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2Devotional/Inspiration

On most any Sunday, in thousands of Bible study classes across America,one common question is asked in the midst of discussing that day’ssession: “What does Cecil Sherman say about this passage?”

Cecil Sherman has served as the primary commentary writer for the Smyth& Helwys Formations series of adult Bible study for nearly fifteen years. Acrossthese years, he has offered insight through nearly 700 sessions across 45 issues ofthe commentary and addressed an extensive amount of Scripture. His work withFormations has made him a fixture in many Sunday school classes.

At long last, and after much request, many of these commentaries are beingmade available once again. These five volumes that make up the Cecil ShermanFormations Commentary collect the uncommon wisdom, insight, and wit thatCecil’s readers have come to treasure week after week through the years.

AVAILABLE VOLUMES:

• Vol. 1: Genesis–Job• Vol. 2: Psalms–Malachi• Vol. 3: Matthew–Mark• Vol. 4: Luke–Acts• Vol. 5: Romans–Revelation

CECIL SHERMAN has most recently served as visiting professor of pastoral ministries at the BaptistTheological Seminary at Richmond. From 1992–1996, he served as the first Coordinator of the CooperativeBaptist Fellowship. Previously he pastored churches in Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, and New Jersey.Cecil is a graduate of Baylor University and is the recipient of the Baylor Alumni Association DistinguishedAlumni Award for 1992. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D., Th.D.) andPrinceton Theological Seminary (Master of Theology). He has written extensively, publishing numerous arti-cles and two books: A Kingdom of Surprises: Parables in Luke’s Gospel and Modern Myths (sermons preached atFirst Baptist Church, Asheville, North Carolina). He continues to write Sunday school literature and otherChristian educational resources for Baptists. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Cecil enjoys gardening andtravel. He and his wife, Dorothy, are parents of an adult daughter.

FORMATIONSSERIES

�

Hearing Truth Is MoreImportant Than Liking

What You Hear

Ecclesiastes 7:5; Isaiah 30:8-11

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 27, 2006

Introduction

There are two texts this week. The single verse from Ecclesiastes is a genericgem of wisdom. The Isaiah text illustrates what the Preacher of Ecclesiasteswas saying. I will build the lesson around Isaiah, but remember that theIsaiah incident illustrates the proverb in Ecclesiastes.

In 705 BC in a minor military engagement, Sargon II, king of Assyria,was killed. It was Sargon who finished off the northern kingdom by his con-quest of Samaria in 722 BC. His death was interpreted as an opening inJerusalem. The most powerful king in the region was removed. It seemed likea good time to break away from Assyria and form some kind of militaryalliance that would give Judah security against her muscular neighbor to thenorth. The decision to combine with Egypt against Assyria was the decisionof the “wise men” at court. Isaiah and other prophets were dead set against it(see Isa 28:14-15).

These people were playing for high stakes. One mistake and they wouldbe swallowed up by Assyria. Isaiah had a different solution to Judah’s prob-lem. He wanted the king and his advisors to do nothing, trust God, andwait. Making a “covenant with death” with Egypt would offend Assyria.Never was the adage “let sleeping dogs lie” more true. Judah needed to keep

a low profile, be courteous in all her dealings with Assyria, do nothing tooffend, and most of all trust God—not Egypt—for security.

But Isaiah’s counsel was ignored. An embassy was sent to Egypt withexpensive gifts to impress the Egyptians and to enlist their aid. But Isaiahheld the Egyptian venture in contempt, declaring, “Egypt’s help is worthlessand empty” (Isa 30:7a).

Isaiah’s counsel was not taken well at court. It had been the pattern ofJudah to seek the Lord’s guidance before any policy decision was made. Theking had advisors, including prophets. But this time the Judean court didnot listen to Isaiah, and they wanted to hear “no more about the Holy Oneof Israel” (30:11b).

Built into these verses is a virtual recipe for ruin. If you want to ruin abusiness, a school, a government, or a church, do the following:

I. Close Your Mind.

Of the people at court Isaiah said, “they are a rebellious people, faithless chil-dren, children who will not hear the instruction of the LORD” (30:9). Thecounselors at court had made up their minds.

Most of the time, good comes from hearing both sides in a dispute. Iworry about a leader who rids himself of everyone but “yes men.” No leaderis right all the time, and confidence can easily become over-confidence.

