53.c. Wilderness – 17.i. “Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people?”

 

 

Deu 32:4-6  “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation. Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?

 Psalms 74:18     Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name.

 Jeremiah 4:22    “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

 Jeremiah 5:21   “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.

 Galatians 3:1-3   O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith.  Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

 Isaiah 1:2    Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

 Titus 2:11-14    For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

If we look at foolish in a Thesaurus: stupid, silly, idiotic, halfwitted, witless, brainless, mindless, thoughtless, imprudent, incautious, irresponsible, injudicious, indiscreet, unwise, unintelligent, unreasonable; ill-advised, ill-considered, impolitic, rash, reckless, foolhardy, lunatic; absurd, senseless, pointless

Foolish and senseless people, foolish people, My people are foolish, and foolish are all ascribed to people who should know better. It indicates they have had teaching in proper conduct but discard it and choose paths that are foolish and unwise. It is easy to understand why those who reject God, things of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are acting foolish and untie. However, I often wonder why this occurs in those who are called by His name. God’s Word gives clear examples, promises of judgment, warnings, and curses, and yet, these are disregarded and something else takes hold. What are foolish things that people who should know better do that is foolish: They choose to

Neglect God’s Word

Harden their hearts

Stiffen their necks

Deafen their ears

Satisfied with the lack of understanding

Eat baby food

Stagnate in their pursuit of holiness

Give no thought to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions

Unrepentant

Worldly and fleshly pursuits

Allowing the busyness of life to consume them

Follow after what the world deems important

Does not seek to be led by the Holy Spirit

God’s Word is truth and in it are depths of wisdom and understanding so vast that a life time of study will only scratch the surface of it. There is never a minute wasted when God’s Word is pursued. How easily we are distracted. How easily we are influenced. How easily we fall away. How easily we disregard holiness. How easily sinfulness is disregarded. How many professing Christians give only lip service to things of God? How many are void of the influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives? How many are self-reliant? How many are blinded and deafened by things of this world?  Neglect of God’s Word is a result of having no desire for it and seeing no need for it in their daily lives.  

We make time to eat and even snack throughout the day. Our day is structured around getting what is needed to fuel our bodies – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Our day is also structured around getting rest – bedtime. We choose how we apply our time to fill our need for these. It is said we can live 40 days without food, 4 days without water, and 4 minutes without air. That is how we were created. God’s Word says that we find life in His Word, both now and eternally. We will find wisdom, understanding, knowledge, truth, purpose, rest, hope, and satisfaction in it. Apart from His Word, we will not. There is no one to blame and no excuse that can be given for choosing to neglect God’s Word other than ourselves 

Confess it, repent of it, and intentionally choose to live differently. It is not about carving out time or making time for God’s Word. That would indicate it may have value, but you are using your precious time to tick the box of things to do out of your hectic life. God’s Word needs to be desired deep within our souls. It must be important to our lives.  It must be what gives us purpose and satisfaction. 

If the generations of people before us and their time were consumed with worldly and fleshly pursuits, how much more are the temptations of this technology-filled world influencing our minds and consuming our time?  Oh, foolish and senseless people.

While He may be found

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Psalms 32:6  Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

Proverbs 1:28   Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

Isaiah 49:8   Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,

Isaiah 55:6   “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Luke 19:42-44   saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side  and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

John 7:34  You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.”

2 Corinthians 6:2  For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Psalms 34:2-5   My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!  I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalms 4:3   But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.

2 Corinthians 1:4   who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Titus 2:12  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near”. “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you;”. “Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;” The day of salvation is now and yet for some it will never again come or be open to their eyes and hearts.  They have rejected and set their heart against God, rejecting Him, and salvation through Jesus Christ.  It is very hard to watch and see people who are like this but many of us too were at such a place in our lives at some time.  We heard but we rejected, we saw but we discounted, and we chose to follow thoughts of those who cling to what is present in this world.  To those who choose to listen, follow and obey God there is peace, joy, hope, love and promise of eternity with God in heaven.  To those who continually reject His salvation there is promise of eternity in hell separated from God, forever tormented.  Now is the day of salvation.  Now is the time to believe, repent, follow and obey. God wants you to come to Him just as you are.  You are not required to get right before you come to Him.  He is standing at your heart’s door knocking seeking to come in and transform you into a life with Him.  Come as your are He is knocking.  Come now in this day of salvation.  All changes in your life and how you see life this side of eternity will come at His leading and your willingness to let Him be Lord of your life – your everything.