Isaiah – Chapter 3 (Outline)

Introduction:

1. When you see upheavals in society as in 2019 today, it is a judgment from God, not just a coincidence.
2. When you see authority turned upside down to children and women, God sent it as unique punishment.
3. God has judged America beyond Isaiah 3, for the LGBT perversions are unheard of in world history.
4. The details of the Bible shock the ignorant – He listed many female garments, accessories, and tools.
5. The harshness of God’s word also shocks many –He promised to expose their genitals to the invaders.
6. Graphic sexuality in Ezekiel 16 and 23 are metaphors for spiritual adultery, but here very literal facts.
7. The Bible is always relevant – the female traits and garments in 3:16-26 are not beyond women today.
8. Forget double fulfillment – Isaiah 3 is about Judah, but human nature is same and God does the same.
9. However, in light of clear warning, every Christian and church should assess gender roles and duties.

 

God Judged By Replacing Men with Children – Verses 1-5

 

 

1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

1. Behold should get your attention; Isaiah is about to identify very specific punishment.
2. Lord (lower case) is Adonai; LORD of hosts (upper case) is Jehovah of heaven’s armies.
3. God would take away from Judah and Jerusalem many important and precious things.
   1. God can give and take away anything He chooses: He is God and owes us nothing.
   2. There is no such thing as a coincidence; God works blessings and curses of nations.
   3. God is absolutely sovereign over individual men and over men combined in nations.
4. Stay and staff are things that help and support – here the necessities of food and water.
   1. Military sieges, capture, and then long transit to a new home (Babylon) are effective.
   2. These rebellious sinners would be beholden to their captors for their food and drink.

 

2  The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,

1. God would also take away valuable men from Judah and Jerusalem – pillars of society.
   1. This fact of God’s judgment of nations – even His church – is profoundly valuable.
   2. There was a reason for this judgment – the men had not fulfilled their roles as taught.
   3. Before Isaiah blasted women (Is 3:16-26), He will identify male sins (Is 3:12-15).
2. Mighty man = bold, courageous, successful, wealthy = leadership and capital are taken.
3. Man of war = fearless, fierce, leader, physical, strong = military capability is reduced.
4. Judge = honest arbiter with good wisdom and strict equity = justice and law will suffer.
5. Prophet = messenger from God with His truth and wisdom = divine truth is removed.
6. Prudent = men with discretion to foresee evil and avoid it = protection greatly reduced.
7. Ancient = older men with experience of life for wisdom = society without experience.

 

3  The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

1. Captain of fifty = even intermediate military leadership = no leaders for major conflict.
2. Honourable man = men of character and integrity = no one to be trusted or followed.
3. Counsellor = men with understanding and ability to advise = society without direction.
4. Cunning artificer = craftsmen for creation and production = no improvement in living.
5. Eloquent orator = men with skill to persuade verbally = no gathering together in unity.
6. What a list of eleven skillsets of great men that make a society prosperous and strong!

 

4  And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

1. This aspect of the judgment may be seen two ways that can be combined for the matter.
   1. As follows (Is 3:5,12), it may be literal children by age dominating fathers and men.
   2. It may be immature, child-like leaders lacking the above 11 skillsets (Ec 10:16-17).
2. America in 2019 is judged both ways – children rule homes, leaders are not statesmen.
   1. Proper Bible preaching should address children and women to their roles and duties.
   2. Proper Bible preaching will enable and empower men to govern children and wives.

 

5  And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

1. If the above description was not enough, Isaiah further revealed overthrow of authority.
2. A lack of leadership and male authority leads to every person selfishly abusing others.
3. In every direction (as Isaiah 3 shows), every person lived without law regarding others.
4. Children would no longer respect elders (Lev 19:32), a fundamental rule of society.
5. Base men without character or achievements would disrespect esteemed men with both.

