Preaching that is faithful to God must not only comfort the afflicted; it must also afflict the comfortable! But as Isaiah 30 reminds us, those who are comfortable in their sin are generally not eager to hear such preaching. Hoping to ward off Assyria, the leaders of Judah are aggressively pursuing the help of Egypt. Already their ambassadors have reached cities in the Nile delta. Donkeys and camels are carrying wealth from Israel to buy Egyptian supplies. And God is not pleased. From His perspective, they are “stubborn children,” wasting their time by carrying out a plan that’s not His. The way for them to avoid defeat at the hands of their enemy is to repent of sin and seek His mercy. By forming worldly alliances instead, they are merely increasing their guilt, adding “sin to sin.” As a result, they will receive “neither help nor profit” from Egypt, but only “shame and disgrace” (v 1-7). Their condition is disheartening: they do not want to listen to God’s Word. They have no taste for the covenant regulations given to Moses and no tolerance for the visions of the prophets God was sending to them (v 8-9). Their criterion for acceptable sermons is painfully simple, and sadly common in our own day. “Don't tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel’” (v 10-11, NLT). But if a preacher will not boldly call people to repentance and warn them of impending judgment, he does them no favor! Our human reasoning may seem solid, like a “high wall” of protection. But this wall can’t be trusted. Before long, a crack forms, then the whole thing suddenly collapses (v 12-14). God had offered salvation and strength for His people through their repentance and faith. But they chose military might instead, and their defeat will be catastrophic (v 15-17). Still, no matter how far we have drifted, the LORD is eager to extend grace. He patiently “waits” for us to return; and He will surely bless all who humbly “wait” for Him, trusting in the rightness of His ways (v 18). Even as the LORD disciplines us, He mercifully allows us to sense His presence, grasp His Word, and see our idols for what they really are (v 19-22). This growing enjoyment of God is only a foretaste of what is to come, at the renewal of all things. Ultimate grace will abound at the second coming of Christ. On that day, when evil is blown away for good, God’s people will surely celebrate—with a large feast, joyful songs, and gladness of heart (v 23-33). For further meditation: