Sins of the cynically unbelieving 5:18-25

Isaiah proceeded to expose the attitude that resulted in the people not allowing their knowledge of God to affect the way they lived (cf. v. 13). They thought that God would not act and that they knew what was better for themselves than He did. The prophet identified more "sour grapes"that issued from these attitudes.

 Four additional woes 5:18-23

5:18-19 The Israelites were deliberately sinning. They had not innocently fallen into sin, but they were pursuing it willfully. Rather than fleeing from it, they were holding it to themselves. Even worse, they were doing so in an attempt to bait God to respond. They believed that He would not punish them. Their ties with sin were like the cords that the people used to lead their animals and the cart ropes that were much stronger and harder to break.

5:20 The fourth bad product of the Israelite vineyard was perversity. The people were calling good what God called evil, and vice versa. For example, glorifying adultery and treating committed believers as dangerous radicals turns the truth on its head. They were mocking God's ways publicly and privately. They refused to accept the standard of God's revelation.

5:21 Their fifth error was conceit. They thought they were wiser and cleverer than Yahweh.

5:22-23 Sixth, they had adopted corrupt values. They glorified the "macho man"who did things that appeared great but were nothing more than sophisticated childishness. The more a person could drink, the greater the people honored him. They thought it "smart"to profit from the misfortune of others even though that ran counter to God's will. Corrupt judges could do this easily (cf. Prov. 17:15).

 The second explanation for the coming judgment 5:24-25

The second double "therefores"(cf. vv. 13, 14) announce God's judgment for the sins mentioned in verses 18-22, but also those identified since verse 8. The condemnation is cumulative.

5:24 The people had challenged God to act speedily (v. 19), and Isaiah assured them that He would. God in judgment is seen as a external fire that would consume His people. He would also be to them as an internal disease that decimates a whole plant, from roots to shoots. The reason for judgment is the people's rejection of mighty Yahweh's revealed will (cf. v. 12).

5:25 In fact, many judgments had already come against Judah in her history. God was removing the hedge and breaking down the wall around His vineyard (cf. v. 5). Nevertheless the nation had not repented, so more judgment would come.