Isaiah 1: God’s intentions towards a fallen nation

For Context, see end of chapter

• v.1 Introduction of the Vision of God speaking
• v.2-8 Their awful state now
• v.9,10 They would be like the cities of judgment in the past except for God’s mercy
• v.11-15 Their false religiosity is meaningless to God
• v.16-20 A Call: Get yourselves cleaned up!
• v.21-25 Their fall has been so great He’s now going to step in and deal with them
• v.26-31 What He will do with them

[Preliminary Comment: This chapter focuses on Judah and Jerusalem.

• v.2-8 show the land in a desolate state after marauders have pillaged it.
• v.9 & 10 acknowledge that if God hadn’t left some survivors, they would be like cities destroyed in the past, mere memories.
• v.11-15 eyeball their meaningless religion; they have outward show but are spiritually bankrupt.
• v.16-20 is a challenge to sort themselves out and
• v.21-25 is a warning from the Lord that He is coming to do that, and
• v.26-31 specifically what He will do.

An awesome chapter of warning with a demand to face their state and do something about it.]

v.1 Introduction to the Visions that God brings Isaiah

v.1 The pictures of Judah AND Jerusalem God gave Isaiah during FOUR reigns in Juda

v.1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

v.2-8 Their awful state now

v.2,3 Listen everyone, I raised these people as children, and they turned against me; animals know their masters, but these people don’t recognize me

v.2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.

v.3 The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”

v.4-7 Oh what a people they are, given over to evil having turned their backs on Him! Can’t you see the terrible state you’re in? Everything about you is ravaged, your country, the cities, the fields all overrun.

v.4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

v.5 Why should you be beaten anymore?  Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.

v.6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts  and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.

v.7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.

v.8 Jerusalem, you’re like a hut in a field, a city that is under siege

v.8 Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.

v.9,10 They would be like the cities of judgment in the past except for God’s mercy

v.9,10 The prophet is grateful there are a few survivors, just stopping them being utterly desolate; but now they must learn from the past.

v.9 Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.

v.10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

v.11-15 Their false religiosity is meaningless to God

v.11 They must realize, their meaningless sacrifices mean nothing to God

v.11 “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

v.12-15 He will challenge their coming to Him with all their meaningless religiosity, that just tires Him out. He’s no longer listening to their pseudo-prayers

v.12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?

v.13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

v.14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

v.15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!

v.16-20 A Call: Get yourselves cleaned up!

v.16,17 Clean yourselves up by stop doing wrong; do right, seek justice for the needy

v.16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.

v.17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

v.18-20 Let’s sort this out, let God transform you; He just needs your obedience and if you aren’t then invaders will wipe you out

v.18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,  they shall be like wool.

v.19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;

v.20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

v.21-25 Their fall has been so great He’s now going to step in and deal with you

v.21-23 Look what’s happened. Jerusalem used to be holy, but now sold out to false religions and everything of value has become useless, and even the leaders are as bad as the unrighteous mob, uncaring for the weak and needy

v.21 See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers!

v.22 Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.

v.23 Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

v.24,25 So, says the Lord, He will deal with them and work against them to cleanse them.

v.24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.

v.25 I will turn my hand against you;  I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.

v.26-31 What He will do with them

v.26,27 He explains: He will deal with their leaders so they’’ll be known as holy once more and justice and righteousness will return

v.26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

v.27 Zion will be delivered with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.

v.28-31 But He will deal with the unrighteous and ungodly, and the result? They will be ashamed at all the evidence in their midst of false religion, and they will be like a tree and garden without life and those who feel strong will become matchwood for burning judgment.

v.28 But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish.

v.29 “You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks  in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens  that you have chosen.

v.30 You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water.

v.31 The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.”

Additional Note: Context

As noted in the Introduction the following is the Context in which this and the following chapters appear:

• Part 1: Words of Judgment: Ch.1-35
• Interlude: Chapters 36 to 39
• Part 2: Words of Comfort: Ch.40-66

• Part 1: Words of Judgment: Ch.1-35
  • 1.1 The Sins of Israel & Judah Ch.1-12
  • 1.2 Judgment against heathen nations Ch.13-23
  • 1.3 God’s Purpose in Judgment Ch.24-27
  • 1.4 Jerusalem’s true and false hopes Ch.28-35

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: