Isa 22:12-13 | KingComments | STEP | When they are thus besieged, the LORD calls for humility, repentance and conversion ( ). But what do they do? They surrender themselves to feasting, eating and drinking ( ). They are utterly carefree in the face of imminent danger. In this they resemble Babylon who also feasts frivolous, while the enemy stands at the gate ( ; cf. ). They even face death. Instead of being driven out to the LORD because of this, their defiant reaction is: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.” It is a description of today’s society where people also live like this. It is also the spiritual state of the people of Israel under the reign of the antichrist at the time of the invasion of the king of the North. A person can only speak in this way if he does not believe in a resurrection, in an afterlife. Paul quotes these words to demonstrate the folly of people who say they are believers but deny the resurrection of Christ ( ). If Christ would not have risen, then do what you like, because then everything is over and out with death. It is the pinnacle of foolishness for any thinking person to believe that, for “now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” ( ). This means that a person once will have to account to Him. It also means that all the suffering and defamation that believers now endure for the sake of their connection to Him one day will be rewarded by Him.

‏ Isaiah 22:12-13

The Call to Repentance Ignored

When they are thus besieged, the LORD calls for humility, repentance and conversion (Isa 22:12). But what do they do? They surrender themselves to feasting, eating and drinking (Isa 22:13). They are utterly carefree in the face of imminent danger. In this they resemble Babylon who also feasts frivolous, while the enemy stands at the gate (Isa 21:5; cf. Lk 17:26-27). They even face death.

Instead of being driven out to the LORD because of this, their defiant reaction is: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.” It is a description of today’s society where people also live like this. It is also the spiritual state of the people of Israel under the reign of the antichrist at the time of the invasion of the king of the North.

A person can only speak in this way if he does not believe in a resurrection, in an afterlife. Paul quotes these words to demonstrate the folly of people who say they are believers but deny the resurrection of Christ (1Cor 15:32b). If Christ would not have risen, then do what you like, because then everything is over and out with death. It is the pinnacle of foolishness for any thinking person to believe that, for “now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1Cor 15:20). This means that a person once will have to account to Him. It also means that all the suffering and defamation that believers now endure for the sake of their connection to Him one day will be rewarded by Him.