Contemplative Bible Reading

Isaiah 57:11a (New Living Translation)

“Are you afraid of these idols?
Do they terrify you?
Is that why you have lied to me
and forgotten me and my words?

God is speaking to the people through the prophet Isaiah. The people have been lying to God. That is odd in itself as God knows our thoughts, so we might as well just tell God to truth, anyways.

The people have been frightened by idols, that is their reason for lying to God the Creator.

I want to meet those idols. Those idols are so powerful as to scare people so much that they attempt to lie to God. Wow. Those must be some idols!

I guess what really happened is the representatives of the idols—some type of priest of the god of the tree or something—scared God’s people. That makes some sense. I mean if some persons came to me and threatened to kill all my relatives if I didn’t bow to the tree, I would be scared. Not all of us have the faith that suppresses fear like Daniel (of the lion’s den history).

Once again, we return to the situation where what we can see and touch immediately takes precedence over what is spiritual. That is one of our many human failings.