WE SHALL NOT DIE - Reading With the People of God #17Sample

God’s Reason for Destroying Judah

As we continue through the prophet Isaiah today, we will read the clear reason God destroyed the nation of Judah. The genre used by the prophet is a ‘woe oracle.” Specifically, judgment is coming to the wealthy and the heroes of drinking. Later in v. 23 we find out getting wealthy by ill means. The drinkers were rising early to drink and drinking into the evening. These people were spending time at parties and not paying attention to the economic and political changes already occurring in the nation. They lacked spiritual perception. So why is judgment coming?

God’s response listed in the woe oracles is based on what the people already knew from the revealed will of God in the Law (v.24). Although the people might have looked at their deeds as insignificant or as merely a slight difference of interpretation, God saw them as a direct affront to His will, character, and authority. “Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people…” (v. 25, ESV). This judgment will not be from one of the neighbors who God used in the past. The rest of chapter 5 mentions an unnamed nation that will travel a great distance to reach Judah. The protector and savior of Judah will now oversee the destruction of His vineyard. Ouch! He has ears to hear…

As we read our text in Luke today, the authority of Jesus will be challenged by the chief priests, scribes, and Jewish elders. These always represent the official Judaism of the day and they were hostile to Jesus and His message. This passage teaches us an important Christological truth. As evident in the opening chapters of Luke, John the Baptist was a prophet and the forerunner of the Messiah. If he had divine authority, how much more authority must Jesus have had? Cornerstone family, if we are going to bow the knee, let’s do it in front of the real King!

Primer contributed by Brian Mott, Ministering Elder