Isaiah 3:12 - Youths oppress my people

3:12

“Infants oppress them and women rule over them”. We are about to enter a passage with even more judgement upon the nation. This verse prepares the way for this, pointing out some of the problems in society. What does it mean when it says “infants oppress them”? Probably that the society was unduly influenced by those who were not fit to rule. Let’s look at our own society. It can be said that the young have far too much influence. This does not mean that we should not listen to the young, nor that they never have anything worthwhile to say, absolutely not. But we see throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, leadership by elders. As we grow older we are meant to increase in godly experience, in godly wisdom. When this breaks down society break down. However, the young having influence is not the source of the problem, it is symptom of the problem. The root of the problem is supposedly mature men and women not having the necessary wisdom, not taking up the responsibility they should take up. Likewise “women rule over them” being seen as a bad thing is a phrase that is bound to raise the hackles of feminists, but again the problem is not “women ruling over them”, but men failing to take up their proper responsibilities. And this is something we definitely see in the church, as well as in society at large. “Women in leadership” is not the problem, nor is it the solution! Men taking up their proper responsibilities in a Christlike manner is the solution, and when we do so women will also rise up in a godly way, and will exercise proper authority as well.

As it was the nation of Judah had been badly led and so was going down dangerous paths. And much the same can be said for the West as a whole, and for the church in the West.