Isaiah 5: 1 – 30
Black Roses
1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved. A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. 3 “ And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 4 What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? 5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.” 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help. 8 Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land! 9 In my hearing the LORD of hosts said, “ Truly, many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant. 10 For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah.” 11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them! 12 The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. 13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, and he who is jubilant, shall descend into it. 15 People shall be brought down, each man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. 16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness. 17 Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture, and in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat. 18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if with a cart rope; 19 That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it.” 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, 23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man! 24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore the anger of the LORD is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them and stricken them, and the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. 26 He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. 27 No one will be weary or stumble among them, no one will slumber or sleep; Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, nor the strap of their sandals be broken; 28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent; Their horses’ hooves will seem like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind. 29 Their roaring will be like a lion, they will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar and lay hold of the prey; They will carry it away safely, and no one will deliver. 30 In that day they will roar against them like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and sorrow; And the light is darkened by the clouds.
How do you feel about the business made up holidays? You know like Mother’s Day, Secretary’s Day, and so on. Each one of these days you have to make sure you go and buy candy or flowers. If you don’t then you will pay the price. I like Procrastinator’s day. You get to put off doing everything until some future date.
As I was reading chapter 5 I thought of Valentine’s Day. I do not know if you have some businesses like we have in Philly but one company has become quite successful in that it delivers black roses. If you want they can also deliver to anyone you want, rotting, or dead flowers. They box these items in pretty bows and boxes and when the person you send them to opens the box – well hello.
You will understand that the One Who has been forsaken in this chapter Is our Precious Holy God. I sense His heartache over being rejected by ones He Is in love with. That is why I want to send them the unique flower arrangements. I wanted to do this until I realized that it isn’t just the Israelites who have done this to him, but as the old saying goes, when you point your finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you.’ I am just as guilty and if you do your own inventory I believe you will convict yourselves.
1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved. A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.
Like all the Israelites, you are important to God. You are not a mistake. He decided to give you life and planted you here in this time and place.
I think the ladies would understand what I am about to say now more than you guys. Have you ever received a love letter from a suitor? I am not talking about Hallmark cards with their wordings. I am talking about a guy who has taken the time to put in writing his feelings. This is probably becoming a lost art because more and more Americans can’t even read and write.
I tell you something even rarer. In fact you only see it on some of the old Turner movies and that is a guy serenading a lady outside her apartment window. This is a guy who is madly in love with the woman and will take whatever measures he can to win her heart. Now look at verse 1 and 2 again. Can you see our Precious Holy God strumming His guitar as He sings a love song to you? How do you respond to this Magnificent Troubadour? Does His Words move you? Has it changed you in anyway?
Our Holy Majestic Lord wants us to bear good fruit as a direct result of His Love and Influence. But in all truth, what does He reap from most people? Would you agree with me He often derives bad fruit. We see here the Author talking about grapes. As a result many read this verse and do not let it sink into their hearts and minds. So, what kind of fruit do we really develop as humans. In the book of Galatians chapter 5 we find our answer, “16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
3 “ And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 4 What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?
The vineyard produced bad fruit. After all His hard work all He reaped was useless fruit. The apostle Paul informs us the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 13 that people should, “5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”
Many people believe that they are Christians but if you look at their lives, the fruit that they are bearing, you question whether it is real. Our Lord Jesus Christ said as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 7, “13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Some people have done surveys of those who came forward at the Billy Graham Crusades to see if they are still Christians. The study revealed that less than 10% still were holding fast to Christian beliefs.
Many people are ‘professing’ the words but not ‘possessing’ The Precious El Shadai – God Almighty. We are to judge ourselves and other believers as fruit inspectors. In all honesty you see many people who profess that they are believers yet nothing has changed in their lives. They are still doing the same sinful acts that they did prior to asking our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sins and to come into their lives.
Many can say that ‘I believe in Jesus’. That’s nice. However, there are thousands of Jesus’ throughout the Latin world. You can believe in them but that will not get you ‘Saved.’
You have to believe in the Son of God, Who came to earth, born of a virgin. This Jesus alone shed His blood for you and me on the cross at Calvary. He died for us and arose again and Is now seated at the right hand of Father God. This same Jesus Christ will come again in power and majesty. He Is the One Who we confess as our Savior and Lord. We need the Precious Holy Spirit in our Hearts to quicken our spirits to life again. Without the Holy Ghost we can do nothing but with Christ Jesus our Lord everything is possible which includes the potential to bear good fruit.
Probably, the scarcest verses in the bible are also from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 7 which says, “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
In the bible we read in Psalm 90, “10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” You know what 70 is very long and then you have to meet your eternal destination. Where will it be – heaven or hell? Our Holy King, Lord, and Savior volunteered and gave His life for you and me. However you need to do something to receive God’s forgiveness.
