Isaiah 29:16: Our Upside-Down World!

 

The book of the prophet Isaiah is one of the most profound, prophetic and poetic of all the books in the Bible. With over 25,000 words, Isaiah has been called a “little Bible” by many. The book is quoted more times in the New Testament than any other book, and there are 63 known statements in the English language from it. In this short exegesis, I would like to base our study on just one verse from Isaiah which is a very relevant and significant Scripture aimed predominantly at the world today.

This verse is found in chapter 29, which I feel in general to be one of the most sobering Bible chapters. Let us begin by reading verse 15. God says, “Woe to those who go deep to hide their purpose from the LORD! And their works are in the dark, and they say, ‘Who sees us? And who knows us?’ ” Doesn’t that perfectly describe the mentality of society today? People strive hard to conceal their works and actions from God, and think that they can carry out their purposes without His observation or interposition. They do not want to consider that there is a God observing and judging their sinful ways, and so they go to great lengths to discount the notion of God from their minds. They deny Him in any way they can, and similarly label Jesus Christ as a fictitious character, or at most a mere historical figure. But what did the apostle Paul say? “[I]f we deny Him, He will also deny us” (2 Tim. 2:12).

“And their works are in the dark, and they say, ‘Who sees us? And who knows us?’ ” The world no longer attempts to uphold principles, and no longer sees shame in decadent conducts. For people reason in their minds, “No one can see what we’re doing! We don’t need to be ashamed!” What reason is there to fear reproof if you don’t believe in a higher power? Would you be anxious about violating the rules of a certain sport if you didn’t believe that there was a referee? The current mindset of the world is tragic, and it will lead to endless disasters worse than ever experienced before. Indeed, the Referee’s whistle will come as a shock to many!

Continuing in verse 16 of Isaiah 29—the key verse: “Surely, you have turned things upside down!” Is there a more apt statement for our world today than this? UPSIDE-DOWN is the term which best describes the state of humanity! In our upside-down world, truth is detested and lies are exalted. The righteous are reviled and the depraved are emboldened. Immorality is applauded while uprightness generates scorn. Have you ever tried reading something upside-down? Nothing is coherent! Like the current state of the world.

Gender rationality is viewed as discrimination but “pride” riots are seen as the chance to express feelings. Children are empowered to be who they want to be while parents are suppressed and become dominated by the “well-informed” youth. Laws of conduct against sexual immorality and incest are deemed to be archaic and void. Theories and imaginations are accepted as facts while truths and realities are scorned at. In the U.S., the fundamental principles delineated in the Constitution are being supplanted. People want to replace the “old” Constitution with a new one! What an upside-down society we live in.

Coming back to God’s words in Isaiah 29:16: “Shall the potter be regarded as the potter’s clay; for shall the work say of him who made it, ‘He did not make me?’ Or shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘He had no understanding?’ ” This Scripture brings out the very foundational mistake of humanity that has been active and ongoing throughout all its generations—that is: To try to find a purpose for life which eliminates not only the
plan of God, but also any form of involvement of God in the world. Why this endeavour? The reason is because the whole world has been deceived by Satan the devil (Rev. 12:9), and billions of minds have been blinded from understanding the truth about God’s plan.

We witness the Creation, yet disregard the One Who created it. We deny that God has any part in the universe—yet physics shows that such cosmological precision could not have been accomplished otherwise (to be discussed in a separate study). How ironic it is that true science contains some of the biggest proofs of a Creator and some of the biggest refutations to the man-invented theories of the origin of life. But even still, “the work [says] of him who made it, ‘He did not make me’ ”!

A friend of mine once said that the only thing preventing him from being an atheist was the profound complexity of the human mind. Though he considers the Old Testament to be an ancient collection of fables, it is commendable that he actually did reflect on the origin of the highly complicated human mind—since many suppose that origin to be nothing more than an accident. One of the admonitory statements God made to Job was, “Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?” (Job 38:36). The human mind is evidence of an omniscient Creator, but it is not considered by those in the upside-down world. 

One of the world’s leading neurophysiologists, Nobel Prize winner Sir John Eccles (1903-1997), concluded that only a divine Creator could account for the existence of the human brain. After a lifetime of research, this is what he wrote: “We come to exist through a divine act. That divine guidance is a theme throughout our life; at our death the brain goes, but that divine guidance and love continues. Each of us is a unique, conscious being, a divine creation. … This is the only view consistent with all the evidence.” Sir John knew that deep study of the human brain was the best way to discover the evident origin of life, and through meticulous examination of the intelligent design He was able to present evidence of an all-intelligent Designer. In Eccles’ words, “There is recognition not only of the Transcendent God, the Creator of the Cosmos … [but] also of the loving God to whom we owe our being.”

