ISAIAH - CHAPTER 5 - Perversion of Justice
ISAIAH – Chapter 5
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
July 16, 2013, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
I have purposely detached from the Zimmerman/Martin trial in Florida. Most certainly I have prayed seeking the Lord concerning all involved. The tragic death of the 17-year old was unnecessary and with wisdom could have been avoided. However, I had come to a personal conclusion that it was self-defense and Zimmerman was innocent. Perhaps he was guilty of bad judgment, but not of willful and intentional murder.
I have consistently changed the channel or turned off the TV. whenever news commentators were be-laboring the trial.
I had absolutely no desire to address the trial since I have personally found the entire scenario surrounding the trial to be contrived media drama.
However, the gift of God within me and His providential circumstances brings us TODAY to the 5th chapter of Isaiah. In spite of my personal feelings, I feel the Holy Spirit through the Word of God is addressing this glaring defect in our society. That TODAY is the day we are in this chapter cannot be co-incidental.
Whatever Office and giftings the Lord has given me as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the “voice of the preacher” within me always speaks what I hear the Spirit saying with regard to the nation or nations.
I pray you will not take that to be an arrogant or presumptions statement, but if you know me, then you know this is just the way it is, Fact!
Isa. 5:21-22: “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. Which justify the wicked for reward and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him.”
In verse 22, Isaiah pours scorn on the impotent judges, who lacked the will or the courage to withstand bribery and corruption; there was only one activity in which they could claim expertise and that was they were mighty to drink and mingle strong drink.
Mr. Zimmerman was found innocent in a court of law and tried not only in a Florida court, but tried in the court of public opinion on public television. Now at the highest level, the Federal government who should be protecting him is trying to “take away the righteousness of the righteous judgment” from him.
God’s judgments are unchangeable. We have many government leaders, judges, attorneys, congressional leaders, counselors and governors who have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despise the Word of the Holy One of Israel.
5:15-16: “The mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled; but the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste place of the fat one shall strangers eat.”
With such men at the head of society, the prophet laments, the whole people are doomed to exile. It is the understanding of God, His Holiness, His Justice, and knowledge of His righteousness that is lacking.
5:18-19: “Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope. That say, Let Him make speed, and hasten His work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!”
This verse is a vivid portrayal of the efforts some men will go to in order to break God’s laws; then mock God, saying, If God be God, then come on and show us.
5:7b: “He (God) looked for judgment, but beholds oppression, for righteousness, but beholds a cry.”
The perversion of justice is the burden of God’s complaint through the prophet. The “cry” = clamor of blood-shedding, rioting, debauchery, lawlessness, etc.
This section of six woes follows on the Song of the Vineyard which is a pictorial form of the glaring defects in society. The woes proceed to make detailed accusations, and to name the punishment which must surely follow.
Isaiah’s messages are not only to Judah and Israel, but are Present Truth today.
In the next verses (8-23), God enumerates Judah’s sin. Covetousness and greed would be punished by famine, rioting and drunken revelry by the miseries of the captivity. God further reveals their presumption in sinning; the break down of morality; their pride and conceit; their self-indulgence and injustice.
5:8: Woe to the covetous.
5:11-12 Woe to the drunkards. “They do not regard the work of the Lord, nor do
they consider the works of His Hands.
5: 18-19: Woe to those that multiply sin.
5:20: Woe to those that have no sense of right and wrong because of depravity.
5:21: Woe to those who are proud and wise in their own eyes.
5: 22-23: Woe to the drunkards who justify the wicked and condemn the righteous.
One of the major problems in Israelite society in both kingdoms was the question of property. Society was polarized into the great landlords on the one hand and the poverty stricken peasants on the other. The middle-class had been eliminated by the greed of the leaders. This was compounded by their godless debauchery and their mockery at, and perversion of the truth.
5:22: “Woe to them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Therefore as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes 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 despise the word of the Holy One of Israel.”
This verse is God’s judgment upon the sin of those who will “take away the righteousness of the righteous from one”. The nations leaders have rejected His law and have already suffered for it, but His righteous anger will lead to further punishment.
I believe verse 22 stands as the judgment of the Court of Heaven and today we bring this verse before the Court of Heaven on behalf of the social defects of our society and government leaders.
