Reading 74 | The Bible in 100 Passages

Thursday, November 27, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Isaiah 3:1–8

For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts,
is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah
support and staff —
all support of bread,
and all support of water —
warrior and soldier,
judge and prophet,
diviner and elder,
captain of fifty and dignitary,
counselor and skillful magician
and expert enchanter.
And I will make boys their princes,
and babes shall rule over them.
The people will be oppressed,
everyone by another
and everyone by a neighbor;
the youth will be insolent to the elder,
and the base to the honorable.

Someone will even seize a relative,
a member of the clan, saying,
“You have a cloak;
you shall be our leader,
and this heap of ruins
shall be under your rule.”
But the other will cry out on that day, saying,
“I will not be a healer;
in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;
you shall not make me leader of the people.”
For Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen,
because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord,
defying his glorious presence. (NRSV)

Reflection

During a recent power outage, I was reminded of how reliant I am on power. I would walk into a new room and flip the light switch, mostly out of habit. While I realized I couldn’t watch TV, I would decide I could watch something on my iPad, since it was fully charged. But while it has stored power, I don’t have Internet. I finally decided to read, but I quickly got frustrated trying to balance a flashlight while holding a book. I generally don’t give a second thought about the electricity that runs my apartment, but as soon as it is gone, I notice.

God is telling Judah that God is taking away all their “supports.” The people of Judah had become comfortable with what they thought they could control, but behind these very earthly structures, the community had lost sight of its moral and spiritual center. Where do we place our confidence? Do we trust too deeply in systems that can be taken away? Or does our faith ground us in the work of doing justice, advocating for the vulnerable, and walking humbly with God?

Reading this passage makes me question what “supports” in my life am I leaning on that God might be removing to challenge me to rely more fully on God’s grace.

Prayer

Sovereign God, help me not to rely too heavily on false securities that can be taken away. Teach me to trust in your steadfast love. Amen.

Written by Katie Patterson, Ministry Team Director

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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