Isaiah 1:7-9 – The consequence of irreverence

In verses 5-6 God described Judah as a battered man yet oblivious of her condition. Now in verses 7-8, another description is given of Judah. She was an invaded land. And her nation was devastated and left desolate yet she could not see her own shame. The enemies that attacked her were unidentified. They were only referred to as strangers. This is an indication that they were not their brethren from the northern Kingdom of Israel.

The daughter of Zion here refers to the city of Jerusalem which was a glorious city. It was once known as the city of the great king. Now it had become only a cottage. Isaiah painted a picture of Jerusalem, once a great city, had become a booth where watchmen would erect in a vineyard to protect the fruit that was beginning to ripen. She was also seen as a temporary hut built in a cucumber field to watch over the growing cucumbers. These images were intended to show that the once beautiful city losing its glamor. She had become a temporary shelter instead of the solid, strong glorious city it once was. Zion was left in a condition of waste.  

Judah and Jerusalem would be even more wasted but for the grace of God. They would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah that had been razed to the ground if not for the mercy of the Lord who had left her with a remnant of survivors. Think of how far the people of God had fallen. The Words of God to them in Exodus 19:6 were “…and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ Yet now the land they were to live and glorify God had been left desolate and stripped bare.

It is pitiful when the people of God have become defenseless and exposed to all kinds of needless attacks. Why have Judah come to such a state? They had no regard for God.  They were cool about their relationship with Him and took Him for granted. They failed to take time to cherish the privilege accorded to them. In so doing they had spurned the love of God.

In verse 9 we see a glimpse of hope extended to Judah. God talked about the remnant that He would preserve. All is not lost if they heed His voice. Today, we also need to heed the call of God. As His people, we have immense influence when we are walking right with Him. We are the link to God. The day we fail to realize our position and walk in careless disregard in our relationship with Him, our influence will diminish. Be sure to maintain a vibrant relationship where God is always reverent!