Isaiah 10:1-11: a reflection

1Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees 2to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their plunder, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! 3What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth? 4They will only bow down under the prisoners, and will fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 5Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation! 6I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me I will give him a command to take the plunder and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7However, he doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations. 8For he says, “Aren’t all of my princes kings? 9Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?” 10As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images exceeded those of Jerusalem and of Samaria, 11shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

God pronounces a woe on those who use their power to make unjust laws, writing decrees that deprive the poor and vulnerable of justice and rob them of their rights. Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, God says, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees, to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor of their rights, that widows may be their plunder, and that they may make the fatherless their prey. The evil here is not lawlessness but injustice codified into law, the use of legal power and decrees to oppress the vulnerable, depriving the needy of justice under the color of law, preying on widows and the fatherless. God pronounces woe on such legislated injustice. This shows God's judgment on the evil of using laws and power to oppress the vulnerable. God pronounces woe on unjust laws that oppress the vulnerable. Injustice codified into law is a grave evil before God. Using legal power to rob the poor of justice draws God's woe. God sees and judges the oppression of the vulnerable under color of law.

Notice the particular evil God confronts here: not simple lawlessness, but the perversion of law itself into an instrument of oppression. The woe is pronounced on those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write oppressive laws; their evil is to use the power of law and legal decree to deprive the needy of justice, to rob the poor of their rights, to make widows and the fatherless their prey, all under the color of legality. This is a sobering reminder that injustice can be codified, made legal, dressed up in decrees and laws, and that such legislated injustice is a grave evil in God's sight. It is possible to oppress the vulnerable not by breaking the law but by making unjust laws, by using legal power to deprive the poor and needy of justice. And God is not deceived by the color of legality; he sees the injustice for what it is, and pronounces woe on it. This calls those who have any part in making, applying, or upholding laws and rules to do so justly, especially toward the vulnerable, and warns against the use of legal power to oppress. And it assures us that God sees and cares about justice for the poor and vulnerable, even when injustice is dressed up as law. We do well to care about justice for the vulnerable, and to guard against injustice codified as law. God judges injustice codified into law, not just open lawlessness. Legal power used to oppress the vulnerable is a grave evil. God sees through the color of legality to the injustice beneath. Care about justice for the vulnerable, even against unjust laws.

That is worth taking to heart, for God judges the evil of using laws and power to oppress the vulnerable, seeing through the color of legality, and we do well to care about justice for the poor and guard against injustice codified as law. We can suppose that what is legal is therefore just, or overlook oppression that is dressed up in law; but God pronounces woe on those who decree unrighteous decrees to rob the poor of their rights. God is not deceived by legality. Do not suppose that what is legal is always just; care about justice for the vulnerable, and guard against injustice made into law. Care about justice for the poor and vulnerable and guard against injustice codified into law, not supposing that what is legal is always just, for God pronounces woe on those who use their power to make unjust laws, writing oppressive decrees to deprive the needy of justice, rob the poor of their rights, and make widows and the fatherless their prey; for the evil here is not simple lawlessness but injustice codified into law, the perversion of law itself into an instrument of oppression, depriving the needy of justice under the color of law, which is a sobering reminder that injustice can be made legal, dressed up in decrees, and that such legislated injustice is a grave evil in God's sight, since it is possible to oppress the vulnerable not by breaking the law but by making unjust laws and using legal power to deprive the poor of justice, and God is not deceived by the color of legality but sees the injustice for what it is and pronounces woe on it, which calls those who have any part in making, applying, or upholding laws to do so justly especially toward the vulnerable, and warns against the use of legal power to oppress, while assuring us that God sees and cares about justice for the poor even when injustice is dressed up as law, so that we do well to care about justice for the vulnerable and to guard against injustice codified as law.

Lord, you pronounce a woe on those who use their power to make unjust laws, writing decrees that deprive the poor and vulnerable of justice and rob them of their rights. Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, you say, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees, to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor of their rights, that widows may be their plunder, and that they may make the fatherless their prey. The evil here is not lawlessness but injustice codified into law, the use of legal power to oppress the vulnerable under the color of law. You pronounce woe on such legislated injustice. Show me the particular evil you confront here: not simple lawlessness, but the perversion of law itself into an instrument of oppression. The woe is on those who decree unrighteous decrees, whose evil is to use the power of law to deprive the needy of justice, to make widows and the fatherless their prey, all under the color of legality. This is a sobering reminder that injustice can be codified, made legal, dressed up in decrees, and that such legislated injustice is a grave evil in your sight. It is possible to oppress the vulnerable not by breaking the law but by making unjust laws. And you are not deceived by the color of legality; you see the injustice for what it is. This calls those who have any part in making, applying, or upholding laws to do so justly, especially toward the vulnerable. And it assures me that you see and care about justice for the poor, even when injustice is dressed up as law. Take that to my heart, for you judge injustice codified into law, and I do well to care about justice for the vulnerable. Keep me from supposing that what is legal is always just, or overlooking oppression dressed up in law; help me care about justice for the poor and vulnerable, Lord, and guard against injustice made into law, mindful that you see through the color of legality to the injustice beneath.