Our Savior Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Our Savior Announcements

            No Men’s Bible Study This Week

I’ll be at a meeting on Saturday morning, no Men’s Bible Study.

            Lent Suppers Sign-up

Lent is coming soon and so are Lent meals. There will be a sign-up sheet on Sunday for meals.

Weekly Devotion

Isaiah 3

Pay attention to this.

The Lord, the Lord of Armies, is about to remove from Jerusalem

and Judah

every kind of support:

the entire supply of bread,

and the entire supply of water,

2 the hero and the warrior,

the judge and the prophet,

the omen reader and the elder,

3 the commander of fifty and the respected leader,

the adviser and the clever practitioner of occult arts,

and the skillful caster of spells.[a]

4 I will give them young men as their officials,

and immature children[b] will rule over them.

5 The people will tyrannize each other,

man against man, neighbor against neighbor.

The young man will behave arrogantly against the elder,

and the dishonorable against the honorable.

6 Then a man will take hold of his brother in his father’s house and say, “You have fine clothing. You be our ruler. You take charge of these ruins.”

7 But in that day his brother will cry out, “I am not a healer.[c] In my house I have neither bread nor fine clothing. Don’t make me ruler of this people.”

8 Yes, Jerusalem has stumbled,

and Judah has fallen,

because their speech and their actions are against the Lord.

They defy his glorious presence.[d]

9 The look on their faces testifies against them.

They parade their sin like Sodom.

They do not bother to hide it.

How terrible it will be for them!

Look, they have brought disaster upon themselves.

10 Tell the righteous that it will go well for them,

and they will eat the fruit of their labors.

11 How terrible it will be for the wicked!

Disaster is coming upon them.

Yes, whatever they have done with their hands will be paid back to them.

12 As for my people, children will oppress them,[e]

and women will rule over them.

My people, your guides are leading you astray.

They are confusing you about the way you should go.

13 The Lord stands up to make his case.

He stands to judge the peoples.

14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people and with their officials. He says, “It is you who have devoured the vineyard. The things you have stolen from the poor are in your houses. 15 What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor? declares the Lord, the Lord of Armies.”

Judgment on the Proud Women of Jerusalem

16 The Lord also says this. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and they walk with their heads held high,[f] flirting with their eyes, walking seductively with quick little steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles, 17 the Lord will crown the heads of the daughters of Zion with scabs. The Lord will make their scalps bald.[g] 18 In that day the Lord will take away the beautiful anklets, the headbands, the crescent ornaments, 19 the earrings, the bracelets, the veils, 20 the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume bottles, the magic charms, 21 the signet rings, the nose rings, 22 the elegant dresses, the capes, the shawls, the purses, 23 the hand mirrors, the fine linen wraps, the tiaras, and the gowns.[h]

24 This is what will take place:

Instead of fragrant perfumes, there will be a stench,

instead of styled hair, baldness,

instead of a robe, a garment made of sackcloth,

and there will be branding instead of beauty.

25 Your men will fall by the sword,

and your mighty warriors in battle.

26 Her gates will groan and grieve,

and she will sit on the ground, deserted.

Pastor’s Comments

            In Isaiah 3 God describes how he will bring judgement on the people of Judah. All the things they had grown to rely on would be taken away: their heroes, judges, and leaders would be removed or made foolish. The appropriate roles of society are reversed: young men and women ruling in the place of strong men (vs 4, 12); neighbors tyrannizing one another rather than loving one another (vs 5); young men rebelling against their elders (vs 5). Finally the description of Jerusalem is one where people are desperate for anyone to take charge and give guidance. He also removes the finery of the women of Judah who care more for outward adornment rather than humility of spirit.

            We should look to government and society as well and see how God is judging us. Do we have wise government or foolish government? Do we have men leading as heads or women taking charge in our churches? Whenever we see the orders of Creation that God has given to us a good gift for our benefit subverted and turned upside down we should pray for God’s forgiveness and his mercy on us as well. This is what the people of Jerusalem who heard Isaiah’s message should have done and failed. But their judgment is an example for us to heed God’s warning as well! (1 Cor 10:11)

Luther’s Comments

            Vs 1 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts. He describes the desolation of all Judah. But it is a laughable preaching on account of the arrogance of these people, who were haughty because of the magnificent promises of God they had and for this reason they did not believe what was being said to them. For this reason they despised the threats of the prophets and said: “We have the promises. The Lord, who said that the kingdom would remain for us, does not lie to us.” Thus they [Luther is referring to the Roman Catholics of his day] now say: “Peter’s little bark may move to and fro, but it does not sink. The Lord will not forsake His church.” Thus always in the case of false teachers the major premise is true, but the minor premise false, namely, “But we are the church.” Therefore it was impossible for the Jews to believe this proclamation.

            Vs 10 Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them. Thus it is stated in the Psalms that it shall we well with them (cf Ps. 112:5). For when the ungodly have been frightened, the Holy Spirit cannot fail to provide comfort. Abraham says in Gen. 18:23: “Wilt Thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked?” The Lord answered: “No.” For the Lord knows how to deliver His own “when His wrath is quickly kindled” (Ps 2:11). He was able to deliver Lot from the midst of Sodom, just as He delivered the apostles from Jerusalem. In this manner Josiah was set free (2 Kings 23). The righteous man will prosper wherever God promises help to those who are righteous and gladdens them with the promise of a reward.