Yet Still You Say

I was reading God’s word this morning and the following words (“Yet Ye Say”) from the King James Version (KJV) stood out to me. This can also be translated as, “yet you say”. In the scriptures where these words can be found the people of God were having a kind of discourse with the Holy Father. The situation was God was giving them His Living Words, but His people was rejecting it by their words and works. God’s people were stiffed necked and rebellious, so God was concluding the conversation by saying, Yet Still You Say. Meaning, after all that I your Heavenly Father have done and blessed you with, you are still acting contrary to my will.

Biblical Reference:

Ezekiel 18:25 (KJV) 25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

Ezekiel 33:20 (KJV) 20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you everyone after his ways.

Malachi 1:2 (KJV) 2 “I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?…”

Malachi 3:8 (KJV) 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Malachi 2:13-14 (ESV) 13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

If we group these scriptures in themes we see how serious the level of opposition to our Father was.

God was saying my words are to be valued and honoured, yet still you are saying my words are unimportant. God was saying I am loving you, yet you are saying Lord where are you loving us! God was saying you are holding back and robbing me yet still we are staying, where are we robbing you. God was saying your worship is tainted and unacceptable to me, yet still you are saying, Lord accept my offering because it is good. This sounds like the church today when God is saying one thing, but our hearts desires are to do another.

The categories above are just subset this same attitude and behaviour is often displayed in other areas as well, for example:

  1. LOVE:

Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV) 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 John 13:34-35 (KJV) 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 Yet Ye Say – Lord, my enemies have done me so much wrong, I will not LOVE them! Lord, I cannot love that neighbor who snobs and treats me so badly. Forgetting God loved us when we were in sin and enemies to His kingdom.

  1. FORGIVENESS

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV). 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Yet Ye Say – Lord, I cannot and will not forgive that person because they have hurt me to deeply. In our selfish desire to remain bitter we often forget how much times we hurt God ourselves and he still graciously forgave us.

  1. GIVING

 1 John 3:17-19 (NIV) 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Luke 6:30-32 (NIV) Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 Yet Ye Say – Lord, why can’t this person get a job. Why must I give my hard-earned money to this fit and abled looking individual. Forgetting God gave us the power to earn wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and ALL that we have belongs to Him and it’s simply loaned to us for a time.

This verbal debate/discourse between ourselves and God’s words happens to all of us. God says to go North, but we say to go South. God says to go East, but we say to go West. The thing is, although our God is sovereign and Master of the Universe, He does not impose Himself on us. Oftentimes He welcomes us to have this courtroom type jousting or gabfest with Him. Remember when Hezekiah pleaded with God to add years to his life after God said he will die (2 Kings 20:1-11), Abraham pleads against the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 18:16-32), and Moses changes God’s judgement of the Israelite’s after they made the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:9-14). In all those times men made God changed His mind or adjusted His previous decision.

You see, God gives us judgements, decrees, statues, laws, commands, etc. But when it comes to His judgements He gives us a level of leeway to plead our case before Him. But with His laws and commands He is unmoving. He knows that if he allows us to deviate from it and get our own way we tie ourselves from obtaining His blessing. If he gives in to our stubborn ways He will not be taking up His role as a Father who seeks the best for His children.

So, let’s come before God and plead our case for He will listen and show mercy over judgement. But if our case is to take shortcuts or deviate regarding His word we will soon find that He is unyielding. We must reach a stage where God can no longer accuse us of rebelling and rebutting with a “Yet I Say” attitude.

I close with this. People should say, “I see this in the bible and I see it in his/her life”, “I see that in the bible and I see it in his/her life”. That’s why Jesus was regarded as the living word. He walked, talked and apply every word of God in his life. If we are to live and be like our Lord and Savior we must do the same, and “WILL ourselves to God’s word!”

Your Brother and Servant in the Lord

Dane A. Miller