Isaiah 65:12-14 I will destine you for the sword, and you
will all bend down for the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer,
I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what
displeases me." Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "My servants
will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will
go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry
out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit.
Comment
Much as you feel offended when people don't listen to you, God takes it
very seriously when people ignore Him. The secular, irreligious, atheist
will find little sympathy with God on judgement day.
"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too
dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your
sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Is 59:1,2 For God has spoken,
but few are listening. "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God." Ps 10:4 It's a matter of choice. People make a choice to
displease God and do evil by choosing their own way. They don't view themselves
as servants of the Lord. They live for themselves, or perhaps their family,
or else they manufacture a "lord" which wants them to do exactly what they
had planned to do anyway.
A mere remnant will be saved. Isaiah
cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be
like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved." Rom 9:27 Their destiny is satisfaction and joy.
But others will experience want, shame, fear, and brokenness of spirit.
So which side will you chose? "Lord, are
only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every
effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will
try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets
up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading,
‘Sir, open the door for us.’ "But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or
where you come from.’" Luke 13:23-25
The remnant are characterized as "servants"
of the Lord. Such is the true Christian. For "he
died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves
but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2Cor 5:15
To accept Jesus as Lord means also that one accepts one's own place as
a servant of the Lord who hears the Word and does it. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27