Isaiah 50:10-11
v10 - Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
v11 - Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.
Tag: NO light is Better than Self Light
In the above passage we have God speaking to the nation of Israel. These last two verses of a chapter come after a long message about the wickedness of some in Israel. God is accusing some of waking in wickedness and ignoring God and God’s Word, while, at the same time, honor His servant (Isaiah ... the author of the book) for obeying God and trusting God. There are many different speakers in chapter fifty. There are many different groups being mentioned. But, in the above verses there are two. The first verse (10) is God speaking to any in Israel (primarily Isaiah) who trust God. God plainly says, “Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.” When we are in complete darkness, the only “light” we have is faith in the promises of God. There is NO other light that compares to God’s revelation through His Word to us. Even when we have NO IDEA what is happening in our lives, God says “rely” on Him!! David said in the Psalms:
Psalms 119:105
Nun Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
Solomon said in Proverbs:
Proverbs 6:23
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
This is all to compare to the second verse from this chapter (above). God is telling Isaiah and the people that walking in darkness and relying on God, is better than to have your own torch to light your OWN path. Note the last verse again:
v11 - Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.
Those who equip themselves with with their own light are walking in the light only they can muster. They have refused to listen to God’s Word and they think they know better. What is there end? What happens when you walk in your own way ... with torches you create for light? God says,
“This you have from my hand: you shall like down in torment.”
Notice what Solomon says about this:
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
In Isaiah 50:10-11 we have a choice laid out before us? Do we walk in darkness (having no clue what is happening) but following by faith the promises of God ... or, do we light our own torches, trust in our own plans, and suffer the consequences. God reminds us that to rely on Him in darkness is better than lighting our own torches and trusting in our own devices. Following God in the dark, with the light of His Word, is better than walking in my own light and ending in disaster.
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