The Cure (3)
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, Isaiah 1:16 ESV
Remove – How can I remove my evil deeds? Once done, aren’t they a permanent part of my own history? How is it possible to extract them from who I am? Isaiah offers an answer in the Hebrew verb sur. In this English verse, it is translated “remove” but the verb has a much wider umbrella of meanings. It could be translated “change direction,” “turn aside,” “desist,” “stand aloof,” “drag off,” “deviate,” or “avoid.” The basic idea of sur is about direction. You are going in one way; now go in another. Alter your course. Change your path. Pursue something else. Adjust your compass.
Suddenly Isaiah’s verse is not about erasing past defeats or blotting out past mistakes. Removing evil from my deeds is not rewriting my history. It is changing my direction now as a result of recognizing my history. It is deliberately shifting directions so that what happened before is no longer on the road that I am traveling. It is bending my path toward Torah instead of continuing to follow the detour. And I can do this.
The true measure of repentance is not the feeling of forgiveness for past mistakes. The true measure of repentance is not doing what I used to do when I am confronted with the same circumstances. I know that I have repented when my behavior changes direction. In Hebrew thought, the path of my life is often repetitive. If I pay attention, I have myself experiencing déjà vu often enough that it no longer surprises me. But this does not mean everything is exactly the same. What it means is that I recognize I am experiencing something similar to my past and this time I must choose to make it different. This time I must remove the evil by going a different direction.
It seems to me that the Lord often tests us with these repetitive patterns. Our lives are engineered so that those circumstances that once defeated us come around again. The wheel turns and we become aware of old habits, old choices, old detours that we thought were no longer temptations. But there they are again, enticing us to change direction, to convince ourselves that the lessons from our history really don’t matter. The Lord waits to see if we are found worthy of forgiveness. He waits to see if we will follow the old ways or blaze a new trail of righteousness. If we have learned the lesson, if we have truly repented, then the patterns will change. And when they change, we will have put away the evil deeds from before our eyes. Jacob Neusner once suggested that deliberate sin can actually be forgiven in these retroactive changes in patterns. When I no longer succumb to the past enticements, it is as if I say, “Lord, those things that I did before I would have undone if I had only trusted You.” And when I do undo them this time, perhaps the Lord undoes them from my history as well.
Topical Index: remove, sur, habit, direction, forgiveness, Isaiah 1:16
I think the movie Ground Hog Day presents a comic experience of these repetitive patterns
A Marriage Made in Heaven
One definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Every time I have ever placed my hand on a hot stove burner..Well..add another scar on top of the ones I already have, -or every time I see a sign that says: “WET PAINT,” – I just have to touch it. All choices, seemingly big or seemingly little are followed by consequences.. We (all) will reap what we sow. Sowing our “wild oats” Monday through Friday and then praying for crop failure on the weekend- ain’t gonna happen.
God is Sovereign and God is holy, but we “creatures,” we the sheeple are (maybe too?) free to make our own choices. God has spoken. We don’t have to wait for Him to speak, -this has already occurred. Three words: “and God said..”- (Adam, Eve, – “you can’t touch that!”) Did they listen? Did they obey? Did they “shema?” (Listen and obey?). No. – And the rest of the story?
David, (King David)- even though you are a king, the Word of God, the Torah of YHWH still applies to you. ~ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust (or lustful intent) has already committed adultery with her in his heart ~ (Matthew 5.28) Yo, – David, (or Billy or Sam) – what are YOU lookin’ at? – and why?
What are these thoughts parading through your “mind’s eye?” The instructions of YHWH? David, (and Billy and Sam) we are to ~ bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ~ (2 Corinthians 2.5)
How is this (even) possible? If (since) this is a command of YHWH, how then are we to accomplish a “seemingly” impossible task such as this?
Rubber, meet road. Heed, (listen closely) and hearken (listen and do- “shema”). Faith, (that which pleases God) comes by hearing. (Got your ears on?) – And hearing by the Word of God, the Torah of YHWH. In short, (it’s about time!)- “God has spoken.” Adam, – what did He say? Eve,- He said, “don’t eat the (forbidden) fruit!” Oh, okay.