However, in the upturned, inside-out world, evidence has no bearing. The most highly-educated of people are as fools (Rom. 1:22). “They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink, for the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your rulers, and the seers” (Isaiah 29:9-10). Rationality does not make sense to the worldly elite because they have been blinded to the truth. They are spiritually drunk, and thus are unable to receive wisdom and true knowledge. Why has God allowed this to happen? The reason is because the world has continually rejected Him and discarded Him from within their lives. Therefore, “in exact proportion as they did not consent to have God in their knowledge, God abandoned them to a reprobate mind, to practice those things that are immoral” (Rom. 1:28).

Take the “climate crisis,” for example. Where is God involved in the increase of large-scale climatic disasters occurring across the world? As far as the elites are concerned, He is not involved; rather, they blame the trend on human-induced “climate change.” The more intense the natural disaster, the more sanctions they propose against carbon emissions and fossil fuels. But have they correctly identified the cause of nature-related crises? Because the true cause does not align with their ideology and their stratagem, the measures they insist on introducing clearly will not resolve the problem. For every cause there is an effect, and if you falsely diagnose the cause then you will not solve the effect. 

What is the true cause of natural disasters? Rising CO2 levels? No. The reason, which is not acknowledged or accepted by governing authorities, is that the world is being punished and cursed by God on an increasing level because they have continually discarded Him from their minds. On a daily basis, God’s laws are mocked and His statutes are reviled. Thus, as prophesied in the Bible, one of the curses that God sends is severe changes in weather and meteorological conditions. 

“He loads the clouds with moisture; He spreads abroad the clouds of His lightening. And they are turned around by His guidance, so that they may do whatever He commands them upon the face of the whole earth. WHETHER FOR CORRECTION, or for His land, or for mercy, He causes it to come” (Job 37:10-13). The elements of the atmosphere and the climate all obey God’s command! By attributing the reason for escalating climatic disasters—such as violent storms and droughts—to “global warming” or to “climate change,” the world is once again refusing to acknowledge God’s presence, authority and involvement in global affairs!

Because world leaders do not associate God with the cause of weather changes, they do not turn to Him for the solution to resolving climatic conditons—the solution being true repentance. Rather, humanity thinks it can fix all of the world’s problems ITSELF. But it can’t. Consequently, natural disasters are only going to become more commonplace—and more severe. If people abandon God, He will abandon them. Right now, Paul’s words could not be any more accurate: “[A]nd they worshipped and served the created thing [the environment] more than the One Who is Creator, Who is blessed into the ages” (Rom. 1:25). My statement to all the climate activists out there is: There is no use serving the Creation if you do not serve the One Who created it. Your efforts will be in vain.

God says in Isaiah 45:9, “Woe to him who fights with the One who formed him, a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or your work, ‘He has no hands’?” Figuratively, this is what society is doing today—fighting with the One Who formed them, saying, “If we do not repair the state of the world it will become extinct! God has no role in world affairs. It is up to us!” The truth of the matter is, however, that humans do not command the weather. Our proposed methods to reduce the frequency or the intensity of natural cataclysms will not be effective because God is personally causing them as a punishment for our sins. Only God controls the climate (Jer. 10:13). Of course God desires that we treat His Creation with care, but at the same time it is important to remember that no man can alter what God wills to transpire. Humanity would do well to acknowledge this.

Now God obviously does not approve of our detrimental actions to the environment on a local level. Clearly, pollution is locally harmful to quality of living; mass deforestation destroys native ecosystems; waste deposition into the ocean or land can cause contamination and be hazardous to wildlife, etc. At the same time, all of these local problems do not propose a risk to the whole Earth. Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from fossil fuels have been proven scientifically not to be a problem. However, because the agenda behind the global warming movement is not genuine, it conceives seemingly-logical lines of reasoning to deceive the entire world. 

The CO2 Coalition is a non-profit organisation which aims to expose the plain truth about the impacts more carbon dioxide has on the environment. In their publication entitled Carbon Dioxide Benefits the World: See for Yourself, it is demonstrated that “[g]reen plants grow faster with more CO2. Many also become more drought-resistant because higher CO2 levels allow plants to use water more efficiently. More abundant vegetation from increased CO2 is already apparent. Satellite images reveal significant greening of the planet in recent decades, especially at desert margins, where drought resistance is critical.” While the current fraction of CO2 in the atmosphere (about 0.04% by volume) has increased by around 30% since preindustrial levels, it still remains much lower—about 80% lower—than the CO2 levels which prevailed over geological history (0.20% or more). Thus, the article continues, “More CO2 in the atmosphere is not an unprecedented experiment with an unpredictable outcome. … Life flourished abundantly on land and in the oceans at much larger CO2 levels than those today.” Therefore, clearly the current global agenda of the media is to present a very biased outlook on statistics and data evaluation.

What other upside-down, corrupt conducts do we see taking place around us in our wayward world? Yes, I heard you say it: Homosexuality. Is this a major problem in the world today? Does it lead to the decline of health and to medical concerns? Did God prohibit it in
order to support the wellbeing of humanity and to avoid health problems like HIV/AIDS, as well as to preserve family and procreation? Yes is the answer to all of these questions. Many in the upside-down world suppose that God forbade same-sex relationships because He is vindictive, repressive and freedom-hating. Sadly, the world does not understand that God implemented laws such as this for our very own benefits. 

