Isaiah

I had the marvelous opportunity of taking a class on the book of Isaiah by S. Michael Wilcox one summer while I was home from college. As a professor his forte is with words and literature, and so it was an incredibly amazing experience as he unfolded the words of Isaiah to my eyes.

One technique Isaiah used frequently was repetition. Like any good teacher. :)

Let me show you. In Isaiah 2:9-17 it reads

"9.And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not." This scripture is referring to the importance of not being prideful, but humble.

"11.The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." An example of a proud person and that he will eventually be humbled.

"12. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." O.k. at this point you might be thinking, I get it the proud person will eventually be humbled or brought down again.

But Isaiah keeps going, in words we might not understand as clearly today.

"13. And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan." These are luxury trees and Isaiah's using imagery to let us know those luxury trees will eventually be cut down.

"14. And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up.
15. And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall.
16. And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures." The ships of Tarshish were the biggest ships on the ocean at the time. And as you might guess it, eventually they will be taken off the earth.

And in case you needed a little more help in understanding this principle.

"17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day."

Well, I got a lot out of that! It looks like you can choose to be proud, but eventually you will be humbled, and so why wait for God to humble you? Why not just become humble before you're cut down? And it probably will be more painful to be compelled to be humble than if you choose it for yourself.