Bible Study - Suffering (2) - How Can GOD Use Me When Others Suffer? - Isaiah 58:3-11 - January 19, 2020

Bible Study – Suffering (2) – How Can GOD Use Me When Others Suffer? – January 19, 2020


This is lesson two (2) in our series entitled “When Life Gets Hard: Hard Questions About Pain and Suffering.”


Our focus scripture is Isaiah 58:3-11.


GOD calls us to stand up for those who suffer from injustice.


What comes to your mind when the word “justice” is used? Most often it brings to mind “judgment” or “punishment.” The biblical concept carries the idea of “judgment for wrongs committed” or “extending compassion and concern for others.” “When we stand up for those who suffer from injustice e.g. the unborn child, the disabled, the elderly, the homeless, battered women, men or children, etc. we reflect GOD’S love.


All people were in a helpless, hopeless state trapped in the consequence of sin, which is eternal death. Romans 5:8 – But GOD demonstrates HIS own love for us in this: While we were sinners, CHRIST died for us.” The choice is ours to make. Do you accept what GOD did for you through the physical life, death and resurrection of JESUS GOD’S only Son? When we place our faith in JESUS believing that HE gave HIS sinless life to pay, in full, for our sins, we are Spiritually born-again in our spirit to become a Son or Daughter of GOD. At that instant, we also receive eternal life and become citizens of Heaven.  Faith in JESUS turns the injustice of sin into a full pardon and justice from the consequence of sin, which is eternal death. Do you accept JESUS as your Savior? The choice is yours to make. Choose eternal life through faith in JESUS. Then study GOD’S Word and ask GOD to reveal truth to you and to lead you to a Bible believing and teaching group or church.


Our scripture is taken from the Old Testament but has application to us in 2020. Enjoy and be blessed as we explore. 


The Israelites were going through the motions of serving GOD but they had a serious flaw. What was it and can we, as Christians, have this same flaw? GOD was telling the Prophet Isaiah what to tell the Israelites -----  


True Fasting

Let’s read Isaiah 58:1-2:

“Cry out loudly,^[a] don’t hold back!
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Tell my people their transgression
and the house of Jacob their sins.
² They seek me day after day
and delight to know my ways,
like a nation that does what is right
and does not abandon the justice of their God.
They ask me for righteous judgments;
they delight in the nearness of God.”

GOD knows what is going on in the hearts and lives of all people, especially HIS chosen people. As a result, GOD instructed HIS prophet Isaiah to give the people of Israel a message from HIM. This message should be delivered with a heart felt cry with a firm tone to get HIS chosen people to listen and to take action. GOD’S chosen were sinning. They liked the fact that I AM was their GOD but they were going through the motions of worship and being HIS chosen. They needed an attitude adjustment. They needed to pause and take a long hard look at what they are doing when they worshipped GOD. GOD continued speaking to Isaiah with some questions the Israelites were asking themselves and GOD  ----

Let’s read Isaiah 58:3-5:

³ “Why have we fasted, but you (GOD) have not seen?
We have denied ourselves, but you (GOD) haven’t noticed!” ^[b]
“Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast,
and oppress all your workers.
⁴ You fast with contention and strife
to strike viciously with your fist.
You cannot fast as you do today,
hoping to make your voice heard on high.
⁵ Will the fast I choose be like this:
A day for a person to deny himself,
to bow his head like a reed,
and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast
and a day acceptable to the Lord?

GOD knows our hearts and the intents of our hearts. GOD’S chosen were fasting and denying themselves. They were oppressing those who worked for them. Contention and strife were a way of life for them. They were conning GOD. They were doing the things they thought would appear to be eye candy for GOD. Surely, GOD would jump to their needs because of what they were doing for GOD. But GOD told them, in essence, I know what you are doing and it is meaningless to ME because you are playing a game of deception.

Do we as Christians play games with GOD? Do we give, work and do things that we think are pleasing to GOD to curry (gain) favor with HIM? I have and GOD, through the indwelling Holy Spirit has revealed it/them to me.

GOD desires for us to be honest with HIM. Why should we be honest with GOD? Simply, HE already knows our hearts. We may con ourselves but never GOD. Ask GOD to search your heart.

So, what were the Israelites not doing? Let’s read on ----

Let’s read Isaiah 58:6-7:

⁶ Isn’t this the fast I choose:
To break the chains of wickedness,
to untie the ropes of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
to bring the poor and homeless into your house,
to clothe the naked when you see him,
and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?^[c]

The Israelites were fasting and worshiping to impress GOD. GOD told them through the Prophet Isaiah, in essence, “If you, MY children desire to impress ME, focus on breaking the chains of wickedness (injustice), untying the ropes that yoke you to things that oppress you. I (GOD) desire for you, MY children, to be free from anything that will enslave you. Remember, I made you with a freewill and you must take action and when you do, I will help you.”

