ISAIAH
Isaiah 5:24-30

quote:

"Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble, and dry grass collapses into the flame, so their root will become like rot and their blossom blow away as dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 On this account the anger of the LORD has burned against His people, and He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down, and the mountains quaked; and their corpses lay like refuse in the middle of the streets. For all this His anger is not spent, but His hand is still stretched out. 26 He will also lift up a standard to the distant nation, and will whistle for it from the ends of the earth; and behold, it will come with speed swiftly. 27 No one in it is weary or stumbles, none slumbers or sleeps; nor is the belt at its waist undone, nor its sandal strap broken. 28 Its arrows are sharp, and all its bows are bent; The hoofs of its horses seem like flint, and its chariot wheels like a whirlwind. 29 Its roaring is like a lioness, and it roars like young lions; it growls as it seizes the prey, and carries it off with no one to deliver it. 30 And it shall growl over it in that day like the roaring of the sea. If one looks to the land, behold, there is darkness and distress; even the light is darkened by its clouds."

God is warning of sudden and severe judgment. Every one of Judah's sins could be traced to a rejection of His Word. Their own opinion had become far more important to them than heeding and obeying the Word of the Lord. His Word that called them to obedience was despised, rejected and cast aside.

Raising a standard and giving a whistle, God calls hostile nations to come and invade Judah. Though the armies of the world may think their power rests in their own might, it is God who uses them as instruments of His judgment. These armies are totally focused, prepared, and ready for battle against Judah, who has been weakened by strong drink. The name of the army is not mentioned here, but the natural reference is to the massed might of the Assyrian armies. Verse 29 alludes to the Assyrian practice of depopulating conquered cities by distributing the population to distant lands.

The whole scene is one of chaos. There is a settling of darkness where even the light of heaven is shadowed. This darkness suggests a day of a more ultimate judgment to come when there will truly be no one to deliver and the wicked will go away eternally into total darkness. Why would the Lord put Judah in such a distressing place? The only answer can be because He loves them. These words are harsh, but merciful; they are a slap in the face to prevent total and eternal destruction.

The remaining question is, if God were to bring His judgment upon the world today, are we ready? Have we, like Judah, ignored His Word? Or have we embraced His salvation and His Word to follow Him? The final judgment and "day of the Lord" will be an awesome display of who God is. When we live our lives loving God whole-heartedly with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind and build our lives upon an eternal hope, living to bring Him glory, in that day we will be able to bow humbly before an awesome God knowing that by His grace we are saved.