The LORD Almighty is exalted by His justice (Isaiah 5:8-17)

 

The LORD Almighty is exalted by His justice (Isaiah 5:8-17)

Where is this world headed? Just as written in Revelation, it is moving toward the end times—toward God's righteous judgment. Judgment is the day when everything will be settled. On that day, God will judge everything fairly and justly. He will bring justice and vindication to those who have been wronged and fill them with heavenly comfort, peace, and rest. But those who exploit orphans and widows, gain wealth dishonestly, and do not fear God or obey His Word will receive the punishment they deserve. Therefore, God's judgment is not optional—it is necessary.

So how should we prepare for God's impending judgment? We must not pursue dishonest gain, for woe to those who do! We must not get drunk, for woe to those who do! Instead, we must recognize that everything belongs to God and love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength, obeying His Word completely.

When that day comes, the LORD Almighty will be exalted by His justice because His holiness will be revealed. He is forever glorious, majestic, and powerful. This will be seen by all nations, all peoples, and all languages. And those who fear and follow the LORD will receive honor, glory, and peace. Amen!

Woe to Those Who Gain Unjustly

8 Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. 9 The LORD Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants. 10 A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine; a homer of seed will yield only an ephah of grain.” (Isaiah 5:8-10)

By God’s blessing and grace, Israel inherited the land of Canaan. What does it mean to inherit the land? God gathered the waters into one place so that dry land would appear (Genesis 1:9). The land produces all kinds of vegetation, fruit, and grain. This symbolizes the Church, which, having been redeemed by the blood of Christ, bears the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The sea represents the nations, peoples, and languages of this world (Revelation 17:15)—a world that does not fear or serve God.

Israel received the promised land and was blessed to produce abundant, high-quality fruit. Likewise, the church is blessed to bear the fruit of the Spirit. The way to bear the best fruit and flourish is to obey the Word of the LORD. That is why God gave His laws and decrees—to set them apart as a holy covenant people, not lawless slaves. He commanded them to obey His Word so that they would prosper and multiply in the land.

However, they did not fully obey God's commands. How did they fail to obey? In the ancient Near East, all land belonged to the king. But in Israel, land was distributed to each tribe (Numbers 26:55; 33:54).

Keep the Sabbath Year and the Year of Jubilee

God commanded that the land be cultivated for six years, but in the seventh year, it was to rest as a Sabbath year (Leviticus 25:4). Every fiftieth year was the Year of Jubilee when all land was to be returned to its original owners (Leviticus 25:10). God, the ultimate owner of all land, commanded that no one take advantage of their neighbor (Leviticus 25:17). However, Israel ignored these laws. They became greedy, wanting to own all the land for themselves. They saw God’s commands as interference and refused to obey. They treated the land as if it were theirs alone.

Because of this, God pronounced judgment on those who gained wealth dishonestly. As a result of their disregard for His Word, they lost their land. Israel was trampled by its enemies, and its houses, fields, and vineyards were left in ruins. Those who survived were taken into exile, leaving their once-beautiful homes empty. The harvest was meager—barely one-tenth of what it should have been.

God has given us precious lives, families, homes, clothing, and food. None of it belongs to us. We were born into this world with nothing. Yet God feeds us, clothes us, protects us, and blesses us. More than anything, He redeemed us with the blood of Christ and commanded us to love one another as Christ loved us (John 13:34). The time to give everything back to the Lord is now. Obeying His commands is how we give back to Him. If we follow and obey His Word, He will reward us in heaven and bless us with even greater fruit. Amen!

Cain Became a Wanderer

There is a clear example in Scripture. God accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s (Genesis 4:4-5). Why? Because Cain did not give what he should have to God. He made an empty, insincere sacrifice. No motivation, but mechanical obligation. God desires obedience, not sacrifice. In his anger, he chose to kill his brother instead of offering good fruit, and as a result, he became a restless wanderer on the earth (Genesis 4:12).

Those who do not obey God and give Him what belongs to Him will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Only those who follow His commands will enter. 9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) Amen!

