“Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink,
Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!
Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine;
But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord,
Nor do they consider the work of His hands.
Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;
And their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude is parched with thirst.
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure;
And Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it.
So the common man will be humbled and the man of importance abased,
The eyes of the proud also will be abased.
But the Lord of hosts will be exalted in judgment,
And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.
Then the lambs will graze as in their pasture,
And strangers will eat in the waste places of the wealthy.”
Isaiah 5:11-17 NASB1995
The second woe admonition by Isaiah is a longer passage. This woe addresses those who seek strong drink all day and seek pleasure and partying instead acknowledging the deeds and works of the Lord. They lack knowledge and will be exiled, even swallowed up into Sheol (more on that term later). The AI image at the top contains the key elements from the passage, including the strangers eating in the waste places of the wealthy and the lambs grazing in the pasture. Interestingly, ChatGPT did not provide any commentary to go along with the image. Although this is addressing the people of Judah and Jerusalem, the message is timeless.
Here are the remarkable insights for Isaiah 5:11-17 from Charles Spurgeon from Spurgeongems.org:
Verses 11-12: The covetous man was intoxicated with greed. Here is a man intoxicated with strong drink. It is never too early, it is never too late, for men to drink who once are carried away with this passion. They rise up early, they continue until night, and then, when they are inflamed with lust, all sorts of evil pleasures are sought after, and Satan leads them captive at his will. Woe unto such!
Now, it was because there were covetous men who were idolaters, because there were luxuriously living men who were drunkards, who had crept into Jerusalem and lived there, and spread evils among the people—it was for this that God declared that He would lay His vineyard waste. Are there none such in the church of God today? Ah, me! I fear there are professors who do not let it be known openly, but who in secret follow after these things.
Verses 13-14: What a wonderful description that is of the church of God when it goes wrong, when there is evil in it. Then evil multiplies itself greatly in the earth, and hell has to be made bigger, as it were. As one old preacher said, “They go to hell in droves.” There is none to stay them. When the church itself goes wrong, then the world is like that herd of swine that ran violently down a steep place to perish in the waters. Down, down they go! Oh, dreadful sight! Oh, terrible doom that falls upon the ungodly! Would God the church were well awake to see the danger of mankind, and that she so lived that God could bless her to the salvation of men.
Verses 15-16: For whoever may stain himself with sin, God will not. We may think lightly of sin, but He never does. We may be so foolish as to tolerate iniquity in ourselves and wink at it in others, but God will not do so. Even when sin was laid on Christ He smote Him to the death. Though He was not guilty of any sin, yet when our sin lay there, God turned away His face from His Son, and He died, and if He spared not sin in His Son, think you He will spare it in us? Ah, no! He is a just God, and He will clear His hands of any complicity with iniquity. The sixteenth verse is the song of Hannah, that greatest of ancient poetesses. It is the song of Mary, who copied it from Hannah, “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.”
Verse 17: It is ever so. There is always room for the tender, and the gentle, and the weak, when God smites the haughty and the strong.
Jesus was sinless, but because He took on the sins of the world on the cross, God turned from Him as He suffered and died. God hates sin!
Sheol is defined by the Blue Letter Bible lexicon as follows:
Sheol comes from the Hebrew feminine noun שְׁאוֹל shᵉʼôwl, sheh-ole'; or שְׁאֹל shᵉʼôl; from H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates:—grave, hell, pit.
The Biblical usages of Sheol include;
sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit
the underworld
Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead
place of no return
without praise of God
wicked sent there for punishment
righteous not abandoned to it
of the place of exile (fig)
of extreme degradation in sin
Enduring Word has a succinct commentary on this passage:
a. Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink: The picture is of those who “work hard” to party and endlessly celebrate. Their lives are filled with substance abuse and music – but they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands.
i. What is wrong with the party life and the addiction to entertainment? Simply put, God is forgotten. Though men may claim to remember Him in some way, they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. Anyone who really does regard the work of the LORD, and really does consider the operation of His hands, will live as if God is real and as if there is much more to life than partying and entertainment.
b. Therefore My people have gone into captivity: Those who forget about God because of their partying and entertainment will be judged by a captivity that will end the laughs (he who is jubilant, shall descend into it), exalt the LORD (the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment), and reward the meek (the lambs shall feed in their pasture).
So what’s wrong with drinking and having fun? I enjoy a glass of wine and I like relaxation and fun with friends or being on a leisure vacation. But it’s true - you do forget about God while taking advantage of our very luxurious time in history and the pursuit of pleasures. Our whole society is tailored to entertainment that often comes with strong drink and substance abuse. Here are some examples and things to think about and how these become the ultimate distraction from the Lord God of Hosts:
Sporting events - Baseball, football (and soccer), basketball, hockey, even kid’s tournaments are excuses to bring or buy a bunch of drinks for the adults. People even plan their time before the game to get there early for tailgate parties.
Concerts and music events - I don’t think I’ve ever attended a popular music concert that wasn’t in a cloud of smoke from certain “substances”. Oh, and the beer sales are pretty good, too.
TV and video games - Sitting in front of the TV mindlessly watching stuff or spending hours with games - a beer or wine is always better!
Vacations - there are many cruises these days, for example, that are merely excuses for endless partying and they offer low fares. Apparently, the “drinks included” package on Carnival Cruise Lines sets a daily limit of 15 drinks. Depending on your body composition, that quantity of alcohol could be fatal! No wonder there are viral videos of people fighting on cruises or passed out in hallways. We have been on 41 cruises and have rarely experienced a cruise that is merely an excuse for wild partying on the pool deck. And we never stop writing our devotionals, even when on a cruise vacation, so that helps to keep the Lord front and center.
