Isaiah 3:1-9 - Observations & Investigations

ISAIAH CHAPTER THREE

OBSERVATIONS & INVESTIGATIONS: 

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ISAIAH 2:22, 3:1-9  – Defying God’s Glorious Presence

Let’s remind ourselves of our context:

• Ch. 1 - Current report (This is what has been happening…)

• Ch. 2 - In the latter days… (This is what is coming…)

• Chapters 2 & 3 seem to have a structure set up by five imperatives/commands

• 2:2 - Come (Nations)

• 2:5 - Come (House of Jacob)

• 2:10 - Enter the rock (People of God)

• 2:22 - Stop regarding man (People of God)

• 3:10 - Tell the righteous

Although 2:22 is the last phrase of chapter, based on the commands, it seems to be setting up this next section, which is the beginning of chapter 3.  The structure of this next section is:

2:22 - 3:9

3:10 - 3:15

3:15 - 26, 4:1 (4:2 shifts themes, beginning with significant phrase “In that day,” which we will look into more later.

So, let’s dive into this passage.  Ideally, I would read all of chapter three, so if you’re studying along with me, I encourage you to take the time to do that, but since I’m aiming to keep these recordings to ten minutes, I will just read the passage we are focusing on.

Isaiah 2:22, 3:1-9 TEXT

22 Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? 3:1 For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply, all support of bread, and all support of water; 2 the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, 3 the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms. 4 And I will make boys their princes, and infants shall rule over them. 5 And the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and every one his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the despised to the honorable. 6 For a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: "You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule"; 7 in that day he will speak out, saying: "I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people." 8 For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence. 9 For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

Usually, there has been one “for” reason following each imperative/command, but in this section there are six, which we will briefly highlight and then summarize at the end.

The command of 2:22 begins our section:

2:22 - Stop regarding man… (stop putting weight into his ways and his opinions and following him,) “for of what account is he?”  Man is described as “in whose nostrils is breath.”  Here the author is reminding the reader of Genesis 2:7, “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”  For the Lord Himself gives man breath in His nostrils.  Man is not even in control of His own breath. “For of what account is he?” How much power or regard is he truly worthy of?  Not much.  

 

Stop regarding man…

3:1 - For the Lord GOD of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and Judah support and supply (cf. Job - for the LORD gives and takes away).  Stop regarding man, for it is the LORD who has the power to give and take away…and right now, He is taking away from Jerusalem and Judah…because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD (v. 8)

V. 1 - 3 : Lord GOD of hosts is taking away support and supply from Jerusalem and Judah (He is their Provider, but “because their speech and deeds are against the LORD” (v. 8), He is demonstrating His power as the Provider, by not providing.) 

Taking away support of supply of:

• Bread and water (v. 1) (Food, sustenance)

• Mighty man and soldier (v. 2) (military power)

• Judge and prophet (v.2) (legal realm, leaders)

• Diviner and elder (v. 2) (religious leaders)

• Captain of 50 & man of rank (v. 3) (military leaders)

• Counselor, skillful magician, expert in charms (v. 3) (spiritual powers)

V. 4 - 5: rulers will be ill-equipped (boys will be princes, infants will rule); people will be oppressive and insolent (even to neighbor, elder, and honorable…not as it should be)

Stop regarding man…

3:6 - For a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father…

3:7 - “In that day…”

V. 6-7 - Brothers will try to force brothers to be leaders, but “in that day” they will reject

The LORD will take away and not allow proper leadership or proper respect.  He knows this leads to chaos, which leads to the unraveling of this “self-made” lofty people…to remind them who is truly responsible for and in control of their life and breath and everything else (Gen. 2:7, Job 33:4, Acts 17:25).  I’m noting here the “in that day” phrase that we will look at in a later section.  

Stop regarding man…

 3:8 - For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence.

