Four Things that Make God Angry – Isaiah 9:8-10:4
9 (8) The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall upon Israel. (9) All the people will experience it; namely, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, those who say with pride and arrogant hearts, (10) “The bricks have crumbled, but we will rebuild with stone cut out of the quarry; the sycamore trees have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.” (11) Therefore Jehovah will strengthen Rezin’s foes against them, and will stir up their enemies against them. (12) The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west shall devour all of Israel with their mouths wide open. Yet, despite all this, Jehovah’s anger is not pacified, his hand is still raised against them. (13) But the people still have not returned to the one who struck them, nor have they sought Jehovah of hosts. (14) Therefore, in a single day Jehovah will cut off from Israel both “the head” and “the tail,” both “the palm branch” and “the reed”— (15) the elders and prominent men are “the head,” and the prophets who teach lies are “the tail.” (16) All this will happen because those who lead these people cause them to go astray, and those who are being led will be destroyed. (17) Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in their young men, nor will he take pity on the fatherless and widows, because everyone is godless and wicked, and every mouth utters folly. Yet, despite all this retribution, Jehovah’s anger is not pacified, his hand is still raised against them—(18) because their wickedness burns like a fire, it consumes briers and thorns, it sets ablaze the thickets of the forest, and their ashes roll upward in a column of smoke. (19) By the wrath of Jehovah of hosts the land will be scorched and the people will be fuel for the fire—no one will spare his brother. (20) They will devour what is at their right side, but still be hungry; they will eat up what is on their left side, but still not be satisfied. Each of them will “eat the flesh of his own arm”— (21) Manasseh will devour Ephraim, and Ephraim will devour Manasseh, and both of them will turn against Judah. Yet, despite all this retribution, Jehovah’s anger is not pacified, his hand is still raised against them.
10 Woe to those who make unjust laws and those who record mischievous decisions—(2) intended to deprive the powerless of justice and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, so that widows may be their spoil and they may plunder the orphans. (3) Now what will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes upon you from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you find a secure place to leave your wealth? (4) There will be nothing else to do but cringe among the captives or fall among the slain. Yet, despite all this retribution, Jehovah’s anger is not pacified, his hand is still raised against them.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
