Judah was like a vine which did not bear any fruit (vs. 1-7). The story is about a vineyard that had many advantages. It belonged to a loving person (my Well-beloved). It was planted on a very fruitful hill. The ground was carefully prepared (dug it up and cleared out its stones). It was planted with good stock (planted it with the choicest vine). It was protected (a tower in its midst). Provision was made for the fruit to be processed (made a winepress in it). God planted the nation as a gardener would plant a vine. The Lord did everything to make it bear fruit, but it only bore wild grapes instead of good ones. The “wolfs bane”, or wild vine (2 Kings 4:39), does bear beautiful berries, but they are bitter, foul-smelling and poisonous in nature. This is a precise description of the self-willed and false religion of the unfaithful covenant people. The fault lays with man, not God.

Then Isaiah listed the other six woes. See Isaiah 3:9-11 for the first two woes.

1. Woe to rich people who owned land but always wanted more (vs. 8-10)

In judgment, their real estate deals will not be successful, and they will have many vacant and unsold houses. When men are covetous after the things of this world, God has a way of making them to be filled with disappointment and with bitterness.

2. Woe to those who get drunk (vs. 11-12)

The picture is of those who “work hard” to party and endlessly celebrate. Their lives are filled with substance abuse and music – But they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor consider the operation of His hands. What is wrong with the partying and addicted to entertainment lifestyle? Simply put, it forgets about God. There is much more to life than partying and entertainment. Those who forget about God because of their partying and entertainment will be judged by a captivity that will end the laughs (he who is jubilant, shall descend into it), exalt the Lord (the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment), and reward the meek (the lambs shall feed in their pasture).

3. Woe to sinners who are not afraid of God (vs. 18-19)

They flatter themselves by imagining that what is sin is not sin, or by some excuse or idle pretence they lessen its enormity. These, then, are cords, wicked ropes, by which they draw iniquity. There is an obstinate perseverance in sin, as if they wished to provoke divine judgment.

4. Woe to those who say there is no difference between right and wrong (vs. 20).

Using clever and deceptive words, they blur moral issues and excuse their sin. They look at their own evil and call it good, and they look at the good of others and call it evil. Isaiah is describing a deep state of moral confusion. Their moral perception has been darkened.

5. Woe to those who think they themselves are righteous (vs. 21)

They are full of pride, and reject the wisdom and standards of God. The Bible? It’s so judgmental. Judge not lest you be judged. It’s all how you interpret it. You have your interpretation and I have mine.” All this thinking exalts the wisdom of man over the Word of God. They think they knew better than the prophet, and therefore rejected his warnings.

6. Woe to the judges who get drunk and let guilty people go free because they give money to the judge (vs. 22-23)

These are men of accomplishment, of high achievement – in sin! Nothing is more base or disgraceful than for a man to make trial of his strength in swallowing food or in guzzling wine, and this struggling with himself so as to cram down as much as his belly can hold. Such men keep no rule of life, and do not know why God gives them nourishment; for we eat and drink to support the body, and not to destroy it. These are men who care only for their own pleasure and entertainment, and care nothing for others.

God determined to punish the people (vs. 24-25). Stubble and chaff are both very flammable. God is warning of sudden, complete, and severe judgment. He will call Gentile nations which live far away and they will come to do God’s will on Israel. (vs. 26-30). The armies God will call against Judah are all business. They are totally focused, prepared, and readied. The strong men of Judah use their strength for drinking contests! This would be a great mismatch, and a soft, drunk, and flabby Judah will certainly fall against such dedicated enemies.

Categories: Isaiah