Isaiah 3

The discourse continues, as the continuative for denotes. Having commenced (Isaiah 2:1-5) with a calm, attractive picture of a gloriously hopeful future, the prophet’s eye glances over his audience only to bring him back at once to the incongruous character it bears, and the whole nation with it, to the peaceful, pure days of the Messiah in the far future. Then the impetuous oratory begins, as we have seen Isaiah 2:11-22. A mass of conjurers, of gold and silver, of war-horses, of idols! The voice that began with Messiah’s salvation is choked. A vision of judgment and destruction comes before the prophet, and he calls out to the people to hide themselves from the storm. The people are aroused. The prophet has gained one point their attention and their fear; possibly God has given him the aid of a natural earthquake to impress his lesson. A symbol that is quickly dashed, is dependence on cedars and ships strong men in war, and state, and in commerce. All is made to seem such a frail reliance, that to escape quickly, men yield their clutch on their idols as they flee, and they do as they are bidden, hurl them to “the moles and to the bats.” The fact is made to grow on them, that the loftiest man must perish. His life hangs on a breath over which he has no power; how should one trust in him! In poetic dress the general principle is taught that idolatry and every thing to which it leads cannot stand. It shall be wiped out by severe national judgment and captivity.

In this chapter the application is made to Judah and Jerusalem in particular. Apparently the prophet explains in Isaiah 3:1-7 the thought in the preceding verse on the non-reliance of man; that God was about to cripple, perhaps destroy, the leading men of Judah, and permit a state of anarchy.