Here we get the “for” and the “because” reasons.  For Jerusalem has stumbled, Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence...we can stumble and fall because what we say and do is against the LORD, it defies His glorious presence. God’s people are intended to give Him glory and reflect His glory, not defy His glory.

Stop regarding man…

3:9 - For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.

Stop regarding man…

For they have brought evil on themselves.”

Woe to them - they have brought evil on themselves, the look on their faces bears witness against them (like a guilty toddler), they proclaim their sin like Sodom, do not hide it (calling and justifying what is evil as good.)

Verse nine points back to 1:9-10, where the author compares to the pervasive and destructive sin of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Specifically, that they do not hide their sin, their faces bear witness against them.  

Then this section ends with “For they have brought evil on themselves.”  The ruin that Judah and Jerusalem will experience, they brought on themselves.  This is not unfair destruction, but the result of them defying the glory of God.  This is the result of a God who is true to His word, who is just and cannot let sin go unpunished, how unfair and unsettling would that be…to have a God who establishes rules for His people’s good, but then does not give consequences when those rules are broken!?!  Such consequences are never fun and hard to experience or watch others go through, but that doesn’t mean they are not fair, just, or actually good to maintain expectations, order, and trust.  

So, let’s review the ideas of this passage, which begins with a command to “stop regarding man” and then gives us six reasons why:

Stop regarding man (following his ways and putting weight in his opinion)…”for of what account is he?”  God alone gives breath to his nostrils.

Stop regarding man…for the Lord God of hosts is taking away…support and supply. (All the good He had given in food and military and legal realm and spiritual realm, he is taking away…the LORD gives and the LORD takes away).

Stop regarding man…for there will be no suitable leader.

Stop regarding man…for Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen… 

Stop regarding man…for the look on their faces bears witness against them.

Stop regarding man…for they have brought evil on themselves.

Stop regarding man, for the LORD gives and takes away, there will be no suitable leader, they have stumbled and fallen, their faces bear witness against them, they have brought evil on themselves.  Stop regarding man.  Trust in and exalt the LORD.

(2:22) 3:1-3:9 SUMMARY

Chapter 2 has called God’s people to enter the rock for protection from God’s rightful wrath we read about in chapter 1.  Chapter 2 ends with a command for them to stop regarding man and launches into chapter 3 where it is explained why they should stop regarding man, in whose nostrils is breath.  God is the one who gives even breath to the nostrils and He is also taking away support and supply - a list of bread, water, soldier, judge, prophet, diviner, elder, etc.  They will not find a suitable ruler - boys as princes, infants ruling, brother attempting to force brother to lead, followed by rejection.  Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD, defying his glorious presence.  They do not hide their sin and have brought evil on themselves.   

PRAYER

Oh God of Heaven, You are above all and before all.  You give life and breath and hold all things together.  We praise Your power and Your grace that you regard men enough to give us breath and leadership and the blessings to live well.  We confess that we defy your glory with our fallen speech and deeds and deserve Your judgment.  We ask for Your grace to convict us, lead us to repentance, and grant us the strength to resist worldly temptations, that we may live for You and the glory of Your ways.  Thank You that Jesus’ perfect speech and deeds and perfect sacrifice on the cross and powerful resurrection made a right relationship with You possible.  May You continue to use the messages of Isaiah to teach us more of Your holiness and more of how to walk humbly with You.  In the righteous name of our Redeemer, Jesus, we pray.  Amen.  

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Isaiah 3:10 - 15 - Observations & Investigations - PRINT STUDY GUIDE HERE

ISAIAH 2 - SUMMARY & IMPACT

 ISAIAH CHAPTER TWO

SUMMARY & IMPACT

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Isaiah 2:1-22 Text:

1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 

5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD. 6 For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. 7 Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. 8 Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. 9 So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them! 

10 Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD,

and from the splendor of his majesty. 11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, 

and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. 12 For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low; 13 against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; 14 against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills; 15 against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; 16 against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. 17 And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. 18 And the idols shall utterly pass away. 19 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. 20 In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, 21 to enter the caverns of the rocks

and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. 

