ISAIAH 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land.
[New International translation]
Summary
Isaiah received his prophetic call during the last year of the reign of King Uzziah, one of the kings of Judah. He prophesied during the reign of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Isaiah’s name means “the salvation of GOD.” Isaiah’s prophesies included: 1) Speaking out against the Jewish people’s willful disobedience, sinful and adulterous behavior against GOD; 2) Inviting Jew and Gentiles to repent before GOD, who no enemy can withstand; and 3) Giving comfort with the prophetic promise of the coming of the Messiah. Some consider Isaiah to be the “Prince of prophets” or the “Shakespeare of prophets” because of his eloquence in speech. Some consider Isaiah “The Evangelical Prophet,” because of his prophesies concerning the Messiah.
Chapter 1 of the book of the prophet Isaiah is a “Wake Up Call” to the Jewish people and the nation of Judah. The prophetic language is stark and clear. GOD lets the Jewish people know that even the animals have “more sense” than they do! The ox knows its master. The ass knows its master. But, the people of Judah do not recognize their heavenly FATHER, the MASTER of the universe. (See Ch.1:3) They don’t listen. They don’t obey. They are a sinful people who have turned away from their FATHER. In their arrogance, they come to their temple with their stuff that GOD doesn’t want or care about—their money, their ceremonies, their rams, goats, and ritual feasts and festivals. (See, Ch.1:11-14) As long as they continue in their sin, GOD makes it clear that He does not hear their “many prayers.” (Ch1:15). Instead of being concerned about their actions in the temple, GOD tells them they need “to do” right in their interactions with others. Their worship needs to show itself in the lifestyle they live and in how they treat other people. GOD admonishes them to be fair, help the poor, defend the fatherless, and help widows. (Ch 1:17) GOD gives them a choice: They can either repent, obey GOD, “eat the best” and be blessed or they can resist, rebel and be devoured by their enemies. They can choose life or death.
EAT THE BEST
In “The Best Foods To Eat For Great Health Benefits,” www.commonsensehealth.com, has a number of best foods on their list for the raw foods enthusiasts, including:
- Vegetables: Try to select bright colors with the most vitamins, minerals and
phytonutrients. Choose dark green, orange and red vegetables, like broccoli, kale,
carrots, squash, red peppers and tomatoes. Garlic and onions are powerful natural
antibiotics that strengthen immunity and help prevent disease. - Fruit: Select whole fresh, or, in limited amounts, naturally dried fruits. Pick fresh
berries, oranges, red grapefruit, cantaloupe, apples, apricots, plums. Avoid canned
fruit or fruit juices. - Nuts and Seeds: Good choices of nuts and seeds are raw, unsalted almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds. If you’re watching calories, keep portions small. [Some sites sug-gest limiting the amount to just a small handful (i.e., the amount that will fit in the palm of your hand).
- Water and Other Liquids: Since your body is mostly water and you use and lose about 9 cups of it a day, fluids are essential. And here's the bottom line. Pure water is the healthiest thing to drink. So stick with water, mild herbal teas without caffeine.
See, www.commonsensehealth.com.
However, the best nutritional meals for any given individual will depend on a number of variables, including the person’s age and medical condition. For example, www.webmd.com suggests that some of the “best food choices” (and “worse food choic-es”) for diabetics include the following:
| Best Choices For Diabetics | Worst Choices For Diabetics |
|
Fresh vegetables, eaten raw or lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled |
Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium Vegetables cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or sauce |
| Fresh cucumbers | Pickles (only if you need to limit sodium otherwise pickles are a good choice) |
| Fresh shredded cabbage or coleslaw | Sauerkraut, (same as pickles, limit only if you have high blood pressure) |
| Whole-grain flours, such as whole wheat flour | White flour |
| Whole grains, such as brown rice | Processed grains, such as white rice |
| Cereals containing whole-grain ingredients and little added sugar | Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar |
| Whole-grain bread | White bread |
| Baked potato or baked steak fries | French fries |
| Whole-grain flour or corn tortillas |
Fried white-flour tortillas |
| Frozen fruit or fruit canned in fruit juice | Canned fruit with heavy sugar syrup |
| Fresh fruit | Chewy fruit rolls |
| Sugar-free or low-sugar jam or preserves | Regular jam, jelly, and preserves (unless portion is kept small) |
| No-sugar-added applesauce | Sweetened applesauce |
|
100% fruit juice or low-carb juices
|
Fruit punch, fruit drinks, fruit juice drinks, sweetened soda |
* Foods suitable for raw-foods days are italicized in the above charts. See, “Best and Worse Foods For Diabetics,” in www.webmd.com’s “Diabetic Health Center” for additional information for diabetics.
According to www.webmd.com., sources high in protein for diabetics include bean, eggs (e.g., egg whites), cheese (e.g., low-fat cheese), nuts and tofu. Www.webmd.com notes that selecting non-meat as sources of protein can help lower the amount of fat you eat, which you may want to consider if you are also grappling with weight issues. Water is also a recommended drink.
As, always, you should always consult your personal physician about your particular die-tary needs if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition. You also want to consult your physician if you are considered at high risk for developing a medical condition.
LIFE or DEATH
Our consumption of food not only affects the “quality” of our life (e.g. our mood, our mood swings, weight, level of energy, size, etc.) but also our propensity to develop life-threating diseases (like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.). What we eat can exacerbate or diminish a medical condition; thus, affecting the very number of years we live. We could even say that our food choices are a matter of “life or death.”
The prophetic message of Isaiah to “Eat the Best” [repenting, accepting the MESSIAH (JESUS), and seeking justice for the least and lowly in our society] is a spiritual message we all must address if we want to live. The message of whether we physically “Eat the Best” is also an issue we each must address---every single day. The response is the same: If it “makes sense,” if you want “to live,” then, eat the best!
So, pray to make the right choice! Pray to eat right! Pray to do the right things! Live your best life! Pray for abundant life!*
Today determine to eat the best and Be Blessed!
* In John 10:10, JESUS said “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” [Revised Standard Translation]
