Isaiah 30:1, commentary and pictures

To take counsel but not of God and to cover with a covering but not of His Spirit is to make plans without seeking God and to follow a way of one's own choosing rather than the Spirit, and by that course to add sin to sin. In its setting the rebuke falls on going down to Egypt without asking at God's mouth, on strengthening in the strength of Pharaoh and trusting in the shadow of Egypt, and that human strength becomes shame and that trust becomes confusion. The warning belongs to every age, and in trouble and trial God's people are to seek His guidance, help and strength rather than depend on fallible people who may mislead, on human position or ability, or on worldly counsel and methods as in going to Egypt to consult idolaters.

In the last days the same course is repeated by those who have had privileges and opportunities and have seen God work in a marked manner, yet oppose righteousness, refuse to hear the law of the Lord, and tell seers and prophets not to see and to speak smooth things and deceits and to cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before them. Refusing the admonitions of the Word and choosing a way of one's own makes it impossible to accept the gospel of Christ, for accepting the gospel requires heeding God's word rather than resisting prophetic correction and preferring deceptive messages despite great light. Taking one's own counsel about appetite is rebellion under the woe, in indulging fleshly appetites and eating food injurious to soul and body, including meat eating and other harmful diet. Such indulgence clogs the living machinery, corrupts the service offered to God, and perverts and holds the truth in unrighteousness with tame, lifeless, Christless efforts.

Cherishing Sodomitish impurity and all uncleanness puts church members under the woe, and disregarding great light puts Christ to open shame and brings dishonor on God. Seeking finishing instruction from teachers who do not know God is taking counsel but not of God, as when students are advised to go to Ann Arbor. There they learn by precept and example human doctrines and maxims that bring many good things but mingle error with truth and open the mind to error, while the enemy cooperates with those who make void the law of God, and this is walking to go down into Egypt without asking at God's mouth.

The woe applies to unconverted men in responsible positions at the heart of the work who claim to be teachers and counsellors while not having light and truth in heart and soul. They keep old hereditary and cultivated character, mingle their own spirit with words and actions, pervert principle, and confederate together to do what God expressly forbade, until justice and mercy and love for God and man fall in the streets and equity cannot enter. It describes professing believers who place themselves in Satan's hands to bring confusion into God's ranks, who accuse the brethren, discourage the Lord's servants, and use the talent of speech against God's appointed men instead of combating Satan and healing souls and bodies. They follow their own counsel, imagination and devising and confederate with those who delight in what God hates and justify the disobedient.

God bears long with such, bestows favors, invites, appeals and entreats them to turn, having bought them with the price of His blood and not being willing that any should perish. But if they choose to perish in their own devising as Satan chose, using influence as Satan used his to draw souls away, refusing grace and instruction and persisting in misrepresenting His work, He withdraws the light of His presence and removes His covenant-keeping power. He permits them to follow their own way to destruction, brings their counsel to naught, and takes hold on judgment with none to deliver, for cause must be followed by effect.

The word will be fulfilled to all who act out these principles, with eyes greatly blinded so they should not see, greatly weakening the work and dishonoring truth of heavenly origin. At the execution of the judgment punishment will be proportionate to the dishonor, with not one particle of impurity escaping the wrath of God, and all who do not repent and forsake uncleanness will fall with the wicked. The verse calls for conversion and entire surrender to the working of the Holy Spirit, with pride and selfishness and covetousness eradicated from the heart so the principles of the Word are carried into practical life. Escape requires putting away sensuality, fasting and praying, and overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony, so that only those who become saints and not sinners will become members of the royal family and form God's kingdom in the earth made new.