Isaiah 22:12-13
In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's striking here is that God doesn't just send a prophet to tell them to repent; He "calls" them Himself to mourning through the very events unfolding around them. This means God uses crises and difficult circumstances as a direct summons to His people to turn back to Him in sorrow and repentance.
The people of Judah are facing imminent danger, likely from an invading army, which has thrown them into a state of panic. Despite the severity of the crisis and the obvious signs of God’s displeasure, they have responded not with repentance and humility, but with feasting and carnal security, believing their own defenses will suffice. The prophet Isaiah is calling them to account for this profound spiritual blindness and misplaced trust.
When disaster strikes, what's our first instinct? To party or to pray? Isaiah reveals God's surprising call in times of crisis.
In Isaiah 22:12, the prophet declares that "in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth." This wasn't just a suggestion; it was a divine summons.
A Divine Invitation to Humility
The key takeaway is that in times of significant trouble, God's primary call is not for denial or celebration, but for humble repentance and acknowledgment of our need for Him.
What happens when people ignore God's call to repent and instead choose to party? Isaiah describes a dangerous spiritual blindness.
The verses immediately following Isaiah 22:12 paint a stark contrast. While God calls for solemn repentance, the people respond with.
A Party in the Face of Judgment
Understand the original words
Tsebha'oth · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the God of Israel as the commander of the angelic armies of heaven. It emphasizes His sovereign power, majesty, and absolute authority over all created beings and historical events.
saq · Hebrew Noun
External signs of deep grief, repentance, or lamentation. Sackcloth was a rough, dark fabric made of goat's hair, and baldness was often induced as an act of mourning.
This prophecy addresses the people of Judah during a moment of extreme national peril, specifically the terrifying Assyrian invasion. Instead of facing the crisis with repentance and sober reflection, the people, led by figures like Shebna, turn to feasting and denial. The Lord calls them to mourning, but their response is to cling to worldly pleasures, highlighting a deep spiritual blindness and rejection of God's warnings.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many fortified cities and threatening Jerusalem. This invasion created widespread panic and crisis.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Relief
The Assyrian army unexpectedly withdraws from Jerusalem after a divine intervention, often attributed to a plague or angelic action, saving the city.
Post-701 BC
Rise of Shebna and Eliakim
Following the crisis, political maneuvering occurs within Jerusalem's leadership. Shebna, a high official, is eventually displaced, and Eliakim is appointed in his place.
This passage echoes Isaiah's call for outward signs of repentance, urging a return to God 'with all your heart, with fasting and with weeping and with mourning.'
Jeremiah 4:8Similar to Isaiah's prophecy, Jeremiah describes God's judgment as a call to lamentation and mourning, highlighting the seriousness of the nation's sin.
Luke 6:25Jesus' lament over those who 'are well fed now' and 'laugh now' speaks to the same dangerous self-deception seen in Isaiah's prophecy, where outward joy masks inner decay and impending judgment.
1 Corinthians 15:32The spirit of 'let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die' finds a parallel in Paul's warning against certain attitudes, where a focus on present pleasure blinds one to eternal realities and God's coming judgment.
bensonIsaiah 22:12: "And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:"
Isaiah 22:12-14 . And in that day did, or will, the Lord call, &c. — Another fault, which the prophet imputes to the carnal Jews, is impenitence, or carnal security. He foretels that God would call them to weeping and mourning, and other instances and evidences of humiliation and godly sorrow; but that, instead thereof, he should find them given up to joy a…
cambridgeIsaiah 22:12: "And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:"
12 . in that day did the Lord … call ] not only by the silent march of events, but also by the voice of His prophet: see ch. Isaiah 32:11 . The call was to seriousness and humiliation, expressed by the customary signs of mourning. (Cf. Joel 2:12 ; Amos 8:10 ; Isaiah 3:24 ; Isaiah 20:2 , &c.) 12–14 . The ignoring of Jehovah’s presence in this crisis is an un…
What's striking here is that God doesn't just send a prophet to tell them to repent; He "calls" them Himself to mourning through the very events unfolding around them. This means God uses crises and difficult circumstances as a direct summons to His people to turn back to Him in sorrow and repentance.
The people of Judah are facing imminent danger, likely from an invading army, which has thrown them into a state of panic. Despite the severity of the crisis and the obvious signs of God’s displeasure, they have responded not with repentance and humility, but with feasting and carnal security, believing their own defenses will suffice. The prophet Isaiah is calling them to account for this profound spiritual blindness and misplaced trust.
The people of Judah are facing imminent danger, likely from an invading army, which has thrown them into a state of panic. Despite the severity of the crisis and the obvious signs of God’s displeasure, they have responded not with repentance and humility, but with feasting and carnal security, believing their own defenses will suffice. The prophet Isaiah is calling them to account for this profound spiritual blindness and misplaced trust.
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This highlights the immense spiritual danger of choosing temporary pleasure and denial over genuine repentance when God issues a call to solemnity and seriousness.
"In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. “…" — What's striking here is that God doesn't just send a prophet to tell them to repent; He "calls" them Himself to mourning through the very events unfolding around them. This means God uses crises an…
