This blog is refering to the verse in Isaiah 63:10 that I mentioned on the last blog. It's a little longer than I like to post but I couldn't find a good breaking point.
Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, [and] he fought against them.
I wrote a little story that I think refers to that verse when Jesus spoke in Matthew 12:43-45
Matthew 12:43-45
43. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Look at it this way. You own a business and for the last 30 years, you have been told by very reliable sources that there is a product coming that will revolutionize your business. This particular product will put your business on the map and not only will it put more on the bottom line but will also reduce overhead, paper and time. It also comes with a guarantee that your business will be the greatest one in the world. What is this new product? The computer. Up till now, you and every other business owner have been doing all their jobs on ledgers and receipt books. Your phone bill and postage costs are astronomical. The amount of space that is required to house all your inventory, files and employees is staggering. Your competition knows that you have some sort of inside information that will transform the way you do business but has no inside scoop.
Then one day it is here. The computer industry is ready to launch its new product. They send out their best and most knowledgeable salesman. On his way to come and see you he stops by Nineveh’s fishing lure factory and presents the computer to their CEO. The CEO is so impressed that he stops all manufacturing and calls in every employee to see this wonderful new invention. The employees are ecstatic. This new news is so heart piercing that most sit down right where they are. This information has just lifted a burden so great that tears of joy stream down their faces. One of the employees has had the awareness to get on the phone and call a friend who runs Southtown Gizmos and Gadgets. The CEO there can hardly believe her ears and quick puts together a delegation from her business. They come to Nineveh’s to hear the seminar that the salesman is giving. They too are touched that such a product could actually be available for them. Both Nineveh’s and Southtown Gizmos and Gadgets changed the way they do business.
The salesman now comes to see you. You have anticipated this day for what seems to be forever but are unaware that today is the day. Then you get a call from the receptionist. “Sir, there’s a man here who claims to be from the computer industry to see you”. Thoughts rush through your head. A new car, a big house, that trip you have always wanted to take and your picture on the front of Forbes Magazine. “It’s here! He’s here!” you say to yourself. Your mind prepares you for the tall distinguished, slightly gray on the temple salesman with his 6’ 4” frame draped in a high fashion tailor made suite. His crisp white shirt milieus a fine Egyptian tie while the polish on his leather shoes glimmers as he strides across the floor.
“Come in” you say as you answer the knock on the door. In walks the computer salesman. His barely 5’ 8” frame struggles to open the door as his back pushes against it. His hands and arms are full yet all you notice is his hair, a shorter version of Albert Einstein’s but without the gray. He is but a youth, barely 20. A plaid shirt mostly tucked in hides behind a brown pull over sweater. A leather belt runs through the loops of a pair of wranglers. His high-top Converse squeak as he approaches your desk. “I bet he has a “hugs not drugs” or a “honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker on his pinto and it better not be leaking oil” you think to yourself.
He begins, “Good after-noon sir, I’m with the computer industry. We are so excited to bring to you this revolutionary product and information. Your business has been our primary motive all these years. We are thrilled at this opportunity to finally meet you in person. This computer will change the way you do business forever. When used properly it can and will make your business the envy of the whole world. Let me explain how it works.” Your critical puzzled look of which has yet to quit staring at his hair is finally broken as you ask, “do you have a card or something?” “Yes sir!” He says as he hands you one from the pocket underneath his sweater. Noticing the name, you say in rather dumbfounded belief, “Oh, you’re the son?” “Yes sir”, comes the reply. Now let me show you how this all works.” For the next few hours, he opens up a whole new world of possibilities. The most amazing things he says. New ideas that have never even been thought of are introduced and explained. It truly is an awesome work. But you did not hear a word he said. So distracted are you by his attire and his inability to live up to what you had pictured in your mind that you hadn’t realized that he had asked you a question. “Do you understand?” he asks again. “Do you have identification?” “What?” “Identification, do you have any?” “Sir” he replies, “isn’t everything I am showing you proof enough of who I am? My father and I have been working on this project for years together. I told you who I was and even gave you a card what more could you want?” “Just some identification please” you say smugly. “I can’t believe this,” he says indignantly. “You sir are an evil and wicked man. I have shown this new product to a couple of your competitors earlier and they were humbled and thankful for such an opportunity to be presented to them. Their businesses will condemn yours for being so short sighted and arrogant. Yours’ could have been the greatest of them all.”
With that, he walks out of your office. “Stupid kid.” You say to yourself, “Who does he think he is coming in here with all this boloney about how great all this new fangled stuff is and why is it still all sitting on my desk?” And with one great heave, you shove the whole system off your desk and on to the floor. Amid the broken glass and tangled wires you notice the manual, “How to make your business the greatest, for dummies, Love, the computer man.” “Dummies, huh?” You say to yourself. “Well, he can take his computer and his book and his whole ridiculous industry and shove it as far as I’m concerned. It was a daft idea anyway. The competition will see. It’ll never work.”
Before the computer company showed up you were just ignorant. But when the salesman showed up, he cleaned out all of the old way of doing business and placed in your office a new way. But having rejected and discarding it your clean swept office is now not only back to the way it was but worse, for now not only are you still ignorant to this revolutionary idea but against it as well. Your energies from here on out will be resourced to prove your position. Hatred, abhorrence, animosity, hostility and bitterness will move in and be directed by their leader pride.
And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation
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