What I Noticed Today (Isaiah 5-8)
Isaiah 5
Isaiah 5 includes God’s allegorical description of a vineyard (representing the people of Israel), and God’s denouncement of their worthless grapes (sin).
In verses 1-7, God describes His love for His vineyard, how he prepared the ground for it, planted it, and tended it, yet it produced nothing but worthless grapes. As a result, God will remove the hedge of protection from around the vineyard and allow it to be made into a wasteland.
In verses 8-23, God details Israel’s sins in the form of six woes (woes = things that cause great sorrow or distress):
- Verses 8-10. Woe to those who try to expand their real estate holdings not satisfied with what God had provided.
- Verses 11-17. Woe to those who start drinking early in the day and forget God.
- Verses 18-19. Woe to those who carry their sins alongside them daring God to act.
- Verse 20. Woe to those who reject God’s moral standard by calling evil good and good evil.
- Verse 21. Woe to those who are prideful (wise in their own eyes).
- Verses 22-23. Woe to those who drink, take bribes, and oppress the innocent.
In verses 24-30, God announces His judgment upon the people as a result of their sins: they will be devoured because they have rejected God, and God’s anger is kindled against them.
Isaiah 6
Isaiah 6 includes Isaiah’s vision of the Lord and the Lord commissioning Isaiah to his prophetic ministry.
In verses 1-7, Isaiah received his commissioning in the temple, but the scene he describes is the throne room of God. In God’s presence, Isaiah recognizes his own sinfulness (unclean lips v. 5). God had seraphim (the highest order of angels) take coal from the fire on the altar used for sin sacrifices and touch it to Isaiah’s lips to purify him.
In verses 8-13, God speaks directly to Isaiah, giving him instructions for what to say to the people regarding God’s coming judgment upon the people.
Isaiah 7
Isaiah 7 includes Isaiah’s message to King Ahaz and a prophecy regarding the coming of Immanuel.
In verses 1-9, Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, king of Israel, joined forces to come against Ahaz, king of Judah. Ahaz considered soliciting help from the Assyrian king, but Isaiah told Ahaz not to be afraid of Rezin and Pekah because their invasion would fail. Isaiah concluded with God’s warning to stand firm in his faith. Otherwise, he would fall.
In verses 10-25, the Lord told Ahaz to ask for a sign, but Ahaz refused. The Lord said the sign would be that a virgin would give birth to a son, and his name would be Immanuel (means “God with Us”). The boy Immanuel will reject what is bad and keep what is good, and the land of Rezin and Pekah will be abandoned.
Note: “On the day” (or some translations “On that day”) of judgment describes four aspects of the judgment (vv. 18-25): 1) Egypt and Assyria would occupy the land, 2) the people of Israel would be humiliated, 3) the remnant in the land will eat curds and honey, and 4) the land will be dangerous, the vineyards full of briars and thorns, and the land would only be productive for cattle and sheep.
Isaiah 8
Isaiah 8 describes the coming Assyrian invasion and a warning to wait upon the Lord.
In verses 1-10, Isaiah is instructed by the Lord to write down the prophecy regarding the Assyrian invasion in front of witnesses so that when the prophecy came true, the witnesses would be able to testify to its validity.
In verses 11-22, the Lord provides instructions to Isaiah warning him not to walk in the ways of the people but to fear the Lord and wait upon Him.
