Notice Isaiah 58:1 with me today.

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” What a verse!

Two strong, imperative verbs front this divinely inspired Sentence. “Cry” translates “qara,” meaning “to loudly proclaim.” (It is used in one form or another 735 times in the Old Testament!)

The modifier “aloud” utilizes “garon” in Hebrew, “from the throat!” This is energetic (if not boisterous) preaching! Guttural!

“Spare (not)” employs the verb “chasak.” as in … “do not withhold a word!” Do not refrain! Do not forbear!

The “trumpet” again emphasizes a distinct (strongly audible) sound! In Hebrew “shofar” means a “horn,” as in a “ram’s horn.”

Listen to God’s Pathos here … “Show My people!” Though Israel has sinned egregiously … she is still God’s little Nation! He yet claims her as His very Own!

But … show them what?

Their “pasha,” their “transgression”(singular here). A word specifically meaning “rebellion.” Utter revolt against God!

Then “My people” (the phrase) is balanced (Hebrew parallelism) with the string “the house of Jacob.” (Obviously now combining the southern and northern Kingdoms once again!)

The last word in the verse is “sins” (but plural this time). It means “missing the mark, taking the wrong road.” It also means “to lose out on what was originally intended to be yours!” Sin always robs … and kills!

This verse constitutes God’s Call, Commission to His Spokesman in any dark day, any sinful time!

And it is our “charge” yet today, in this age of apostasy!

To every Preacher who studies these pages day by day, you dear men of God … I would suggest memorizing today’s Text. Use it as a “check and balance” system to gauge your ministry, your preaching.

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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