What actions characterize the "rebellious people" in Isaiah 65:2? Scripture Focus “All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people, who walk in a way that is not good, who follow their own thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:2) Observations from the Verse • God is pictured with outstretched hands—an image of continual invitation and mercy. • The people are labeled “obstinate” (stubborn, rebellious). • Their lifestyle choices form the evidence of their rebellion. Key Actions That Characterize the Rebellious 1. Persisting in Stubbornness • They resist God’s gracious reach (cf. Romans 10:21, which quotes this verse). 2. Choosing “a way that is not good” • They pursue morally crooked paths instead of the one God prescribes (Isaiah 30:1). 3. Following “their own thoughts” • Personal opinion overrides divine revelation; self-direction replaces God-direction (Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 53:6). Broader Scriptural Witness • Jeremiah 7:24—“They did not listen or incline their ear, but walked in the stubbornness of their evil hearts.” • Psalm 81:11–12—God “gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.” • 2 Timothy 4:3–4—People “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires” and “turn aside to myths.” Takeaway for Believers Today • God’s invitation is persistent, yet not coercive; refusing it reveals the heart’s allegiance. • A rebellious life is marked by self-reliance, moral compromise, and rejection of God’s counsel. • The antidote is humble submission—choosing His way over our own, welcoming the hands still extended toward us. |
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