A Study of the Woes of Isaiah 5
“Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity,
“And sin as if with a cart rope” (Isaiah 5:18).
In this metaphor, Isaiah describes those who sin excessively against God and live in false hope that they can get away with it. They doubt God anyway and believe, at the very least, that He will accept them regardless of what they do—actually, in their arrogance, they are scoffing at God and His ways.
“Iniquity” means sin—it is inclusive of all kinds of sin. “Cords of vanity” describes those who draw their cart “load” of sins after them with the idea that the cords (ropes) are strong enough for them to pull their sins along and keep them close. The reality is that their “cart rope” is too weak—in fact, no “cart rope” is strong enough to cause God to accept us in our sins.
So, those who fall under this woe deceive themselves—they live under the false assumption that they can sin and get away with it. God hates sin, and He will never accept it—His divine nature will not allow it.
That our “cart rope” was too weak to allow us to make it to heaven on our own is the reason God sent His Son to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. Upon our faithful obedience to Jesus, God can then forgive us and allow us to come to be with Him some day. We offer praise and honor to God for His love and mercy.