Isaiah 3-5

“For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply … the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet” (3:1-2). Isaiah said that God was judging Judah’s sins by taking away their leadership and letting the community fall into chaos (3:5-9).  Judah’s leaders and wealthy people had led the way in crushing the poor and living for themselves, and so God was letting His people feel the terrible consequences of rejecting His ways (v4).

Irresponsible and corrupt leadership hurts the innocent and increases human suffering. But the righteous King, our Messiah, is “a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain” (4:6).