Isaiah 1

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Isaiah Chapter 1

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Isaiah

Date Penned: (700-681 BC)

Overview: To Tell of God's Salvation through the Messiah (c 1-66)

Theme: Words of Judgment (c 1-39)

Message: The Sins of Israel and Judah (v 1-31)

Isaiah 1 Commentary

(1:1) Isaiah - Isaiah was a prophet during the time when the original nation of Israel had been divided into two kingdoms--Israel in the north and Judah in the south. The northern kingdom had sinned greatly against God, and the southern kingdom was headed in the same direction--perverting justice, oppressing the poor, turning from God to idols, and looking for military aid from pagan nations rather than help from God. Thus, Isaiah's ministry began as one of warning. Isaiah came primarily as a prophet to Judah, but his message was also for the northern kingdom. Sometimes Israel refers to both kingdoms. Isaiah's prophecies cover 55 years of history, and he lived to see the destruction and captivity of the northern kingdom in 722 BC.

(1:2-4) Judah - Here Israel refers to the southern kingdom, Judah. The people of Judah were sinning greatly and did not even care. In fact, they no longer even realized they were sinning. God brought charges against the people of Judah through Isaiah because they had rejected the Lord, forgotten him, and broken their moral and spiritual agreement (covenant) with him (see Deuteronomy 28). By breaking their agreement, they were bringing God's punishment upon themselves. First God had given them prosperity, but they hadn't served him. Then God sent them warnings, but they refused to listen. Finally, he would bring the fire of his judgment (see Isaiah 1:7,31).

(1:4-9) Our Sin - As long as the people of Judah continued to sin, they cut themselves off from God's help and isolated themselves. Remember that God never abandons us. Our sins cut off our closeness and communication with him, leaving us lonely for the one who created us to be in relationship with him. The cure for this kind of loneliness involves restoring a meaningful relationship with God through confession of your sins, obedience to his instructions, and regular communication with him (see Psalm 140:13; Isaiah 1:16-19; 1 John 1:9).

(1:5) Rebellion - Rebelling against God and his standards affects our hearts and minds. When we disobey him, our thoughts and beliefs become twisted and misdirected. Our hearts' desires become unhealthy and perverse when we no longer follow God, who is the creator of what is true and good and right. Isaiah prompts us to honestly recognize our human condition. When was the last time you took an honest assessment of the condition of your relationship with God? Is now the time to do it?

(1:7) Destruction - Was this destruction taking place at the time the prophet spoke these words? Judah was attacked many times during Isaiah's lifetime. To be plundered and devastated by foreigners was the worst kind of judgment. This verse could be a picture of the results of these invasions or a prediction of the coming invasion of Israel by Assyria. But most likely it pointed to Babylon's future invasion of Judah and the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

(1:9) Wickedness - Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that God completely destroyed for their great wickedness (Genesis 19:1-25). Their destruction is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible as an example of God's judgment against sin (Jeremiah 50:40; Ezekiel 16:46-63; Matthew 11:23-24; Jude 1:7). Only a remnant (a few) in Judah would be spared by God because they were faithful.

(1:10-14) Judgement - God was unhappy with these people's sacrifices, but he was not revoking the system of sacrifices he had initiated with Moses. Instead, God was calling for sincere faith and devotion. The leaders were carefully making the traditional sacrifices and offerings at holy celebrations, but they were still unfaithful to God in their hearts. Sacrifices were to be an outward sign of inward faith in God, but the outward signs had become empty rituals because no inward faith existed. Why, then, did the people continue to offer sacrifices? Like many today, they had come to place more importance on the outward show of their religion than on love for the God they should have been worshiping. Examine your own worship experience: Is it just entertainment as you enjoy the music and go along with what others do? Or is it genuine, heartfelt praise to God? God does not take pleasure in our outward expressions of worship if we lack inward faith (see Deuteronomy 10:12-16; 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Psalm 51:16-19; Hosea 6:6).

(1:10) Listen to God - Isaiah compared the rulers and people of Judah to the rulers and people of Sodom and Gomorrah. To hear what God wanted to say, the people had to be willing to listen to and obey him. When we can't hear God's message, either we are not listening carefully or we are not truly willing to do what he says. To listen to God, we have to stop what we are doing, push away all the noise of other messages bombarding us, and focus on him.