Bar hopping and socializing in bars - Apparently, Generation “Z” isn’t as interested in strong alcoholic drinks, replacing those with strong and expensive coffees. But even movie theaters these days have bar service!
The biggest threat to our relationship with God with all of these distractions is that we lack knowledge of Him. It’s easier to defer the prayer, the Bible reading, and the attendance at church when there are games to go to, parties to attend, and another week in the Caribbean coming up! Here is a comparable passage in Hosea:
“Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel,
For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness
Or knowledge of God in the land.
There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea disappear.
Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
So you will stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your mother.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame.
They feed on the sin of My people
And direct their desire toward their iniquity.
And it will be, like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
They will eat, but not have enough;
They will play the harlot, but not increase,
Because they have stopped giving heed to the Lord.
Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding.”
Hosea 4:1-11 NASB1995
Being a believer in God, the Father Almighty and His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit is a serious business. We should never let our thoughts stray far afield from Him, even if we might enjoy some of the pleasures of this world and His creation but rather fold those things into a daily habit of thanksgiving and gratitude. I’ve also discovered, doing these more in-depth Bible devotional studies, that God uses different prophets and different situations to bring the same message to our plugged-up ears and unseeing eyes and distracted hearts.
Here is superb commentary from Enduring Word on the passage from Hosea 4:
b. There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land: Each of these three points is connected. When people forsake the knowledge of God, soon truth and mercy are both gone. Truth must be rooted in something more than personal opinion, and mercy means going beyond self-interest.
i. True wisdom and understanding always begin with the knowledge of God. Proverbs 9:10 says, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
ii. Or knowledge of God in the land: Alexander Pope, a famous writer, once wrote: “Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; the proper study of mankind is man.” But an even more famous writer, Charles Spurgeon, responded to Pope’s statement: “It has been said by someone that ‘the proper study of mankind is man.’ I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.”
c. They break all restraint: It all connects back to leaving the knowledge of God. Soon, truth and mercy are things of the past, and people no longer practice restraint. When man will not or cannot restrain himself, bloodshed and destruction follow.
i. Our modern age is completely set against the idea of restraint. You see it in advertising slogans of decades past:
· “To know no boundaries.”
· “No rules, just right.”
· “Just do it.”
· “Break all the rules.”
· “Peel off inhibitions. Find your own road.”
· “Living without boundaries.”
ii. The message is the same: You make your own rules. You answer to no one. You are the one that matters. Your universe revolves around you. You should only restrain yourself if you want to.
iii. The ultimate result is bloodshed after bloodshed. In the ancient Hebrew, this is literally “bloody deed touches bloody deed.” “Apparently violent crimes had become so common that one seemed immediately to follow another, as if touching it.” (Wood)
d. Everyone who dwells there will waste away: This is the tragic fruit of forsaking the knowledge of God, truth, mercy, and restraint. Satan sings sweetly to us, making us think or hope that casting these things away is a doorway to freedom – but it is only a path to destruction.
i. “Paul probably had Hosea’s chapter in mind as he penned his own indictment of the gentile nations (cf. Hosea 4:6 with Romans 1:24, 26, 28; Hosea 4:7 with Romans 1:23; Hosea 4:11 with Romans 1:21, 22).” (Boice)
…
d. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: When God’s people are destroyed and waste away, it isn’t because God has lost either His love or strength. It’s because His people lack…knowledge.
i. It isn’t that God says His people are completely ignorant. They have some knowledge, but not enough. They may have just enough to make them think they know it all.
ii. What kind of knowledge did they lack? In the context, the first answer must be they lack the knowledge of God (Hosea 4:1). They know God some – perhaps a little – but not enough. Perhaps they felt they knew God well enough already.
iii. The second kind of knowledge they lack is the knowledge of God’s Word (you have forgotten the law of your God). They know the Word of God some – perhaps a little – but not enough. Perhaps they felt they knew God’s Word well enough already.
iv. It should not surprise us that there is a connection between knowing God and knowing His Word. Some people think that Bible knowledge is boring and brainy and not necessary for a real walk with God. But God and His Word are vitally connected. Psalm 138:2 says, You have magnified Your word above all Your name. When God sought for a term to express His nature, He calls Himself “The Word” (John 1:1).
v. When we know God for who He really is, it affects our conduct. “Where there is no knowledge of God, no conviction of his omnipresence and omniscience, private offenses, such as stealing, adulteries, and so forth, will prevail.” (Clarke)
Really good stuff! Our modern age has the siren songs that try to lead us away from the knowledge of God by telling us there are no rules or constraints, just fun and things to buy, with you as the center of the universe. When you know God for who He really is, it affects our conduct and we realize that He is the center of all and we live to please Him.
My next devotional examines the third woe in Isaiah 5:18-19 - Woe to those who drag iniquity with falsehoods.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please help me to focus on You every day, through prayer, Bible study and a growing understanding of Your mercy, justice, holiness and righteousness. Amen
Citations and Credits:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.
Precept Austin was accessed on 08/28/2026 to review commentary for Isaiah 5:11-17.
Commentary from Enduring Word is used with written permission and without any alteration. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com. At the link referenced, the bibliography used by David Guzik can be accessed. This includes the commentary from Hosea.
Strong drink, even in it's milder forms is a temptation. Why do we want to forget ourselves.? Loose ourselves? What is it in life that makes us want to take vacations with this liquid form? What does it contribute to what we don't have already without the alcohol?
Thanks Ms Sande for the challenge!