ISAIAH 55:8 - "Bewilderment"

"Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." (Acts 8:22 & 23) Now, let's take a look at the spiritual aspect of the matter, thoughts. In the opening verse from Acts chapter 8, Simon Peter is rebuking Simon the sorcerer about his purpose and motivation in wanting the gift of laying on of hands for people to receive the Holy Spirit. In verses 9-11, we see what Simon was all about: "But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries." What had happened, was that Philip came into the area, and he began preaching Christ, and performed all sorts of miracles; and verse 8 says, "There was great joy in that city". Basically what was happening here was a full blown revival throughout the whole city; verse 12 says: "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." For a long time they had been following, heeding to and been tricked into believing that Simon was some great power of God; but now they had received the Truth, and had seen the Light. Then in verse 13, we see Simon believe also: "Then Simon himself believed also: And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs that were done." This word wondered is the same word as bewitched; which basically means that Simon was amazed; 'He Was Beside Himself'. In other words, he was saying within himself, "How does he do this and that?" As he watched Philip performing miracles and God working signs and wonders through him, he was not able to figure out this work that was being done, right in front of him. "Now when the apostles which were in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost." (verse 14 & 15) Then in verses 17-21 we can see the leading up to the opening verses: "Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." You see, before Philip came to town, Simon was the man; and he had fooled all the people with his trickery to make them subject to his leading. Then as we saw; as Philip was doing all sorts of miracles and such in the name of Jesus, Simon was astounded and bewildered; but now he had seen something he thought he could put his hands on, and it involved the laying on of hands. For him, it would be a way to get the people to start following him again; to be able to have people come to him for the Holy Spirit to be given unto them; he was obsessed with being in control over the people; with being the man. Hosea 12:7 says it nicely: "He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hands: he loveth to oppress." What I am trying to say with this, is that we need to take heed of what are the intentions, purpose or plans of our heart; in other words, whom are we really wanting to serve. Do we really want to serve God, or are we really just wanting to serve ourselves, and have others bewildered by us; to look at us as if we are some great power of God. This was the sin of Simon, or the wickedness of his heart: that he would make light of the Holy Ghost and the power of God. Remember Job's reply to God in verse 40:4, "Behold I am vile"; one of the definitions for this word: 'To Make Light Of'; for as much of a righteous man that Job was, this was the sin that God revealed in him. Job saw that even though he had practiced everything he could to be righteous, he was still found lacking by the fact that he had made light the holiness, the majesty, and the power of God. God must never be made light of; we must never take the Holy Spirit lightly; and we must never, ever take the Word of God lightly. "Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me." (Acts 8:24)