Isaiah

Isaiah 29: God exposes empty words of worship

Begin in prayer

Before we hear God expose worship spoken only with the lips, let us seek honest hearts. Ask Him to uncover our hidden sin and bring our family to Jesus for mercy and understanding.

Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me.

Psalm 139:1

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Open our ears to Your Word and expose worship that hides a distant heart. Show us Jesus and teach us to honor You from within. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

God announces distress for Ariel, the city where David encamped, until its voice comes faintly from the dust. The nations attacking Zion will become like a dream whose food leaves the dreamer hungry. God gives the people a deep sleep, and His word becomes like a sealed book that neither reader can receive. Their lips honor Him while their hearts stay far away, and human commands shape their fear of Him. People hide plans from their Maker as though the clay could deny its potter’s understanding. God promises hearing for the deaf, sight for the blind and joy for the humble and poor. The ruthless and false witnesses will be cut off, while Jacob’s children honor God and those who grumbled receive instruction.

As you read Isaiah 29, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God judges worship far from the heart and gives humble people hearing, understanding and joy.

Ariel is Jerusalem, identified here as the city where David encamped. Its round of feasts cannot prevent God’s siege and the mourning that follows. Ariel can mean lion of God, and the altar fire devoured the sacrifices as a lion devours its prey. The sealed book pictures spiritual blindness under God’s judgment, reaching both educated and uneducated people. Outward honor masks hearts that have moved far from Him and worship governed by human rules. Because of this empty worship, God will make their wise men’s wisdom perish and hide their understanding. Hidden planners treat their Maker as though He were clay without understanding. God promises to reverse blindness, humble oppressive people and end the false testimony that deprives the innocent of justice. The house of Jacob will see His work and honor His holy name with understanding.

How does Isaiah 29 show us that God judges worship far from the heart and gives humble people hearing, understanding and joy?

God sees the heart behind worship.

The people speak words of honor while their hearts remain far from Him. Their fear of God follows rules taught by men. God wants worship from a heart that loves Him.

God knows the plans His creatures hide.

The planners ask who can see or know what they do. Isaiah compares them to clay denying the potter who formed it. Their Maker understands both the work of His hands and their secret deeds.

God gives understanding and ends oppression.

Deaf people hear the book, and blind eyes see out of darkness. The humble and poor rejoice in the Holy One. Ruthless scoffers and people who twist justice through false testimony will be cut off.

Memorise

The humble also will increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 29:19

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where do my words honor God while my heart refuses to trust Jesus?

The Lord exposes people who “have removed their heart far from me.” Their lips still speak honor. Jesus uses Isaiah’s warning when confronting worship ruled by human commands (Matthew 15 verses 7 to 9). God sees the distance that religious words conceal.

That false worship is sin, and we cannot hide it from our Maker. Christ died the death that sin deserves, to reconcile His people to God, and the Father raised Him from the grave. He offered Himself once for all, and that offering removes the guilt that our best spoken words cannot cover.

Turn from empty worship and come to Him in faith. Jesus promises forgiveness to all who trust Him. Ask Him for a heart that receives His truth and honors Him. The God who opens deaf ears gives understanding and joy to humble people who need His mercy.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God wants worship from the heart, and that Jesus gives joy to the humble who come to Him. Please explain the deep sleep in verse 10 as God’s judgment on hard hearts, in your own words. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He sees our hearts and gives understanding to those who need mercy, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”

Matthew 15:8-9

Holy God, thank You that You see beneath our words and can open our hearts. Please forgive empty worship and help us trust Christ. Give us ears that receive Your instruction and joy that honors Your name. Give our family a love of truth and justice this week. Amen.