Isaiah 22 and Environmental Ethics

In Isaiah 22, Isaiah prophesies about Jerusalem.  Verses 9-11 have particular pertinence to civilizations today.

“you saw that the City of David
had many breaches in its defenses;
you stored up water
in the Lower Pool.

You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
and tore down houses to strengthen the wall.

You built a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.”

In this passage, Jerusalem has fortified its city and built a reservoir for supplies in lean times.  We might call this wise.  But according to God, actions without acknowledging God’s sovereignty and creation are folly.  God laments that Jerusalem does not ‘look to the One who made it’ and planned it.  Instead of atoning for this sin, the Israelites revel with wine and the slaughtering of cattle and sheep, saying ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’ (vv. 12-13)  This, as you can imagine, greatly offends God. (v .14)

If we acknowledge God’s sovereignty, we would realize that, though we use God’s creation and remake it, it is still God’s.  This thought profoundly affects how we use resources – no longer can we just use things for selfish reasons, for while God relates to us individually, he is always concerned with people on the whole, and groups of people.  Acknowledging God’s sovereignty should make us investigate our consumption choices – are our purchasing and consuming choices glorifying to God?  Do they keep in mind ‘the One who made it?’  I daresay that consumer choices that result in harm to human and creation’s health and social justice are not.

This passage puts to rest the idea of dominion, in favor of the stewardship principle (for more info on this subject see my post here).  We are stewards – stewards in service of a King.  When we stray from this, we should repent of our sins and change our ways, instead of continuing down the indulgent path of excess, like the Israelites.