Delusions God Would Choose in Isaiah 66:4

As we delve into the rich tapestry of Isaiah 66, we find ourselves in the midst of a glorious vision of God's ultimate triumph and the redemption of His people. In verse 4, the Lord declares, "I also will choose their delusions" - a statement that may seem perplexing at first glance, but yields profound insight upon closer examination. The delusions God chooses are not arbitrary or capricious, but rather a sovereign and just response to the rebellion of those who have rejected His gracious offer of salvation. Those who have refused to heed the call to repentance and faith, preferring instead to cling to their own self-righteousness and idolatrous ways, will be given over to the very delusions they have cultivated. As Romans 1:24-25 so starkly reminds us, when we exchange the truth of God for a lie, He gives us over to the lusts of our hearts, and we reap the whirlwind of our own making.

In this sense, the delusions of Isaiah 66:4 are a form of judicial blindness, a sovereign act of God whereby He confirms the unbeliever in their unbelief, as we see in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. This is not a cruel or arbitrary act, but rather a just and righteous response to the obstinacy of the human heart, which has consistently rejected the overtures of divine mercy. And yet, even in the midst of this solemn warning, we are reminded of the tender mercies of our God, who weeps over the hardness of heart that leads to such delusions, and who longs to gather His people to Himself, as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, as our Lord so poignantly expresses in Matthew 23:37. As we ponder the mysteries of God's sovereignty and human responsibility, may we be drawn to the cross of Christ, where the depths of divine justice and mercy converge, and where we find the only sure antidote to the delusions that would seek to destroy us.