Moreover, concerning those who disregard these laws, the apostle Paul writes, “God also abandoned them to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to disgrace their own bodies between themselves” (Rom. 1:24). In this upside-down world, I would be severely chastised for stating these words. In fact, if I pronounced them in public I would be arrested and held in jail for breaking the UK Public Order Act 1986. It shows how far from the truth humanity has plunged—beyond the point of no return.

Paul continues with these pertinent words: “For this cause, God abandoned them to disgraceful passions; for even their woman changed the natural use of sex into that which is contrary to nature; and in the same manner also the men, having left the natural use of sex with the woman, were inflamed in their lustful passions toward one another—men with men shamelessly committing lewd acts, and receiving back within themselves a fitting penalty for their error” (Rom. 1:26-27). Let me tell you, that is not an archaic, outdated statement! Paul was well up-to-date with our modern world even back then! Notice he says, “…shamelessly committing lewd acts.” Such depraved actions are not shameful anymore; in fact, they have become something to brag about! (“Pride Month” springs to mind.) However, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?” (Psalm 94:9).

In our current world, we look around us and see a society where everything is turned on its head. Ideology-driven zealots rioting about the climate and about gender changeability are supposedly ethical influencers entitled to “protected speech,” whilst those who speak out in defense of biological facts are castigated for causing harassment or distress to people who may wish to remain in their own worlds of unchallenged fantasy. Isaiah defines such a mixed up society with this admonishing statement: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20).

Astonishingly, this upside-down mentality has even started to infiltrate the world of mathematics. In 2021, the California State Education Panel commented that “2 plus 2 equals 4” is inequitable, and that “getting the right answer” should NOT be the main objective of mathematics. They stated that there is a “history of under-representation of black, Hispanic and indigenous people in mathematics and mathematics-related domains,” claiming that teaching methods were in fact racist and needed to be overhauled so that non-white pupils could “reclaim their mathematical ancestry.” Apparently, “teachers who uphold the idea that there are right and wrong answers perpetuate objectivity and fear of open conflict, two characteristics of racist systems” (20 May, 2021).

We are certainly living in a world gone mad, and all this insanity is occurring because we have forgotten our Creator God and because we reject the One Who gave us prosperity and Who built up our thriving nations. “You forgot the Rock Who brought you forth and have forgotten the God Who formed you” (Deut. 32:18). John Adams, the second President of the U.S. (1797-1801), famously once said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” Unfortunately, this truth is what our current world is fighting so hard against. Ideologies are valued over realities; theories are preferred over tangible evidence; feelings are lauded over certitude. 

Yet another attribute of the upside-down world is that children rule over parents, and are assisted in doing so by the bodies of authority. Isaiah wrote specifically about this when prophesying what would transpire in the end time. “And I will give young lads to be their princes, and capricious children shall rule over them. And the people shall be crushed, every
man by another, and every man by his neighbor; the young shall rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable” (Isa. 3:4-5). Is this recognizable? It is a very accurate description of what is going on in the world today. The inexperienced are now becoming the experienced, or at least they think they are—due to the enflaming influences of social media and the vista of knowledge that is at our fingertips.

Paradoxically, at the same time as indirectly promoting the ascendancy of children over parents, governing authorities are quite content to support the decimation of millions of undeveloped babies through abortion. They belligerently defend the entitlements of parents to murder their own children before they are born. Subsequently, when the children who are lucky enough to be allowed to be born grow up, legal and educational minds work hard to turn them away from—and empower them at the expense of—their parents! At the same time these authorities keenly promote homosexuality, all other types of sexuality, gender fluidity, male femininity and female masculinity—even as they encourage youths to have emotion-guided impulses, easily-offended temperaments, rebellious natures, and so on. No wonder that by the time these brainwashed children reach adolescence so many are incapable of becoming successful! 

The god of this world, Satan, hates family with a vengeance, and he attacks it on a daily basis. Such onslaughts result in the devastating reality of Jesus Christ’s words in Mark 13:12: “Then shall brother betray brother to death, and the father the child. And children shall rise up against parents and shall put them to death.” We currently live in Satan’s world, but it will not be long before God’s world is established on Earth, and this will be an UPSIDE-UP world. In God’s kingdom, all things will be logical, coherent and implemented in wisdom, for the wellbeing of everyone. Until that utopian time, we remain fighters for the truth in a hoodwinked world which delights in lies.

To counteract the upside-down system of the world, we must stay close to God, study and obey His Word, and, as King David did, praise God and declare His involvement in our lives. “For You have possessed my reigns; You have knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well. My substance was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and intricately formed in the lowest parts of the earth [metaphor for the womb—hence demonstrating further how murderous abortion really is]. Your eyes did see my substance, yet being unformed; and in Your book all my members were written [genetics], which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16).