1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah.
This message was given to Judah and Jerusalem. At this time, Israel had been taken captive by Assyria. Assyria was marching upon Judah, desiring to take them captive as well.
Isaiah means “Jehovah is salvation.” He was a prophet to four different kings of Judah. He prophesied to Judah 100 years before the Babylonian Captivity.
Uzziah, also known as Azariah, was a good king who contacted leprosy for taking on priestly responsibilities. Jotham was a good king. Ahaz was a wicked and idolatrous king. Hezekiah was a good king who promoted religious reform.
The Holy Spirit divided the Book of Isaiah into two major divisions. Chapters 1-39 are mostly historical, while chapters 40-66 are mostly prophetical. For this reason, liberals ignore the first verse of this book and falsely claim that this book was written by two different authors. Their only evidence is bias, because they do not believe in the supernatural predictive prophecies of the second half of this book. In order to avoid the prophetic element of Scripture, they have to late-date the second half of this book and claim that someone else wrote the book after the facts of prophetic history. The problem with this theory is that Jesus quoted from both halves of this book and attributed them both to one Isaiah. Therefore, the liberals are disagreeing with Jesus, who is the real, supernatural, and divine author of the text.
1:2 Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth! For the Lord speaks: “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!
This is a courtroom scene. Jehovah (the husband) is taking Judah (his wife) to court for not keeping her part of the marriage contract. The marriage contract is the Book of Deuteronomy. Jehovah is the King. The people of Israel are the subjects.
All of the angelic beings of the heavens are the elect angels. All of the angelic beings on the earth are the demons. Both the angels and demons have been around since Jehovah made His covenant with Israel. They are all invited to court as witnesses against Israel.
The Hebrew word for "raised" is רוּם (rum), meaning to exalt. The Hebrew word for "brought" is גָּדַל (gadal), meaning to make great. The Hebrew word for "children" is בָּנִים֙ (banim), meaning sons who were given a position of dominance. The Hebrew word for rebellion is פָּשַׁע (pasha), meaning to break away in violence. Jehovah exalted Israel, made them great, and made them sons who were to receive a position of dominance. However, Israel violently rebelled against Jehovah.
Notice that the first thing that Jehovah did in this heavenly court was to prove His innocence. Jehovah brought up Israel just like a loving parent would bring up a favorite child, but Israel rebelled against her own father. According to the Mosaic Law, rebellion against a parent was a capital offense.
God was the King of Israel. Israel was His vassal state. God promised either blessings or cursings to Israel, depending upon Israel’s obedience or disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant. Since Israel was a disobedient son, then they were to receive the death penalty. Israel was now being put on trial before all of the angels and demons of creation.
1:3 An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.”
Oxen and donkeys have been known in many cultures as the most stupidest and most stubborn of all animals. For example, people or often called a stupid ox or a dumb ass. However, even stupid animals can recognize the master who gives them their substance. Israel was more stupid and more stubborn than a dumb and rebellious jackass.
When people are without Bible doctrine, then they are spiritually blind. They are more stupid than animals. In this court case, Jehovah witnessed to the fact that the stupid ox and the dumb ass were smarter than Israel, because at least an ox and a donkey recognize their owner who gives them substance.
1:4 The sinful nation is as good as dead, the people weighed down by evil deeds. They are offspring who do wrong, children who do wicked things. They have abandoned the Lord, and rejected the Holy One of Israel. They are alienated from him.
In this court case, Jehovah listed seven indictments against Israel. First, he called Israel a "sinful nation." In Hebrew, this is גֹּ֣וי חֹטֵ֗א (goy chetah), meaning sinful Gentiles. The Hebrew word for “sin” is חֹטֵ֗א (chatah), meaning to miss the mark. Israel was a chosen nation who had missed the bullseye goal in which God had established for them. She was supposed to become priests to all of the nations, but instead, she had become a spiritual prostitute who had broken her marriage contract with God her husband. She had become more sinful than the Gentiles. She was as good as dead, because she had committed the sin unto death. She disobeyed her Father Jehovah, so the Mosaic law required capital offense.
Second, the people of Israel were weighed down by their sins. Their sins were too heavy to bear. The weight of these sins would bring Israel to her knees.
Third, she was "offspring who do wrong." In Hebrew, this is זֶ֣רַע מְרֵעִ֔ים (zerah mirayim), meaning seed of evil doers. Instead of being seeds of righteousness and priests to all of the nations, Israel had become Gentiles who were doing evil deeds.
Fourth, she was called "children who do wicked things." Israel was exalted to the son of special promise above the Gentiles. Instead, she became children who do evil deeds.
Fifth, she abandoned the Lord. Jehovah took care of Israel. He fed her and protected her. Israel abandoned her husband and committed adultery with the gods of the Gentile nations.
Sixth, she rejected the Holy One of Israel. She fornicated herself with the demonic idols of the pagans.
