What Judgment Looks Like

Canada, where I live, and the United States, are in the midst of another federal election campaign.  Mounting a campaign for political supremacy isn't for the faint of heart.  It's a rough battle where rules of decency, respect, and truthfulness, are thrown to the sidelines.  The political lines have now been drawn in the electoral sand.  Whatever it takes to win is the only thing that counts.  When it's all said and done, the wounded losers will retreat and prepare for the ongoing fight in parliament or congress.  The winners will hunker down, fortify their defenses, and plan their strategy for the fight that follows.  If those fighting for supremacy only realized that the one they should be impressing isn't the voter but God, they'd be doing themselves a tremendous favour.  Daniel 12:21 states that in countless covert measures (they're my words, not Daniel's), God works behind the scene to cause a nation and its leaders to rise and to fall, according to His sovereign will.  It's called God's judgment on a nation.  

For numerous reasons many Christians avoid the prophetic books of the Old Testament.  By so doing they fail to understand and recognize what God's judgment on a nation looks like.  So, when judgment appears on the horizon, they're pathetically unprepared for the rough road ahead.  Isaiah 3 gives us a glimpse of what God's judgment can look like.  Although the specific nation in question is Israel, I believe the judgments seen in Isaiah 3 are applicable to any nation that rejects God.  

Isaiah 3:1 to 3 states that God will disrupt a nation's food and water supply.  When agricultural and economic failures plunge a nation into recession or depression, whether it's seemingly due to supply and demand disruptions, global upheavals, or climate change, God's hand of judgment is behind the fallen economy. 

Isaiah 3:1 to 3 also states that God will remove the effectiveness of the warrior, the judge, the craftsman, the wise man, and the prophet, from an ungodly nation.  When a nation's military, judicial system, manufacturing sector, and religious institutions, fall into disrepair and becomes ineffective, God's judgment has infiltrated the nation's infrastructure.         

Isaiah 3:4 states that God installs youths as national officials.  Children rule the nation.  The installation of incompetent childish politicians is one way God brings a nation down to its knees in judgment. 

Isaiah 3:5 states that God causes the citizens of a nation to oppose one another.  Men fight against their fellow man while neighbours are caught in conflict with one another.  When racial, social, economic, and religious unrest divide a nation, that divided nation will soon fall by the hand of God's judgment.   

Isaiah 3:6 and 7 states that an ungodly nation won't be able to conscript quality people to lead it.  When individuals are asked "to take charge of this heap of ruins"(NIV) they will answer by saying "I have no remedy" (NIV).  God's judgment is clearly seen when no one with sufficient intelligence and quality character traits can be found to lead a nation out of its ruins.

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 1:24 says that God will hand a society over to the immoral sins it chooses to embrace.  The particular sin he points out is homosexuality.  Isaiah 3:9 tells us that God will hand a nation over to such immorality.  This is seen when its citizens "parade" (NIV) around in their sin, just as " Sodom paraded" (NIV) around in its sin.  When we see a Sodom-like display of public sexuality being paraded around in our streets in annual pride parades, know that God has handed our nation over to its sins as an act of divine judgment.  Then, as Isaiah 3:10 states, woe to those who "parade around in their sin because they will bring disaster upon their nation (NIV)."      

The New Living Translation of Isaiah 3:12 is notable in light of our present electoral season.  "Childish leaders oppress my people and women rule over them."  In context, "my people" refers to the nation of Israel , but once again, I believe the judgment seen in this verse can apply to any godless nation.  When childish leaders, and I hesitate to say it, when women rule a nation, as the text puts it, God's judgment is at hand.      

Isaiah 3:13 and 14 states that the Lord will take His seat in His court and enter into judgment.  I suggest that you carefully read all of Isaiah 3 for yourself.  Don't take my word on this.  You might well disagree with me on this issue, and that's fine.  Just ask yourself if the judgments you see in Isaiah 3 have any relevance for the western world nations today.  Has God Almighty sat down in His courtroom to judge the nations of the western world?  From my vantage point, I believe He has.  What I see transpiring in the western world today looks very much like the judgments I see in Isaiah 3.