ISAIAH
CHAPTER 5
OBSERVATION
STAGE
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
.
.This
limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Isaiah. This
will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that
something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in
view.
The context of
the Day of the LORD in chapter 4 .moves
back to Isaiah's time in chapter 5:
I)
[Isa 5:1-30]:
A)
(5:1-7) CHAPTER 5 BEGAN WITH AN ALLEGORICAL SONG COMPOSED BY ISAIAH TO
DEPICT HIS BELOVED LORD'S POINT OF VIEW ABOUT HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL DURING
ISAIAH'S TIME AND FORWARD BUT NOT THE DAY OF THE LORD. THE SONG WAS
ABOUT THE LORD'S VINEYARD: THE LORD LOCATED HIS "VINEYARD" ON
A FERTILE HILLSIDE. HE CULTIVATED IT; GATHERED OUT THE STONES; BUILT A
TOWER IN HER MIDST TO GUARD HER; AND HEWED OUT A WINEPRESS; IMPLYING HIS
PERFECT CARE. YET THE VINEYARD ONLY BROUGHT FORTH WILD GRAPES, I.E.,
POISONOUS FRUIT. THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM AND JUDAH WERE ASKED TO JUDGE
WHO WAS AT FAULT. THE ANSWER GIVEN WAS THAT THE LORD COULD NOT HAVE DONE
ANYTHING MORE TO MAKE THE VINEYARD PRODUCTIVE, IMPLYING THAT THE FAULT
WAS SOLELY WITH THE VINEYARD. THEREFORE THE SONG DECLARED THAT THE LORD
WOULD TEAR DOWN THE PROTECTIVE "HEDGE," LEAVING THE VINEYARD
TO BE TRAMBLED DOWN. HE WOULD NO LONGER PRUNE OR CULTIVATE, LEAVING THE
BRIERS AND THORNS TO OVERWHELM THE VINEYARD. FINALLY, THE LORD WOULD
COMMAND THE CLOUDS NOT TO RAIN, CAUSING THE VINEYARD'S COMPLETE
DESTRUCTION. AT THE END, THE SONG POINTED OUT THAT THE MEN OF JERUSALEM
AND OF JUDAH WERE THE VINEYARD AND THE FAULT FOR THEIR FAILINGS WAS
SOLELY WITH THEM. THEY WOULD BE COMPLETELY DESTROYED; FOR THE LORD
LOOKED FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND INSTEAD, THERE WAS BLOODSHED
AND A CRY OF DISTRESS FROM THOSE THEY PREYED UPON
B)
(5:8-23) ISAIAH'S SONG WAS FOLLOWED BY SIX WOES - SIX JUDGMENTS:
1)
WOE TO THOSE GREEDY INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ACQUIRING AS MANY HOUSES AND AS
MUCH LAND AS THEY COULD AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN. THE
LORD'S JUDGMENT UPON JUDAH WOULD BE THAT MANY HOUSES WOULD BE DESOLATE;
AND AS FOR THE LAND: CROP FAILURE, ALL IMPLYING DEATH AND MASS
DESTRUCTION.
2)
WOE TO THOSE IN DRUNKEN DEBAUCHERY WHO DO NOT REGARD THE WORK OF THE
LORD. THEREFORE THE LORD'S PEOPLE WOULD GO INTO CAPTIVITY, HAVING
WILLFULLY AVOIDED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. FROM THE PROUD TO THE LOW,
MANY WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN AND DIE. BUT THE LORD SHALL BE EXALTED, AND
SANCTIFIED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE HOUSES AND THE LAND WILL BE LAID WASTE
TO BECOME OPEN PASTURE.
3)
WOE TO THOSE WHO WERE DEEPLY AND INEXORABLY ATTACHED TO SINFUL ACTS, WHO
MOCKED THE LORD.
4)
WOE TO THOSE WHO CALLED EVIL GOOD AND GOOD EVIL.
5)
WOE TO THOSE WHO WERE WISE IN THEIR OWN EYES.
6)
WOE TO MEN MIGHTY AT DRINKING WINE - LEADERS WHO JUSTIFIED THE WICKED
FOR A BRIBE, AND TOOK AWAY JUSTICE FROM THE RIGHTEOUS MAN.
C)
(5:24-30) THE PREVIOUS CONTEXT OF CHAPTER 5 STIPULATED SIX JUDGMENTS
UPON THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH DURING ISAIAH'S TIME AND FORWARD BUT NOT THE
DAY OF THE LORD. THEIR DEPRAVITY AND DESTRUCTION VIA THESE JUDGMENTS WAS
PORTRAYED AS A FLAME WHICH DEVOURED STRAW AND DRY GRASS; A ROTTEN ROOT;
AND FLOWER BLOSSOMS BLOWN AWAY LIKE DUST. HENCE THE LORD WOULD STRIKE
HIS PEOPLE WITH AN EARTHQUAKE - MANY WOULD DIE. THEN THE LORD WOULD
SUMMON NATIONS TO ATTACK THE PEOPLE LEAVING ONLY DARKNESS AND SORROW IN
THE LAND
1)
[Compare Isa 1:1-9 ]:
CONTINUE
TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 6
