Lesson IS.8 Judgment in the Land Isaiah 3:1- 12

The Hammer Falls on Israel - Isaiah 3:1- 5

The New King James Version Chapter 3

3 For behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stock and the store, the whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water;

2 The mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the diviner and the elder;

3 The captain of fifty and the honorable man, the counselor and the skillful artisan, and the expert enchanter.

4 “I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. 5 The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honorable.

Just remember the freight train that runs over Israel has not left the station as of this preaching session. Those who were listening may have let this one go right over their head or “in one ear and out the other.” The destruction of society described here is so complete that people were bewildered to hear all of this if they were not cut straight to the heart. The commander in chief, the Lord God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, is doing something that is worthy of a “Stop, look and listen,” or “Stop, drop, and roll” as Isaiah says “Behold!” The inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah are going to find their entire means of support will be taken away when it says in verse one the “stock and the store.” Then again, let’s take that a few more steps forward because God is removing their whole supply of bread and water. And this is all in the first verse.

I’m sure they thought they could get away with their spiritual crimes without any regard from heaven but they are deathly wrong. How can we forget that this is the same God who supplied them with “bread from heaven” while they wandered in the desert, even as a rebellious, stiff-necked chosen race. This was the same God who had literally produced water from the rock that Moses smote as they entered the rocky desert in the same wanderings as the bread from heaven. I’m sure they were thinking God would never leave them destitute on purpose. After all, are we not the apple of His eye or “do we really care right now?” When the hammer falls, it does not just knock out a few props, it swings throughout society and the land. Israel will someday in the near future be singing a sad, sad song.

National and Spiritual leadership has now been proclaimed and will be removed “in that day” as it lists in verses 2 and 3. The list starts with the mighty man and the man of war- the military leaders and law and order. Next up is the judge and the prophet. We would label that the removal of spiritual leadership. Then more spiritual leaders are spoken but the groups mentioned gives us a clue as to how far they had slipped. In the same breath are mentioned the diviner and the elder. How does someone mention a fortune teller/ clever enchanter in the same breath as an elder of the tribes of Israel? Obviously they had held these whisperers of the death in pretty high regard for leadership. No matter now they are going to be taken away by God Himself.

As verse three rolls on we see the captain of 50 and honorable men. These are the men you would expect to be up front doing the day to day leadership, people of honor. But this is the group that Isaiah said that they were taking bribes and practicing injustice. The line of injustice runs further along to include the counselor and the skillful artisan. We would look at them as our civil servants and supporting agencies of businessmen. Lastly, another spiritist of sorts with the expert enchanter listed with the people of renown. It’s a sad day when the evil arts are mixed in with daily life. Is nothing sacred? Apparently not.

Verse four gives us a view of things will get so bad that inexperienced children will take over and run things “more than or just as bad as” the corrupt men listed so far. They will be downright untrustworthy and the age gap will be intolerable.. It’s a curious mixture of the criminal mind in the body of a ten year old:

The New King James Version Chapter 3

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This could easily be a nod to Daniel and his three Hebrew friends who ruled over their people while playing a top role in Nebuchadnezzars government. They were about 16 years old as they rose to power but back home in Israel they kids taking over brought the city to its knees. The key to this is oppression by someone weaker than you. Even neighbors could not be trusted and leadership would be scorned. Leadership will no longer be treated seriously. The country is as good as gone.

Can it get any worse? Isaiah 3:6-9

The New King James Version Chapter 3

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This what happens when society makes a mockery of leadership. Real men don’t take part in helping turn the country around. They shy away in embarrassment of what they see going on instead of leading the charge against the evil flood. The real leaders just give up all together: vs. 7-I cannot cure your ills, for in my house is neither food nor clothing; do not make me a ruler of the people. God has been provoked and on top of that they have provoked “the eyes of His Glory.” God does see the evil in man’s ways and He will not relent until it is taken care of correctly. As we would say, “it’s written all over your face!” Interesting, the prophet says God says the same thing in verse 9. They cannot hide. They declare themselves sinners in the same spirit as the men of Sodom and they do not hide it. Their souls are cursed - Woe! Evil is going to come down on top of them the crushing weight of sin cannot be born by man alone.

The Indictment is Real Isaiah 3:10- 12

The New King James Version Chapter 3

10 “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12 As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths

The claim of verse 10 and 11 are like Romans 6:23 ”The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The righteous are always in control of their eternal destiny because of their faith they have placed in Jesus Christ. Verse 10 is a verse men and women, boys and girls, can bank on all the way to the streets of gold. You will eat the fruit of what you have done, just as Israel is about to do. There is a message of hope in all of the mess that they have become. The remnant has not been forgotten. Then there is the wicked. Their reward is in their hands. It shall be ill with them. They have sowed to the wind and shall reap a whirlwind. Death or “Woe” is knocking at the door for the unbelieving masses. Even the Lord of Hosts is saying to Israel’s neighbors, “You had better be paying attention to the message of Isaiah!”

Verse 12 is a curious note for our generation as it is a message to a patriarchal society. Rule without righteousness is a rule of oppression. If the ruler is a child or a woman, or a man. Without God’s leading they will be a weight that will become to hard to bear. The rule of thumb is that leaders who cause people to sin are a curse and an instrument of destruction of the paths that were tried and true. What can we do except to say, we will not be that generation. We will take up the cause of Christ to the nations.