(Isa 3:1 KJV) For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water.

This seems to indicate a famine for Judah and Jerusalem.

2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

We see here oppression and disrespect. The old and elderly not honored.

They have no experienced wise rulers in the land. Judgment has come to all types: Judges, prophets, mighty men etc. There seems to be confusion, oppression and violence.

(Isa 3:6 KJV) When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:

7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.

No one seems to want to rule because the ruin would be under their leadership.

(Isa 3:8 KJV) For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

Verse 8 tells us the reason for all this ruin and calamity. The reason is that their tongues and doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of His glory. No glory, worship and honor is given to the Lord. Neglect of spiritual things and concern for the visible material things is present.  They forgot the God who parted the Red Sea on their behalf, they forgot the God who delivered them from their enemies many times.    They chose to follow other nations and the gods of other nations rather than serve the living true God.

Oh that we would honor and worship the Lord from the depths of our soul. Not just an outward show or formalism. True religion causes our actions to flow in the Love of God.  How we should praise Him for His creation, that we should acknowledge Him in all our ways. Oh that we would seek His guidance and intervention into our lives. That we would receive His great gifts that He gives to those who will but believe His word and promises. The eye has not seen neither the ear heard what God has prepared for those that love Him.

(Isa 3:9 KJV) The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

This verse further describes their sin. They are sinning openly and are not even ashamed. This seems to be a day in which everyone is doing what is right in his or her own eyes. Nothing is wrong. The attitude is "I can do what I please and no one has the right to tell me what to do."  Little did they realize that the freedom to sin, brings bondage instead.

(Isa 3:10 KJV) Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

We reap what we sow. If we sow righteousness, we reap the same.

(Isa 3:11 KJV) Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

If we sow evil, we reap evil.

(Isa 3:12 KJV) As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

This verse may offend the feminists somewhat but it seems that it was a curse for women and children to be in charge of the government. Apparently this suggests that the men had become so corrupt that they were unfit to rule and as a result those who were incompetent, evil and without wisdom begun to rule.

There have been good women in the past who have ruled but obviously this is referring to women who have no wisdom or experience. These are women who know not God neither follow His ways.

(Isa 3:13 KJV) The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

The Lord sees all the unfairness, lack of compassion and neglect of the poor and widows and will bring judgment. Sometimes a nation may think God will never do anything about their evil oppression toward the innocent but their Day of Judgment comes without fail. Where is Hitler, Stalin and Nero today? They thought that they would rule forever.

(Isa 3:15 KJV) What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

(Isa 3:16 KJV) Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

They were found to be proud, haughty, and well dressed. They had abundant jewelry and pomp. They considered themselves above the poor and had no compassion on those in need.

(Isa 3:17 KJV) Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

21 The rings, and nose jewels,

22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils.

The rich and proud should take heed that they not become haughty and neglect those who are poor. This too seems to indicate the rich who may remember the poor but forgets God. The proud, haughty who feed themselves and live comfortably, taking no thought for the poor and suffering, taking no thought for the Lord who created them and some even go so far as to worship other gods. Judgment comes in the form of famine, poverty, disasters and captivity by other nations. 

(Isa 3:24 KJV) And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

This is indeed a prophecy of judgment for those that rebelled against God. Verse 8 is the reason for the tragedies in the rest of the chapter. This is the reason for the hand of God coming against Jerusalem. We ought to take heed to these prophecies and not take them lightly with the attitude that that was in the past in those days. Instead we should learn from the mistakes of those in the past. Why were they judged and why did judgment come upon them?

Their tongue was against the Lord. Their doings or activities were against the Lord to provoke the eyes of His glory. They were proud and haughty, refusing to recognize their sin and repent.

Lack of respect for the older ones and elders is also serious.  I see this even in the church.  It seems like everything is geared toward the youth.  I know we should consider the youth and provide for them but allow the youth to learn from the experience of the elders who live in godliness.  When we cut off the elderly from teaching, we rob ourselves of their wisdom and experience of years walking with the Lord. 

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Notes On Isaiah 4

(Isa 4:1 KJV) And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

This seems to indicate a scarcity of men and a need for women to want to have husbands.

(Isa 4:2 KJV) In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Here we jump to the future and prophecy that is to be fulfilled then.   The final judgment upon the nation of Israel.  The remnant that is left after judgment and tribulation will experience the glorious reign of Christ.

(Isa 4:3 KJV) And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: 

They will recognize their Lord and rejoice.

(Isa 4:4 KJV) When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

They will be cleansed from sin by judgment and the spirit of burning. God's wrath was poured out  upon them because of the rejection of their Messiah and refusal to repent of sin. Judgment by tribulation and fire brought forth repentance and cleansing from pride, sensuality and sin.

(Isa 4:5 KJV) And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

Repentance and turning to God caused His protection to return to their land. Just as He once protected Israel from the Egyptians by a cloud of smoke and fire, this will return.

(Isa 4:6 KJV) And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

There will be protection not only from enemies but from the heat of the sun and the elements of the earth in that day.

In Isaiah we see a picture of God who has a moral law and a plan for mankind and how both men and woman should live. We see a God who is Holy and judges sin. We also see a God who sends His servants to warn and preach repentance so that He doesn't have to send judgment. After His judgment falls you see a God who forgives and restores His people. You then see a God who promises an everlasting kingdom without sin, sorrow or heartache.

The true picture of God is that to those who love Him is everlasting life and joy. To those who love Him will reign with Christ in His kingdom. To those who believe upon Him will be prepared for them a place that is more beautiful than our eyes have seen or our ears have heard.

Isaiah 5

Isaiah Index