Season 6, Podcast 43, Isaiah 3:1-11, “Pattern of Prophecy.”

Season 6, Podcast 43, Isaiah 3:1-11, “Pattern of Prophecy.”

There is a pattern of prophecy in the Holy Bible. Prior to destruction, the Lord sends prophets to warn his people of forthcoming calamities. We, as Christians, revere prophets of the past, and Isaiah is one of the most revered, but in their own day they were often persecuted, imprisoned, and even killed. It was very unpopular for a prophet to tell people that they are so wicked they are going to be destroyed. People do not necessarily see themselves as wicked. It is especially difficult for unrighteous kings to humble themselves before prophets who tell them they are failing, especially when they are enjoying worldly prosperity.

In Isaiah 3, Isaiah continues the theme of Chapters 1 and 2. He is warning the Jews of impending destruction.

Isaiah 3:1

1 For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

If the ‘stay of bread’ of the ‘stay of water’ is taken way, it means they will suffer or even die of hunger and thirst. A staff is something to lean on. David said, “Thy rod (meaning the word of God) and thy staff (meaning the support of God) they comfort me.” Imagine if the rod and staff are taken away, and they had no access to food and water. That is what Isaiah is prophesying. They are in a land flowing with milk and honey, but it is all about to be taken away from them. Isaiah is referring to the impending Babylonian captivity in which the City of Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon are about to be destroyed, and they will be led into exile. In addition, the invading Babylonian army, which will consist of thousands of hungry soldiers, will destroy the crops of their fields and devour their food, desecrating their homes and property, and violating their women. Part of the pay of mercenaries is the bounty they steal when they invade other countries. The barbarity of war is unimaginable. They had approximately 100 years of peace from the time of Isaiah and the Babylonian Captivity around 600 BC. The Jews had no reason to think they were in imminent danger.

Isaiah also prophesies that their government will be destroyed and their way of life disrupted.

Isaiah 3:2-3

2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

We know that Isaiah was ignored, and we can imagine he was mocked much like Noah when he prophesied that a flood would cover the earth. 

Isaiah is very specific in describing the calamities that are about to come.

Isaiah 3:4-7

4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:

7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.

Isaiah explains why this disaster is befalling the Jews.

Isaiah 3:8

8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

They haven’t fallen yet so they don’t believe him. Isaiah classifies their sins into two parts. Part one is their use of language, and Part Two are their actions.  

The Lord commanded the Children of Israel not to take his name in vain. We generally assume that taking the Lord’s name in vain is simple swearing.