GOD was saying what was important from HIS perspective. “Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
to bring the poor and homeless into your house,
to clothe the naked when you see him,
and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?^”

Reach out to others to meet their needs. James, the brother of JESUS, had something to say about this in James 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Christians are to help those who cannot help themselves. In some cases, it may be a handout but the best is a hand-up.

It is good to help materially but the greater good is to also help Spiritually as you minister materially.

It is vital for us “not to ignore your own flesh and blood.”

Let’s read Isaiah 58:8-11:

⁸ Then your light will appear like the dawn,
and your recovery will come quickly.
Your righteousness will go before you,
and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.

⁹ At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer;
when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you get rid of the yoke among you,
the finger-pointing and malicious speaking,
¹⁰ and if you offer yourself^[d] to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted one,
then your light will shine in the darkness,
and your night will be like noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will always lead you,
satisfy you in a parched land,
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden
and like a spring whose water never runs dry.

Dawn dispels the darkness of night. Darkness represents sin. The Israelites were in the darkness of sin. If they did what GOD was telling them to do, they would break from the ravages of disobedience and break forth to bask in the light of GOD leading and guiding their lives in truth. This is true of our lives as Christians today. Why do I say Christians rather than born-again Christians?

Many of us, as Christians, go from the darkness of sin to the dawn of a new relationship with GOD through our faith in JESUS. When we begin to yield more and more of our lives to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the light of the Gospel message takes root in our hearts and we build a personal, intimate, loving relationship with GOD through our faith in JESUS. Truth shines its light on the things we thought were truth but discover that it was chaff.

Like the dawning of a new day, dawn goes quickly. Following dawn, we have daylight. Daylight lasts much longer and provides the light for us to do the work GOD desires for us as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

As GOD revealed to the Israelites, “your recovery will come quickly.
Your righteousness will go before you,
and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.

⁹ At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer;
when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’”

As born-again Christians you go forward in the mighty power of JESUS. GOD is your rear guard ensuring that you will not be blindsided by the enemy.

When we walk in the day as our LORD directs:

“your recovery will come quickly.
Your righteousness will go before you,
and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.

⁹ At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer;
when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’”

What did GOD promise HIS chosen?

“If you get rid of the yoke among you,
the finger-pointing and malicious speaking,
¹⁰ and if you offer yourself^[d] to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted one,
then your light will shine in the darkness,
and your night will be like noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will always lead you,
satisfy you in a parched land,
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden
and like a spring whose water never runs dry.”

As born-again Christians, we have a responsibility. We must choose to change. We are to get rid of the yokes that bind us to that which produces oppression. That is anything that controls us versus that which we control.

How we act toward others is vital to being a born-again Christian under the leadership of the Holy Spirit – “If you get rid of the yoke among you,
the finger-pointing and malicious speaking.” Our conduct is vital to our witness.

“if you offer yourself^[d] to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted one,
then your light will shine in the darkness,
and your night will be like noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will always lead you,
satisfy you in a parched land,
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden
and like a spring whose water never runs dry.”

You are in control of your life and what you do with the time GOD gives to you. The question is, “How will you redeem the time?”

As a start, reach out to those who cannot help themselves, “if you offer yourself^[d] to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted one,”

When you do, what will take place? “then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday.” The joy of serving will reflect your heart.

But this is often thankless work, so why bother? “your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday.” This not to honor us but to honor GOD. What is more satisfying but to walk in step with our LORD to reflect HIM.

¹¹ The Lord will always lead you,
satisfy you in a parched land,
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden
and like a spring whose water never runs dry.”

As born-again Christians when obediently serving the LORD, HE provides HIS leadership even though we dwell in land scorched by unbelief. The absence of the Holy Spirit means there is no living water. The result is Spiritual drought. But as a born-again Christian as you are led by the Holy Spirit you bring an abundance of life giving, thirst quenching Spiritual water. When you do, the very core of your being will be strengthened. Even though you dwell in a “parched land” the indwelling Holy Spirit will provide eternal, refreshing water to quench Spiritual thirst as you continue to serve. The result will be that those to whom you are called to minister will grow Spiritually and so will you.

The answer to our question “How Can GOD Use Me When Others Suffer?” is found in 2 Corinthians 1, which will be in lesson six in this series.”

Blessings!!!