I have been giving my thoughts on Isaiah 5, yesterday was regarding the six woes of this chapter. Now we come to
Is. 5:24 Therefore as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.
The word "therefore" means for this reason, or consequently. This verse begins with this word, so what it is saying is because of all these things which were listed here, greed, drunkenness, mockery of God, calling evil good and good evil, pride, perversion and bribery. Because of these things God says now rottenness from the very root begins to take place, because that you have throwed away God's laws and despised His Word.
In verse 25 He says the anger of the Lord is kindled against His people, and their carcases were torn in the middle of the street. We are seeing this happening every day on the evening news. But this is just the beginning of what God is going to bring against our nation. You might ask Calvin what makes you believe that God is going to bring these things against our nation, we're a Christian nation. We have long since been able to regard ourselves as a Christian nation, there are some Christians which live in this nation, but our nation cast away the Word of God when we banned it from our schools, we have despised the Words of Jesus Christ when we outlawed prayer in public assemblies. There-fore in verses 26 -30 the prophet Isaiah says the Lord of hosts will call for nations from the end of the earth and they shall come speedily. The prophet Joel gave us a real good look at this mighty army which God is going to call up. The apostle Paul told us in 1 Corinthians that all the examples are given to us of whom the end of the world is come. We're coming to the end of this dispensation and we are beginning to see these things, I hate to think of other nations coming and destroying what God has blessed us with but when people refuse to recognize God, to worship Him, to fall in love with His Word then we have it laid out before us what God will do to a person or a nation that forgets Him.
Joel says in the 2nd chapter of his book, that this is a great and strong people. The land in front of them looks like the garden of Eden and behind them is desolate wilderness. They will leap from mountain to mountain in their chariots with a flame of fire devouring. Joel says that this is a day of darkness and gloominess. Isaiah says that they will be roaring like the roaring of the sea and behold, darkness and sorrow, the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
I believe in God who is rich in mercy, I believe that God is still looking for people who will call upon His name. There is no access to God but by Jesus Christ, He is the way, the truth and the life. John said that He is our advocate with the Father and if we ask He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. All these warnings are given to hopefully call a nation, an individual, just people to turn back to the One, the true and living God. Punishment is coming if there isn't repentance. Call upon Him while He may be found.