Setting Things Straight by Alan Martin

Isaiah delivered a message to the “watchmen” of Israel –“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” Is 62:6-7 The Septuagint uses an orthopedic term for “establishes” that literally translates as “MAKE STRAIGHT”. Yahweh wants things MADE STRAIGHT so that Jerusalem will become the praise of the earth. The LORD is never impressed with “straight theology” and “crooked ways”. We should never deceive ourselves into believing that agreeing with Him in how we should be acting is acceptable; NO – He demands conformity to His will in speech and conduct. Consider this verse in Proverbs 16:1 with the same Greek word “make straight” – “Let the heart of a man consider righteousness in order that his FOOTSTEPS SHOULD BE SET STRAIGHT by God.” God demands our walk equal our talk. Jeremiah says it even stronger: “Thus says the Lord, SET STRAIGHT your ways and your practices and I will settle you in this place. Do not persuade yourselves with lying words because they will not benefit you in saying this is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. For if in SETTING STRAIGHT, you should SET STRAIGHT YOUR WAYS and YOUR PRACTICES, and in DOING you SHOULD DO JUSTICE between a man and his neighbor, and the foreigner, and the orphan, and the widow you should not tyrannize and innocent blood you should not pour out in this place and after strange gods you should not go after to your own hurt; THEN I WILL SETTLE YOU in your place, in the land which I gave to your father from age to age. But since you rely on false words, you WILL NOT BE BENEFITED.” 7:3-8