Isaiah 3:7 says, In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people. Isaiah said God had said to him that He would not be a healer of those who didn.t believe in Him and follow His laws. Matthew Henry says a leader should heal those he serves, bringing them together with a meekness of attitude. We need leaders today who work to bring people together with a meek attitude and not separate them out of arrogance and self-pride. The people of Judah were in a bleak situation, not even having enough clothing to wear. The church today should never find itself spiritually naked because we have stopped being obedient to God.
Verse eight adds, For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. God said Judah and Jerusalem had fallen into ruin, not because God had failed to protect them, but because the people had failed to be obedient to Him. If we find ourselves failing as followers of Christ today, it will never be because God has failed us, but always because we have failed Him. This is not to say that as His followers we will always have everything we want, but spiritually we will always have everything we need to successfully follow Him.
Verse nine continues, The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Isaiah said that the people of Judah and Jerusalem's appearance even showed their sin against God, committed openly as it had been done in Sodom. They didn’t even try to hide it. People of the world today openly defy God, but we need to pray that the people of the church never will. God said that they had earned evil as a reward. God will never reward evil with good, but He will always stand in opposition to it.
Verse ten states, Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. God told Isaiah to tell the righteous that it would be well with them, and they would eat of fruit of their righteousness. Matthew Henry says that this means that no matter what happens to the wicked, God’s people will always be safe under His protection. God is going to meet the spiritual needs of His people, even if the world at times leaves them destitute.
Verse eleven adds, Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. There is still this warning to evil, or lost, people of the world today. Someone may even be kind and generous to those around them, but if they don’t put their faith in Jesus Christ, they will still face the judgment of God one day.
Verse twelve continues, As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. The people of Judah and Jerusalem were to be so powerless because of their lack of faith that they would be ruled over by women and children, who were considered to be pretty much powerless at that time. Still, it seems that at times today within the family that women and children rule over the men, and this should never be the case with God’s people. This does not mean that women and children are powerless, but that they all should be under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and that the man has the ultimate responsibility for the family’s following God’s direction.
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