Understanding Isaiah (Lesson 2: The Wickedness of Israel and Her Resultant Rejection – Chapter 1)

Introduction:

The first verse in the book of Isaiah is helpful in that it gives a historical setting for the prophecies that follow, and it specifies the immediate audience to whom the prophet was writing. We see by this information that Isaiah was the earliest of the major writing prophets (although not the earliest of any writing prophet – Jonah, Amos, and Hosea were likely earlier than Isaiah), and that his message had to do primarily with the southern kingdom of Judah (unlike that of Amos and Hosea). The period of Judah’s history in which Isaiah would have been prophesying is marked by great changes: Uzziah and Jotham, although each with certain defects, were on the whole good kings; Ahaz was thoroughly wicked and corrupt; Hezekiah was characterized by a whole-hearted righteousness such as had not been seen in any king since David (2 Kings 18:1-6). And if Isaiah lived to see Manasseh’s reign as well, as Jewish tradition has it, then he also experienced the court of the most wicked king in Judah’s history (2 Chronicles 33:1-9). This extreme fluctuation in the outward appearance of godliness in Judah is an important backdrop to Isaiah’s prophecies. It is striking that his essential message does not change throughout any change in Judah’s kings. In Hezekiah’s reign, as well as in Ahaz’s, the people of Judah are denounced as corrupt, and certain judgment is prophesied (e.g. see Isaiah 58:1-8). The presence of a good king is not sufficient to change the people’s hearts; but a coming king is promised who will do just that (cf. Isaiah 11:1-9; 42:1-7). This “Branch of David” forms the sole substance of the hope of God’s people. They can no longer look back to their nationality, descent from Abraham, etc., to assure their hearts of acceptance with God. For that, only the coming King about whom Isaiah is diligent to prophesy will prove to be sufficient.

It is noteworthy as well that Isaiah’s prophecies are addressed to Judah. Hosea has already proclaimed with great certainty that Israel would be cast off from being God’s people (Hosea 1:6-9). Isaiah’s prophecies extend this indictment to Judah, so that the entirety of God’s people are emphatically brought under the impending judgment of exile. Isaiah would live to see this judgment actually brought upon Israel. Judah’s exile was still more than a hundred years future, but Isaiah expressed with certainty and clarity that it was indeed coming. A further reason for the emphasis of Judah in Isaiah’s message is the central truth that the promised King of David would himself be from Judah. Judah as a nation would be cast off, and yet all was not lost: the hope of the entire world, the promised Christ, was to spring from this devastated nation and bring healing to all.

Before we move into verse two, and the remainder of chapter one, it will be in place to note the function of the first five chapters in the book of Isaiah. As you will remember from last week, Isaiah’s call and commission come in chapter six. Are we to infer from this fact that the first five chapters are prophecies made before Isaiah’s grand vision of God that we read about in the sixth chapter? That is possible, and has certainly been suggested by many reliable bible scholars, but it is more likely that the event of chapter six actually took place before any of the prophetic writings. Isaiah is not laid out in strictly chronological fashion; and, although we see many historical references in the prophecies following chapter six, there are none prior to it. This, coupled with the nature of the prophecies in the first five chapters, would suggest that this portion forms a sort of introductory preface to the book of prophecies as a whole: in this preface, we see all the major themes that would form the substance of the more specific prophecies later on in the book. Isaiah chapters 1-5 lays out a basic blueprint of the prophetic message of the book as a whole, a blueprint that will be elaborated upon in much more intricate detail in the later prophecies.

Textual Analysis:

  • Israel has enjoyed a privileged status as God’s own people, the children of his fatherly care (1:2a)

Isaiah begins his denunciation of the people of Israel by approximating a courtroom setting, in which the heavens and the earth are called to the witness stand (cf. Micah 6:1-3). By God’s calling all of his physical creation to testify, we are immediately struck with the self-evident nature of the case. What has happened has taken place before the open face of the heavens. We are struck further with the egregiousness of Israel’s rebellion: all of creation responds unhesitatingly to God’s commands; and yet Israel, who has received more favor from the Lord than the rest of creation, has rejected his commands (note Exodus 4:2). This theme will be emphasized a little later in the text.