Seventh, she alienated herself from Jehovah. Instead of becoming the son who inherited the kingdom of God, she became a disciple of the satanic world system and an alien towards Jehovah.
Jehovah is ready to take Israel out of the land and send her into the Babylonian Captivity. He calls on all of the created intelligences of heaven and earth to witness that He is just and right in His dealings with Israel. His charge against her is rebellion. She was disobedient and deserved to be stoned.
1:5 Why do you insist on being battered? Why do you continue to rebel? Your head has a massive wound, your whole body is weak.
Verses 5-9 show the spiritual condition of Israel. The spiritual condition of Israel was such that she was continually being beaten in her head. Her head was gashed and her body was weak, but she continued to rebel.
1:6 From the soles of your feet to your head, there is no spot that is unharmed. There are only bruises, cuts, and open wounds. They have not been cleansed or bandaged, nor have they been treated with olive oil.
Israel’s entire body had been injured by bruises, cuts, and open wounds. Her wounds have not been cleansed by medicine. The picture is not one of a sick person, but rather of one who has been flogged.
1:7 Your land is devastated, your cities burned with fire. Right before your eyes your crops are being destroyed by foreign invaders. They leave behind devastation and destruction.
King Sennacherib of Assyria destroyed and enslaved Israel. He destroyed 46 cities of Judah. He devastated Judah and destroyed her crops.
1:8 Daughter Zion is left isolated, like a hut in a vineyard, or a shelter in a cucumber field; she is a besieged city.
Daughter Zion is Jerusalem, who is a personification of all of Israel. No one was living in Jerusalem. She was like an empty hut in a vineyard or an empty shelter in a cucumber field. Both of these structures were built for temporary shade to guard against thieves and animals. They were always alone and easily attacked. Her land was agriculturally fertile, but there was no one to harvest the crops.
1:9 If the Lord who commands armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly become like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.
Jehovah is the Commander of angels. He is more than powerful enough to take care of Israel. If Jehovah would not have called out a believing Jewish remnant, then the entire nation would have turned as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah.They would have turned into a nation of sodomites. According to Romans 1, everyone who rejects God will eventually evolve into homosexuality or lesbianism. Notice that God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah was still well remembered by the people of Israel at least 1,500 years after their destruction. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a small sample of what Christ will do to the entire earth when he returns after the Great Tribulation. Genocide is good if it is called by God, because his motive is to purge evil out of the world.
1:10 Listen to the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah!
Isaiah was not a seeker-friendly pastor. He called Israel a bunch of sodomites who needed to be destroyed by God.
1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.
Israel was the only nation on earth who received divine revelation. She received a God-given religion, a God-appointed ritual, and a God-constructed temple.
Israel was bringing sacrifices and going through the rituals according to the letter of the Law, but her heart was in rebellion against God. The people of Israel were a bunch of phonies who were play-acting in front of others who were play-acting as well. Inside of their hearts, they were rotten to the core. They reached the place where they had a form of godliness, but they denied the power. They had no inclination of turning to God and away from sin. God did not want this kind of offering with this type of attitude from these kinds of people.
1:12 When you enter my presence, do you actually think I want this— animals trampling on my courtyards?
As long as Israel was offering meaningless sacrifices, then these offerings were nothing but dirty animals trampling on Jehovah’s courtyard. Jehovah was communicating to Israel in a manner that they could understand.
1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless offerings; I consider your incense detestable! You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations, but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!
Israel was observing the festivals called by Jehovah, but they were coming to the feast in clothes which were stained in sin. They brought offerings, but they were meaningless. Israel would make the offering as a ritual, but they were not interested in having a relationship with their Heavenly Father.
1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying.
Notice that God actually “hates.” He hates hypocritical religious frauds. He hates people who go around playing religion, but they are not interested in having a relationship with Father God. God hated the feasts, because it was just a feast of a bunch of religious hypocrites who wanted nothing to do with God. This was a heavy burden that God no longer wanted to carry.
Other things that God hates included robbery for burnt offering (61:8), serving other gods (Jer. 44:4), harboring evil against a neighbor and love for a false oath (Zech. 8:16), divorce (Mal. 2:16), and the one who loves violence (Ps. 11:5).
1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood.
Notice that the hands of prayer were spread out to God with eyes toward heaven. However, their hands were bloody with murder. They were stretching out bloody hands to God and asking for God to bless them.
Today, modern Christians close their eyes and bow their heads down to hell. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed with open eyes and open arms to God. God does not listen to prayers of those with bloody hands.
1:16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves! Remove your sinful deeds from my sight. Stop sinning!
Jehovah commanded Israel to cleanse herself, because she was filthy and stinky from sin. Then, she was to quit sinning, because God was up in heaven having to wash everyone of their sins. Closet sin on earth is open scandal in heaven.
1:17 Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
Israel needed to learn how to do what was right. Jehovah gave her some examples of righteousness. She was to promote justice in her courtrooms. She was to give the oppressed reasons to celebrate. She was to assist the orphans. She was to defend the rights of the widows. All of these evil sins had to do with dishonorable judges who were accepting bribes and not judging as how God would judge.
