Have you ever felt someone was sending you subliminal messages? Me too, but instead of an ambiguous Drake lyric on an ex’s Instagram story, I’m reading Old Testament prophecies and wondering if Isaiah was referring to us while discussing the earth’s final days.
Nevertheless, I’m feeling convicted because today’s world is eerily similar to Ancient Babylon in that we’ve conformed more to the image of Satan than God. Check out the following passage and let me know if it sounds familiar.
How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.[b]
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,
to the depths of the pit.
–
Isaiah 14:12-15 (NIV)
I, I, I, I, I.
We have become self-absorbed and obsessed with success. Rather than yielding to God’s sovereignty, we desperately seek to exalt ourselves.
Whenever I turn on the news, I’m confronted with headlines about how national leaders misuse their power for personal gain. On a smaller scale, I’ve even been guilty of doing the same. In a society riddled with poverty and inequality, it’s no wonder young people feel tempted to pimp themselves out for a false promise of prosperity. It isn’t easy to keep the faith. Still, the Word encourages us to remain steadfast by resisting the urge to approach life like everyone else. Regardless of those who lie, scheme, and forsake God’s commands to “get ahead,” we would do well to remember what saith the Lord.
“He breaks his rod on the wicked,
and his fury subdues nations with relentless aggression.” (Isaiah 14:6)
God is not playing with us. Therefore, we must return to him before it’s too late. Like King Hezekiah, that means consecrating ourselves, fellowshipping with other believers, and worshipping the Lord our God with service and praises of thanksgiving—not selfishly pursuing personal glorification. Although we live in an era where it seems like evil is rewarded, true prosperity is guaranteed to those who love and follow God with obedience. We owe it to ourselves to stay 10-toes down no matter what, crucifying our fleshly desires to do what is good and faithful in God’s eyes.
If not, according to the text, destruction is inevitable, and we would have no one to blame but ourselves.