Isaiah Lectures

Lesson # 3

Isaiah 1

I. Isaiah: Judgment and Mercy Chapter 1:

If one reads Isaiah 1:1 carefully it tells us four things. 1) We learn Isaiah’s name the name of his father. 2) We learn that Isaiah had received a vision that was seen with his eyes. In Hebrew thinking eyes are the metaphor for perception. In other words, Isaiah has perceived truth. 3) We are told it the vision concerned Judah and Jerusalem or in other words for the believing community of that day or for Christians today. 97 times thorough out the book of Isaiah Zion (another name for Jerusalem) or Jerusalem is mentioned. 4) We learn the time of the vision came: during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.

Note: Biblical prophecy comes in historical time, to particular people and insight comes by means of another person. God will speak to real people in real time about particular groups. These groups can later become a type that can apply to later groups in other places and centuries, but the point is God speaks to us in our historical existence about our lives here on earth.

>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 1:2-4.

There is a lot of similarity between Isaiah 1 and Deuteronomy chapter 32 (the Song of Moses). Great similarities can be easily seen between these opening verses and Deuteronomy 32:16, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, and 36. For instance in Dt. 32.1 and Isaiah 1:2 the heavens and earth are addressed and not Judah. We might ask why this curious formulation. The answer lies in Deuteronomy 31:28. Isaiah, like Moses before him, is calling witnesses. This is a court case. This is done quite often in the Old Testament: see Micah 1:2; Psalm 50:1, 4, 7; and Dt. 4:26.

Notice the harsh words of verses 2b-4 These are accusations and presentation of evidence. Most importantly is verse 4. This people have forsaken the Lord! Such an accusation is most appropriate for those in covenant with God, not the pagan world. This pronouncement of judgment will go through out the Book of Isaiah. For example, see verse 1:31 and then go to the last chapter and read 66:24. Fire is a symbol of judgment and the fire will not go out meaning the judgment will not stop against those who continue to rebel against God. There is if there is a change of heart. God can make things new (see Isaiah 64:17 and 66:22).

>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 1:5-9

Notice contains a description of Judah’s condition. Judah has already received tremendous judgment, but also it tells us that the people of God refuse correction (1:5).

Q What is the Rhetorical Question in 1:5 asking us to think about?

An = Can a people be punished (or can a child be spanked) and it not do any good? The author wants us to picture the state of the nation. He is sad to report it, not glad it has happened. It grieves his heart to report such a picture.

Note: The prophets many times want us to visualize their messages and the metaphors they use to speak with us. To read the prophets properly efforts of such visualization must be made.

Note: In addition, the prophet wants us to feel with him as well. He asks us to picture a body, what would it look like and what would it feel like? Then he lets us know that the metaphor of a body was to help us understand the state of the country. The body metaphor was referring to the nation. In verses 7-8 he then asks us to picture not a wounded body but a devastated land with only one little part of it left standing: Jerusalem.

Q What is verse 9 saying?

An = The prophet says the nation would be in worse shape, except God has been merciful. We have forsaken Him, but He has not completely forsaken us.

>>>> Let us read verse 10 together.

Q Who was Sodom and Gomorrah and what did they represent?

An = These were cities who were destroyed by God for excessive wickedness (see Genesis 18-19). Isaiah has just deeply insulted these “church” people by referring to them as people like the inhabitants of these famous wicked cities. This is offensive and Isaiah means to do this. Isaiah’s harsh, offensive words are not new though. Moses’ Song (Dt. 32:32) uses the same language. Sometimes the church is as wicked in God’s eyes as the wicked pagans on earth. When this condition exists, a true prophet like Moses or like Isaiah will point this out.

>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 30:9-10.

Note: Isaiah’s vision of his country comes from God’s perspective. God’s views are not always pleasant. Can you imagine such similar statements being made on a Sunday morning in church?

>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 1:11-15

Q What is the purpose of such statements? Are these words said with hatred or meanness?

An = God says you come to worship me in the right ways and you pray to me, but I will not listen and I am weary of your presence in church and your outstretched arms in prayer. This is not said to be mean, but let the people know the truth. Their worship is not working. It would be mean not to tell them. In addition, such words are said to accomplish a goal. Let us see what it is.

>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 1:16-20.

Note: God wants them to be cleansed, to repent and to able to receive blessing. We seldom hear such sermons in our churches and it makes us wonder what the preachers are thinking. Do they fear their audiences? Do they really believe God can cleanse. Do they really see the condition of their people and if they do, do they really love them. Verse 18 is beautiful, it is filled with hope. Such hope cannot come though without verses 2-17 being spoken. We must let the people know they have abandoned the Lord, that this is the cause of their judgment and that they are indeed wicked and their worship is futile until they become clean and change their ways.

Q How does one become clean?

An = The answer is to change doing wrong and what is wrong is spelled out. They do not do what is fair, what is just. They do not help the people in their community who are oppressed and they do not defend the weak (symbolized by the widows and orphans). What God wants of them is not a change in religious behavior but how they treat other human beings who are less fortunate than themselves. Jesus will say something very similar in Luke 10:41 and in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 (see especially Luke 16:31).

>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 1:21-23.

Note: He continues to give a list of accusations and reasons for judgment. This time the prophet picks up a famous accusation made by earlier prophets by calling them harlots or prostitutes. Then Isaiah gives the motive for their harsh accusations in verse 23 by repeating the same theme of verse 17. They did not do social justice; they did not take care of or give justice to the weak. Isaiah is not saying anything Moses did not say.

>>>> Let us read together just three examples:

Exodus 22:22-27,

Deuteronomy 14:9

Deuteronomy 16:11-14

As we read the rest of the chapter in verses 24-31 we realize that the court case begun in verse 2 with the calling of witnesses and the presentation of accusations and the presentation of evidence that has taken place in verses 3-23 have led to a verdict and an announcement of the sentence.

>>>> Let us read together 1:24-31 with this court metaphor in mind…

Note: Isaiah 1:26-28 have strong ties to chapters 65-66.

Note: The goal spoken of in verse 16-20 will appear again at the end of the book (see Isaiah 65:13-16). God punishes, He sends His fire, but His goal is restoration if the people will turn back to Him.

Q Has God put you or your church or someone you know through fire (through judgment)?

God has not changed. His sending of fire and judgment has the same purpose: to bring about justice and righteousness when we ignore those who are in need around us. Such justice will either redeem us as we repent or crush us if we do not.