Isaiah 29:15-24: a reflection

15Woe to those who deeply hide their counsel from the LORD, and whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?” 16You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay, that the thing made should say about him who made it, “He didn’t make me;” or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? 17Isn’t it yet a very little while, and Lebanon will be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field will be regarded as a forest? 18In that day, the deaf will hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind will see out of obscurity and out of darkness. 19The humble also will increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20For the ruthless is brought to nothing, and the scoffer ceases, and all those who are alert to do evil are cut off— 21who cause a person to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for one who reproves in the gate, and who deprive the innocent of justice with false testimony. 22Therefore the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall no longer be ashamed, neither shall his face grow pale. 23But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the middle of him, they will sanctify my name. Yes, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. 24They also who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will receive instruction.”

Isaiah pronounces woe on those who think they can hide their plans and deeds from God. Woe to those who hide deep from the LORD their counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, Who sees us? Who knows us? They imagine that their secret schemes and hidden deeds are unknown to God, that in the dark no one sees them. But this, Isaiah says, is to turn things upside down, as if the clay were wiser than the potter; God, who made them, surely sees.

Notice the delusion Isaiah exposes: the belief that our secret deeds are hidden from God. Those who did their deeds in the dark said in their hearts, who sees us? They imagined their secret schemes were unknown, that they could act in darkness unseen. But it is a delusion; God, who made them, sees all, and nothing is hidden from him. To think we can hide from God is to imagine, absurdly, that the thing made can conceal itself from its maker, that the clay knows more than the potter.

That delusion, that our secret deeds are hidden from God, is one we can share, and it is worth exposing. We can act as though what we do in secret, in the dark, in our private thoughts, is unknown to God, saying in our hearts, who sees? But God sees all; nothing we do or think is hidden from him. There is no darkness in which we are unseen by God. Do not deceive yourself that your secret deeds and hidden thoughts are unknown to God; he sees all, and there is no hiding from him. Let the awareness that God sees even your secret deeds and hidden thoughts shape how you live, in the dark as in the light. The delusion who sees us? is a lie; God sees, and knows. Live, then, in the awareness of the God from whom nothing is hidden, rather than imagining, as these did, that your secret deeds escape his sight.

Lord, Isaiah pronounced woe on those who hide their plans and deeds from you, doing their deeds in the dark and saying, who sees us? imagining their secret schemes unknown; but this turns things upside down, as if the clay were wiser than the potter, for you, who made them, surely see. Expose that delusion in me: the belief that my secret deeds are hidden from you. I can act as though what I do in secret, in the dark, in my private thoughts, is unknown to you, saying in my heart, who sees? But you see all; nothing I do or think is hidden from you. There is no darkness in which I am unseen by you. Keep me from deceiving myself that my secret deeds and hidden thoughts are unknown to you; you see all, and there is no hiding from you. Let the awareness that you see even my secret deeds and hidden thoughts shape how I live, in the dark as in the light. The delusion who sees us is a lie; you see, and know. Help me live in the awareness of you, from whom nothing is hidden, Lord, rather than imagining, as these did, that my secret deeds escape your sight.