22 Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

SUMMARY

Take time to record your personal summary:

The LORD’s consuming fire is coming (Ch. 1), but there is a way of escape.  The nations are invited to come to the mountain, the dwelling place of the LORD, see Him exalted, and learn His ways.  God’s people are called to come and repent of their prideful idolatry (money, power, self-made comforts) and humbly enter the rock of protection as the LORD of hosts takes vengeance against all the falsely lofty things and brings down the prideful.  Three times the call comes to enter the rock (who we later find out is Christ!) to be delivered from the terror of the LORD and experience the splendor of His majesty!  What a powerful reminder of one of the themes of Scripture – God is both a terror to the rebellious and majestic for the righteous…and we find our righteousness in trusting in the obedience of Christ.  

 

ISAIAH CHAPTER TWO

IMPACT

 (Inform, Transform, Proclaim)

• How does this IMPACT you by INFORMING your understanding of and trust in God’s character? 

Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:

2:1 -4 

In this passage, God, His dwelling place, and His teaching are exalted.  The nations flow to Him, invite others to Him, and desire to learn and walk in His teachings.  He is characterized as a judge who settles disputes and nations end up being at peace.  There are good results from His judging between nations.   The tone of this passage is pleasant, like a fruitful garden in peace-time, not war-time.  This passage not only indicates an exalted God, but a personal God who wants people to be with Him (His people as well as the nations highlighted here!), walk in His ways, and interact with in peaceful ways.  What a refreshing passage after reading at the end of Chapter one of the consuming fire to come to those rebels who are not walking in the LORD’s ways.  

   

2:5-9

V.5 - There is light in the LORD

V. 6 - God rejects because of idolatry

V. 9 - God humbles man, brings each one low, He can forgive…or not. 

2:10-21

These realities remind me/us that there is a battle of light vs. darkness.  The light of the LORD is where we want to walk for a relationship of peace and forgiveness with God.  Trusting in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the source of light is also our source of truth, forgiveness, righteousness, and the salvation of union with God in this life and the life to come.  (John 1: 1-18)

• The LORD of hosts has a day that He will come with His army of angels to bring justice against the proud. (v. 12, 13-16)

• He alone will be rightfully exalted. (v. 11)

• He can and will terrify in His righteous wrath. (v. 10, 17, 19, 21)

• And one can find refuge in the splendor of His majesty. (v. 10, 17, 19, 21) 

 

- A right understanding of God - He is both/and - both: strong, powerful, holy, just, to be rightly feared and a protective refuge in splendor and majesty to be rightly trusted.

• LORD, grant us hearts to respectfully fear you and trust you in awe.  You are worthy of our awe, trust, worship, and reverent respect.  Like a loving father (1:2) whose authority is rightly respected and revered.

• How does this IMPACT you by TRANSFORMING the way you think, speak, or act? 

Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:

2:1-4

A few things stood out to me in this passage:

• If the nations are inviting to come, how much more shall I?

• The invitation is “to go up to the mountain of the LORD.”  That is not an easy trek.  It involves work to go up a mountain.  Our journey with the LORD is not necessarily an easy walk down the street.  It takes intention and preparation.

• “That he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”(v. 3b).  It really strikes me that the purpose of them going up to the mountain of the LORD is not specifically for His blessing or to ask Him for rescue or something.  It is direct and involves a response: teach us Your ways…that we may walk in Your paths!  This has been God’s call from the beginning – listen to my commands and obey them, then you will receive blessing.  (And v.4 describes one blessing: peace, instead of war!)

• What a mantra: “LORD, teach me your ways that I may walk in your paths.”  What a prayer.  What a Biblical, God-honoring request.  God doesn’t want our vain offerings (1:11-15), He wants us to learn from Him and live in His good design!

       

2:5-9

• I want to walk in the light of the LORD.