Don’t just believe me but see what God says you have to do to be saved. We find out the way from the book of Romans chapter 10, “8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Now, what exactly is this saying? I would say that you know that Jesus Christ lived and died here on earth. Am I right? Well, then you are half way to being saved. The book of Romans says if you believe this and then confess this with your mouth, what will happen? You will be saved!
So, if you want forgiveness from our God and have not prayed to ask for His Salvation, then, if you are truly sincere and want this, then I invite you to join with me with this prayer. I ask you now to get on your knees and pray out loud this prayer to God.
‘Dear Heavenly Father, please receive my prayer. I know that Your Son, Jesus Christ came to earth and died for me. I know that He rose again from the dead and sits at your right hand. Please forgive me of my sins. Dear Jesus, please come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Help me Lord Jesus to live the rest of my life pleasing to You. I will pray from now on in Your Name. Amen.”
If you have prayed that prayer there is a party going on in Heaven right now. You don’t believe me? Look at what it says in the Gospel of Luke chapter 15, “7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.’ Sounds like a celebration to me, how about you?
5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.”
People are playing with fire and they do not even know it. With all the work the Lord does in our lives and we play church and continue to do the sinful acts we did before and He sees no change, then what will He ultimately do? He plans destruction. If a vineyard is no good, you destroy it. All the efforts that was done to develop it will cease. All protection will end. It will receive no further attention. It will be returned to what it was before the Great Husbandman cared for it.
We need to take all this to heart and examine ourselves. What happened to the Jews and what might happen to us if we are doing the same things that bring about God’s anger. How about these for a starter; bondage, [addictions ] captivity [slaves to passions and pleasures], poverty [ the check book is always near zero dollars], and spiritual barrenness [ God doesn’t hear or answer your prayers],
Stop for a moment and let our Precious Holy Spirit search your heart. Pray now quietly in your heart. He will hear your petition for forgiveness and will respond to a humble attitude.
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
Our Lord does not beat around the bush. He plainly tells us who the vineyard represented and gives the reason for His coming Judgment – their moral collapse. People were all nice on the outside but were evil through and through. They all deserved their ‘rights’ no matter if they were sinful or not.
I want to point out to you the Amazing play of words our Great Holy Spirit uses here to make His point. The word ‘Justice’ is the Hebrew word ‘mishpat’; oppression which speaks of bloodshed is the word ‘mishpach’; righteousness is ‘tsethaqa’; and cry is ‘tsa’aqa’. If you look at these words they sound somewhat the same but the difference spells out great tragedy.
The good fruit God looked for was justice [mispat] which is the righting of wrongs done to others. All He found was [mispach] which is the inflicting of wrongs. He sought righteousness [tsethaqa] which is right relationships and behaviors but all He found was cries [tsa’qua] resulting from evil behaviors and hurtful abusive relationships. Any of this hitting home? Any of these things that are listed, occurring in your marriages?
8 Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land! 9 In my hearing the LORD of hosts said, “ Truly, many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant. 10 For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah.” 11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them! 12 The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. 13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, and he who is jubilant, shall descend into it. 15 People shall be brought down, each man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. 16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness. 17 Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture, and in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat. 18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if with a cart rope; 19 That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it.” 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, 23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man! 24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Well, so much for the pleasant words. Now it is time to hear of upcoming distress, in fact, the Lord refers to them as ‘Woe’s’. He Is going to list 6 of these ‘Watch Out’s! Woe’s in Scripture are either a result of God’s Judgment as we read here or they represent sad events for people as a result of a cursed world. We see an example of this type of ‘Woe’ in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24, “19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!”
I can now picture all the farmers shouting in praise for the Lord’s ‘1st Woe’. It is against those who have bought up or seized by force the farms so they can build housing complexes or Malls.
8 Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land! 9 In my hearing the LORD of hosts said, “ Truly, many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant. 10 For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah.”
In an effort to gain possessions and make money regardless of everyone and everything else, evil men were buying up and using political influence to obtain the property of others so they could have it all for themselves. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ about the rich man building bigger barns for his stuff in the Gospel of Luke chapter 12, “15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Although in hard time the land could be mortgaged, our Lord wanted all men to be free and have their own land. He provided a way for its land to be returned to the original owner. To get around God’s Gracious Ways, man invented laws that superseded God’s laws and arranged for the land to be seized permanently.
Our Majestic Ruler would not put up with His Holy Will being changed by man. The worldly acts on developing security and ease would be harshly dealt with by Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High. He would show that these wrong priorities were not acceptable.
Do you notice the crop output in verse 10. It is meager. As He has said in His Word as we read in the book of Proverbs chapter 22 we read of these actions of men, “1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and the poor have this in common, the LORD is the maker of them all. 3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. 4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. 7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. 8 He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, and the rod of his anger will fail. 9 He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor. 10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. 11 He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend. 12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the faithless.”
Our sinful desires lead us to become self-centered and self-indulgent. Once we have stored up worldly security then its party time, or so we think;
“11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them! 12 The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. 13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, and he who is jubilant, shall descend into it. 15 People shall be brought down, each man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. 16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness. 17 Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture, and in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat.”
