God's Standard!

God has always had and will always have HIS Standard! That Standard is the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. Isaiah referred to God’s Word as a plume line. Isaiah 28:17, “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” Judgment was coming to the house of Israel and the only thing that could save them was to repent and return to following God.

The leaders of Israel did not want to hear this message from God, consequently, they mocked and degraded the messenger. They were infuriated that Isaiah would lecture them as little children. They viewed themselves far superior to Isaiah and mocked his attempt to enlighten them. Isaiah 28:9, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” Through the Prophet, God chided the leaders of Israel saying they should be mature men willing to accept the Word of the Lord. His Word is precept upon precept and line upon line. This text indicates the invariability of a Holy God. He does not deviate from His Standard regardless of who we are. The only redemption that we have is through His Mercy by way of repentance and returning to walk by His Standard.

Israel had made a covenant with Egypt in an attempt to avoid captivity by the Assyrians. They turned to man rather than God. God called this covenant “a covenant with death and with hell,” a sure sign of their eventual defeat and captivity, v15.

In His Words given to Isaiah, God uses the example of constructing a building. He references the foundation stone, tried, true, and sure. The Word of the Lord cautions not to proceed hastily but to be submissive and get it right. A true and secure foundation is critical for the construction of a durable structure. In v 17, the Word of the Lord indicates that He will apply His Standard regarding the judgment and righteousness of Israel. Because they did not receive God’s correction they were carried away into captivity by the Assyrians and scattered to the four corners of the world. Israel was held accountable to God’s Standard.

Sin and apostasy must be identified and addressed. One role of the Holy Spirit is to illuminate the darkness and remove the covering for sin. The Word of Truth illuminated by the Spirit of Truth will set the souls of men free to walk in the liberty which only God can give. God is holding us all accountable to HIS Standard! 

Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”