 

  God Judged for Pride, Speech, and Actions – Verses 6-9 

 

 

6  When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:

1. Fear would prevail so greatly that brothers would take no responsibility for their family.
   1. Families would be willing to submit to any male with little due to lack of all things.
   2. The case was two-fold: the siege reducing to poverty, and God taking away hearts.
2. God can take away male hearts, and He has done it (Jer 6:24; 30:6; 48:41; 49:22; 51:30).

 

7  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.

1. Fear would prevail so greatly that brothers would take no responsibility for their family.
2. Though appealing to the family’s father to persuade, it is not enough; leadership is gone.

 

8  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.

1. These are the words of Isaiah again, not the words of the brother avoiding responsibility.
2. The prophet had introduced dearth and ruin in the previous verses; he now explained it.
   1. Not during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, or Hezekiah was this literally true.
   2. Syria, Israel, Assyria only damaged, took prisoners, and threatened Jerusalem/Judah.
   3. But this overthrow would occur, and it would justify the brothers’ exchange above.
3. It is important to see that prophets can use different verb tenses as they give a prophecy.
   1. This great day of the LORD was future, 125-175 years away by Nebuchadnezzar.
   2. Judah was wealthy in the earlier section (Is 2:7) and by its women here (Is 3:16-23).
   3. This verse says Jerusalem is ruined, but the chapter began with it future (Is 3:1-5).
   4. The previous chapter repeated the day of the LORD as future (Is 2:11-12,17,20-21).
   5. This ruin in the perfect tense (past action) justified the brothers’ exchange above.
4. Their speech was not reverent or right; the Jews were rebellious and presumptuous.
   1. Isaiah himself will acknowledge his own sins of speech in his vision (Isaiah 6:5).
   2. When they were told to walk in old paths, they said they would not do it (Jer 6:16).
   3. They laid claim to the temple as their assurance to live as they chose (Jer 7:1-11).
   4. Review chapter two, where the prophet blasted their haughty looks and great pride.
5. Not only did they speak against the LORD, but their doings were contrary to His law.
   1. Review chapter two, where the prophet blasted their trust in things and in idolatry.
   2. In the verses that follow, God condemns their rulers and their women for their sins.
6. God does not have literal eyes of any kind, but He has metaphorical eyes and glorious.
   1. A glorious king scatters evil with his eyes, and God is more glorious (Pr 20:8; 30:31).
   2. His eyes see everything – this general description of Judah and female details below.
   3. His eyes travel through the earth seeing both good and evil (II Chr 16:9; Prov 15:3).
7. This verse is in large part the explanation for their judgment – pride, speech, conduct.

 

9  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.

1. The Jews showed their wickedness openly, so any observers could know what God saw.
   1. It takes arrogance along with rebellion to show your sins openly as Sodom had done.
   2. You cannot hide your heart for long or from wise men, for your life witnesses of it.
2. The men of Sodom had no restraint but quickly assaulted Lot’s house for the two angels.
3. Read real preaching: Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded even unto themselves.
   1. God’s ambassadors declare judgment and punishment – woe – on obvious sinners.
   2. Notice the exclamation point. God’s preachers declare it with intensity (II Tim 4:2).
   3. Notice the blame – they rewarded themselves – they are fault – for the punishment.

 

  The Just Judge Gave Comfort and Warning – Verses 10-11 

 

 

10  Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

1. Remember God’s fairness from Isaiah 1:18 … Come now, and let us reason together.
2. In that place He fairly laid out their options just as He did for them here (Is 1:19-20).
3. Remember, Isaiah and other prophets love to insert offers or promise for the righteous.
4. Judah and Jerusalem burned, but Jeremiah was safe (Jer 15:11,21; 39:11-14; 40:1-5).
5. Compare … they rewarded themselves evil … they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

 

11  Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

1. Back to the woe and exclamation point of verse 9. Sin has a reward – God’s punishment.
2. God is fair. He will reward you with goodness for obedience or pain and trouble for sin.

