A LESSON FROM LIVESTOCK
Isaiah begins his prophecy with, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider” (Isa. 1:2-3). The rebellion of God’s people forms the basis of Isaiah’s utterances, and no time is wasted by the prophet in showing how foolish it is to forsake God. Isaiah highlighted the sins of the nation of Judah that would lead to punishment.
Verse three gives the illustration of the ox and the ass, the farm animals most lacking in intelligence. Even these “dumb animals” know their master, the source of their blessings. However, God’s people had forgotten the source of their blessings. They did not know God in the sense that they did not acknowledge Him. They did not like to retain God in their knowledge (cf. Rom. 1:28).
This illustration still lives today. It is common knowledge that if you feed a stray cat it will return. Livestock do not need to be rounded up for feeding time. They know when and where the food comes and show up when it’s time. But men do not always behave this way with God. Often, humans will take God’s blessings for granted and then forsake Him. Some people who live in sin wonder why they face hard times. “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble” (Prov. 4:19). It seems that the animals have figured out what mankind must learn time and again: If you stay close to your Master, He will continue to bless you. This does not mean righteous people never suffer, or that the wicked always immediately face punishment for their sins. But people then and now need to be reminded that there are consequences to forsaking God. “The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them” (Prov. 11:3). Even on a physical level, David could say, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psa. 37:25).
The last phrase of Isaiah 1:3 is, “my people doth not consider”— a lack of consideration for God is at the root of rebellion. In the first sin, Eve’s focus was shifted from God’s commands (Gen. 3:2-3), to her own interests (Gen. 3:5-6). She knew God said not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But when she saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit (Gen. 3:6). How often has this been repeated since in the lives of those who have given into temptation?
How can atheists believe that God does not exist when they receive His blessings every day (Matt. 5:45)? Do they not recognize the food they eat is a testimony of God’s goodness? “Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). Can they not see God’s glory in the sky day in and day out? “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard (Psa. 19:1-3). There is no excuse for such denial (Rom. 1:20).
How can people that claim to follow God live in direct opposition to His word? “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jn. 2:4). Do people really think they can serve sin and still please God as long as they worship Him once a week? Some live however they want to and then check a box once a week by going to church and think that God is satisfied with them. The people in Jeremiah’s day acted like this. Through Jeremiah, God asked, “Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?” (Jer. 7:9, 10). Do these people both then and now think that God will not punish the wicked (Jer. 5:9, 29; 9:9)? Or are they self-deceived enough to think God will give them a pass? “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” (Rom. 2:3).
Let us learn a lesson from the animals and recognize God is our master who is able to save and destroy (Matt. 10:28; Jas. 4:12). We must be obedient to Him to be blessed and have eternal life. He is the provider of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:9). Since all spiritual blessings are found in Christ (Eph. 1:3), then it stands to reason we must be in Him to have those blessings. To be in Christ, we must be baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:26, 27; Rom. 6:3). If an animal knows where it needs to be to receive blessings from the master, then we should be able to know where we need to be to have eternal life. We must believe the Gospel (Rom. 1:16), repent of our sins (Acts 2:37-38), confess the name of Christ (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:10), be baptized for the remission of our sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:1-7; 1 Peter 3:21), and for the rest of our lives faithfully abide by our Lord’s commands revealed in the Bible (John 12:48; Rev. 2:10; 20:12).
–Mark Day