What the Bible says about Children as Oppressors
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Isaiah 3:1-3 The prophet paints a picture of a society that, because of its rejection of God's way, has lost its ability to produce leaders in every sector. Someone must lead, thus the leadership positions are filled by children—immature, inexperienced, and self-involved adults who act like children—and women. These "women" can be literal women, or they can represent men who act like women. The example Isaiah gives in verses 6-7 is quite picturesque. He imagines a group of people living amidst the crumbling remains of a once-proud city. One of them, unwilling himself to lead, implores his brother to take the responsibility of ruling those left after the repeated disasters that strike a wicked, disintegrating nation. The brother glances around and says, "Don't look at me! I've got nothing to offer! I have no idea how to even begin to fix this mess!" One is left with the impression that, since no one will stand up to lead, the desolation will continue. God clearly points the finger of blame directly at the "women" who lead the people. They cause the nation to go astray in two ways: by implementing ungodly programs themselves or by weakly standing by as others do so. We have seen this happen in the nations of Israel over the past several decades, and the results are plain: They have rent the fabric of society and torn the nations' religious underpinnings to shreds. Richard T. Ritenbaugh Let Boys Be Boys! Related Topics: Children as Oppressors | Immaturity | Indecision | Leadership | Leadership Difficulties | Leadership Role, Abdication of | Weakness | Women as Leaders | Women in Authority | Women's Role

Isaiah 3:4 This is not speaking of children with respect to age so much as skill in governing. This passage refers primarily to babes in experience, knowledge, and maturity, although in many cases today, children do seem to rule their parents. Martin G. Collins The Century of the Child Related Topics: Babes in Maturity | Children and Disrespect for Authority | Children as Oppressors | Children, Immaturity of Children

Isaiah 3:5 Isaiah reveals a society that can be aptly described as "upside down." Those who should be leading are not and those who should not are. A central factor in this is that the immature are leading. A free-wheeling, laissez faire, hedonistic, immoral, and irresponsible culture exists. Verses 5 and 12 confirm that family governance and leadership are greatly affected. John W. Ritenbaugh The Fifth Commandment (1997) Related Topics: Childish Behavior | Children as Oppressors | Children, Characteristics of | Family | Family Governance | Family Problems | Family Relationship | Fifth Commandment | Government | Hedonism | Hedonistic Lifestyles | Immature Standards | Immaturity | Oppressors , Children as | Rulers as Inexperienced Children | The Fifth Commandment | Upside Down Society

Isaiah 3:12 This sounds condemnatory to women in positions of leadership, but this is only part of the story. Earlier in the chapter, God heaps most of the blame on the heads of men. Because men, whom God created and appointed to lead their families and the nation, abdicate their roles and positions in the home and society, women and "children" (the inexperienced and unqualified) take up the slack. In acting outside the bounds of their created makeup, God shows, women and children tend to hasten a nation's fall. Obviously, exceptions exist. Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Britain, led her nation to regain much of its lost power and prestige in the 1980s. However, her accomplishments also prove the point. Britain's "Iron Lady" succeeded because SHE GOVERNED LIKE A MAN! Christopher Caldwell, in an article titled "The Feminization of America," published in the Weekly Standard, December 23, 1996, concurs: [T]op leadership positions in any society typically go to the more aggressive, not to the smarter. . . . Women who do make it to the top tend to lead "male" lives. Thus, it is not a matter that women cannot lead, but that, generally, women should not lead. From the beginning, God placed men in the role of leader and provider (Genesis 3:16-19) and women as partners with their husbands and homemakers (Genesis 2:18; 3:16). Paul's instructions in Titus 2:4-5 verify that these roles did not change under the New Covenant. Richard T. Ritenbaugh A Woman's World Related Topics: Children as Oppressors | Feminization of America | Leadership | Oppressors , Children as | Rulers as Inexperienced Children | Upside Down Society | Women as Leaders | Women in Authority | Women, Responsibility of

Isaiah 3:12 The character of the princes and rulers are that of inexperienced children, unqualified for government. Oppressors is literally "exactors" or "taxers of money." Believing the well will never run dry, they tax oppressively to pay for their extravagant spending and their childish endeavors. Martin G. Collins The Century of the Child Related Topics: Childish Behavior | Children as Oppressors | Children, Characteristics of | Immature Standards | Immaturity | Oppressors , Children as | Rulers as Inexperienced Children

 

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