and the earth have ears to listen? Or did He ask the heavenly being and people on the earth to listen? The truth is this: because He was deeply and emotionally hurt, it is as if He has raised the lifeless heavens and earth to the level of living beings, with an ear to them. It was to express His hurt and pain. As humans, we often express our pain to others. We often express our feelings to God. Just as children never understand or sympathize with their parents’ pain, so humans also often do not understand God’s feelings. No matter how many times we read this passage, we do not sympathize with God. We only know our own feelings and do not know God’s at all. From now on, let us understand God’s feelings and sympathize with Him. Why did God compare the Israelites to oxen and donkeys? Oxen and donkeys are intelligent, but they are the least intelligent of all animals. God was amazed that the Israelites were not as intelligent as oxen and donkeys. We too should learn a lesson from the lack of intelligence of the Israelites of old, but in reality, we are even less intelligent than they were. The Israelites were said to be the children of God, whom He has nurtured and raised. They were not abandoned. They were not children that the Lord has cast aside. Some fathers may abandon their children, turning their backs on them, but the Israelites did not fail to recognize their Father, the Lord, who has raised and cared for them. It is not that they did not know God, but that they abandoned Him without reason. Even though God has not specially nurtured us in the same way He did the Israelites, we all experience the nurturing that is shared among all humankind. We should never abandon God without cause. However, it is even worse not to realize that we have abandoned God. People of Sodom and Gomorrah "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!" (Isaiah 1:10) Who were the rulers of Sodom? When Isaiah wrote, Sodom was no more. God was comparing Jerusalem to Sodom. Because the rulers of Jerusalem were like those who ruled Sodom. Who were the people of Gomorrah? They also referred to the people of Jerusalem. God said, “Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. 9 The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.” (Isaiah 3:8-9) "And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that not one of them turns from their wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah." (Jeremiah 23:14) Jude said, “In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7). They worship God “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.” (Isaiah 1:11) God Himself acknowledged that the Israelites worshipped God and offered the best sacrifices. The Israelites did not offer bad sacrifices to God. They offered the fat of fattened animals. Why did God not accept them? Why did they abandon God, turn their backs, and bear the burden of sin? Even if we try our best to worship God, will He be pleased and accept us? Was the place of worship not right? "When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?" (Isaiah 1:12) Did the Israelites offer sacrifices in different places, under the green trees on the mountain? Not so. But why did God find it as sin that they came to show their face before Him? What does it mean to trample on His court? It means that they did not approach and offer according to God's will. They worship to fulfill their own desires. Do we also seek God's will, or do we seek to fulfill our own desires? Offering in vain "Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them" (Isaiah 1:13-14). God declared that the worship of the Israelites was in vain. He told them to stop bringing offerings to Him. But why did God say He abhorred the sacrifices offered by the Israelites? Why did He hate them? Why did they trouble Him? There is a reason. Will God also accept our prayers, Bible reading, preaching, giving, and praises? We need to reflect on that. God detested the festivals of the Israelites—how does He view our Christmas, New Year, Easter, and Thanksgiving celebrations? Could they offend God? Friend, have you ever thought about it? Are we also doing these things in vain? Not listening to prayers "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!" (Isaiah 1:15) Because God is not pleased, He does not listen to their prayers. No matter how much they pray, God does not answer them. Similarly, we may pray a lot, read the Bible, and share the good news, but if what we do does not please God, it is of no use. Because of unclean crimes "Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong." (Isaiah 1:16) The reason the Lord did not look favorably upon the Israelites but only saw their sins was because they were defiled by their sins and evil deeds. They were practicing evil practices. Are we also, like the Israelites, unclean before God by committing sins? Are we practicing evil practices? What is good in our own eyes but bad in God's eyes is of no use. Their sins "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." ( Isaiah 1:17). The sins of the Israelites were that they wrongly judged the fatherless and did not defend the rights of widows. The Lord always spoke of judging rightly the fatherless, the widows, the strangers, the poor, and the Levites. "Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other." (Zechariah 7:10) "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." (Deuteronomy 10:18) "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." (Psalm 68:5) The Old Testament was the shadow All the actions of the Israelites in the Old Testament were a shadow. The Bible says , “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” (Hebrews 10:1) " Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Colossians 2:16-17) The New Testament fulfilled it If all the actions of the Israelites were a shadow, then the present church age is the age of fulfillment. Christ said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17).If that is the case, should we, like in the Old Testament, care for the orphans, widows, strangers, and the poor? How should we practice this? The poor Many Christians today, as in the Old Testament, focus on caring for orphans, widows, strangers, and the poor. That is the right thing to do; it is also a good thing. However, this requires spiritual vision. Christ wrote to the church in Laodicea “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Revelation 3:17-18). In the eyes of man, the Laodicean church may appear wealthy, having accumulated riches. However, Christ says, "You are poor, laboring, and pitiful." This is because worldly wealth and riches are temporary and fleeting, destined to pass away. As Paul wrote: 'To you who are believers in Christ Jesus, God's blessing and glory be yours' (1 Corinthians 3:22). In contrast, the Laodicean church is poor in God's eyes because it lacks one essential element - Christ Himself. Those who do not have Christ are truly pitifully poor, regardless of their outward appearance. No matter how much wealth they may possess, without Christ, they remain spiritually impoverished. It is our responsibility as believers to proclaim the good news about Christ to everyone we meet. If we fail to do so, our efforts for God will be like the sacrifices offered by the Israelites - meaningless and unacceptable in His sight. In fact, such actions would be an affront to God, disturbing Him with their emptiness and superficiality. The orphans When people are born, they are orphans. The Bible says, “ To all who receive him, to those who believe in him, he gives the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Only by accepting Christ do we become spiritual fathers. Therefore, it is my primary responsibility to tell every orphan in the world to accept Christ. My family members, relatives, friends, colleagues, and those around me who have not yet received Christ are orphans. Can you see those who have not yet received Christ as orphans? Only when the eyes of the spirit are opened can you see that way. Therefore, will God accept the many prayers of those who do not tell them to accept Christ? The widows God took care of widows in the Old Testament, knowing that those who wronged them were guilty. That was a shadow. So what should we do in the New Testament? Believers are said to be the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). However, many women remain widowed because they have not received Christ; instead, they're instructed to receive Him. Those who refuse will not please Christ. The strangers God commanded us to care for strangers in the Old Testament. The Bible repeatedly teaches that man is a stranger on earth. The psalmist said, “ I am a stranger on earth” (Psalm 119:19). David said, “ We are strangers and pilgrims before you, as were our fathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, and we have no permanent home” (1 Chronicles 29:15). The writer of Hebrews writes, “ All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and having embraced them in their hearts, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). Those guests must be led to their eternal home, the heavenly kingdom. People are lost in this world. It is our duty as individuals and God's will for those who know the way to heaven to guide the unknown. Ignoring those who are lost is a great sin, despite being our responsibility to guide them. To those who claim they cannot or do not want to help, God says, "Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being.They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!" (Isaiah 1:13-15). The answer is yes. Therefore, let all who know the way to heaven guide those who are lost and focus on that path. The benefit God has written about the reward of guiding those who are lost: "If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” (Isaiah 1:19-20) The psalmist said, “Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” (Psalm 126:6) The Lord said, “The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ” (Matthew 25:20-21) Paul said, " For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
