“And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 22:12 Mean?
God called his people to weeping, mourning, baldness (shaving the head as a sign of grief), and sackcloth — the full expression of repentance and lamentation. The occasion was judgment approaching. The appropriate response was grief.
But instead (v.13): joy and gladness, slaying oxen, killing sheep, eating flesh, drinking wine — a party. The people responded to impending judgment with celebration. Their motto: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
"Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die" is fatalistic hedonism — the philosophy that since death is certain, pleasure is the only rational response. No repentance. No preparation. Just one more feast before the end.
God's response (v.14): this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die. The casual dismissal of divine warning through partying is not forgiven. The refusal to mourn when mourning was called for sealed their fate.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Where is God calling you to mourn or repent that you are responding with distraction instead?
- 2.How does 'let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die' describe modern attitudes toward spiritual urgency?
- 3.What makes the refusal to grieve when grief is called for so serious?
- 4.How do you distinguish between genuine celebration and numbing yourself to avoid dealing with reality?
Devotional
In that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping. God called them to grieve. The situation demanded mourning, repentance, honest reckoning with what was coming. The appropriate response was sackcloth, not celebration.
And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep. Instead of repenting, they threw a party. Instead of mourning, they feasted. The judgment was approaching and they responded with another round of drinks.
Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. The motto of people who have given up on meaning. Since death is coming anyway, why not enjoy what is left? It sounds sophisticated. It is actually despair wearing a mask of pleasure.
This iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die. The casual dismissal of God's call to repentance is not a small thing. It is the sin that will not be forgiven — not because God is unwilling, but because the people are unable. They have numbed themselves so thoroughly that repentance is no longer accessible.
Where is God calling you to grieve that you are responding with distraction? Where is he asking for honesty and you are throwing a party instead? The feast feels better. But the call to weeping is the one that saves.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And in that day did the Lord God of hosts,.... When it was a day of trouble, of treading down, and of perplexity; when…
And in that day - In the invasion of Sennacherib. It might be rendered, ‘And the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, on such a day…
What is meant by the covering of Judah, which in the beginning of this paragraph is said to be discovered, is not…
The ignoring of Jehovah's presence in this crisis is an unpardonable sin.
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture