Isaiah Chapter 3: Jerusalem's Current Reality Continued
Isaiah continues God’s message. Since Israel has trusted in men instead of God, God is going to remove all capable men from Israel. They are instead going to be led by incompetent boys. This misplaced trust of Israel is more than a religious issue, more than idolatry. It has societal implications.
With incompetent, evil leadership, the societal tendency towards sin will go unchecked. Their leaders will lead them even further into sin, and the concequences of said sin will be inescapable.
Isaiah uses the women of Judah as a picture of what will happen to the whole society. In their prosperity and confidence, they walk around made up perfectly. They adorn themselves with jewelry and fancy outfits. However, God will allow them to become sick and infected. Their appearance will be ruined as they literally rot. Instead of perfume, they will put off the stench of their decay. The first verse of chapter 4 sums up the lot of society. War will decimate the men and women will become desperate for men—for the very thing they placed their trust in will be gone.
This is not so far removed from the current state—not just of Israel, but humanity. We are puffed up and proud in our own power and capability. We do not need God and have declared Him dead. Yet we still make a miserable mess of things. Do we turn back to God for our help? No, even today Christians turn to politics, powerful men, and money for a way to change the nation. This is exactly what Judah was doing in Isaiah’s day.
With incompetent, evil leadership, the societal tendency towards sin will go unchecked. Their leaders will lead them even further into sin, and the concequences of said sin will be inescapable.
Isaiah uses the women of Judah as a picture of what will happen to the whole society. In their prosperity and confidence, they walk around made up perfectly. They adorn themselves with jewelry and fancy outfits. However, God will allow them to become sick and infected. Their appearance will be ruined as they literally rot. Instead of perfume, they will put off the stench of their decay. The first verse of chapter 4 sums up the lot of society. War will decimate the men and women will become desperate for men—for the very thing they placed their trust in will be gone.
This is not so far removed from the current state—not just of Israel, but humanity. We are puffed up and proud in our own power and capability. We do not need God and have declared Him dead. Yet we still make a miserable mess of things. Do we turn back to God for our help? No, even today Christians turn to politics, powerful men, and money for a way to change the nation. This is exactly what Judah was doing in Isaiah’s day.
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