Biting the Hand That Feeds You

 

 

Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider."

Sense the frustration of the prophet Isaiah. He addresses the sky and the ground because he knows they will listen. The firmament and the earth from the very beginning have obeyed the commands of God!

Ge 1:6 Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.

9 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

They still do. Open your eyes and see God’s hand at work in nature! Ps 19:1 reminds us: “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” That the skies and earth obey God perfectly cannot be disputed. Jesus told the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a terrific storm, “Be still!”  and it was! Mr 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

Another time HE assured His disciples that through faith in Him, mountains could even leap into the sea! Mt 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.

 

God has put words in the mouth of a donkey: Nu 22:28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"

He turned a great fish into a Uber driver for Jonah, delivering him to Ninevah!

 

You’ve heard the expression, “dumb as an ox,” well at least the ox knows it’s owner and responds to commands given by the farmer as he plows his fields.

Or maybe you’ve heard of the stubbornness of donkey, but at least they know to go to the master’s crib to eat!

Don’t be like Isaiah’s audience. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Learn from the ox and the ass, and with all your heart:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above ye heavenly host.

Praise father Son and Holy Ghost.