TOPIC: IT PAYS TO BE RIGHTEOUS
Text: Isaiah 3:1-11 (NKJV)
- 3:1. 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;
- 3:2. The mighty man and the man of war, The judge and the prophet, And the diviner and the elder;
- 3:3. The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the skillful artisan, And the expert enchanter.
- 3:4. “I will give children [to be] their princes, And babes shall rule over them.
- 3:5. 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.”
- 3:6. When a man takes hold of his brother In the house of his father, [saying,] “You have clothing; You be our ruler, And [let] these ruins [be] under your power,”
- 3:7. In that day he will protest, saying, “I cannot cure [your] ills, For in my house [is] neither food nor clothing; Do not make me a ruler of the people.”
- 3:8. For Jerusalem stumbled, And Judah is fallen, Because their tongue and their doings [Are] against the LORD, To provoke the eyes of His glory.
- 3:9. The look on their countenance witnesses against them, And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide [it.] Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.
- 3:10. “Say to the righteous that [it shall be] well [with them,] For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
- 3:11. Woe to the wicked! [It shall be] ill [with him,] For the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Study
Today’s text contains very distressing images of the woes upon Jerusalem. It paints a picture of a nation deeply plagued and desolate. The tragedy of Judah’s open sinfulness and lack of trust in God would result in war, with the loss of men in battle. God would remove all the men of importance from Judah and Jerusalem.
After they were gone, those left behind would turn on each other for survival, trying to convince anyone with the slightest advantage to be their leader. These are images that we can relate to in light of what we may be going through in our nation today. There is so much destruction in families and individual lives. Peace seems elusive with mankind heading towards self-destruction.
Refreshingly, the certainty of God’s covenant to keep the righteous is reinforced (v.10). It is inspiring to know that no matter what happens, God is committed to defending and preserving His own. The keeper of Israel will neither sleep nor slumber. He watches over you.
Psalm 46 affirms that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” As the world keeps changing and things get tougher, let us find rest in the One who will forever remain changeless.
Prayer
Lord, you will keep him in perfect peace, whose heart is stayed on thee. Keep me safe in Jesus’ name, Amen!
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