I will now back up to verse one before addressing the further punishment prophesied by the prophet.
Isa. 5: 1-2: “Now will I sing to My well-beloved a song of My beloved, touching His vineyard. My well-beloved has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. He fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein; and He looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.”
In present truth, The Father is singing about Christ and His Church. The vine is descriptive of the Israel of God (Gal. 3-4). The vineyard speaks of the local church whose primary purpose is to produce wine, which symbolizes the joy of the Holy Ghost. This can also apply to each of us individually as the receptacle of the joy of the Lord and then the dispenser.
The “very fruitful hill” is Zion.
“Zion is the joy of the whole earth, experienced already by man, anticipated by others, travailed after by all. Zion is the source of strength and support for the people of God, especially in the day of trouble. Zion is the place of rejoicing in the judgments of God, for in Zion men come to know a true perspective of God’s judgment and righteousness. Zion is the perfection of beauty, out from which the light of God shines.”
Zion generally speaking is the church. Specifically Zion is the overcomer in the church.
“The choicest vine” or the principal plant is the noble seed of the Kingdom of God and the high calling of son-ship and immortality.
In every (healthy) vineyard, we have four things:
- the Vine and the Branches --- Christ the Head and Body
- The Fence (Wall) – The Presence of the Lord built by praise
- The Tower – Intercessors and the ministries: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers – for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.
- The Winepress – the ministries according to Romans 12: 4-21; 1 Cor. 12.
The vineyard was planted with a purpose whether the Lord is speaking of His dealing with the nation of Israel, Church of the Firstborn or the nations of the earth. Everything possible was done for it and is being done for it.
Concerning Israel and Judah, God was disappointed with the fruit. He removed his protection and withheld the rain (Holy Spirit) giving it over to desolation.
Isa. 5: 3-7: “Now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between Me and My vineyard. What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard; I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up, and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down. I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned, nor dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant; and He looked for judgment, but behold oppression, for righteousness, but behold a cry.”
This song is one of the finest examples of the prophet’s art and skill. In structure it resembles the joyful songs of harvest, or vintage festivals, but the accusation rings clearly not only to Israel, but to the church and to the nations.
The section mentioned above of the six woes follows after the Song of the Vineyard. The woes make detailed accusations, and name the punishment which was to follow.
5: 25: “Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against His people, and He has stretched forth His hand against them, and has smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.”
Regardless, Isaiah vividly portrays that God is in full control of international history.
I stand amazed that the Lord called us to a study of Isaiah and chapter after chapter applies to current events in our nation as well as the nations of the earth. Next week is the Tuesday before our annual conference. We have many responsibilities to be ready. However, I do not feel that we are to lay down the “sword of the Lord” next Tuesday. Chapter 6 is Isaiah’s commission and visit to the throne room of God. Let us stay on our post as a watchtower in the Lord’s vineyard.
5:26: “He will lift up and ensign to the nations (Jesus Christ) from far, and will hiss to them from the end of the earth and behold they shall come with speed swiftly. None shall b weary nor stumble among them; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken. Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind; their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions; year they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. IN THAT DAY, they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea; and if one look to the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.”
History cannot tell us if this was Assyria who reduced Judah to straits, or the Babylonians in Mesopotamia who would ultimately lay Jerusalem to ruins. The power and might of the Mesopotamian armies is preferred.
The Assyrians march at his bidding. In that era, many Israelites would automatically assume that the gods of Assyria governed the fortunes of that powerful nation. Isaiah clearly states that is Jesus Christ as “ensign to the nations” who fully controls all governments and leaders.
Yes, we pray for their salvation. However, Jesus preached the Word of God according to Isaiah. The Apostles preached the Word of God according to Isaiah. The Lord called us to preach and declare the Word of God according to Isaiah for TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION AND NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME. (1 COR. 6:2; Isa. 49:8). “I beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain”.
In today’s world, the spirit of anti-christ in the Assyrian gods of Islam; western liberalism, and Socialism are the driving force of demonic oppression against the vineyard of God and His Holiness.
When I was teaching, the Word of the Lord came forth that demonic powers and principalities control both liberalism and Socialism. As I was recounting that word at lunch, the Word of God came to me that Communism, though a power and principality is a lesser power than Socialism.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.