There is a type of personality that is always seeking certainty. Suchpeople do not want an approximation; they want the correct answer. There isa place for these people. When building a bridge, there is little margin forerror. When doing eye surgery, there has to be precision. But there are otherfields where certainty is nearly impossible. Religion is one of those fields.That’s why Paul said, “Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will seeface to face” (1 Cor 13:12). Paul had enormous confidence in his religiousexperience on the Damascus Road. He bet his life on it, but he knew wehave a faith-based religion.

I know preachers who have closed minds on certain points of theology.The way they see it is right and anyone who disagrees with them is wrong. Itis nearly impossible to have a sensible conversation with that kind of mind:it is shut tight. Such people can be a pain in the lower back. Isaiah foundthem so.

II. Get Rid of Every Opinion but Your Own.

“They are a rebellious people, faithless children, children who will not hearthe instruction of the LORD” (30:9). Isaiah wanted a voice in discussion, but

84 CECIL SHERMAN FORMATIONS COMMENTARY VOLUME 2

the king and his counselors had made up their minds and would not allowanyone with a contrary opinion to enter the debate. For them it was settled.

Not often in politics is there an absolutely right way. Usually, wisdomcomes from hearing several points of view, sifting them, and refining them.Out of the mix comes an answer everyone can live with. So our leaders usu-ally are surrounded by strong people, and not all of them are of the samemind. This is good.

Have you ever known a preacher who had no tolerance for a differentpoint of view? I’m told there are such. University presidents have also beenknown to surround themselves with “yes men.” Clash with the leader andyou look for another job—even if you are right. Some of our country’s pres-idents have had little tolerance for dissent in their cabinet. It was their way orthe highway. Sadly, churches and denominations sometimes exhibit the sametendencies.

When there is some distance between us and the issues at hand, it is easyto see the benefits of listening to a large and diverse group of advisors. Whenwe bring all kinds of people to the table, we hear a variety of opinions. Sincenot everyone is of the same mind, their diversity can produce good decisionsthat befit a thriving church, institution, or enterprise. There is wisdom whengood ideas collide and compete. The Spirit of God works in and through thevarious ideas.

III. Surround Yourself with Tame Preachers Who Say What

You Want Them to Say.

“For they are a rebellious people…who say to the seers, ‘Do not see’ and tothe prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooththings, prophesy illusions…’ ” (30:10). It was an eye-opener to me to learnthat there were authorities or expert witnesses who could be bought to testifyin a trial. Some are psychiatrists, others are criminologists, and others haveexpertise in other fields of study. Their opinions—opinions that could swaya jury—are for sale. Often, vested interests have a lot at stake in these trials.Such people make justice hard to come by.

Could there be preachers who say what people want to hear? If youthink about it, such is built into the system of churches that practice congre-gational form of church governance. Preachers are “called” by vote of acongregation. The candidate has to be pleasing to the majority or he or shewill not get the job. So some preachers learn to package themselves so theywill be attractive. It’s hard to get a prophet in this system. A preacher is

HEARING TRUTH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LIKING WHAT YOU HEAR 85

thought successful when he or she makes no one unhappy and smiles a lot.Churches can get sick on that kind of leadership.

Are the “smooth” preachers who deal in “illusions” aware of their flightfrom truth? I don’t know what they know. I do know they have a knack forsmelling any possibility of offending, and they don’t go there. They may callthemselves prophets, but they are pretenders.

Isaiah watched the king and his court. They did not put preachers out ofcourt. They just picked tame ones. They instructed their preachers: “Speakto us smooth things” (30:10b). Not all truth is “smooth.” One reason somethoughtful people have quit church is because the church deals too little inreality. There are too many “illusions.”

IV. Remove God from Your Deliberations.

“Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel” (30:11b). They silencedthe prophet’s voice in their conversations. No longer was God’s name men-tioned or God’s messenger welcome at the table. Granted, some who saythey are messengers from God are mistaken, and some messengers from Godproclaim God’s message in an abrasive way. But does it follow that youshould systematically remove God from discussion in the nation’s business,in the education of a child, in the ordering of a great university, or in themanagement of your family?

