Isaiah 5:19
who say: “Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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These people are not just impatiently waiting for God's punishment; they're daring Him to act, throwing back His own title, "the Holy One of Israel," with a sneer. Their demand to "see" and "know" His counsel reveals a profound disbelief, treating His warnings as empty threats rather than the serious matters they are.
This verse comes amidst a series of prophetic "woes" declared by Isaiah against the people of Judah for their widespread corruption, greed, and injustice. The people have become so arrogant and defiant in their sin that they mock God's threatened judgments, daring Him to carry them out quickly so they can see and know His power. This taunting defiance directly follows Isaiah's denunciation of their oppressive practices and their rejection of God's law, highlighting their deep-seated unbelief and scorn for divine authority.
When judgment seems slow, it's easy to feel like God isn't watching. Some people in Isaiah's day took this feeling and turned it into a taunt.
The people Isaiah is addressing are not just ignoring God; they are actively mocking Him. They say, 'Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it!' (Isaiah 5:19).
A Provocative Challenge
This isn't a genuine plea for justice. It's a challenge, born out of disbelief and arrogance. They've plunged into sin, perhaps believing they're getting away with it because God's promised punishment hasn't arrived immediately. They dare God to prove His threats are real.
The Silence of God?
Sinners often misinterpret divine patience as divine impotence. Because God doesn't strike immediately, they conclude He won't strike at all. They see His silence as an invitation to continue their wicked ways, essentially saying, 'If you're going to punish us, do it now so we can see it!' It's a profound act of rebellion.
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Isaiah uses a specific, cherished title for God. How did these defiant people twist it into an insult?
The phrase 'the counsel of the Holy One of Israel' (Isaiah 5:19) is loaded with meaning. It refers to God's righteous plans and His covenant faithfulness to His people, Israel.
A Title of Contempt
But for the people Isaiah addresses, this sacred title becomes a target for scorn. They repeat it with a sneer: 'let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!' They don't truly revere God as holy, nor do they trust His counsel. They're using His own title against Him, mocking the very idea of His righteous intervention.
Seeking to 'Know' God on Their Terms
Their desire to 'know' God's counsel isn't about submission or understanding. It's about demanding proof on their terms, wanting to witness His power only in a way that confirms their disbelief. They want to 'know' it by seeing its devastating effects, forcing God's hand to fit their cynical worldview.
Understand the original words
qadosh Yisra'el · Hebrew Noun phrase
A covenant title for God that reflects His unique relationship with His people and His role as their Redeemer and Ruler.
The people Isaiah addresses are so deeply entrenched in their sinful arrogance that they mock God's warnings, daring Him to punish them and claiming to desire His 'counsel' only to disbelieve and disregard it. This isn't a genuine plea for understanding, but a defiant challenge born from a willful ignorance of God's holiness and justice, a mindset that would tragically repeat itself even in the time of Jesus.
Late 8th century BC
Isaiah's Ministry Begins
Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry in Judah during a time of relative peace but growing moral decay and encroaching Assyrian power.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Prophecy of the "Woes"
Isaiah delivers prophecies, including the "woes" in chapter 5, denouncing the wealthy elite for their greed, injustice, and exploitation of the poor.
c. 734-732 BC
Syro-Ephraimitic War
The northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria attack Judah, seeking to force King Ahaz into an anti-Assyrian alliance. Judah suffers significant losses.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital of the northern kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of the northern tribes and the end of Israel as a distinct nation.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. The city is miraculously spared, but Judah faces severe hardship.
This passage echoes the same defiant taunts, with people mocking God's promised judgment and demanding its swift arrival, revealing a timeless human tendency to challenge divine authority when facing consequences.
2 Peter 3:3-4Here, mockers are described as questioning the promised coming of Christ and his judgment, asking 'Where is the promise of his coming?' This directly parallels the insolent challenge in Isaiah, highlighting how such scoffing arises from disbelief and a desire for impunity.
Luke 23:35During Jesus' crucifixion, the rulers and soldiers taunted Him with 'If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!' This reflects a similar challenge to divine power and purpose, demanding immediate, visible proof of His claims, much like the people in Isaiah.
Matthew 27:42The religious leaders and crowds mocking Jesus at the cross said, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him.' This is a striking parallel to the scornful demand for God's 'work' and 'counsel' to be seen and known.
barnesIsaiah 5:19: "That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!"
That say ... - They add one sin to another for "the purpose of defying" God, and provoking him to anger. They pretend that he will not punish sin; and hence, they plunge deeply into it, and defy him to punish them. Let him make speed - Let him come quick to punish. And hasten his work - His punishment. That we may see it - A…
gillIsaiah 5:19: "That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!"
That say, let him make speed, and hasten his work,.... Either the punishment of their sins, threatened by the prophets; which, because not speedily and immediately executed, therefore they did not believe it ever would; and in a daring and insolent manner call upon God to inflict it: that we may see it, or feel it; for, as f…
These people are not just impatiently waiting for God's punishment; they're daring Him to act, throwing back His own title, "the Holy One of Israel," with a sneer. Their demand to "see" and "know" His counsel reveals a profound disbelief, treating His warnings as empty threats rather than the serious matters they are.
This verse comes amidst a series of prophetic "woes" declared by Isaiah against the people of Judah for their widespread corruption, greed, and injustice. The people have become so arrogant and defiant in their sin that they mock God's threatened judgments, daring Him to carry them out quickly so they can see and know His power. This taunting defiance directly follows Isaiah's denunciation of their oppressive practices and their rejection of God's law, highlighting their deep-seated unbelief and scorn for divine authority.
This verse comes amidst a series of prophetic "woes" declared by Isaiah against the people of Judah for their widespread corruption, greed, and injustice. The people have become so arrogant and defiant in their sin that they mock God's threatened judgments, daring Him to carry them out quickly so they can see and know His power. This taunting defiance directly follows Isaiah's denunciation of their oppressive practices and their rejection of God's law, highlighting their deep-seated unbelief and scorn for divine authority.
"who say: “Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!”" — These people are not just impatiently waiting for God's punishment; they're daring Him to act, throwing back His own title, "the Holy One of Israel," with a sneer. Their demand to "see" and "know" Hi…
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