Isaiah 3:13 - A Judgment Against Judah

Audio Bible

Context

A Judgment Against Judah
…12Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths. 13The LORD arises to contend; He stands to judge the people. 14The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.…

Cross References

Psalm 82:1
A Psalm of Asaph. God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:Micah 6:2
Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel:Jeremiah 25:31
The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth because the LORD brings a charge against the nations. He brings judgment on all mankind and puts the wicked to the sword,’” declares the LORD.Joel 3:12
Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side.Psalm 50:4
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people:Ezekiel 20:35-36
And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face. / Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.Hosea 4:1
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.Matthew 25:31-32
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. / All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.John 5:22
Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son,Acts 17:31
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”Romans 14:10
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.Psalm 9:7-8
But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. / He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity.

Psalm 12:5
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Proverbs 22:22,23
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: …

Proverbs 23:10,11
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: …

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Isaiah 3

The LORD arises to contend;
This phrase indicates a divine intervention where God takes an active role in addressing the issues among His people. In the context of Isaiah, this is a period of moral and spiritual decline in Judah. The term "arises" suggests a shift from patience to action, emphasizing God's readiness to address injustice and sin. This is consistent with other instances in the Old Testament where God "arises" to defend or judge, such as in Psalm 68:1, where God arises and His enemies are scattered. The use of "contend" implies a legal dispute, reflecting the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where God acts as both prosecutor and judge.

He stands to judge the people.
The imagery of God standing signifies authority and readiness to execute judgment. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a judge would stand to pronounce a verdict, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. This phrase highlights God's role as the ultimate judge, a theme prevalent throughout the Bible, including in the New Testament (e.g., James 4:12). The "people" here refers to the nation of Judah, but it can also be seen as a broader reference to all humanity under God's moral law. This judgment is not only punitive but also corrective, aiming to bring the people back to righteousness. The prophetic nature of this passage foreshadows the final judgment, where Christ, as the ultimate judge, will separate the righteous from the unrighteous (Matthew 25:31-46).

Persons / Places / Events

1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who is depicted as a judge rising to contend with His people. His role as judge emphasizes His authority and righteousness.

2. The People of Israel
The primary audience of Isaiah's prophecy, representing the nation that has strayed from God's commandments and is now facing His judgment.

3. Isaiah
The prophet through whom God delivers His message. Isaiah's role is to communicate God's impending judgment and call the people to repentance.

4. Judgment Scene
The imagery of a courtroom where God stands as both prosecutor and judge, highlighting the seriousness of Israel's transgressions.

Teaching Points

God's Righteous Judgment
God is portrayed as a righteous judge who arises to contend with His people. This reminds us of His holiness and the seriousness of sin. We must recognize that God’s judgments are always just and rooted in His perfect character.

Call to Repentance
The imagery of God standing to judge serves as a call to repentance. It is a reminder for believers to examine their lives and turn back to God, seeking His mercy and forgiveness.

Accountability Before God
Just as Israel was held accountable for their actions, we too are accountable to God. This should encourage us to live lives that are pleasing to Him, knowing that we will one day stand before His judgment seat.

God's Sovereignty
The passage underscores God's sovereignty over nations and individuals. It reassures us that God is in control and that His purposes will ultimately prevail.

(13) The Lord standeth up to plead . . .--The people may think that the prophet is their censor. He bids them know that Jehovah is their true accuser and their judge. "Ye," he says, with all the emphasis of a sudden change of person, as if turning, as he spoke, to the nobles and elders, "ye have devoured the vineyard, ye have spoiled the poor." (Comp. Isaiah 5:1-8; Proverbs 30:12-14.)

Verse 13. - The Lord standeth up to plead. The great sin of the time was oppression of the poor by the rich, and especially by the rulers (Isaiah 1:15, 17, 21). In noticing this, the prophet, to give more weight to his denunciation, introduces Jehovah as standing up, and coming forward on the popular side, to plead the people's cause, and remonstrate with their oppressors. There is great force in this sudden entrance on the scene of Jehovah himself, as Pleader and Judge. And... judge the people; rather, the peoples. Primarily, Israel is God's care; but he does not stop at this point. All the nations of the earth are also under his protection. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The LORD
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

arises
נִצָּ֥ב (niṣ·ṣāḇ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5324: To take one's stand, stand

to contend;
לָרִ֖יב (lā·rîḇ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7378: To toss, grapple, to wrangle, controversy, to defend

He stands
וְעֹמֵ֖ד (wə·‘ō·mêḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

to judge
לָדִ֥ין (lā·ḏîn)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1777: A straight course, sail direct

the people.
עַמִּֽים׃ (‘am·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

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