Words of Wisdom #270: Where There are Woes, There are Warnings to Heed!
Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field until there is no more room and you alone are left in the land. In my hearing the Lord of Hosts [has taken an oath]: Indeed, many houses will become desolate, grand and lovely ones without inhabitants. For a ten-acre vineyard will yield only six gallons, and 10 bushels of seed will yield only [one] bushel. Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of beer, who linger into the evening, inflamed by wine. At their feasts they have lyre, harp, tambourine, flute, and wine. They do not perceive the Lord’s actions, and they do not see the work of His hands. Therefore My people go into exile because they lack knowledge; the dignitaries are starving, and the masses are parched with thirst. Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat and opens wide its enormous jaws, and down go Zion’s dignitaries, her masses, her crowds, and those who carouse in her! Humanity is brought low, man is humbled, and haughty eyes are humbled. But the Lord of Hosts is exalted by His justice, and the holy God is distinguished by righteousness. Lambs will graze as [if in] their own pastures, and strangers will eat [among] the ruins of the rich. Isaiah 5:8-17 (HCSB)
In God’s Word one of the great words of warning that means something important follows is any passage beginning with “Woe”! It means grief or a great distress, or both is about to follow, unless something changes. These passages are offered by God through His messengers, which in the New Testament was His Son, Jesus usually to the leaders and powerful people who were living their lives disregarding the needs of the people around them. And, because God is a God of mercy and compassion He sends a warning to us when we are living a lifestyle that is at high risk to our well-being and affecting the people around us in a negative manner. God will do all He can to get us to change our ways before His judgment brings devastating consequences upon us for our selfish choices we have made in life.
In this passage the people were enjoying a fruitful period and their wealth and health was flourishing, but they selfishly were expanding their possessions at the expense of others. Likewise, their lifestyle choices included consuming beer morning, noon, and night which further numbed their sensitivity to their actions and attitudes, which were having bad effects upon others and them. When arrogance and malevolence are in the air that surrounds the actions and attitudes of someone, others are forced to leave, and others choose to leave, and the result is there is only the arrogant, hard-hearted wealthy person standing alone in his possessions, too numb and ignorant to what he or she has done to realize why everyone has deserted and he or she is all alone. The only one left in their life is the Lord who is preparing to exercise His judgment and then all that will be left will be the ownerless possessions and the empty fields.
However, the Lord always leaves a remnant, and near those empty possessions and unworked fields will they find the safety and security of their own land and all the food they need to eat. The Lord is always faithful to establish justice and righteousness in the land. Therefore, you are either living for Him or living against Him – the choice is yours. Choose the lifestyle you want, but are your choices pleasing to our loving, just and most righteous God. Are you living in the light of God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word?
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me. “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea! Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes.” Matt 18:5-7 (HCSB)