Isaiah 22:12-14
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.” The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: “Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,” says the Lord GOD of hosts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just describing a historical event; it reveals that God's "call" to sorrow and repentance comes not only through prophets but also directly through His providential circumstances. The text emphasizes that even when crisis strikes, God expects a response of genuine grief and humility, not the defiant revelry that tragically followed.
This passage occurs during a time of severe national crisis for Judah, likely related to an impending invasion or siege. The prophet Isaiah is lamenting the people's misplaced reliance on their own defenses and their spiritual blindness, rather than turning to God. Instead of repentance and mourning, the people are indulging in feasting and revelry, believing their city is impregnable and that their fate is sealed, which Isaiah calls out as their grave iniquity.
When disaster strikes, what's your first instinct? Is it to party or to pray? Isaiah shows us God's clear expectation when trouble comes knocking.
The phrase 'In that day' signals a significant moment, often one of judgment or divine intervention. Here, it marks a time of national crisis. The Lord GOD of hosts isn't just passively observing; He's actively calling His people to respond. His call isn't for a party or a shrug of indifference, but for profound grief and humility.
The Language of Grief
God uses these vivid, visceral actions to communicate the seriousness of the situation and the depth of sorrow He desires. This isn't a suggestion; it's a divine summons to acknowledge His hand and repent.
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What happens when a nation, or an individual, turns up the music instead of turning to God in a crisis? Isaiah warns of a perilous path.
The tragedy in Isaiah 22 isn't just the impending disaster, but the people's response to God's call for mourning. While God called for weeping and sackcloth, the people chose celebration. They said, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die' (Isaiah 22:13). This reveals a spirit of defiant recklessness and carnal security.
The Futility of 'Eat, Drink, and Be Merry'
Choosing pleasure over repentance in the face of God's warnings leads not to true life, but to a deeper, more final destruction.
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.
'avon · Hebrew Noun
The moral act of willfully violating God's law or standard. It implies a crookedness or perversion of the heart that separates an individual from a holy God, requiring divine intervention for removal.
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
The act of covering or wiping away sin. In the Old Testament, it refers to the sacrificial provision made to satisfy the justice of God, thereby restoring the relationship between God and humanity.
This verse speaks to a moment of intense national crisis for Judah, specifically the threat and siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib. The prophet Isaiah calls for deep repentance and mourning in the face of God's judgment, but laments that the people responded with carnal security and feasting instead.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian threat to Judah
Under King Hezekiah, Judah faced the imminent threat of the Assyrian Empire, led by Sennacherib. This period saw significant anxiety and military preparations within Jerusalem.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's invasion and siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian army invaded Judah, conquering many cities. Sennacherib's forces laid siege to Jerusalem, creating a crisis that demanded a response from God and His people.
c. 701 BC
Miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem
The Assyrian siege of Jerusalem was suddenly lifted under miraculous circumstances, often attributed to divine intervention, as described in accounts by Isaiah and later by the historian Josephus.
Following the deliverance
Reign of Hezekiah's successors
The period after the Assyrian threat saw a shift in leadership and policy, with some successors to Hezekiah not upholding his reforms, leading to a spiritual decline that set the stage for later prophecies.
This passage directly parallels Isaiah's call to outward signs of repentance by urging a return to God 'with all your heart, with fasting and with weeping and with mourning,' highlighting the shared theme of seeking God through sincere grief and remorse.
Amos 8:10Similar to Isaiah's message, Amos describes God calling for mourning and the end of celebration, illustrating the severe consequences of sin and the divine call to humility in times of judgment.
Luke 12:16-21The parable of the rich fool who hoards possessions and ignores his impending death echoes the 'eat and drink, for tomorrow we die' mentality warned against in Isaiah 22:13, which follows this verse, contrasting worldly security with spiritual readiness.
Matthew 6:16-18Jesus' teaching on fasting, like Isaiah's mention of sackcloth and mourning, emphasizes that outward displays of repentance are meant to be expressions of inner sincerity, not mere performances, connecting the outward signs to an inward reality.
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…
This verse isn't just describing a historical event; it reveals that God's "call" to sorrow and repentance comes not only through prophets but also directly through His providential circumstances. The text emphasizes that even when crisis strikes, God expects a response of genuine grief and humility, not the defiant revelry that tragically followed.
This passage occurs during a time of severe national crisis for Judah, likely related to an impending invasion or siege. The prophet Isaiah is lamenting the people's misplaced reliance on their own defenses and their spiritual blindness, rather than turning to God. Instead of repentance and mourning, the people are indulging in feasting and revelry, believing their city is impregnable and that their fate is sealed, which Isaiah calls out as their grave iniquity.
This passage occurs during a time of severe national crisis for Judah, likely related to an impending invasion or siege. The prophet Isaiah is lamenting the people's misplaced reliance on their own defenses and their spiritual blindness, rather than turning to God. Instead of repentance and mourning, the people are indulging in feasting and revelry, believing their city is impregnable and that their fate is sealed, which Isaiah calls out as their grave iniquity.
"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. “…" — This verse isn't just describing a historical event; it reveals that God's "call" to sorrow and repentance comes not only through prophets but also directly through His providential circumstances. Th…
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