 

  God Judged Rulers for Their Compromise – Verses 10-15  

 

 

12  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.

1. Again note the insertion above of God’s fairness or promises for obedience (Is 3:10:11).
2. Isaiah returned to His judgment of turning authority and society upside down on Judah.
   1. For example, children are oppressors in America in 2019 – demanding, spoiled brats.
   2. For example, wives are oppressors in America in 2019 – demanding, disrespectful.
   3. This is God’s judgment as was explained in the first lesson of the chapter (Is 3:1-5).
   4. When public opinion and the courts side with children and women, God has judged.
3. God’s summary is excellent – such a society is in trouble and will err and destroy itself.
   1. Children are inherently foolish and contrary to societal wisdom (Prov 22:15; 29:15).
   2. Women are not good leaders or wise for society (I Tim 2:14; II Tim 3:6; I Pet 3:7).
4. Isaiah chapter 3 is a fabulous chapter to review internal causes of destruction of nations.
5. Isaiah chapter 3 is a fabulous chapter for men and pastors to teach age and gender roles.

 

13  The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

1. Jehovah God deals fairly and had a very strong case against His own people of the Jews.
2. As Isaiah had warned, God would stand up to shake terribly the Jewish earth (Is 2:21).
3. He may sit by and not say or do anything for a time … but then look out (Ps 50:21-23).
4. You may ignore ordinary chastening for a time … but you will meet Him (Amos 4:12).

 

14  The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

1. Why did God take away 11 kinds of men (Is 3:1-5)? Because males had sinned as men.
   1. If men do not fulfill offices properly, they do not deserve the offices or submission.
   2. God can cause citizens to humbly obey leaders (Ps 144:2), or He can bring rebellion.
   3. God gave positions of civil authority, and He expects wise use of them (Ps 82:1-8).
   4. When Rehoboam abused his office, God raised up gifted Jeroboam against him.
2. Two male offices are singled out here – ancients for experience and princes for position.
   1. They used their offices for self-enrichment at the cost of God’s vineyard – church.
   2. Instead of nurturing and protecting God’s vineyard for the nation, they consumed it.
   3. Instead of protecting the poor, they used their authority to take advantage of them.

 

15  What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

1. It should be contrary to every person in authority to protect all those under their rule.
   1. David knew of the perfect ruler coming – our Lord Jesus Christ (II Sam 23:1-4).
   2. Rulers must fear God and hate every sin of their office (Ex 18:21; II Chr 19:7-9).
   3. Solomon taught about righteous, merciful rulers (Prov 16:12; 20:28; 25:5; 29:14).
   4. King Lemuel’s mother taught him to use his office to help the poor (Prov 31:8-9).
2. Rulers should rejoice to do good and cause their citizens to rejoice (Pr 11:10; 28:12,28).
   1. God sees everything – including the use of an office for the advantage of the ruler.
   2. God sees everything – including disappointment, harm, and hopelessness of citizens.

 

God Judged Haughty and Forward Women – Verses 16-26

 

 

16  Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

1. Moreover indicates Isaiah moved to a new object of God’s judgment – Judah’s women.
2. Because identifies the indictment here, and the rest of the chapter details their judgment.
3. The women’s sins were pride, physical boldness, immodest strutting, attention-getting.
   1. While the men were oppressive, the women were conceited and vain in their looks.
   2. God wants His daughters meek, modest, shamefaced (I Tim 2:9-10; I Peter 3:1-6).
   3. God hated their carriage of necks and lustful eyes, but popular in America in 2019.
   4. Humble women are opposite pushing their head out, and they do not flirt with eyes.
   5. These sinful women, like runway models or street sluts, exaggerated their walking.
   6. Rather than quiet and unobtrusive, they had ankle bracelets to identify their presence.
4. See the slide presentation for this section … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

