1:1Isaiah was a prophet during the time when the original nation of Israel had been divided into two kingdoms—lsrael 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 rom God to idols, and looking for military aid from pagan nations rather than help from God. Isaiah came primarily as a prophet to Judah, but his message was also for the northern kingdom. Sometimes “Israel” refers to both kingdoms. Isaiah lived to see the destruction and captivity of the northern kingdom in 722 B.C. Thus, his ministry began with warning the northern kingdom.
Life Application Study BibleIsaiahChapter 1
Isaiah 1
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1090, 1091, 1092, 1093
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1Isaiah 1
A. WORDS OF JUDGMENT (1:1—39:8)
1tsaiah begins by bringing a message of divine judgment for both Israel and Judah. Although the advance of the Assyrians poses a problem for Judah, God foretells the destruction of Assyria and other evil surrounding nations through the prophet Isaiah. The section ends with the Assyrian invasion being held off, demonstrating the clear unfolding of God’s plan and promises for the nation at this time.
1. The sins of israel and Judah
These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.*
A Message for Rebellious Judah
22 Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth!This is what the LORD says:“The children I raised and cared forhave rebelled against me.
3Even an ox knows its owner,and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—but Israel doesn’t know its master.My people don’t recognize my care for them.”
4Oh, what a sinful nation they are—loaded down with a burden of guilt.They are evil people,corrupt children who have rejected the LORD.They have despised the Holy One of Israeland turned their backs on him.
5Why do you continue to invite punishment?Must you rebel forever?Your head is injured,and your heart is sick.
6You are battered from head to foot—covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds—without any soothing ointments or bandages.
7Your country lies in ruins,and your towns are burned.Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyesand destroy everything they see.
8Beautiful Jerusalem* stands abandonedlike a watchman’s shelter in a vineyard,like a lean-to in a cucumber field after the harvest,like a helpless city under siege.
9If the LORD of Heaven's Armieshad not spared a few of us,*we would have been wiped out like Sodom,destroyed like Gomorrah.
10Listen to the LORD, you leaders of “Sodom.”Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
11“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”says the LORD.“Tam sick of your burnt offerings of ramsand the fat of fattened cattle.I get no pleasure from the bloodof bulls and lambs and goats.
12When you come to worship me,who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
13Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;the incense of your offerings disgusts me!As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbathand your special days for fasting—they are all sinful and false.I want no more of your pious meetings.
14T hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
15When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
16Wash yourselves and be clean!Get your sins out of my sight.Give up your evil ways.
17Learn to do good.Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.Defend the cause of orphans.Fight for the rights of widows.
18“Come now, let’s settle this,”says the LORD.“Though your sins are like scarlet,1 will make them as white as snow.Though they are red like crimson,I will make them as white as wool.
19If you will only obey me,you will have plenty to eat.
20But if you turn away and refuse to listen,you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.I, the LORD, have spoken!”Unfaithful Jerusalem
21See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,has become a prostitute.Once the home of justice and righteousness,she is now filled with murderers.
22Once like pure silver,you have become like worthless slag.Once so pure,you are now like watered-down wine.
23Your leaders are rebels,the companions of thieves.All of them love bribesand demand payoffs,but they refuse to defend the cause of orphansor fight for the rights of widows.
24Therefore, the LORD, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,the Mighty One of Israel, says,“T will take revenge on my enemiesand pay back my foes!
25I will raise my fist against you.I will melt you down and skim off your slag.I will remove all your impurities.
26Then I will give you good judges againand wise counselors like you used to have.Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justiceand the Faithful City.”
27Zion will be restored by justice; those who repent will be revived by righteousness,
28But rebels and sinners will be completely destroyed,and those who desert the LORD will be consumed.
29You will be ashamed of your idol worshipin groves of sacred oaks.You will blush because you worshipedin gardens dedicated to idols.
30You will be like a great tree with withered leaves,like a garden without water.
31The strongest among you will disappear like straw;their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire.They and their evil works will burn up together,and no one will be able to put out the fire.
Textual footnotes
- 1:1 These kings reigned from 792 to 686 Bc.
- 1:8 Hebrew The daughter of Zion.
- 1:9 Greek version reads a few of our children. Compare Rom 9:29.
