Isaiah Chapters 4-6

Chapter 4 - This chapter is beautiful...Isaiah casts a future vision of hope before the prophecy of judgment that comes over the next few chapters.

5:2 - This is a picture of God's relationship with the Israelites. He chose them out specially...built them up...blessed them...He made them into His chosen people - His priest nation. Yet after all of this, the people chose to run wild.

5:5-6 - God worked everything to set the nation of Israel apart as His holy people, and they turned away. So now God is going to allow everything good to be removed so that they will return to Him. Unfortunately, the human condition of turning away from God when things in life are running smoothly continues on today...sometimes we need to experience tough circumstances in this life to understand how much we need God. Hopefully as we mature as believers, we will be able to stay faithful in any circumstances good or bad (See: Philippians).

5:8 - People grasp for more and more - more material goods - bigger houses - more land - the increasing consumption never ends. Yet the more ad more they gather around themselves, the more they find themselves truly alone. This sounds like a commentary on the suburban American way of life. We gather more wealth ad comfort to ourselves and no less and less about the people around us.

5:11-12 - Some people spend all of their time seeking pleasure and serving themselves and never take the time to consider what God is doing in the world. This is one of the aspects of comfort and success that lead us away from God. We allow ourselves to get distracted by a life so focused on self that we are blinded to God's work in the world. Not good.

5:20 - This is a dangerous game to play. There are people that lie to themselves and others...trying to ignore the guilt of their actions and convince everyone that their sinfulness is actually a positive thing. This is an especially twisted form of rebellion against God...trying to lead others to join you in your sin. (See: Romans Chapter 1)

5:22 - Sometimes we make heroes of people who do meaningless things. In this example it is people that can drink alot of alcohol, but it can be any number of things. We make heroes of people who can play sports at a high level, make money, argue well, etc. Hero status should be reserved for things with actual meaning...heroes are people who serve others, bring peace, create, build, stand firm in the faith, etc.

5:26 - After His people turned away, God removed the hedge of protection He had placed around them as referenced in chapter 4 and invited the kingdoms of the world to enter into the promised land and wreak judgment upon His people. Even when the armies of pagan rulers destroyed the Israelite people God was in control.

6:1 - The "hem" of God's robe filled the temple. The hem in an insignificant part of a robe...the place where two pieces of cloth are stitched together. The hem is usually unnoticeable, which speaks to the power of God. Just the hem of God's robe fills the temple to overflowing in Isaiah's vision...God's power is infinite and truly unknowable.

6:5 - When we are in the presence of God, we have total clarity to see the breadth of our flawed selves. This is why people who grow in maturity spiritually are usually full of humility, because the closer they get to God the more they understand how far below God they are.

6:11 - God will allow the judgment to pour out on the Israelite nation until it lies totally in ruins. (V.13) Yet as always in God's eternal plan , a stump will be left...a remnant people who will make future hope possible.