Judah is judged

ISAIAH CHAPTER 3

Isaiah saw that the Lord would cut off supplies of food and water from Jerusalem and Judah and destroy all the nation's leaders, heroes, soldiers, judges, prophets, diviners, elders, and many others named in verse one. He saw that soon it would mean man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Nobody would help each other with food or clothing and people would not get involved with each other.

Judah and Jerusalem would lie in ruins because they spoke against the Lord and refused to obey him. They sinned openly and were not ashamed. But to those who remained godly, God said they would receive a wonderful reward. The Lord took his place as prosecutor and presented his case against his people. Next he judged the women of Jerusalem who walked around with their nose in the air and tinkling ornaments on their ankles. The Lord would send a plague of scabs to ornament their heads and make them bald for all the world to see. He would strip away their jewelry and veils of gauze, and no perfume or adornments and thus their beauty would be gone and only shame would be left for them. As for the men, they would die in battle and the gates of Jerusalem would weep and mourn.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Justice in the Bible is important because 1. it is part of God's nature and the way he runs the universe. 2. it is a natural desire for every person, even sinners, to want justice for ourselves. 3. When government and church leaders are unjust, the poor and powerless suffer and are held back from worshiping God. 4. God holds the poor in high regard. They are the ones most likely to turn to him for help and comfort.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Look at the women of Judah and how they placed an emphasis on clothing and jewelry rather than on God. Don't we do alot of that today? Sometimes we get lost in being fashionable and ignore oppression around us. By now, you should know that possessions are nothing. When God blesses you with money or position, don't flaunt it or abuse it. Use what you have to help others.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.
Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.