Isaiah Chapter 5 Second Continued
Isaiah 5:20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
“Evil good and good evil”:
The fourth woe condemned the reversal of morality which dominated the nation. They utterly confused all moral distinctions.
In this fourth woe, we see wolves in sheep's clothing.
These are those who pretend to be believers, and yet, in their heart they are not followers of God at all.
These are pretenders.
They are so involved in the ways of the world; they have forgotten what is good and what is evil. They look at the darker side of life and call it light, because they are blinded.
They have eyes to see, but they do not see.
Sin is sometimes spoken of as the bitter cup.
Sin seems to be sweet, until the consequences of that sin arrive.
Then we realize that sin is a bitter pill.
Isaiah 5:21 "Woe unto [them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"
“Wise in their own eyes”:
The object of the fifth woe was the people’s arrogance. “Pride goes before destruction …” (Proverbs 16:18).
Those who are wise in their own eyes cannot learn, because they believe they already know everything.
You must be humble to receive the Lord.
To put faith in yourself in place of faith in God is destructive.
A conceited person has trouble receiving the simple good news of Jesus Christ. In this scripture, "prudent" is associated with cunning.
This then, is just repeating that he is wise in his own eyes.
This type person would see no need for salvation.
They would believe they could save themselves.
Isaiah 5:22 "Woe unto [them that are] mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:"
Verses 22 and 23 is the sixth woe that pointed to the unjust sentence passed by drunken and bribed judges.
This is a problem very prominent in our society today.
This is someone who drinks and goes on with the daily functions of his, or her, life.
They would not be aware that the wine or strong drink impairs their thinking ability.
In fact, many of these people are deceived into thinking that their ability to function as a salesperson is improved because of their drinking.
Since alcohol of any kind dulls the senses, they are not able to function at full capacity, but are not aware of their inability.
They do not make sound decisions, because their thinking ability is slowed down by the drinking.
Isaiah 5:23 "Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!"
This is speaking of bribes.
The person will pretend nothing wicked has happened, because they have been bought off.
This seems to be a judgment in favor of the wicked against the righteous, because of the bribe he received.
This hurts both parties.
The wicked are hurt, because one sin leads to another.
The righteous are hurt, because the truth was not accepted, and they were judged against.
Verses
Isaiah 5:24 "Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel."
The word "therefore" shows us the connection of this Scripture with the previous Scriptures.
We see the judgment against the ones who have committed the evils.
The Hebrews were always breaking the law of God.
They seemed to believe that God would forgive them, even if they did not keep His law.
"Word", in the verse above, is speaking of the Word the prophets spoke under the influence of God.
You could class them as Words from God spoken through the prophet’s mouth.
Burning the tops of these plants is sometimes done to make a better crop, but this speaks of total destruction of the roots, as well.
This would leave desolation.
This could, also, prophetically be speaking of the time in Israel when the law of God was disregarded, and God sent His Son (the living Word).
Jesus was despised and rejected.
This would bring great punishment.
In fact, God would turn from the house of Israel (physical Israel), to the Gentile believers who would become spiritual Israel.
Isaiah 5:25 "Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases [were] torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still."
Now we see the anger of the LORD and what it brings.
The sad thing is that the anger is vented against the LORD's own people.
They have been like a disobedient child.
I have always said, I would rather have the devil attack me, rather than feel the anger of God.
We can resist the devil in the name of Jesus and he will flee, but there is no place to hide when the anger of the LORD is against you.
There is no higher power than the LORD.
The specific judgment spoken by the LORD on these people is the
Looking to the shadow of the judgment at the end time speaks of a time of terrible unrest and war as well.
Only those who are sold out to the LORD will be spared this terrible holocaust. At the presence of an angry LORD, even the hills tremble.
A "carcass" is the body of the dead.
This indicates many will die.
Isaiah 5:26 "And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:"
Principal among the nations God would bring against Israel were:
(1)Assyria, which conquered the northern kingdom (in 722 B.C.); and
(2)Babylon, which completed its invasion of Jerusalem (in 586 B.C.), and destroyed the temple.