Let’s set the scene:- the shiny serpent, Mr. Twister asks: “Did God say “don’t eat the fruit?” And Adam’s answer is? What is your answer, David, Billy, or Sam? – Did God say? Has God spoken? Does God (really) say what He means and mean what He says? Mr., (or m’am) – God don’t play.
~ Forever, O LORD, your Word is settled in the Heavens. ~ Heaven and Earth shall (both) pass away, but my Word(s) will NOT pass away. ~ The Word of the LORD abides (remains) forever ~ God has spoken. Our (right) answer? Yes, God did say “don’t eat the fruit!”
~ How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to Your instructions! ~ (Psalm 119.9) We MUST live by the Book. The written Word of God. We (also) do err, ~ not knowing the scriptures, -nor the power of God! ~
How did Elohim create this world? (the one we now live in?)- by speaking. He spoke and it was done. How did Yeshua raise His good friend Lazarus from the dead? He spoke, and it was done. And how many times have we read in the prophets (both major and minor)- and the Word of God came unto..? and the Word of the LORD came unto _______..and the Word of the LORD came unto.._______?
Our LORD Jesus defeated Satan as a man. He did not “pull rank”- even though He could have. No, not at all. Instead, He demonstrated to each of us, He showed us the way.. By these three wonderful words: “it is written.” Friend, – what do the scriptures say?
~ For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart ~ (Hebrews 4.12) We are to “welcome the Word.” We are to ~ receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save our souls ~ (James 1.21)
These two have married
and no man shall part,
dust on the Bible,
and drought in the heart.
~How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.…~ (from Psalm 1)
like a tree firmly planted by streams of water Psalm 1
dividing soul and spirit Hebrews 4:12
Hi Carl,
Were you highlighting the concreteness of of the metaphor in Psalm 1
With the allegorical abstraction of Hebrews 4:12
How exactly do we divide soul and spirit 🙂
Thank you one and all for youre response to my concern yesterday.Somtimes we convince ourselves compromise is good,and it often is.But not when it comes to Gods instruction,Todays word is another reminder of that.(change direction,desist,avoid)Oh! if only I was half as smart as I thought I was.
Fortunately, I am half as smart as I think I am. 🙂
Grace does not mean abracadabra.
Grace is a gift of devine favor and goodwill
given by the lovingkindness (chesed) of God Himself.
It opens our eyes to see Him so we can join in
intimate relationship with Him. And it propels us
to engage the Lord by our willful obedience to do
His will and be in His love. And that takes work!
It works because we’re willing to work. Like any relationship,
both parties have work to do. God has done and continues to do
what only He can do. And we continue to do what He’s equipped
us to do. 24/7.
Yes, He’s redeemed us by His blood. Eph 2:13 and Gal 3:13
Yes, we are being sanctified (Heb 10:14) as God sets us apart
for His purposes. But we must walk by faith to stay in complete
obedience to His Word.
And we must work by faith. Today’s scripture of Is 1:16 and Col 3
tightly commingle God’s urgent message that we must change
our paths and our ways to His. We must continue to do so.
There’s no letting up. We’ve always work to do.
But what results await us.
“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom;
and the grace of God was upon Him.” Lk 2:40
No magic.
Just grace at work.
Again, another really encouraging word and incredibly timely for me. Thank you so much, Skip. Is there any relationship between ‘sur’ and ‘t’shuva’?
I am half as smart as I think I am, as well, Skip. Sigh!
We do think we have overcome such and such a situation, until it comes round again
proving we have not yet triumph over it. ABBA is showing us His chesed, as usual, until we come face to face with the realization of the transgression/s we have committed.
Such a wonderful, sobering TW that will shake us!
Thank You, ABBA YHWH that I/we will wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of my/our deeds from before Your eyes; cease to do evil, will not do what I/we used to do when I/we are confronted with the same circumstances, now, and for the rest of my/our lives. Hoshianu.Amein!