Isaiah 1:27-31

²⁷ “Zion will be redeemed by justice, and those of her who repent, by righteousness. ²⁸ But rebels and sinners will be destroyed together, and those who forsake Yahveh will perish. ²⁹ Because they will be ashamed of oaks, which you were so pleased with, and you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen. ³⁰ Because you will be like an oak shedding its leaves, and like a garden where there is no water for her. ³¹ And the strong one will become like kindling, and his work like a spark. And both of them shall burn together, and there is not one to put them out.”

ashamed of oaks

Because the majestic oak trees were prominent in the worship of pagan deities, the LORD through Isaiah predicted that Judah would become ashamed of those oak trees. In fact, they would become like the oaks, who shed their leaves during the Fall season. A season of shedding would come to Judah. The leaves would fall and be gathered to be burned up. The fire would not be put out until it destroyed all those destined for destruction.

The hell that is coming to this world is going to destroy many of the things that the world now glories in. All the sins and sinners that this world has flaunted will be gathered, and there will be no power in the universe which can put that fire out, until it does what it is meant to do. Isaiah encourages us to be ashamed of our sin. If we refuse to come clean with God now, he will come clean of us then.

LORD, we are ashamed of those things in which we have gloried. Forgive us, and cleanse us.