Isaiah 47:6
“I was angry with my people. I profaned my inheritance, and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy. You laid a very heavy yoke on the aged.”
What does Isaiah 47:6 mean?
God is speaking to Babylon here, calling them to account for how they treated the people of Judah during the exile. Yes, God allowed the Babylonians to conquer and carry away his people as judgment for their unfaithfulness, but that divine permission didn't give them license to be cruel. The Babylonians treated the captives, especially the elderly, with unnecessary harshness and cruelty that went far beyond what God intended. This verse reminds us that God sometimes uses difficult circumstances or difficult people to accomplish his purposes, but that doesn't make cruelty acceptable. Those who harm others, even in situations where they have power, will still answer to God for how they wielded that power. There's a real comfort here for anyone suffering under the hand of someone harsh or unjust: God sees it, he hasn't forgotten, and he will ultimately hold people accountable for their treatment of the vulnerable.