Poison in Pleasure

ISAIAH 5:11-17

Key verse: “And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands” (Isaiah 5:12).

Underneath every scramble for success and achievement in the things of this life is the quest for pleasure and easy life. The ultimate ambition of the average man is to so amass material goods that he can tell himself “...Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19).

There came a time when the Jews were working hard to gain worldly goods, to the detriment of their nation. They were prepared to perpetrate any kind of heinous acts to excel in their ventures. To them, the end justified the means. With sweet music from such delicate instruments as the harp, violin, tambourine and flute, the men and women would settle down to dance and drink, revelling all day long. Sensuality reigned in their midst. Expectedly, while they were pandering to the desires of the flesh, they had no time for God.

The Jews clearly paint a picture of materialism and sensuality in today’s world. Men who turn their back on worldly pleasures and do God’s will are deemed to be strange. The worldly do not mind God or His goodness. They erroneously believe that gain is godliness. Their actions promote corruption and all kinds of crimes. The careless are easily swept away by this swift-moving tide, that leads to pain, misery and destruction.

As the materially-minded have no time for the Lord, they eventually fall into the clutches of the devil. Their riches are soon frittered away. Then, God steps in to claim their souls, which rightly belong to Him. He will say to them exactly what He said to the rich fool (Luke 12:20). But those who refuse to be tainted by the sweeping wind of compromise and conformity to the world have manifold blessings in this life, “and in the world to come, life everlasting” (Luke 18:30). The question is, where do you stand?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “Godliness with contentment is great gain”.