Rebellion
May We Follow Our Lord All of Our Days
__________________________________________
Isaiah Ch. 30 Verses 1-22
Woe to the rebellious children,
says the Lord.
Who carry out plans that are not mine.
who weave webs that are not inspired by
me.
adding sin upon sin.
They go down to Egypt
but my counsel they do not seek.
they find their strength in Pharaoh's protection
and take refuge in Egypt's shadow;
Pharaoh's protection shall be your shame,
and refuge in Egypt's shadow your disgrace.
When their princes are at Zoan
and their messengers reach Hanes.
All shall be ashamed
of a people that gain them nothing.
Neither help nor benefit.
but only shame and reproach.
Through the distressed and troubled land
of the lioness and roaring lion,
of the viper and flying saraph.
They carry their riches on the back of asses
and their treasures on the humps of camels.
To a people good for nothing,
to Egypt whose help is futile and vain.
Therefore I call her
"Rahab quelled."
Now come, write it on a tablet they can keep.
inscribe it in a record:
'That it may be in future days
an eternal witness:
This is rebellious people,
deceitful children.
Children who refuse
to obey the law of the Lord.
They say to the seers, "Have no visions":
to the prophets, "Do not descry for us what
is right:
speak flatteries to us, conjure up illusions
Out of the way ! Out of our path !
Let us hear no more
of the Holy One of Israel."
Therefore, thus says the Holy One of Israel:
Because you reject this word.
And put your trust in what is crooked and
devious,
and depend on it.
This guilt of yours shall be
like a descending rift
Bulging out in a high wall
whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant.
It crashes like a potter's jar
smashed beyond rescue.
And among its fragments cannot be found
a sherd to scoop fire from the hearth
or dip water from the cistern.
For thus said the Lord God,
the Holy One of Israel:
By waiting and by calm you shall be saved
in quiet and in trust your strength lies.
But this you did not wish.
"No." you said,
"Upon horses we will flee."
--Very well flee !"
"Upon swift steeds we will ride."
--Not so swift as your pursuers.
A thousand shall tremble at the threat of one;
if five threaten you, you shall flee.
Until you are left like a flagstaff on the
mountaintop.
like a flag on the hill.
Yet the Lord is waiting to show you favor,
and he rises to pity you:
For the Lord is God of justice:
blessed are all who wait for him !
O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,
no more will you weep:
He will be gracious to you when you cry
out.
as soon as he hears he will answer you.
The Lord will give you the bread you need
and the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your
Teacher.
While from being a voice shall sound in your
ears:
"This is the way: walk in it."
when you would turn to the right or to
the left.
And you shall consider unclean your silver
plated idols.
and your gold-covered images;
You shall throw them away like filthy rags
to which you say, "Be gone !"
_______________________________________
.