This battle against God's people will not be like Sodom and Gomorrah, when the punishment came from the heavens from an angry God.
This war will be waged by the nations that the LORD calls to battle.
All leaders of every country are subject unto the LORD.
To "hiss" is a way of calling them.
When they are called of the LORD to battle, they waste no time getting there.
This war would be what we would call sudden onslaught.
The ensign is of the LORD.
It would be a symbol (probably made of wood, or metal).
This is a recognizable emblem, very much like a flag.
It would not be a flag, because each country flies its own flag.
This Scripture has at least two prophesies.
It is speaking of the soon fall of these Israelites, but it also speaks of the gathering of the nations at the end times, as well.
This is the great battle that comes against the Israelites.
Isaiah 5:27 "None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:"
This speaks of a war without stop.
It speaks of not even stopping at night long enough to take their shoes off.
This is speaking of an army ready to go and carry out the purposes God has called them to, even if they are unaware what the war is for.
God uses heathen people to carry out His wishes sometimes.
All are subject to God from the least to the greatest.
Isaiah 5:28 "Whose arrows [are] sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind."
This speaks of any army in readiness.
They will travel so fast that the dust they stir up will look like a whirlwind. A flint is strong and hard.
When they are moving fast, there will not be time to shoe the horses.
The bow being bent indicates their readiness to shoot.
Isaiah 5:29 "Their roaring [shall be] like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry [it] away safe, and none shall deliver [it]."
We find many Scriptures in the prophetic books, such as Ezekiel and Daniel, about those in battle being as a roaring lion.
This is probably speaking of the great fury when they will take Jerusalem.
They shall suddenly jump on these people as their prey, just as a lion pounces on his prey. The battle over Jerusalem was a fierce battle with no mercy.
I believe this is what this Scripture is saying.
Isaiah 5:30 "And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if [one] look unto the land, behold darkness [and] sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof."
“Darkness”:
God’s wrath against the people was to eliminate light (8:22; 42:7), but His promised deliverance of the remnant will ultimately turn that darkness into light at the coming of the Messiah (9:2; 42:16; 58:10; 60:2).
"That day" is speaking of a specific day. The Light is symbolic of God.
Jesus is the Light.
This absence of Light indicates, to me, that the Lord is not fighting this battle for them. They will have to defend themselves without the help of the Lord.
The darkness is spiritual and physical.
We know there was darkness in the earth for three hours, when Jesus was crucified. Darkness in the heavens shows great sorrow of God for what is happening. Remember, this war is a product of the wrath of the Lord.
Isaiah Chapter 5 Second Continued Questions
1.Woe unto them who call evil________.
2.We are looking at _________ in ________clothing.
3.What has caused them to forget what is good?
4.Why can they not recognize the Light?
5.Woe unto them who are wise in their ______ eyes.
6.What is "prudent" associated with in verse 21?
7.What type of drinking is verse 22 speaking of?
8.Why can a person like this not make sound decisions?
9.What one word covers what is happening in verse 23?
10.Explain how this hurts the wicked, as well as the righteous?
11.Why are they burned as the stubble and their root become rotten?
12.What one word, in verse 24, shows connection to the previous verses?
13.These were Words of God spoken through the___________ mouth.
14.What is a prophetic message spoken of in this verse about the Word?
15.When the LORD's anger was kindled again His people, what did the hills do?
16.What is the sad thing about this anger in verse 25?
17.They have been like a _______________child.
18.Who will be spared this terrible holocaust?
19.What is a "carcass"?
20.What word is used to indicate God called the nations?
21.How will the nations come?
22.How will this wrath of God differ from the wrath of God shown at Sodom & Gomorrah?
23.Why is an ensign raised instead of a flag?
24.What far reaching prophecy is this speaking of, in addition to the soon fall of Jerusalem?
25.How do we know this war will go through the night, as well as day?
26.Who are subject to God?
27.They will travel so fast their dust will look like a _____________.
28.What are two other prophetic books which have Scriptures speaking of the army being as a roaring lion?
29.The battle over Jerusalem was a fierce battle with no__________.
30.What type of darkness is verse 30 speaking of?