For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.

Isaiah 3:8 ESV

Defying his glorious presence was a startling phrase. It was because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord. It made me think of Isaiah 58:13, a scripture I’ve given some focus to this year.

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words” (Isaiah 58:13 NKJV).

They had defied God because their speech and deeds were against the Lord. We honor God by doing His way and speaking His words. Going our own way, seeking what pleases us, saying what we think, lead to stumbling and falling because it’s defying His glorious presence.

Walking in God’s way, doing His pleasure, speaking His word, leads to his glorious presence.

“Then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 58:14 NKJV