“’An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.’” (Isaiah 1:3, NASB95)
The book of Isaiah has often been called the Bible within the Bible. It has 66 chapters and is divided 39 and 27 (thematically), just like the Scriptures. If you are not involved in a regular Bible reading program, you might want to read the book of Isaiah as I go through it in a devotional way.
This verse is striking and stunning. Even animals have enough common sense to recognize their master and manger. My dog Max, as crazy as he can be sometimes, recognizes my voice and respects my presence. But God said that Israel, His chosen people, did not know. They did not understand. They had lost the common sense that would have told them that God was their Owner and Master. They had forgotten the many redemptive acts of God through which He made this people and this nation His own.
This is nothing more than the power of spiritual darkness. But do not underestimate the deadliness of this darkness. When we stray from our relationship with God and the truths of His Word, we become blind to spiritual truths, no matter how common-sense they are. Paul said in 1 Corinthians that, “The natural man cannot accept the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised.” Basic truths require spiritual sight to be seen and understood. This is the point that Isaiah was trying to drive home. He was telling his own people that they had been blinded to obvious truths and needed to repent and turn back to God.
Where are you at today in your relationship with God? Are you sighted or blind to the common-sense truths of God’s Word? If necessary, repent for moving toward the darkness of sin and receive anew the grace and forgiveness offered at the cross of Jesus. Let the Spirit of God give you the spiritual sight needed to see and understand God’s common-sense truths.
Peace!
Pastor Tom
www.firmlyrooted.church