Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"The foolish person will no longer be called generous"
Text: Isaiah 32:5
PEOPLE IN A RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM II
Isaiah continues to write about what it means to be in a righteous kingdom. The problem of sin will never completely go away. Some of these problems were highlighted.
“The foolish person will no longer be called generous,
Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.”
Isaiah 32:5-6
1. In an unrighteous kingdom.
a) People can speak deceptively.
b) The foolish person is called “generous”.
i) He is coaxed by wicked people to fritter away his wealth.
ii) He is “praised” for his “generosity”.
iii) But secretly, he is despised for his foolishness.
c) The miser can be called “bountiful”.
i) He is coaxed to give “bountifully”.
ii) He does not realise that he has been deceived.
2. In a righteous kingdom.
a) The fool would not be taken advantage of.
b) His foolishness in handling his wealth is noted.
c) But no one would try and take away his money through deceitful flattery.
d) The miser is recognised for his miserliness.
e) But he will not be cheated of his hoarded wealth through wicked means.
3. But there is a distinction between:
a) Those who are foolish because they are ignorant and untaught.
b) There are some who are wicked and choose the path of sin.
i) These are also called “foolish”.
ii) But their foolishness is of the moral kind.
4. The wicked-foolish person is described carefully and clearly:
a) He will speak foolishly.
b) He will still be caught up with iniquity.
c) He will practise ungodliness.
d) He will speak erroneous things about the LORD.
e) He will do nothing to satisfy the hunger of the poor.
f) He will not give a drink of water to the thirsty.