In the last short study in Isaiah, we saw the rest of the six woes that were pronounced on Israel for their sin. God told what sin they had committed and warned them that grief, sorrow, misery, and calamity lay ahead. In Isaiah 5:25-30, God describes the calamity that would come, “25) Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 26) And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: 27) None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: 28) Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: 29) Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. 30) And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.”
What types of judgments would fall upon Israel? The above verses told about several.
1. Sicknesses – God smote them with His hand
2. Earthquakes and/or shaking – the hills trembled
3. Death (perhaps by wild animals; perhaps by enemies from within their nation) – carcases torn in the streets
4. Enemies from without, attacks from enemy nations
5. Destruction from enemy attacks
6. Captivity in enemy nations
7. Darkness and sorrow
God warned Israel that their enemies were coming, and they would have no mercy, “They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.” (Jeremiah 6:23)
Is this what God wanted for His people? No. It did not delight Him to see such sorrow and destruction and judgment poured out upon His people. It grieves God to judge people and pour out His wrath upon them. God says, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11) God would rather see repentance. He says, “6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6,7)
What about America? Are we in danger of God’s judgment? How far has our wickedness gone? Consider this example from North Carolina. When a nation has come to the point that it allows any type of immorality and excuses it and does not recognize or accept the genders that God created, we are in serious danger of the outpouring of God’s wrath. Romans chapter one is very clear that it is unnatural for either the men or the women to do that which is against nature and burn in their lusts one toward another. In order to be transgender, people have to take hormones and have sex change operations. Their bodies do not come that way at birth. We have gone away from God to such an extent that someone remarked that it would not be surprising to see fire and brimstone start falling from heaven. Really, it is amazing how long God has extended His hand of mercy on our nation. Perhaps that has only happened due to the intercession of God’s people. We have already seen sickness, shaking, and attacks by enemies from within. How long before we see the other four judgments of wrath from Almighty God?
The time is now to repent, to change our minds, to seek the LORD and not depend on our own way. “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” (Jonah 3:9)