Connect Isaiah 66:4 with Proverbs 1:24-31 on ignoring God's wisdom. Two Warnings, One Message • Isaiah 66:4: “So I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring upon them what they dread. Because, when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they did not listen. They did evil in My sight and chose that in which I do not delight.” “Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, because you ignored all my counsel and accepted none of my correction, in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you. Then they will call me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.” The Pattern of Ignoring God • God initiates: He calls, speaks, stretches out His hand. • People respond with silence or outright refusal. • The rejection is deliberate: “chose that in which I do not delight” (Isaiah 66:4) and “chose not to fear the LORD” (Proverbs 1:29). • A reversal follows: God refuses to listen when calamity hits, mirroring their earlier refusal. Matching Themes: Refusal, Choice, Consequence 1. Refusal – Both passages emphasize ignored invitations. – Compare Isaiah 65:12; Zechariah 7:11-13—same divine lament. 2. Choice – The heart is revealed by what it “delights” in (Isaiah 66:4) or “hates” (Proverbs 1:29). – Deuteronomy 30:19 calls Israel to “choose life.” 3. Consequence – “Harsh treatment” and “what they dread” (Isaiah 66:4). – “Eat the fruit of their own way” (Proverbs 1:31). – Galatians 6:7 echoes: “whatever a man sows, he will reap.” New Testament Echoes • Matthew 23:37—Jesus weeps over Jerusalem for refusing His call. • Hebrews 3:15—“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” • Romans 1:24—God “gave them over” to the consequences of their choices, paralleling the “eat the fruit” language. Practical Takeaways for Today • God’s wisdom is offered, not forced. His call still comes through Scripture, counsel, and conscience. • Repeated dismissal dulls the ear; prompt obedience keeps the heart tender (James 1:22). • Consequences are not arbitrary punishments but the natural harvest of chosen seeds. • Turning back is possible while the call is still sounding (Isaiah 55:6-7; 2 Corinthians 6:2). Closing Reflection Isaiah 66:4 and Proverbs 1:24-31 stand like twin signposts, warning that ignoring God’s wisdom never ends quietly. The God who calls is also the God who lets choices bear their own fruit. Listening, trusting, and obeying keep us under the shelter of His outstretched hand. |
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