Wicked Sinners!

Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve. – Isaiah 3:11 (NET)

We read such words, get a particular mental image, and perhaps we find ourselves relishing such a prospect. “Yes,” we say, “God’s going to get those wicked sinners!” Of course, when we think of “wicked sinners,” what we generally have in mind are the “worldly” people who freely do all of those things that we actually wish we could do, but have “given up” for Jesus. Along with this, we fully expect to be rewarded by our Lord for our rigorous self-denial, and lauded by our God for our austerity. Yes, we will studiously avoid engaging in “worldly” activities, so that we are not lumped with those “wicked sinners” that are so frequently pointed to by the Biblical prophets.

So that we can function well in this state of holy consecration, we are well-served in knowing who it is that the Bible refers to as a wicked sinner. Here in Isaiah, we will find that he explores this theme with an unusual regularity, giving us a great deal of insight into the mind of God and His expectations for His people. To that end, we find that the people that will get exactly what they deserve are the “Oppressors,” that “treat My people cruelly” (3:12a). This cruelty presents itself in the fact that “creditors rule over them” (3:12b). Now, it is one thing to expect re-payment of a legitimate debt, but quite another thing to bring oppressive tactics to bear in the collection or enforcement of that debt. This is especially so as we consider that this prophecy was directed to God’s covenant people, and within it, mention is made of “My people.” The situation is God’s own people treating others of God’s people oppressively in the matter of debt. From Jeremiah, we know that this issue of debt and slavery was one of the reasons for the judgment that God visited upon Judah by Babylon.

Isaiah continues, writing that “My people’s leaders mislead them; they give you confusing directions” (3:12c). Lest we forget, as we read about the actions of the leaders, let us remember that the context is still the wicked sinners of the eleventh verse. Misleading the people and giving them confusing directions and causing them to rebel against the Lord’s royal authority (3:8), to trust in human beings (2:22) and worthless idols (2:18) is what prompts the Lord to take “His position to judge” (3:13a). Indeed, it is for these wicked things that “He stands up to pass sentence on His people” (3:13b). Making further elaboration on those wicked things, so that God’s people will not be confused as to where true wickedness is to be found, Isaiah writes, “It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” (3:14c). These words are directed to “the leaders of His people and their officials” (3:14b). It is with such words that the words of the second Psalm (quoted more often in the New Testament than any other Old Testament passage) rise to mind, and we hear God saying, “So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction! Serve the Lord in fear! Repent in terror! Give sincere homage! Otherwise He will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when His anger quickly ignites” (2:10-12a).

This is not an isolated instance in Isaiah, but as has been said, a recurring theme. Moving on to the tenth chapter and keeping the “wicked sinners” in mind, we read that “Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, those who are always instituting unfair regulations, to keep the poor from getting fair treatment, and to deprive the oppressed among My people of justice, so they can steal what widows own, and loot what belongs to orphans” (10:1-2). Having provided this continuing description of true wickedness, which would obviously serve to defeat God’s people’s responsibility to be a light to the nations, the Lord asks, “What will you do on judgment day, when destruction arrives from a distant place? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your wealth” (10:3). Can we not see that this question about wealth is intimately connected with the care of orphans and widows? Can we not see that God’s view of wickedness is somewhat different from our customarily held views?

What is God’s response to the activity of such “wicked sinners”? We go on to learn that “A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. The Lord’s Spirit will rest on Him” (11:1-2a). God’s answer is His Messiah. It is said of Him, and presumably all those that will claim to be in union with Him, that “He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and order the wicked to be executed” (11:4). All of this should give us great pause in our propensity to label things as “wicked” and as “sin.”