Turning the Tables

Isaiah 3 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/…

As God had foretold (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28), if Israel broke it’s side of the old covenant, then He would discipline them. Chapter 3 prophecies the judgment that God would bring on them when He finally allowed the Babylonians to overrun the city. There would be no more food or water (verse 1), they would lose all the people they trusted in, some filling good offices provided by God (like government officials, and prophets) and others idolatrous (like magicians and charmers) (verses 2-3). God would turn the people over to foolish and inept leaders whom they would choose for incredibly foolish reasons, like who has the best cloak (verse 4-6), but even he won’t want to be leader because of how messed up it was (kind of how you might not want to be coach of the Cleveland Browns!).

God will allow them to be oppressed, to be mistreated, to be shamed. Why? Because they were proud (verse 9) of their sins and refused to repent. They turned away from the glorious, gracious presence of the LORD in the temple (verse 8) and chose to live their lives their own way – oppressing those beneath them. Isaiah gives examples of this oppression in verses 14-23 – they live in unnecessary luxury at the expense of the poor and the needy. He will replace their pride with shame, the oppressors will become the oppressed, the rich would become poor. God was going to turn the tables on them and “remove all support.”

Why? The same reason loving parents might remove an allowance from a child using it for foolish and sinful things – He wanted them to repent. He wanted them to turn to Him and His New Covenant of grace in Jesus Christ for mercy from all their sins, He wanted to give it! He wanted to make them His children by faith and wanted to bring forth in them fruits of righteousness.

It’s what he wants for you too. He wants you to repent of the times that you have oppressed those who were less able or poorer than you in sinful pride. Maybe you think you never have. Think again. He wants you to know that your sins deserve His judgment. And He wants you to know that when the tables are turned on you, when your sins should come upon you and eternal oppression should be your lot, there is mercy and grace in Him. Repent, believe, and live a life of thankfulness to Him! Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.

In Christ
Pastor Ude