Isa 5:18 | KingComments | STEP | The third woe is pronounced on the next ‘worthless grape’ and that is on those who are addicted to iniquity. With lying tricks they commit iniquity ( ). It is not without sarcasm that Isaiah depicts animals carrying a burden. The burden of iniquity lies high on the cart of sin which these people drag with ropes. The underlying idea is that the act of committing small iniquities, “cords of falsehood”, will gradually lead to coarser iniquities, “sin as if with cart ropes”. They believe that they are in control of their sinful activities. But it is the other way around: “He will be held with the cords of his sin” ( ). While, as slaves to sin, they plod toward judgment, they are challenging God ( ). With boasting language they defy Him to put His warnings into action: ‘If you are there, show yourself, do something!’ This is the height of audacity and blasphemy (cf. ; ; ; ). They don’t hesitate to abuse and scorn the name of “the Holy One of Israel”, the name Isaiah always uses to make God’s holiness stand out in the face of the unholiness of the people. It shows their hardening, which Isaiah must seal in the next chapter ( ).

‏ Isaiah 5:18

The Third Woe

The third woe is pronounced on the next ‘worthless grape’ and that is on those who are addicted to iniquity. With lying tricks they commit iniquity (Isa 5:18). It is not without sarcasm that Isaiah depicts animals carrying a burden. The burden of iniquity lies high on the cart of sin which these people drag with ropes. The underlying idea is that the act of committing small iniquities, “cords of falsehood”, will gradually lead to coarser iniquities, “sin as if with cart ropes”. They believe that they are in control of their sinful activities. But it is the other way around: “He will be held with the cords of his sin” (Pro 5:22).

While, as slaves to sin, they plod toward judgment, they are challenging God (Isa 5:19). With boasting language they defy Him to put His warnings into action: ‘If you are there, show yourself, do something!’ This is the height of audacity and blasphemy (cf. Mt 27:42; 2Pet 3:2-3; Ecc 8:11; Jer 17:15). They don’t hesitate to abuse and scorn the name of “the Holy One of Israel”, the name Isaiah always uses to make God’s holiness stand out in the face of the unholiness of the people. It shows their hardening, which Isaiah must seal in the next chapter (Isa 6:9-10).