Judgement and Deliverance
Notes
Transcript
Isaiah 3:1–4:6
Intro:
Intro:
ag:
ts:
rs:
I. The Condemnation (3:1–4:1)
I. The Condemnation (3:1–4:1)
A. God’s judgment on the leaders (3:1–15)
A. God’s judgment on the leaders (3:1–15)
1. He will cut off their food and water supplies (3:1).
1. He will cut off their food and water supplies (3:1).
For behold, the Lord God of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply, all support of bread, and all support of water;
ADONAI, “The Lord”
God of Hosts- speaks of military strength
He is the sovereign ruler over all. He leads the hosts into battle
Now, He is leading them in judgment against His rebellious people
take away their food and water
remove their support
God was going to leave them desolate!
God is a just judge, when judgment starts, you don’t want to be on the receiving end.
God disciplines out of love
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
2. Their armies will be destroyed (3:2–3)
2. Their armies will be destroyed (3:2–3)
the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder,
the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms.
He was removing their army and security in which they trusted
God was removing everything which came between them and Him
Sometimes God still needs to do that.
We let other things get between us and interfere with our relationship.
3. Anarchy will prevail (3:4–12).
3. Anarchy will prevail (3:4–12).
And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them.
And the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and every one his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the despised to the honorable.
For a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: “You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule”;
in that day he will speak out, saying: “I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people.”
For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.
For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.
Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.
Their government would fall and anarchy would prevail.
The leaders and princes are the first to feel his wrath.
One of the roles GOD gave the government is to keep the peace
Romans 13 says they have the sword to punish the wicked
crime prevention and justice is in their court
They had failed in that, and as part of their judgment, they will experience oppression.
4. God himself will serve as the great prosecuting attorney (3:13–15):
4. God himself will serve as the great prosecuting attorney (3:13–15):
The Lord has taken his place to contend; he stands to judge peoples.
The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: “It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord God of hosts.
God elaborates on the charges against them.
He has already demonstrated (ch 1) their guilt and now He adds more evidence
They had devoured the vineyard
The had oppressed the poor
They had crushed them and ground their face (in the ground)\
B. God’s judgment on the women (3:16–4:1)
B. God’s judgment on the women (3:16–4:1)
God now displays a another example of the moral decay of the nation.
The women had cultivated beauty for beauty’s sake
1. Their perversions (3:16, 18–23)
1. Their perversions (3:16, 18–23)
a. They are haughty and self-centered (3:16): They walk around with their noses in the air, flirting with the men.
The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet,
It was sensual
They lived in pride and vanity
b. They attire themselves in an extravagant way (3:18–23): They wear ornaments, headbands, and gaudy clothes and accessories.
In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents;
the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves;
the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets;
the signet rings and nose rings;
the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags;
the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.
They were flaunting their wealth
what a contrast from the plight of the poor a few versed earlier
2. Their punishment (3:17–18, 24–26; 4:1)
2. Their punishment (3:17–18, 24–26; 4:1)
a. God will make their scalps bald from sores and scabs (3:17).
therefore the Lord will strike with a scab the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.
b. He will strip them of their finery and their beauty (3:18, 24–26).
In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents;
Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty.
Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in battle.
And her gates shall lament and mourn; empty, she shall sit on the ground.
He was going to humnle them
c. Seven women will be forced to fight over one man (4:1).
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.”
Due to God’s judgment, there would be a shortage of men.
In a day where women had little economic power, 7 women would fight for 1 man.
Through all the judgments, God brought the haughty down.
II. The Conversion (4:2–6)
II. The Conversion (4:2–6)
God turns from pronouncing judgment to reminding them they were still His people and He would keep His covenant.
Though they were entering a dark season, there was hope for the future
God would purify them and return them to prosperity
A. God the Son will minister to the people (4:2–3):
A. God the Son will minister to the people (4:2–3):
In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.
And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem,
The title “the branch of the Lord” refers to the Messiah.
It is a title reminding them of
Growth
Life
Spiritual fruit
God speaks of survivors!
Though dark days were ahead, God wasn’t forsaking them and there would be survivors
God speaks of revival
the remnant would be holy
B. God the Spirit will minister to the people (4:4–6):
B. God the Spirit will minister to the people (4:4–6):
when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.
Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy.
There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.
Israel will be washed and cleansed of all its moral filth and will be protected by God’s glory cloud!
This is the point!
Judgment wasn’t the end goal
Revival was!
NEVER forget that!
God is just
He judges sin
God is love
He forgive those who repent
This is His goal!
Not just the condemnation!
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Like Israel, we have a choice. We choose every day to follow God or rebel
Sin will be judged and we will experience the consequences
It is out of love God judges
He does it to purify and refine us.