(1:13) New Moons - The new moons were monthly offerings (Numbers 28:11-14), and the celebrations of the sabbath were weekly and special annual sabbaths on the Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 16:23:34; 23:1-4, 26-43). (For all the feasts, see the chart.) Although the people did not feel sorry for their sins, they continued to offer sacrifices for forgiveness. Gifts and sacrifices mean nothing to God when they come from corrupt hearts. God wants us to love him, trust him, and turn from our sin; after that, he will be pleased with our sacrifices of time, money, and service.

(1:18) A Red Dye - Scarlet and crimson are references to a deep-red permanent dye, the dark stain of which was virtually impossible to remove from clothing. The stain of sin is equally permanent, except for one remedy. God's grace is the only cleansing agent that can remove sin's stain from our lives, as he promised to do for the Israelites. We don't have to go through life permanently tainted from the effects of sin. God's Word assures us that if we are willing and obedient, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, will forgive and remove our most indelible stains (Psalm 51:1-7; Ephesians 1:6-8). Will you ask him to make you clean?

(1:21-22) Jerusalem - The faithful city refers to Jerusalem, representing the entire kingdom of Judah. God compares the actions of his people to a harlot. They were selling themselves to other gods, making their faith defective, impure, and diluted. They were committing spiritual adultery, breaking their covenant commitment to God and making something else their first love. Jesus later described the people of his day as adulterous, even though they were religiously strict. As the church, we are the wife (or bride) of Christ (Revelation 19:7). He is to be our first love, the one in whom our ultimate commitment, passion, and allegiance are placed. We put our faith in him above all else. Has your faith become impure or watered down? Are you starting to follow other gods that are beginning to take first place in your life? Ask God to restore you. Keep your devotion to him strong and focused.

(1:23-26) Justice - The people of Judah were in a position to provide justice and proper help to those who were most vulnerable in their society--namely, orphans and widows. Justice for the poor and help for orphans and widows are high priorities for God. Too often our faith stops at being focused inward. We enjoy the personal benefits, but our faith doesn't get translated into helping others who are in great need. How can the people in your church become people who act justly now?

(1:25) Smelting - God promised to refine his people in a way similar to how metal is purified in a smelting pot. This process involves melting the metal and skimming off the impure dross until the liquid metal becomes like a mirror. We must be willing to submit to God, allowing him to remove our sin and impurities so that we might more clearly reflect his image.

(1:26) Prophecies - Isaiah often speaks with both the near present and far future in mind. His prophecies do not necessarily apply to one event but may apply to a series of present and future events. Here, he is likely talking about a time in his near future when justice would prevail and also the time when God will establish new heavens and a new earth and all his people will forever live in a land of complete justice.

(1:29:30) Trees - Throughout history, large, old trees, especially oak trees, have been a symbol of strength, and in biblical times they were often chosen as places for pagan worship. Unfortunately, God's people had joined in the idol worship associated with these trees. The prophet Ezekiel mentioned that groves of trees were used as places for idol worship (Ezekiel 6:13). Are you devoted to symbols of strength and power that rival God's place in your life? Does your love for any interests or commitments border on worship? As you continue to make God your first loyalty, you will discover that he supplies all the strength and power you need. Then everything else you thought was so important will fade over time.

(1:31) A Spark - Tow refers to flax fibers used as tinder. A spark set to tinder ignites a quick, devouring fire. God compares mighty people whose evil deeds devour them to such a fire. A life can be destroyed quickly by a small but deadly spark of evil. What potential "fire hazards" do you need to remove?

Dave Burnette's Life Application
A Warning of Judgement

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we start the Book of Isaiah 1. In our text today, we see Words of Judgement as Isaiah brings a message of divine judgment to Israel and Judah. In making applications, the same message is brought to us through the pages of the Bible. Sin is rampant today, and people believe that the Lord will not judge them for their sins. Still, Isaiah reminds us of Sodom and Gomorrah and how our sins can be washed as white as snow if we repent. How about you? Do you see the coming judgment of our Lord and the free pardon of sin He extends you today? Let us learn from our text today and the message of Isaiah to remember not to mistake the grace of God with the upcoming judgment of God so we can repent and receive His forgiveness.

Isaiah 1

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Isaiah 1

¹The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

²Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

³The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

⁴Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

⁵Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

⁶From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

⁷Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

⁸And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

⁹Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

¹⁰Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

¹¹To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

¹²When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

¹⁷Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

¹⁸Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

¹⁹If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

²⁰But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

²¹How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

²²Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:

²³Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

²⁴Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:

²⁵And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:

²⁶And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

²⁷Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

²⁸And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

²⁹For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

³⁰For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

³¹And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

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