Isaiah 3: Refusing Repentance in the Face of Terrifying Glory -- 2019/09/17

Rev. David Andrus, pastor of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in St. Louis and Not-Alone.net Ministries, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Isaiah 3. Chapters 3 and 4 of Isaiah continue the same poetic prophecy that began in chapter 2 of God’s judgement against Judah in its opulent idolatry. The boom will indeed be followed by a bust, but here Isaiah reminds us that busts do not force everyone to repentance by themselves. Isaiah describes a situation of spiritual depravity that dulls the heart even amidst disaster: frantically scrambling to maintain the status quo at all costs, appointing children and infants to positions of power, setting up ruins as a kingdom. We are reminded of the prayer in Proverbs 30: “Give me neither poverty nor riches.” Even in our own day, we see that the “Great Recession” did not necessarily turn people away from greed. Judah failed to repent even after the devastation wrought by Assyria, which eventually led to the total destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. There is repentance and forgiveness in Christ, who gives us a heart of humility. Even if disaster should strike twice, He protects us and says “it shall be well with” those who love God.