Isaiah 3 and TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Rick Warren, Liberals

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1. Isaiah 3 and TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Emergents, Church Growthers, Rick Warren, Liberals and some miscellaneous observations with Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s “A Commentary” (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), 572-575.

2. This is not a commentary on Isaiah 3 per se, but a random, discursive, and unscientific miscellany of after-thoughts in application to the battle lines. For details and exegesis, there are some good books out there. The English is sufficiently clear, however.

3. Summary: a real-take down of Jerusalem and Judah, later fulfilled in the Babylonian conquest. This is really bad news. However, may it be noted that not “all” in the covenant community lived as outlined below. This chapter is rough. However, all the croaking frogs of faithless men and women with all their noise does not mean there are no fish of faith in the pond. Although most Israelites died in the wilderness, there were "some" believers that inherited the land. The “pruning” principle is at work again, e.g. the slashing of the tree out of which the sprouts will grow again. The LORD has spoken and that’s it. The nation cannot resist His sovereign, just and fair rulings.

4. Here’s the upshot. Mighty men, men of valour, the prudent and ancient will disappear and effeminate men, boys and women will replace them. Anarchy will result from imbecile rulers. The proud will oppress the honorable. Young, ignorant and unruly youths will disrespect and mock the older, ask impudent questions, and act with insolence. The true will retreat from leadership from fear. They will ask in the words of Psalm 11.3, "If the foundations are shaken, what can the righteous do?"

5. However, vs. 11, “Say ye to the righteous that is shall be well with them.” Precisely what the justified elect needed in those times. Just as they need this today. A promise. The Gospel promise. A word of encouragement and strength, the sort of word that will uphold the Josiahs, Ezekiels, Jeremiahs and Daniels to come. The same today, in these very troubled times. However, aside from this mighty word of promise, this is a “take-down” chapter and it’s ugly.

6. 3.14b-15: this one gives a peculiarly bad odour for the Health, Wealth and Prosperity pimps. “For ye have eaten up the vineyard. The spoil of the poor is in your homes. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces,, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the LORD of hosts.” The rest of the chapter is more bad news for the TBN crowd.

7. Some choice words and phrases in the balance of the chapter: “haughty,” “stretched forth necks,” "tinkling with their feet” (=anklets, jewelry, vain shows), “will discover their secret parts” (= indignities like marital failures with a whole string of these Pentecostal clerics from Kathryn Kuhlman onwards), “chains, bracelets and mufflers” (= chest pendants, laced and scented face-coverings), “bonnets, ornaments, head-bands” (=more vain costumeries), “changeable suits,” “wimples, crisping pins, ear rings” and the list goes on. Vain, pompous, sensual, sensorial and devoid of heart, mind and affections for God. Jerusalem and Judah are sick from head to foot. See Isaiah 1.

8. In 7 above, change the dates to include Rolls Royces, Lear Jets, mansions, and more. We’ve been detailing these things at the wall. And--with bravado--the TBN crowd boasts, brags, pushes, defends and advances this. See 6 above. “…The spoil of the poor in your homes…” God has some issues with this crowd.

9. Let me adapt a prayer from the good old Prayer Book of Thomas Cranmer...something that I think the Godly and justified would have prayed in Isaiah’s time.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. Wickedness, vanity, indifference, greed, abuse of the poor, theft, lying, pride, and infidelity abound, O LORD. O merciful God, have mercy. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; We have forgotten Thy name, Thy glory, Thy majesty; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Thy Word of promise. O God, thy Gospel and covenant promises to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David and Thy prophets. We cleave to Thy promises and without them we have nothing. Send forth, O God, the Promised Seed, the Promised Son of David, to deliver us. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

10. TBN-wolves, Emergents, Churchgrowthers, Rich Warren, Joel Osteen, and most American evangelicals don’t understand such prayers. It’s not in their books, hymns, liturgies or sermons.

11. Let us pray this way daily and weekly, confessing our sins as our Saviour taught us and to rely on the divine and infallible promises. vs. 11 gives us the comfort and assurance, “Say ye to the righteous that is shall be well with them.” What righteousness? Christ's and Christ's alone, in life and death, body and soul.