God Glorified in Judgment?

Isaiah 5:16,24b: "But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness . . . . for they (the Israelites) have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel."

In the early chapters of the book of Isaiah, the proclamation of God is a curse against the Israelites for their defiant rebellion against His Holiness. It is amazing to see the multi-faceted nature of Israel's debauchery and waywardness which would bring the coming judgment:

1. Insatiable desire for material wealth accumulation with no regard for the poor: "Woe to you who add house to house and field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land" (5:8).

2. Drunkenness and other licentious behavior: "Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD" (5:11-12).

3. Accumulated sin and deceit that is kept closely tethered to the wicked: "Woe to those who draw sin alone with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes" (5:18).

4. Contempt and mockery towards God: "(Woe to ) those who say, 'Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it.'"

5. Self-justification of sinful behavior: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil" (5:20).

6. Prideful Arrogance: "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (5:21).

7. Injustice: "Woe (to those) . . . who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent" (5:23).

With Israel's compilation of evil and rebellion against the LORD, God in turn announced that He would be exalted in His justice against their wickedness. This is an important truth to remember: God will be glorified both in His redemption of the righteous as well as in His wrath toward the wicked. Although God does not delight in the death of the wicked (see Ezekiel 18:23), He will be glorified in His righteous wrath against them, just as He will be glorified in the grace bestowed to those surrendered to His Lordship (Ephesians 1).

What is noteworthy is the contrast that one sees in the disposition of the heavenly hosts towards God in chapter 6. As the seraphs, each with six wings, fly before the throne of God, they cover their eyes and feet in an act of humility and unworthiness to look upon the Greatness of the One True God. As they thrice cry out the awesome Holiness of God, they do so with a reflective amazement.

The prophet Isaiah too was overwhelmed with the majesty of the Lord, and he cried out a curse upon himself for his utter uncleanness as He stood before the Lord of Hosts; the prophet confessed that the Lord was "King . . . the Lord Almighty" in an act of submission and humility. Isaiah's guilt was taken away, for he surrendered himself to God and confessed his utterly detestable sins before the Lord, seeking His grace.

We must remember that the Lord will not be treated with contempt by the wicked forever. God desires all men to come to repentance (see 2 Peter 3:9); nonetheless, He will enact His righteous wrath against the reprobate for all eternity. This is sobering reality that should bring each of us to our knees with contrite hearts, seeking the mercy of God. The beauty of our merciful Lord is that He is faithful and just to "forgive our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness" when we surrender to Him as our Lord and Savior (I John 1:9).