How does Isaiah 43:22 reveal Israel's neglect in worshiping God? Text of Isaiah 43:22 “Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob, nor have you wearied yourselves for Me, O Israel.” What the Verse Says—Two Stark Charges • “You have not called on Me” – Israel had grown silent in prayer and adoration. • “Nor have you wearied yourselves for Me” – they avoided any exertion, sacrifice, or effort in worship. Neglect in Prayer and Relationship • Calling on the Lord is the primary expression of dependence (Psalm 50:15; Jeremiah 33:3). • Their failure shows a heart drifting from covenant intimacy (Hosea 7:14). • God had just promised deliverance (Isaiah 43:1-21); silence in response revealed indifference. Neglect in Sacrificial Labor • True worship involves wholehearted effort—offering, repentance, obedience (Deuteronomy 6:5). • “Wearied yourselves” recalls the labor of bringing offerings (Leviticus 1-7). Israel spared itself the cost. • Compare Malachi 1:13, where priests say, “What a burden!” and offer blemished sacrifices. A Pattern Exposed Elsewhere • Isaiah 29:13 – lips honor God, hearts are far away. • Amos 4:4-5 – empty rituals without genuine seeking. • Zephaniah 1:6 – those who “turn back from following the LORD” and “do not seek or inquire of Him.” Implications for Genuine Worship Today • Worship that costs nothing communicates nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). • God listens for hearts that cry out and hands willing to serve (Psalm 141:2; Romans 12:1). • Neglect begins not with overt rebellion but with prayerlessness and convenience. Summary Isaiah 43:22 unmasks Israel’s spiritual lethargy: no voice lifted in prayer, no energy spent in devotion. Their silence and ease signaled a deeper neglect—turning away from the living God who had redeemed them and called them by name. |
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