Marketing people today go with the same advertisements. They say, ‘Enjoy the Good Life’ and then point people toward their product. It happened in the Garden of Eden and it is still used as the same bait.
You choose the temptation and what will happen to you? You will become a prisoner of the idol Seek the party scene and you may turn into an alcoholic. You cannot use ‘knowledge’ to walk away from the very thing that is destroying you. When you get drunk you destroy somewhere between 10 and 20 thousand brain cells. Please note the words ‘Sheol’ has enlarged her appetite. Heavy drinking develops in the brain a pasty substance called ‘flamadahyde. Do you know what they use this item for? Yes, for embalming people. Without knowing it, you are preparing your body for death or Sheol which is the grave.
If alcohol is bad enough, which by the way is a drug, using pills or heavy narcotics is worse. As a counselor in all truth I have not seen too many people who have become addicted to these drugs ever be freed from the substance usage.
The 3rd Woe describes how people get hooked by their sin. Once you have turned your back on God, you lose your mind. Look at what the book of Romans chapter 1 says, “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
We see in verse 18 18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if with a cart rope; 19 That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it.”
You have fallen so far that now you even have the audacity to mock God. They say, ‘so you’re going to act, huh God, well, let’s see you do so now.”
Do you see how sin has grown into a monster? It begins with greed. [ 1st Watch Out], then it moves onto selfish overindulgence and excess of pleasure seeking [ 2nd Watch Out]. It will lead to gross sins and blasphemy to the One Who made us [3rd Watch Out]. How can it get any worse?
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
The 4th Woe points out how you now cannot even judge between what is true and what is right anymore. There are three aspects of Who and What God Is – What is good?; What is light; and What is sweet? Let’s look at each aspect beginning with how God is ‘Good’
Psalm 25, , “ 8 Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.”
Psalm 34, “8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
Psalm 54, “ 6 I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.”
Mankind has turned El Shaddai’s – God Almighty – Glory into the opposite. They glory in evil and call it good, while condemning and viciously attacking those who stand for what is good.
Secondly, God Is Light. His Word is light unto our walk in this world.
Psalm 27, “1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 36, “ 9 For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”
Psalm 43, “3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle.”
Sinful men seek to distort God’s Truth and replace it with man’s answers to social issues. There are so many rules and laws today I am amazed how anything can be accomplished. Men choose darkness and kick God out of their lives.
God’s word is also sweet to all who come and taste.
Job 6, “30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?”
Psalm 34, “8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
We pick up again in chapter 5 of Isaiah, “21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
The Word of God is too bitter a pill to swallow for God rejecting men, so they replace it with politically correct words. Our Lord says this about mankind’s darkness as revealed in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6, “22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness.”
22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, 23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man!
Instead of trusting in God people hire advisors and counselors to help make decisions. They walk around as upstanding judges and leaders but in truth they are only fooling themselves. They have titles like Reverend, or ‘Your Honor’, but these are poor reflections of who these people really are about. Behind the scenes they accept bribes, flattery, and even promotions to achieve power, yet the One Who knows and sees all things knows them for who they truly are.
24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
The word ‘therefore’ looks back on the previous ‘Watch Out’. Mankind’s behavior, attitudes, worldly wisdom, and self indulgencies do not involve God in any manor. Their ultimate outcome is destruction.
25 Therefore the anger of the LORD is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them and stricken them, and the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.
The Payday – Someday – Is today! In the book of Amos chapter 1 we read about a terrible earthquake that everyone knew about, 1 The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.”
This might be a warning to the people of Isaiah’s day that a similar natural disaster will happen. Look at how the ‘hills tremble’ and the carcasses are left unburied. Turn on your TV’s. You see these conditions happening almost every day in America.
If you have ever studied about earthquakes like the terrible one in Japan, you realize that many people overlook the ‘after shocks’, which are nearly as potential in magnitude as the initial shock, just as our Precious Holy Spirit says here, ‘his hand is stretched out still’. The initial hit is not over.
26 He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. 27 No one will be weary or stumble among them, no one will slumber or sleep; Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, nor the strap of their sandals be broken; 28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent; Their horses’ hooves will seem like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind. 29 Their roaring will be like a lion, they will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar and lay hold of the prey; They will carry it away safely, and no one will deliver. 30 In that day they will roar against them like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, behold, darkness and sorrow; And the light is darkened by the clouds.
We are inspired almost to tears from the responses of many godly people who help those hurt by natural disasters. Yet kindness is not always the case. Some people try to take advantage of the hardships inflicted on others. You have heard of stories of people charging enormous fees on basic necessities like food and water.
There are also countries that will take advantage of another countries hardship. Instead of sending aid they send in their armies to conquer the land. We see this happening here by the upcoming Babylonian army marching to attack the nation of Judah.
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