  • Israel has egregiously rebelled against her Maker in spite of her privileged status (1:2b-4)

God immediately expresses how great Israel’s wickedness is, in that, even brute beasts know not to turn from those who show them loving care. The ox and the ass have enough understanding to go to the place where they will be able to find food. And yet Israel has been shown true food indeed, all that is necessary for spiritual life, and has turned aside. In this, they are stupider than all the creatures of the earth (cf. Jeremiah 8:7). This foolishness is rendered all the more serious by virtue of the fact that the One they have despised is, first, the Holy One; and second, the Holy One of Israel. Instead of being as sensible as cattle, and going to where the food is, they show themselves instead to be as stubborn as cattle, and “have gone away backward,” as stubborn cattle pull back (cf. Hosea 4:16).

  • Israel has undergone severe chastisement for her transgressions, and yet has not repented (1:5-8)

Israel has only experienced sorrow in turning from their Source of life; and so the question is posed, “why would you turn aside further and undergo further chastisement?” “What is your goal in looking for more bruising?” “What is the attraction in forsaking comfort to follow the wounds and devastating plagues of rebellion?” There is no place left for God to smite his people that has not already been wounded, and yet they look for more chastisement. Their wounds are not bound up with medication, because they have turned from the only true Physician of the soul, the Sun of righteousness risen with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). So real and vivid is Isaiah’s vision of the utter destruction of Jerusalem that he speaks of it in a way that emphasizes the immediacy of the crisis. Although Jerusalem had not yet been physically devastated as in this extreme description, the impending doom was certain and graphic. The booth in a vineyard and the hut in a cucumber garden were both small, lonely places in which a single inhabitant would watch for thieves. All of Judah would become like a tiny, isolated, lonely booth, open to the ravages of all her enemies.

  • The only factor standing in the way of Israel’s absolute destruction is God’s preservation of an elect remnant (1:9)

Sodom and Gomorrah are the outstanding Old Testament examples of God’s utter destruction of the wicked. So great is the wickedness of God’s people (themselves called Sodom and Gomorrah in the next verse), that they are very close to undergoing the same judgment. In fact, if it were not for a very small remnant upon whom God has decided to have mercy, all would indeed be lost. As Jeremiah later expressed, “It is of the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed,” that is, entirely destroyed in God’s judgment (Lamentations 3:22). This preservation of a remnant continues to be of utmost doctrinal importance even to the days of Paul, as he elaborates upon the concept in Romans 9:27-29, and picks up the theme again in Romans 11:1-7. The only reason that the whole world is not condemned before God is that he has sovereignly reached down and plucked out a small remnant upon which to pour out his grace.

  • Israel cannot presume upon God’s favor or willingness to listen on the basis of any national distinction, but on the basis of an internal righteousness alone (1:10-17)

Israel is called Sodom because God no longer sees her as anything but wicked and pagan. Israel can continue to carry out all the old prescriptions of worship that God enjoined upon her so long ago, but they will mean nothing more to him than Sodom’s old pagan rites and rituals. Israel’s sacrifices bring God no pleasure, her appearance at his temple is merely a trampling of his courts, her appointed feasts and sacrifices are altogether hateful to him. What will finally please God again is not a more elaborate or conscientious following of the ritual laws, but an entire change of heart. God will not be satisfied with them nor hear their prayers when the hands they lift up in worship are full of innocent blood. Until they have a heart of true love for their neighbors, especially the helpless and oppressed, God will not be their God anymore than He was Sodom’s God.

  • This necessary internal righteousness is offered by God through a complete cleansing of sin (1:18)

It would be natural for even the true believers in Israel to lose all hope after the preceding indictment. God has brought the whole world under the condemnation of sin; however, Isaiah here assures us that it is not to cut off all hope, but to make us candidates for the absolute grace and forgiveness of God. It would be impossible for the Israelites to do in themselves what God has just said had to be done for his renewed favor. But God has seen this, and is therefore prepared to offer, as an absolutely free gift, the forgiveness and change of heart that is so desperately needed. As Paul would later express, “God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all (Romans 11:32).

  • It is only those who actually receive this free gift of cleansing who will be preserved and enjoy prosperity; but those who rebel will be devoured (1:19-20)

Although the land would undergo destruction, yet those who were made willing and obedient would still be enabled to enjoy its blessings. To “eat the good of the land” here has to do with being sustained with the spiritual life that would come from Judah alone. As Christ later informed us, true life is to eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6:53). Those who were still rebellious would be utterly destroyed.

