Isa 9:20 | KingComments | STEP | For the third time a warning is given of the Divine anger. The prophet points to the wickedness they commit and through which they also work their own destruction ( ). Today we recognize this in the dissolute way in which sexuality in particular and life in general is dealt with. All boundaries God has given for that purpose are blurred and finally erased. People consume their own lives through their wicked way of life. Wickedness does its consuming (“fire”) and suffocating (“smoke”) work among them. The rising smoke is also a characteristic of hell, the place where all wickedness is given up to eternal fire ( ). The LORD shall give up the land to civil war with all the cruelty, hunger, and self-destruction that go with it ( ). The land will be blackened, making it impossible to grow anything on it. Just as briars and thorns ( ) are food for the fire, so the people consisting of hardened sinners are food for the judgment of the LORD. One of the judgments to which the LORD gives up His people is that of civil war. Because of this, selfishness will also prevail. No one grants another a bite of bread ( ). The need will be so great that not even one’s own brothers will be spared ( ). Manasseh, the divided tribe with one half in the land and the other half outside, who therefore knows the consequences of division, goes up against the great leader Ephraim. Ephraim, for whom it has always been difficult to be the least ( ), does not tolerate that. When they are ready with fighting, they turn against Judah together. By the fury of the LORD they do their best to take each other’s lives. Then for the third time the refrain sounds that the anger of the LORD does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out against them in judgment. Also among us, Christians, a brotherly quarrel can be allowed by the Lord as a chastening from Him, because we do not acknowledge Him in our lives. If the relationship with Him is not good, it always has consequences for the relationships between the members of His people and between people in general. When Christians boast of outward religiosity while not listening to the commandment of brotherly love, the consequence is that they bite and eat each other. If this is not stopped, they will devour each other ( ). In local churches where such situations are found, it is important to acknowledge this as a judgment from God. Then one can humbly turn to Him and to one another instead of boasting of his privileges any longer.

‏ Isaiah 9:20

Wickedness of Ephraim Judged

For the third time a warning is given of the Divine anger. The prophet points to the wickedness they commit and through which they also work their own destruction (Isa 9:18). Today we recognize this in the dissolute way in which sexuality in particular and life in general is dealt with. All boundaries God has given for that purpose are blurred and finally erased.

People consume their own lives through their wicked way of life. Wickedness does its consuming (“fire”) and suffocating (“smoke”) work among them. The rising smoke is also a characteristic of hell, the place where all wickedness is given up to eternal fire (Rev 14:11a ; Rev 19:3b).

The LORD shall give up the land to civil war with all the cruelty, hunger, and self-destruction that go with it (Isa 9:18). The land will be blackened, making it impossible to grow anything on it. Just as briars and thorns (Isa 9:19) are food for the fire, so the people consisting of hardened sinners are food for the judgment of the LORD.

One of the judgments to which the LORD gives up His people is that of civil war. Because of this, selfishness will also prevail. No one grants another a bite of bread (Isa 9:20). The need will be so great that not even one’s own brothers will be spared (Isa 9:21). Manasseh, the divided tribe with one half in the land and the other half outside, who therefore knows the consequences of division, goes up against the great leader Ephraim. Ephraim, for whom it has always been difficult to be the least (Jdg 12:1), does not tolerate that.

When they are ready with fighting, they turn against Judah together. By the fury of the LORD they do their best to take each other’s lives. Then for the third time the refrain sounds that the anger of the LORD does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out against them in judgment.

Also among us, Christians, a brotherly quarrel can be allowed by the Lord as a chastening from Him, because we do not acknowledge Him in our lives. If the relationship with Him is not good, it always has consequences for the relationships between the members of His people and between people in general.

When Christians boast of outward religiosity while not listening to the commandment of brotherly love, the consequence is that they bite and eat each other. If this is not stopped, they will devour each other (Gal 5:15). In local churches where such situations are found, it is important to acknowledge this as a judgment from God. Then one can humbly turn to Him and to one another instead of boasting of his privileges any longer.