Isaiah 5

Isaiah 5:4, 15-16 NIV

What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?

So people will be brought low
and everyone humbled,
the eyes of the arrogant humbled.
But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice,
and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.

In spite of God's blessings the people of God have produced "only bad" fruit. God will bring just judgment against them as a result. Two thoughts come to mind as I think on this chapter. First, God cannot be called just and holy if he allows the wickedness of his people to go unpunished. Why does God judge? Because he is holy and just. Why does God not just give people the benefit of the doubt and wink at their indescretions? Because he is holy and just.

The concepts of ethical morality (i.e. holiness) and justice find their roots in the nature and character of the creator. We cannot demand that God conform to some ethical standard that we randomly create in our minds while simultaneously requiring that he be so loving that he never judges. Holiness and justice stand together. Holiness ceases to be holy if it ignores justice.

The second thought that occurs to me is that if God is truly holy and just, we would do well to understand what the issues are that are bringing down God's justice upon these people. Here is the list:
     Increasing wealth and isolation
     Drunkeness
     Partying while ignoring God
     Pride and arrogance
     Promotion of and enticement to evil
     Calling evil good and good evil
     Self-defined wisdom
     Experts at drinking and mixing drinks
     Taking bribes and guarding the interests of the wealthy while denying justice to the poor

This list sounds surprisingly contemporary. It makes me wonder how many I am guilty of and how many we have perhaps even promoted within our churches. How much of our "wisdom" and counsel is actually just self-defined wisdom rather than God's wisdom? How often have we expressed pride and arrogance over our goodness in contrast to that of the world around us? To what extent have we ignored the needs of the poor or given inordinate attention to those of wealth? It is easy to read through the list above and point fingers. Perhaps it's time to look in the mirror rather than pointing fingers.

Father, I stand convicted. I confess that my perceived holiness has been a self-defined illusion all the while ignoring your standard a of holiness and judgment. Today may I reflect your holiness in all I think, say and do.

By His grace,
Rick Weinert
District Superintendent
EFCA Northern Mtn District