What a ‘bam!’ verse this is

By Elizabeth Prata

Isaiah contains some of the loftiest, majestic, and beautiful poetry in the Bible. It also contains some of the most startling truths, which are made all the more startling by their being wrapped in such vividly lyrical, beautiful language. I was struck the other morning by this verse in Isaiah 50:11,

Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with flaming arrows, Walk in the light of your fire And among the flaming arrows you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.

The reader is involved with the imagery, the poetry of the words and then BLAM! the blunt ending.

Wow. Isn’t the Bible amazing! Truth, unspoiled because it is from the mind of God. Pure and perfect, set down for us puny humans to gain insight as to who this Great God is.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says of that verse-

“Behold, all ye that kindle a fire – This verse refers to the wicked. In the previous verse, the Messiah had called upon all the pious to put their trust in God, and it is there implied that they would do so. But it would not be so with the wicked. In times of darkness and calamity, instead of trusting in God they would confide in their own resources, and endeavor to kindle a light for themselves in which they might walk. But the result would be, that they would find no comfort, and would ultimately under his hand lie down in sorrow. The figure is continued from the previous verse.”

“The pious who are in darkness wait patiently for the light which Yahweh shall kindle for them But not so with the wicked. They attempt to kindle a light for themselves, and to walk in that. The phrase, ‘that kindle a fire,’ refers to all the plans which people form with reference to their own salvation; all which they rely upon to guide them through the darkness of this world. It may include, therefore, all the schemes of human philosophy, of false religion, of paganism, of infidelity, deism, and self-righteousness; all dependence on our good works, our charities ties, and our prayers.”

“All these are false lights which people enkindle, in order to guide themselves when they resolve to cast off God, to renounce his revelation, and to resist his spirit. It may have had a primary reference to the Jews, who so often rejected the divine guidance, and who relied so much on themselves; but it also includes all the plans which people devise to conduct themselves to heaven. The confidence of the pious Isaiah 50:10 is in the light of God; that of the wicked is in the light of people.” –end Barnes’ Notes

I turned to the commentary to confirm what I had interpreted. It was the same. It is a grief that there are so many people walking about trying to save themselves. Praying and worshiping a fictitious god. As Barnes said, ‘The phrase, ‘that kindle a fire,’ refers to all the plans which people form with reference to their own salvation’. How many false religions are there? Too many to count over the millennia. How subtly the devil creates an ‘almost right religion’ (Catholicism, 7th Day Adventists, Mormons…) who claim Jesus. But almost right is wrong. Self-salvation doesn’t exist.

How many people are already in torment because of their refusal to give up their sins… O, heartbreak!

BUT GOD! He did not leave us in our pitiful, hopeless state!

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (Ephesians 2:4-8).

For us sinners, mercy is the greatest thing He is rich in! The gospel is law and it is grace. It is hell and it is heaven. It is wrath and it is love. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached through Ephesians. His sermon outline for Ephesians 1:1 is as follows,

Sermon Breakdown

The epistle to the Ephesians reveals the glory, mystery and riches of God’s redemption through Christ.
The epistle provides a panoramic view of salvation from the heavenly realm.
The epistle exalts God, His glory, greatness, majesty and sovereignty.
God is eternal, self-sufficient and dwells in His own glory.
God’s sovereignty is displayed through His will and control over all things.
God’s ways are a mystery which we cannot fully comprehend with our finite minds.
The epistle reveals the riches and abundance of God’s grace.
The epistle holds us face to face with God and what He has done.
The epistle’s theme is God the Father who is over all.
The epistle also focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ through whom God’s purposes are accomplished.
There is no gospel or salvation apart from Jesus Christ.
We have redemption and forgiveness through Christ’s blood.
God’s purpose is to gather all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth.
God’s plan of redemption was necessary due to the fall of man and the work of Satan.
God began working out His plan of redemption through calling the nation of Israel.
God’s purpose is now seen through the church where Jews and Gentiles are united in Christ.
The church provides an example of God’s purpose to unite all things in Christ.
The epistle calls us to live out the Christian life in light of God’s purpose.