Isaiah 5:8-19

Following on from the song of the vineyard (5:1-7) in which God was ”Looking for a crop of Justice” (Peterson) , we now have a section of woes and judgments (8-30) because, as we know, God did not find what He was looking for growing on His land.

Verses 8 -10 have to do with the greed of the wealthy. They kept unjustly taking the houses and fields of the poor until there was nowhere for them to live. This was particularly offensive to God because He was the real owner of the land and intended that the poor should have a share in it. (Lev.25:23). ”Taking over the country, leaving everyone homeless and landless. I overheard GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies say: ”Those mighty houses will end up empty. Those extravagant estates will be deserted. A ten-acre vineyard will produce a pint of wine, a fifty pound sack of seed, a quart of grain.” ” The Message. Sin has consequences; it will not go unpunished. We cannot afford to act unjustly or be complicit with it. God cares deeply for the poor in this world, who will always be with us.

Verses 11 – 17 are about drunkenness and debauchery. Indeed there may be a description of alcoholism in there: ”Doom to those who get up early and start drinking booze before breakfast, Who stay up all hours of the night drinking themselves into a stupor.” The Message. It is sad to see here that the ”masses” (14) will not escape the consequences of what their leaders have done. A frightening picture is painted. The ”grave” is personified as someone with a great big greedy appetite. A life not lived in the fear of God, but lived purely for self will, in the end, be swallowed up in judgment. ” Sheol developed a huge appetite, swallowing people nonstop! Big people and little people alike down that gullet, to say nothing of all the drunks. The down-and-out on a par with the high-and-mighty. Windbag boasters crumpled, flaccid as a punctured bladder.” The Message. Once again we see that a day is coming when the pride and arrogance of man will be humbled and God alone will be exalted (15, 16; see 2:17). Wine is one of God’s good gifts, but its abuse can lead to terrible sin and destruction. In our own society we are witnessing some of the bitter fruits of its misuse (along with other substances.)

In verses 18, 19 God denounces those who are quite brazen about their sin and openly defy Him. They mock Him. They are like the scoffers the apostle Peter wrote about who thought God wasn’t going to do anything about the ungodly (2 Pet.3:3-7) They remind me of the many rough, tough lads I knew in the area where I grew up. They would deliberately pick a fight and then ask, ‘What are you going to do about it?!’ Well, me personally, I wasn’t going to do anything. But God is! God most certainly will!! ”Doom to you who use lies to sell evil, who haul sin to market by the truckload, Who say, ”What’s God waiting for? Let him get a move on so we can see it. Whatever the Holy of Israel has cooked up, we’d like to check it out.” ” The Message. In this chapter it is made clear that God will act and will be glorified.

Prayer: Help me Lord to care about the things that break your heart.