Isaiah 5:8-17 – Don’t let greed or dissipation repel God’s grace

What went wrong with the people whom God had showered so much grace? Weren’t they supposed to produce choice fruit? Sadly, they were producing wild, rancid rotten grapes instead. Verses 8-23 are descriptions of six clusters of rotten grapes held up by Isaiah, each starting with the pronouncement of a “woe.” They reflect six ways one can defy the grace of God. In this reflection from verses 8-17, we will consider two of them.  

The first woe was for the uncaring rich of the land. Driven by insatiable greed, they were acquiring land that belonged to their brothers. They were forcing the poor out of their land and impoverished them without any regard for their condition. While properties of the rich were getting more and larger, they were unwittingly becoming lonelier. What they acquired should yield more or so they thought, but instead, they were yielding less. Here is one thought: greed always averts the effect of grace. Though one who has much ought to have a sense of satisfaction, instead one had to contend with a sense of emptiness in life. Remember the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36 that say, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” Never allow greed to disincentivize meaningful living with God.

 

The second woe pronounced begins in verse 11. Here we see how God’s transforming grace could be short-circuited by one’s refusal to engage the mind. The people here were seen to rise early and run after strong drink and stayed late feeling the effect of the wine they had consumed. So engaged in entertaining themselves that they had a total disregard for the grace of God. The word “inflame” speaks of an aroused passion. Here we see people whose passion should be stirred up by their love for God but instead was stirred up by strong drink. In Ephesians 5:18, we are called not to be drunk with wine for that would be debauchery or dissipation. But rather be filled with the Spirit of God who will enable us to engage in pursuits that will honor God and place Him at the centre of our activities.  

 

Verses 13-17 point to the grave consequences that awaited the people of Judah for their insatiable greed and mindless debauchery. They would be exiled and the land they had amassed would be swallowed up. Sheol or hades, like a ravenous beast, would consume Jerusalem and all its beauty and grandiose. Foreigners would occupy the place they once possessed. In all that would take place, the people of Judah would be humbled as God would be exalted in His judgment.

 

God is holding out His wonderful grace and the possibility of enjoying all that it would bring to us. Do not allow anything to deprive us of that privilege. Hence, we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and let God’s grace work in us to bring about a beautiful transformation in our lives. Be careful not to allow greed or a life of excess to truncate God’s grace from working in us. Be engaged in spiritual exercises that will avail ourselves to God’s ever-flowing grace.