Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide! Series

Sermon: Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!

Scripture: Isaiah 30:1-14 NLT “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins. 2 For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade. 3 But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced. 4 For though his power extends to Zoan and his officials have arrived in Hanes, 5 all who trust in him will be ashamed. He will not help you. Instead, he will disgrace you.” 6 This message came to me concerning the animals in the Negev: The caravan moves slowly across the terrible desert to Egypt—donkeys weighed down with riches and camels loaded with treasure—all to pay for Egypt’s protection. They travel through the wilderness, a place of lionesses and lions, a place where vipers and poisonous snakes live. All this, and Egypt will give you nothing in return.”

7 Egypt’s promises are worthless! Therefore, I call her Rahab, the Harmless Dragon. 8 Now go and write down these words. Write them in a book. They will stand until the end of time as a witness 9 that these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions.10 They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. 11 Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel.’”12 This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel: “Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies, 3 calamity will come upon you suddenly—like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it will collapse and come crashing down. 14 You will be smashed like a piece of pottery— shattered so completely that there won’t be a piece big enough to carry coals from a fireplace or a little water from the well.”

Introduction: Israel actions and attitude reminds me of an old Martha and The Vandella’s tune that said, “Nowhere to run to, baby Nowhere to hide; Got nowhere to run to, baby, Nowhere to hide. I know you're No good for me; But free of you, I'll never be, no Each night as I sleep Into my heart you creep. I wake up feeling sorry I met you, Hoping soon that I'll forget you When I look in the mirror And comb my hair I see your face Just a-smiling there!

[Chorus] Nowhere to run, Nowhere to hide, Got nowhere to run to, baby Nowhere to hide!

The songwriter is attracted to someone who is doing her more harm than good, yet the attraction is so strong, she feels helplessly drawn. Like a moth attracted to a lit candle who finds out too late the great danger that awaits. Isaiah has eloquently shown God as Israel’s Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace whose government and its peace will never end. God who is always fair and just in His ways. Yet God’s people turned away from Him and sought peace and security from neighboring Egypt. Israel gave in to the temptation to forge an ungodly alliance because of Egypt’s size, strength and promise of aid. Yet God called Egypt a helpless dragon, wild and undependable.

Israel’s coming judgment could not be avoided. Her sin and disobedience led her away from God into His judgment. Her Peace and security were gone so Israel turn to Egypt for safety. Isaiah 26:3-4, 3 “You (God) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

True peace of mind comes from confidently trusting in the strength of God. Israel claimed to belong to God but led disobedient lives. They were faithful to the religious rituals, but their religion had lost is meaning. Religion had become a routine. Jesus addressed the issue in the Temple when he said, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

We all are capable of being hypocritical. Often, we slip into religious motions that allow us to tolerate sin in our life; religion that fail to transform us is empty and void of power. Empty worship can never please God or transform our lives. Sometimes we depend on others to praise God for us, or live holy for us. When our worship becomes powerless, we might say, the choir needs to sing better or louder or more enthusiastically. The preacher needs to preach better or stronger. God calls His children to worship Him in spirit and in truth. That’s the kind worship God seeks. Israel acted as if God did not see their heart and their attitude. God saw all the meeting and plans with Egypt. God saw the attitude towards His word. How strange that so many people think that they can hide from God. Psalms 139:1-10 “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. 5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! 7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”