What does judgement look like? What would judgement on a church, a community, a nation?
Read Isaiah chapter 3:1-4:1
Judgement for Israel and Judah involves the stripping away of all of their resources and means of support including food supplies. It then leads to the removal of leaders and protectors. The wise, experienced and strong are replaced with the inexperienced who lack wisdom and character, they will be led by boys instead of men (v1-4).
Next, there will be a break down of order and structure in society. People will turn against one another leading to injustice. There will be a loss of respect and trust. People will abdicate responsibility (v5-7).
They have brought all this on themselves (v8). God’s judgement means that those who are truly righteous have nothing to fear because people will experience the fruit of their own actions but this is terrible news for the wicked because their own evil actions will be returned upon them (v9-12).
If they are their own accusers and witnesses, it is God alone who judges. God finds the people guilty. Earlier they were judged for idolatry, now for injustice. Because of this, punishment is coming (v13-17-4:1).
Ponder
Meditate on verse 26:
“her gates shall lament and mourn;”
- What do we mourn over most, is it our experience of loss/suffering/hardship or the spiritual causes of it?
- When was the last time you lamented over the suffering and destruction that sin causes?
Lord God, it breaks our hearts to see the affect of sin in our communities. We look at the broken homes and damaged lives and we cry out to you. Most of all, we lament knowing that the root is cause of greater sadness than the fruit. The ugly consequences remind us that sin itself is ugly. We kneel in repentance before you and seek your mercy.
Faithroots 