Mistakes have been made in trying to sort out the mind of God. But ifwe are balanced, we recognize that God has been present and active in anumber of instances when hard decisions were faced, and right answers cameforth. John Adams believed God was in the decision to declare independencefrom Great Britain in 1776. God was freely mentioned in discussions withLincoln’s cabinet. Woodrow Wilson often used religious language when sort-ing out peace or war in World War I. Franklin D. Roosevelt freely spoke ofdivine help when guiding our nation through World War II.

Were Isaiah writing this lesson, he would cite the way Israel had askedfor God’s leadership in the choice of their kings and in the debates about waror peace. Even in fiscal policy Israel had leaned on God. But now, not bycarelessness but by deliberate choice, Israel wanted God removed frompolicy-making. The decision was neither wise nor right.

Conclusion

What came of Isaiah’s prophecy? Was he right? What came of Judah? Did itspolicy lead to security? These are reasonable questions. Isaiah was the onewho said, “Go now, write it before them on a tablet…so that it may be for

86 CECIL SHERMAN FORMATIONS COMMENTARY VOLUME 2

time to come as a witness forever” (30:8). These questions are beyond ourtext, but if I were teaching this lesson, I would want to know the answers.

(1) Read the verses that immediately follow our text (30:12-14). Isaiahsaid God was going to make Israel “like a break in a high wall, bulging out,and about to collapse, whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant; its break-ing is like that of a potter’s vessel” (30:13b-14a). Judah’s policy of trustingEgypt and turning away from God would lead to national ruin. Judah wouldgo under. But if they would trust in God, they would live.

(2) Babylon became the successor to Assyria as the most powerful nationin the region. In 587–586 BC, the Babylonians came down on Judah anddestroyed it. Jerusalem became a heap of ashes, the temple of Solomon wastorn down, and David’s city was trashed. About a third of the people werekilled; others scattered. Some of the most able were taken captive toBabylon. When Judah needed the Egyptians, they were nowhere to befound. Egypt was useless—just as Isaiah had said.

(3) There was no restoration of the ten northern tribes that comprisedIsrael. They simply disappeared after Assyria ran over them. For Judah, how-ever, there was a different fate. They returned from Babylon to rebuildJerusalem and its temple. God worked through what was left of Judah.

What Isaiah predicted came to pass. If he was right about those people,we would do well to connect their situation to ours. We can learn fromthem; we don’t have to imitate their mistakes.

HEARING TRUTH IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LIKING WHAT YOU HEAR 87

SHER

MA

NF

ormationsC

omm

entaryP

SALM

S – MA

LAC

HI

2Devotional/Inspiration

On most any Sunday, in thousands of Bible study classes across America,one common question is asked in the midst of discussing that day’ssession: “What does Cecil Sherman say about this passage?”

Cecil Sherman has served as the primary commentary writer for the Smyth& Helwys Formations series of adult Bible study for nearly fifteen years. Acrossthese years, he has offered insight through nearly 700 sessions across 45 issues ofthe commentary and addressed an extensive amount of Scripture. His work withFormations has made him a fixture in many Sunday school classes.

At long last, and after much request, many of these commentaries are beingmade available once again. These five volumes that make up the Cecil ShermanFormations Commentary collect the uncommon wisdom, insight, and wit thatCecil’s readers have come to treasure week after week through the years.

AVAILABLE VOLUMES:

• Vol. 1: Genesis–Job• Vol. 2: Psalms–Malachi• Vol. 3: Matthew–Mark• Vol. 4: Luke–Acts• Vol. 5: Romans–Revelation

CECIL SHERMAN has most recently served as visiting professor of pastoral ministries at the BaptistTheological Seminary at Richmond. From 1992–1996, he served as the first Coordinator of the CooperativeBaptist Fellowship. Previously he pastored churches in Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, and New Jersey.Cecil is a graduate of Baylor University and is the recipient of the Baylor Alumni Association DistinguishedAlumni Award for 1992. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D., Th.D.) andPrinceton Theological Seminary (Master of Theology). He has written extensively, publishing numerous arti-cles and two books: A Kingdom of Surprises: Parables in Luke’s Gospel and Modern Myths (sermons preached atFirst Baptist Church, Asheville, North Carolina). He continues to write Sunday school literature and otherChristian educational resources for Baptists. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Cecil enjoys gardening andtravel. He and his wife, Dorothy, are parents of an adult daughter.

FORMATIONSSERIES