1:18 Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.
Israel was bloody red with sin, but she could become as pure as snow if she turned back to God. She could turn back to God by loving God. She could show her love for God by studying the Law and keeping His commandments.
In Hebrew, the color red is תּוֹלָע (tola), meaning a worm that was crushed and used for red dye. According to Psalm 22:6, the Messiah was to be crushed like this worm to make everyone as white as snow.
1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
Jehovah gave Israel the same choice which He gave Moses at Mount Sinai. If Israel obeys, then she will eat well in the land.
1:20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.
If Israel disobeys, then she will be eaten by the sword.
1:21 How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once a center of justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers.
Jerusalem became a prostitute when she went to bed with other foreign gods. This was a violation of her marriage contract with Jehovah. Jerusalem was at one time the envy of the world. All of the nations traveled to see Solomon’s Jerusalem. Now, Jerusalem was murdering her infants in the fire and killing God’s prophets. Jerusalem had become worse than Sodom and Gomorrah. However, God could not completely destroy Israel, because of His promises of the Abrahamic Covenant.
1:22 Your silver has become scum, your beer is diluted with water.
Israel was mixing impurities in her silver currency. She was diluting her wine with water. She was practicing dishonorable business practices. She herself had become dirty dross which needed to be purified.
1:23 Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.
Israel’s judges were supposed to be judging as to how God would judge if He were sitting on their judgement seat on earth. Instead, the judges of Israel made decisions which were filled with corruption.
1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, the powerful ruler of Israel, says this: “Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies.
Jehovah is sovereign, meaning that He controls all of the armies of history. Jehovah is the powerful ruler of Israel. Jehovah does have enemies, but it is Jehovah who will take revenge against them.
1:25 I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag.
Jehovah will cleanse Israel of her impurities.
1:26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times, wise advisers as in earlier days. Then you will be called, ‘The Just City, Faithful Town.’ ”
Isaiah is looking forward to the Messianic Kingdom. After the Great Tribulation, Jehovah will reestablish honest judges and wise counselors in the land. Jerusalem will be rebuilt. It will be called “The Just City, Faithful Town.” It will be know for truth and justice, not for idolatry and rebellion.
1:27 Zion will be freed by justice, and her returnees by righteousness.
Zion is another name for Jerusalem. During the Messianic Kingdom, Jerusalem will be a free city of justice. She will be a righteous city, inhabited by the believing remnant of Jewish believers.
How will Jerusalem be freed? The Hebrew word for "freed" is פָּדָה (padah), meaning redeemed with a price. Israel would not know this redemption price until Isaiah 53. The price of redemption would be the blood of their very own Messiah.
1:28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered, those who abandon the Lord will perish.
During the Messianic Kingdom, rebellious sinners will be shattered. Those who abandon Jehovah will perish. Unbelievers will be executed at 100 years of age.
1:29 Indeed, they will be ashamed of the sacred trees you find so desirable; you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards where you choose to worship.
God had chosen Israel to become His people, but much of Israel chose the gardens of demons to be their gods. The gardens were trees which were carved out lewd sexual postures. The Israelites would imitate the tree positions in their “worship” of sex. Those who chose the gardens will be embarrassed when the Messianic Kingdom arrives.
1:30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither, like an orchard that is unwatered.
Those who worshiped sex in the demonic gardens will be like withered trees who die. They will miss the Messianic Kingdom and find themselves in hell.
1:31 The powerful will be like a thread of yarn, their deeds like a spark; both will burn together, and no one will put out the fire.
Those who worship in the demonic gardens will burn in the Lake of Fire forever.
It is interesting to note that the kingdoms of this world today belong to Satan, but God overrules them. God has permitted great nations to rise and fall. God has permitted Satan to use these nations by His permissive will, but He will only allow Satan to do evil which God can use for good. When a nation’s cup of wrath is full, then God sweeps them off the scene. Even God’s own people are a testimony to the fact that God rules in the affairs of the nations of this world.
Historian Ed Gibbon gave five reasons why Rome fell. First, the family was undermined. Second, society imposed higher taxes. Third, society demanded a mad craze for entertainment, especially violent entertainment. Fourth, large armies were built, when the real enemy was within the empire. Fifth, religion decayed into a meaningless ritual. This caused people to lose touch with a moral society. There was no strong moral compass to guide the life of the people.
Most modern nations have replaced biblical doctrine with man-made speculations. Here are a few examples taken from an unknown author:
Philosophy says: Think your way out.
Indulgence says: Drink your way out.
Politics says: Spend your way out.
Science says: Invent your way out.
Industry says: Work your way out.
Communism says: Strike your way out.
Fascism says: Bluff your way out.
Militarism says: Fight your way out.
The Bible says: Pray your way out, but
Jesus Christ says: “I am the way (out) ….”