  • On this basis, the prophetic outlook for Israel is utter and absolute destruction and rejection by God (1:21-25,28-31)

In light of the foregoing prophetic assessment, Israel’s future looks gloomy indeed. They cannot find favor because of their nationality or following of the ritual prescriptions of the law. Only a changed heart will cause them to find favor with God; and this will only come when they accept his free gift of grace. But their hardness of heart (as indeed is the case with all mankind) will cause them to reject God’s offer of cleansing. Hence the prophet takes up a lamentation over the condition of Israel in 1:21-23. Because of this wicked condition, God’s judgment upon them is certain, as we read in verses 24-25. Here God refers to those who were formerly his people as “my adversaries,” and “my enemies”. This is a striking and tragic addressal. In verses 28-31, God emphasizes the utter destruction of the wicked together with that in which they place their security. They looked for happiness and security in the groves of trees which they used as the locations of their idol-worship. But God would make them like those trees when all water has been taken away. They will whither up and be utterly wasted. And when they are dried and helpless, they and their idols will perish together in an all-consuming fire.

  • In the midst of this prophetic picture of destruction and rejection is a diametrically opposed prophetic expectation for Israel which looks to a restoration that extends beyond any previous condition of blessing, and is characterized by a genuine, pervasive, reigning righteousness (1:26-27)

Verses 26-27 stand out in stark contrast to the passages immediately preceding and immediately following them. Although God would utterly destroy Israel, that destruction would not be absolute, but would actually prove to be the grounds for greater blessing, so that (as in verse 25) the destruction turns out to be nothing but a removal of dross. The destruction of corrupt Israel would facilitate the establishment of pure Israel, whose hearts are indeed righteous. Hence we begin to see two utterly opposed expectations for Israel: those who are outwardly Israel but inwardly wicked will be consumed; but those who are the “remnant” of Israel and inwardly righteous will be set up as the true Israel. Isaiah here begins to use the term “Zion” to indicate the “city” of those who are God’s people in heart and not merely in outward appearance. “Jerusalem” would be destroyed; but pursuant to this destruction, “Zion” would actually be established, and would continue as a place where righteousness reigns.

Points of Application:

  • If we are God’s children, we must look to him alone for sustenance, life, and happiness.

In Jeremiah 2:13, God condemns the people of Judah for committing two evils: “they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” How often do we, as the children of Israel, look to everything but God for our sustenance and satisfaction? Let us not be more brutish than cattle, forsaking God to search everywhere else for our happiness. If we do, we must realize that even as God broke off Israel for unbelief, he will break us off too (Romans 11:20-21).

  • In proportion as we have received blessings from God, we are responsible to fear and obey him.

Israel’s sin was so egregious because God had done so much for them. But we have experienced more blessings than they: as the author of Hebrews observes, “He who despised Moses’ Law died without mercy on the word of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy of punishment, the one who has trampled the Son of God, and who has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

  • No outward appearance of belonging to God, nor any ritual following of his prescriptions – attending church, tithing, praying, reading scriptures, etc. – will be sufficient to establish us as God’s people

If God rejected Israel from being his people because their hearts were not pure, he will also reject us if our religion is merely outward and does not spring from a regenerated heart.

  • The evidence of a changed heart consists largely of the love and compassion we show to our neighbors

How can we believe ourselves to be God’s children if, throughout the week, our lives are filled with gossip, maliciousness, envy, spite, and hatred towards one another?

  • The only way to experience a truly changed heart is to accept God’s free gift of grace.

We must feast on Jesus and his perfect work in order to experience a change of heart. Christ is the life of his church. It is only as we continue to partake of his body and blood through a constant remembrance of what he has accomplished for us that we can grow and be nourished in our spiritual life.

  • Even in the midst of judgment and trials, God knows those who are his, and uses the means by which he destroys the wicked to purify and preserve his own children.

When God destroyed Jerusalem, he only purified his true Zion. So will it ever be with his children. We are citizens of his heavenly kingdom (Philippians 3:20), and he will bring us through every difficulty and cause us to flourish at last.

Conclusion:

In the first chapter of Isaiah, we already see many major themes laid out, themes which will be developed throughout the rest of the book. As we conclude the chapter, we are left with the question, “Of whom does the righteous remnant, which alone will be established as God’s true people, actually consist?” Next we will examine this question in some detail as we look to the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 2.

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