Isaac’s Wells

There was a famine in the land, so Isaac went to live in the land of the Philistines for a long time (Genesis 26:1). While he was there, he planted crops, and the Lord blessed him with a hundredfold harvest (Genesis 26:12). But the Philistines became jealous of Isaac because he had become wealthy, so they filled up the wells he had dug with dirt. Every time Isaac dug a new well, they would come and claim it as their own and stop it up. But Isaac did not fight back. Instead, he kept moving and digging new wells. And every time, water flowed from the ground. Eventually, even King Abimelek of the Philistines had to admit that the Lord was with Isaac and made a peace treaty with him (Genesis 26:28-29). Isaac trusted in God, the true owner of all things, and chose not to fight or claim the wells as his own.

Jesus Christ gave up His life to save countless souls from death and bring them into eternal life. In the same way, we are called to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength and follow His commands. Through our obedience, God works to bring salvation to this world. Pastor Son Yang-won lost his two sons (Dong-sin and Dong-in) at the hands of communists, yet he chose to adopt the man (Ahn Jae-sun) who killed them as his own son. He became the God’s instrument to save a soul who was bound for destruction, showing the love of Christ who gave His life for us.

Woe to Those Who Are Drunk

11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning to drink and stay up late at night getting drunk on wine. 12 They have harps, lyres, tambourines, flutes, and wine at their feasts, but they do not pay attention to the Lord’s deeds or consider the work of His hands. 13 Therefore, my people will go into exile for their lack of knowledge; their nobles will starve, and the masses will suffer thirst (Isaiah 5:11-13).

Why do people turn to alcohol and get drunk? It is because they lack peace and satisfaction, leaving them with only emptiness. They drink from morning to night, drowning themselves in wine. This happens when people do not fully submit to God (Romans 2:9). They indulge in music and lavish feasts but ignore the work of the Lord. What is God’s work? His work is salvation—giving life (vigor, excitement), providing abundantly, and protecting us from our enemies—the devil.

God has redeemed us through the blood of Christ, and He does not leave us to look after for ourselves. Instead, He continuously cleanses us, forgives our sins, and fills us with comfort, peace, and strength (1 John 1:7). The Holy Spirit, whom He promised, intercedes for us with groans too deep for words (Romans 8:26). Whether we are working, studying, driving, walking, or preparing meals, He is with us, strengthening and guiding us. He leads us daily so we may bear good fruit.

But those who ignore God’s work and turn away from Him fall into emptiness and meaninglessness, seeking relief in alcohol. As a result, they are taken captive, and even the nobles and the masses suffer hunger and thirst. This happens because God hands them over to their enemies, leading them into great distress and spiritual famine.

The prophet Amos foretold this: “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11).

Spiritual starvation leads to exhaustion, boredom, and a lack of vitality. It fills life with regret, despair, and powerlessness. Without the bread of life, there is no true life. That is why we must partake in the body and blood of Christ, the true spiritual food and drink.

The Holy God is Just

14 Therefore, the grave enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descend their nobles, masses, brawlers, and revelers. 15 So people will be brought low, and everyone will be humbled, the eyes of the arrogant will be humbled. 16 But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by His justice, and the Holy God will be proved holy by His righteous acts. 17 Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich (Isaiah 5:14-17).

The power of death loomed over them, swallowing everything in its path. Since they refused to look to God and obey Him, they were overtaken by death and brought low in disgrace and shame. They lived as if there was no tomorrow, saying, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32).

In Genesis 10, people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens, but God scattered them and confused their language, turning their pride into humiliation.

However, the Lord alone will be exalted (Isaiah 2:11, 17). He is just and holy, and before His justice, all wickedness and corruption will be cast down. His righteousness will be magnified for all to see. Though the world may seem chaotic and uncertain, it is only temporary like a mist. The Lord reigns in eternal glory and majesty. In the end, all authorities, powers, and rulers will bow down before Him (1 Corinthians 15:28).

Only after God’s righteous judgment is fulfilled will there be true peace on earth. On the last day, He will judge Babylon, the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her adulteries (Revelation 19:2). Babylon represents those who exploit religion for their own selfish gain. And finally, God will destroy the last enemy—death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). Through the power of resurrection, death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:53-55). Then righteousness and justice will flow like a river, and evil will have no place left to stand. The sheep will graze in safety, free from the threat of wolves.

6 “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9).

“The Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” Amen!

March 16, 2025
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Scriptures quotes are from the NIV.