Nations will have problems when leaders supplant God as the object of people’s trust. They are exhorted “to stop trusting in man”. When Israel wanted a king to rule over them like all the other nations it came at a cost to their freedom. A king recruits many administrators and there is a tendency to rely on these individuals rather than God.

1. God would bring famine and take away their leaders (vs. 1-8)

Notice the leaders who were taken:-

• The hero and warrior.
• The judge and prophet.
• The soothsayer and elder.
• The captain of fifty and man of rank.
• The counsellor.
• The skilled craftsman.
• The clever enchanter.

This was fulfilled by the Babylonians, who took away the cream of the nation into captivity and left the remainder under their rule.

2. Two woes upon Judah and Jerusalem (vs. 9-26)

This begins a series of eight woes. The others are in chapter 5 of Isaiah:-

• Woe to those who sin openly and defy God (vs9-10).
• Woe to all wicked people. (vs. 11-26). The rulers of Judah were oppressing the poor people. (vs. 12-15). The women were proud. They were profiting from their husband’s exploitation without any regard for the source of their wealth. They dressed and walked so that men would look at them (vs. 16), The Lord would judge them by taking away their beautiful clothes and ornaments (vs. 17-24). Their husbands will be killed in war. (vs. 25-26). This is strong language!

Categories: Isaiah