Life Application Notes 11 notes
1:2-4Here “Israel” means the southern kingdom, Judah. The people of Judah were sinning greatly and had turned against God. God brought charges against them through Isaiah because they had rebelled and had forsaken the LORD. By these acts, they had broken their moral and spiritual covenant with God (see Deuteronomy 28). By breaking their agreement, they were bringing
1:9Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that God completely destroyed for their great wickedness (Genesis 19:1-25). They are mentioned elsewhere in the Bible as examples of God’s judgment against sin (Jeremiah 50:40; Ezekiel 16:46-63; Matthew 11:23, 24; Jude 1:7). Some survivors from Judah were spared by God because they were faithful.
1:10Isaiah 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 listen and be willing to obey. When we can’t hear God’s message, perhaps we are not listening Carefully, or we are not truly willing to do what he says.
1:10-14God was unhappy with their 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 their faith in God, but the outward signs became empty because no faith existed. Why, then, did they continue to offer sacrifices? Like many people today, they had come to place more faith in the rituals of their religion than in the God they worshiped. 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 if our inward faith is missing (see Deuteronomy 10:12-16; 1 Samuel 15:22, 23; Psalm 51:16-19; Hosea 6:6).
1:18Crimson was the color of a deep-red permanent dye, and its deep stain was virtually impossible to remove from clothing. The bloodstained hands of the murderers are probably in view here (see 1:15, 21). The stain of sin seems equally permanent, but God can remove sin’s stain from our life as he promised to do for the Israelites. We don’t have to go through life permanently soiled. God’s Word assures us that if we are willing and obedient, Christ will forgive and remove our most indelible stains (Psalm 51:1-7). Will you ask him to make you clean?
1:21,22Jerusalem here represents all of Judah. God compares the actions of his people to a prostitute. The people had turned from the worship of the true God to worshiping idols. Their faith was worthless, impure, and diluted. Idolatry, outward or inward, is Spiritual adultery, breaking our commitment to God in order to love something else. Jesus described the people of his day as adulterous, even though they were religiously strict. As the church, we are the “bride” of Christ (Revelation 19:7), and, by faith, we can be clothed in his righteousness: Has your faith become impure or watered down? Ask God to restore you. Keep your devotion to him strong and pure.
1:25God promised to refine his people similar to the way that metal is purged with lye in a smelting pot. This process involves melting the metal and skimming off the impure slag unti! the worker can see his own image in the liquid metal. We must be willing to submit to God, allowing him to remove our sin so that we might reflect his image.
1:26Isaiah 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.
1:29,30Throughout history, the oak tree has been a symbol of strength, but the people were worshiping “sacred oaks.” Ezekiel mentions that oak 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 commitment to any of your interests border on worship? Make God your first loyalty; everything else will fade in time and burn away under his scrutiny.
1:31A spark set to tinder ignites a quick, devouring fire. God compares the evil deeds of powerful people to a roaring fire that will devour them. Our life can be destroyed quickly by a small but deadly spark of evil. What potential “fire hazards” do you need to remove?
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Study feature · page 1090
God's punishment upon themselves. First God gave them prosperity, but they didn't serve him. Then God sent them warnings, but they refused to listen. Finally, he would bring the fire of his judgment {see 1:7). 1:4-9 As long as the people of Judah continued to sin, they cut themselves off from God's help and isolated themselves. When you feel lonely and separated from God, remember that God does not abandon you. Our sins cut us off from him. The only sure cure for this kind of loneliness is to restore a meaningful relationship with God by confessing your sins, obeying his instructions, and communicating regularly with him (see Psalm 140:13; Isaiah 1:16-19; 1 John 1:9). 1:7 Was this destruction taking place at that time? Judah was attacked many times during {saiah’s lifetime. To be plundered 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 B.C. as well.
Study feature · page 1091
Society was in a great upheaval. Under King Ahaz and King Manasseh, the people reverted to idolatry, and there was even child sacrifice. Although judgment from other nations was inevitable, the people could still have a special relationship with God.
Importance of message.... Sometimes we must suffer judgment and discipline before we are restored to God.
Contemporary prophets... Hosea (753-715 B.C.), Micah (742-687 B.C.)
Climate of the times...... Main message
ISAIAH served as a prophet to Judah from 740-681 B.C.
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