17  Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

1. Therefore indicates the consequences for their pride, boldness, strutting, and intruding.
2. Long hair is God’s gift to women and it is their glory, but God would ruin it with a scab.
   1. Male and female grows at the same rate, but God caused women to grow it long.
   2. Nature teaches – like opposite-sex is right – and female long hair (I Cor 11:14-15).
   3. Even in this perverse society, any beauty contest will emphasize longhaired women.
   4. Longhaired men in America in 2019 is one more symptom of God’s judgment here.
   5. God promised to ruin the ability of Judah’s women to grow or beautify their locks.
   6. Sieges, shaming by cutting, captivity, or diseases are all ways to ruin beautiful hair.
   7. The Lord God would cause this event to strip these women of their ornamental hair.
3. God would then strip them of their many garments (listed next) to expose their genitals.
   1. Discover does not mean to find a thing, but to expose it (Pr 18:2; 25:9; I Sam 14:8).
   2. All the garments in the following list cover nakedness, but God would strip them.
   3. It was a custom of nations to strip women to leave them naked for their great shame.
   4. It was also a custom of nations to strip and rape women, with troops picking the best.
   5. They had been haughty and flaunted clothed beauty, but God would debase them.
   6. There are many references to stripping defeated women and/or raping them (Deut 28:30; Job 31:9-12; Isaiah 13:16; 20:4; 47:2-3; Jer 8:10; 13:22; Lam 5:11; Ezek 16:36-37; 23:25-29; Amos 7:17; Micah 1:11; Nahum 3:5; Zech 14:2).

 

18  In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

1. In that day refers to the time of God’s ultimate judgment on Judah – the Chaldean army.
2. Bravery refers to their boldness to wear ankle bracelets and garments to draw attention.
3. See the slides for pictures of these items … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

19  The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

1. The LORD Jehovah does not miss anything. Keep in mind His minute observations.
2. See the slides for pictures of these items … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

20  The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

1. The LORD Jehovah does not miss anything. Keep in mind His minute observations.
2. See the slides for pictures of these items … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

21  The rings, and nose jewels,

1. The LORD Jehovah does not miss anything. Keep in mind His minute observations.
2. See the slides for pictures of these items … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

22  The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

1. The LORD Jehovah does not miss anything. Keep in mind His minute observations.
2. See the slides for pictures of these items … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

23  The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

1. The LORD Jehovah does not miss anything. Keep in mind His minute observations.
2. See the slides for pictures of these items … https://www.letgodbetrue.com/pdf/isaiah-3-slides.pdf.

 

24  And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

1. The future of these proud women was terrible – God would judge their physical assets.
2. Instead of clean and perfumed bodies, they would stink from a siege, capture, and travel.
   1. Ordinary hygiene would suffer a lot in a 700-mile walk without washing or perfume.
   2. Female hygiene would suffer much in a 700-mile walk without ordinary helps.
3. Instead of their clothes all bound up beautifully, they would be ripped and open to view.
4. Instead of beautiful long hair – a woman’s glory – they would be bald from God’s scab.
5. Instead of a decorative stomacher adorning the torso, they would be in a burlap sack.
6. Instead of everything designed for beauty – everything about them would be burning.
   1. Consider that these women hated the sun for its destructive results (Song 1:5-6).
   2. If stripped, without hair, and exposed for many days in the sun, they would burn.
   3. All the beauty of Judah would be replaced with burning, ashes, smoke, charcoal, etc.

 

25  Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

1. Men are protectors of women, but God would take away the protectors of these women.
2. Other men would have their way with the women (Is 3:17; 13:16; Lam 5:11; Zech 14:2).

 

26  And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

1. This metonym of gates means that these women mourned the loss of gates of protection.
2. These women would be without protection of any sort – hopeless females on the ground.
3. Their lofty view of themselves and all their efforts were entirely stripped away to shame.
4. The Romans later made coins and medals with just this picture e.g. Judaea Capta (here).