• I want to be aware of where there may be temptations toward darkness in my life and cling to the light of the LORD.  (Ephesians 5:6-21)

• I want to be sensitive to whether my heart is being pulled toward the idols of trusting in the power of wealth, government or other institutions/ temporary strengths, or manmade comforts.

• I want to seek to be humble, so that I am not humbled and brought low (much harder that way:)).  

• I want to recognize my need for forgiveness and seek it from Jesus, so that I can be right before God.    

2:10-21

In this passage, we are called to enter into the rock, to hide in the dust, in the hole in the ground.  We are called to His protection from His own terror about His rebellious people.  This transforms my thoughts by reminding me of my humble place before a holy God.  I am called more to take refuge in Him than to work for Him.  Obedience may look like trusting and resting in Him.  As one who is driven to “do,” this passage is a transforming reminder to me that He is the One who protects us against the consequences of our own sin by trusting and hiding in “the rock,” who is Christ.  May I seek to be faithfully obedient from a place of humble refuge in Christ.

• How does this IMPACT those around you by the truths you can PROCLAIM to them? 

Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:

2:1-4

This passage is mainly an invitation of the nations impacting those around them by saying, “Come up to the exalted place and learn from the exalted Lord…and there will be peace.”  That is quite the impact.  May I invite those around me to taste and see that the Lord is good.  

2:5-9

I think we can proclaim to others what we are seeking personal transformation with:

• Invite them to come to the LORD

• Encourage them to seek to be humble and ask for forgiveness (for the first time, or in continual repentance)

• Remind them to resist idols of darkness and seek to walk in the light of the LORD

• Verse 6d can be a specific verse also to warn them against “clasping hands with foreigners”...not getting in business or romantic relationships with non-believers because those relationships have intimate/financial ties that can be easy to get drawn into and intertwined in ways not “in the light of the LORD,” (2:5), not on His paths” (2:3).

2:10-21

• As the audience is called to “Enter the rock,” we can invite others to enter into the refuge of Christ.

• I know someone personally who is really good at explaining to people that our sins are earning us the wrath of God and He will judge them.  She has this way of doing it in a loving way that is quite admirable.  This passage reminds me of the reality that the terror of the LORD is coming “in that day.”  It is loving to proclaim this truth to those around us, that they too may hide from His terror and be delivered into the splendor of His majesty, when He alone will be rightly exalted!

• As naturally prideful people, we can model humility and encourage others toward humility as well.

• As naturally idolatrous people, we can admit to others when we are tempted to put trust in “lofty” things (nature, military strength, money/careers, things our hands have made) and exhort others to repent and cast their idols away as well.     

PERSONAL TAKE - AWAY

Record your personal take-away:

My personal take-away is two-fold:

1. Make sure I am seeking humility, repentance, and resting in Christ and the splendor of His majesty, instead of trying to do things on my own. (Whether that be attempting to subtly earn God’s favor or just trying to achieve my daily agenda via my own thoughts, strength, or initiative.  I want to be humbly seeking the Holy Spirit and His ways, not walking out on my own).

and

2. Seek to be inviting “the nations” (non-believers) to come and learn of the splendid ways of the LORD.  That He can meet their every need and is coming to make all things right.

PRAYER

Write a responsive prayer or just pray this one from your heart:

 

O LORD of hosts, we can recognize how you rejected your consistently rebellious people and are against all things pretending to be lofty and we can blame you for being angry and harsh.  Or we can see how you are exalted above all things and good and peaceful things come from you and you are inviting us to come and learn and walk in your pleasant ways and to enter into your protection.  Thank you for your gracious kindness.  Thank you for revealing idols in our lives, so that we can more fully and purely worship you as the Lord and God who is worthy and who we have the honor of exalting in the splendor of your majesty.  Continue to teach us humility and teach us to come and enter into the Rock of Christ, for our protection and Your exaltation.  Amen.  

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