Isaiah 5:8-17

⁸ Oy! Those who touch house with house, they join field together with field until there is no space left and you are caused to dwell alone in the midst of the land. ⁹ Yahveh of hosts said in my ears: This pile of houses is becoming a desolation, large and beautiful but without inhabitant. ¹⁰ Because ten acres of vineyard will yield one bath,[1] and a homer[2] of seed will yield an ephah.[3] ¹¹ Oy! Those who rise early in the morning, they chase strong drink. Those who linger in the evening, wine inflames them. ¹² And lyre and harp, tambourine and flute, and wine will be their feasts, but they do not look at what Yahveh is doing, and they do not see the work of his hands. ¹³ For this reason my people will go into exile without being aware of why, their noble class will become men of hunger, and their masses will become parched with thirst. ¹⁴ For this reason Sheol has enlarged its throat, and it has opened wide its mouth without limit, and her dignitary will go down, and her common crowd, her drunken brawler and those who noisily party in her. ¹⁵ And Adam is bowed down, and man is brought low, and proud eyes are humiliated. ¹⁶ But Yahveh of armies is exalted by justice, and the holy God shows himself holy by righteousness. ¹⁷ And then a lamb will be tended like they are in their pasture, and fatlings, kids will eat among the sites of ruins.

what Yahveh is doing

Isaiah describes an industrious, growing and socially dynamic community. But the community has lost sight of what God is doing, and it will be their undoing. Humiliation, exile, devastation, depopulation and death are what God has in store for this people. The noise of continuous parties is going to be replaced by sheep and goats grazing in the ruins of a deserted city. “Surely you exaggerate, Isaiah! That could never happen to us!”

Sinner, look at all the great things that you enjoy. Do you realize how easily and swiftly all those things can be wiped away? In fact, if you look closely, you can probably see — even now — some signs of what the LORD of armies is doing behind the scenes of your life. Some of your hopes are not being met; some of your dreams seem like the are not going to become reality. What if these are not just bad luck. What if God himself is trying to get your attention!

LORD, we will not turn our eyes from what you are doing. Restore us by your grace.

[1] A bath is about 6 gallons or 22 liters of liquid.

[2] A homer is about 6 bushels or 220 liters.

[3] An ephah is about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters.