Isaiah 1
Notes
Transcript
Isaiah Intro
Isaiah lived through a pivotal period of his nation’s history, the second half of the eighth century bc, which saw the rise of written prophecy in the work of Amos, Hosea, Micah and himself, but also the downfall and disappearance of the greater part of Israel, the ten tribes of the northern kingdom. (See The Prophets in The Song of Songs)
The Book of Isaiah is one of the most- loved books of the Bible; it is perhaps the best known of the prophetic books. It contains several passages that are well known among Bible students (e.g., 1:18; 7:14; 9:6–7; 26:8; 40:3, 31; 53). It has great literary merit and contains beautiful descriptive terminology.
Isaiah also contains much factual material about the society of Israel around 700 b.c. Besides pointing out the shortcomings of the people the prophet noted that God always has a remnant of believers through whom He works.
Isaiah spoke more than any other prophet of the great kingdom into which Israel would enter at the Second Advent of the Messiah. Isaiah discussed the depths of Israel’s sin and the heights of God’s glory and His coming kingdom.
Author and Date. The author of this book was Isaiah the son of Amoz (Isa. 1:1). The name “Isaiah” means “Yahweh is salvation.” Though more is known about Isaiah than most of the other writing prophets, the information on him is still scanty. Probably Isaiah resided in Jerusalem and had access to the royal court. According to tradition he was a cousin of King Uzziah but no firm evidence exists to support this. He did have personal contact with at least two of Judah’s kings who were David’s descendants (7:3; 38:1; 39:3).
Isaiah was married (8:3). He had two sons, Shear-Jashub (7:3) and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (8:3). Some have supposed from Isaiah’s commissioning (chap. 6) that he was a priest, but no evidence in the book supports this.
The year of Isaiah’s death is unknown but it was probably after Hezekiah’s death in 686 b.c. (and therefore probably in Manasseh’s sole reign, 686–642) because Isaiah wrote a biography of King Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:32). Isaiah’s death would have occurred after Sennacherib’s death (Isa. 37:38), which was in 681 b.c. Since the prophet’s ministry began sometime in Uzziah’s reign (790–739 b.c.) Isaiah ministered for at least 58 years (from at least 739, when Uzziah died [6:1], to 681, when Sennacherib died).
According to tradition dating from the second century a.d., Isaiah was martyred by King Manasseh. Justin Martyr (ca. a.d. 100–165) wrote that Isaiah was sawed asunder with a saw (cf. Heb. 11:37).
Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary:
1:1. Isaiah’s prophecies focus on Judah and Jerusalem. His book is called a vision, which suggests that the prophet “saw” (cf. 2:1) mentally and spiritually as well as heard what God communicated to him. This word “vision” also introduces the prophecies of Obadiah, Micah, and Nahum.
Isaiah Chapter 1
THE VISION [seen by spiritual perception] of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah [the kingdom] and Jerusalem [its capital] in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: I have nourished and brought up sons and have made them great and exalted, but they have rebelled against Me and broken away from Me.
3 The ox [instinctively] knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib, but Israel does not know or recognize Me [as Lord], My people do not consider or understand.
4 Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised and shown contempt and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they have become utterly estranged (alienated).
5 Why should you be stricken and punished any more [since it brings no correction]? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint (feeble, sick, and nauseated).
The picture in vs 5–6 is not of a sick man, but of someone flogged within an inch of his life, yet asking for more. V 5a makes this point, and the symptoms of 6b are those of inflicted injuries; cf. the welts with the ‘wounds’ (‘stripes’ av) of 53:5.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness or health in [the nation’s body]—but wounds and bruises and fresh and bleeding stripes; they have not been pressed out and closed up or bound up or softened with oil. [No one has troubled to seek a remedy.]
7 [Because of your detestable disobedience] your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; your land—strangers devour it in your very presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens.
8 And the Daughter of Zion [Jerusalem] is left like a [deserted] booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, like a besieged city [spared, but in the midst of desolation].
The literal reality comes out in vs 7–8: it is the land of Judah trampled under foreign hordes, with only Jerusalem (Zion) left standing. It is evidently the aftermath of Sennacherib’s invasion, which has its outline in 2 Ki. 18:13, its effects glimpsed in Is. 37:30–32, and its statistics recorded on the Taylor Prism where Sennacherib claims forty-six walled towns as captured, together with ‘innumerable villages’ and a fifth of a million people. The shelter is the field-worker’s or watchman’s shanty, a forlorn relic of the harvest. So much for glorious Zion—within an ace of being wiped out like Sodom (9).
Authorized (King James) version
Kidner, F. D. (1994). Isaiah. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 634). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.
9 Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very small remnant [of survivors], we should have been like Sodom, and we should have been like Gomorrah. [Gen. 19:24, 25; Rom. 9:29.]
10 Hear [O Jerusalem] the word of the Lord, you rulers or judges of [another] Sodom! Give ear to the law and the teaching of our God, you people of [another] Gomorrah!
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me [unless they are the offering of the heart]? says the Lord. I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts [without obedience]; and I do not delight in the blood of bulls or of lambs or of he-goats [without righteousness].
12 When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you that your [unholy feet] trample My courts?
13 Bring no more offerings of vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility); [your hollow offering of] incense is an abomination to Me; the New Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure—[it is] iniquity and profanation, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your New Moon festivals and your [hypocritical] appointed feasts My soul hates. They are an oppressive burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
Stopped 10-22-2020
15 And when you spread forth your hands [in prayer, imploring help], I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood!
16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes! Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.
Stopped 10-28-2020
Stopped 11-4-2020
Keep in mind, This is like a courtroom indictment against Israel. He has called Heaven and Earth to be the witnesses in this courtroom.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:16–20
The obedient (v. 19) would eat the best from the land, that is, they would have bountiful crops as promised in the Mosaic Covenant (Deut. 28:3–6, 11). By contrast, those who refused to turn to God (rebels; cf. Isa. 1:23, 28) would be defeated by enemies (devoured by the sword, v. 20; Deut. 28:45–57). This was certain for the … LORD has spoken (cf. Isa. 40:5; 58:14).
21 How the faithful city has become an [idolatrous] harlot, she who was full of justice! Uprightness and right standing with God [once] lodged in her—but now murderers.
1:21. The contrast between the original condition of Jerusalem under David and the early years of Solomon’s reign with the condition of the people in Isaiah’s day is detailed. At one time Jerusalem was considered faithful like a devoted wife. Now, however, the city was a harlot. The imagery of prostitution is common in the prophetic books (esp. Jer. and Hosea). This figure is based on the fact that in marriage, as in the relationship between God and Israel, a covenant was made. When a person becomes a prostitute he or she mars the marriage covenant. In the same way when a person left the true God for idols he marred his covenant with the Lord.
22 Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:22–23
Their silver and wine, which used to be valuable, had become worthless: dross metal and watered-down wine. Dross is the residue left in the smelting process after pure silver is removed. Like worthless dross, the nation would be “thrown away.” The people would be exiled if they would not repent and turn to the Lord.
23 Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after compensation and rewards. They judge not for the fatherless nor defend them, neither does the cause of the widow come to them [for they delay or turn a deaf ear].
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:22–23
The rebellious rulers in the city were leading the people into ruin by theft, bribery, and injustice to the helpless (cf. comments on v. 17). The fatherless and widows could not even get hearings because they had no money for bribing the rulers. This situation was especially abhorrent to God because His covenant people were bound to Him and therefore to each other. But now they had no concern for each other’s property and needs.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary d. The Lord’s Declaration of the Sentence (1:24–31)
God’s lawsuit ended with His pronouncing judgment on the guilty nation. In this chapter God is pictured not only as one of the parties in the litigation but also as the Judge who will decide what will happen to the guilty party. Those who were obstinate, refusing to repent, would be judged, but the repentant would be redeemed.
24 Therefore says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will appease Myself on My adversaries and avenge Myself on My enemies.
25 And I will bring My hand again upon you and thoroughly purge away your dross [as with lye] and take away all your tin or alloy.
26 And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; afterward you shall be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
1:24–26. God’s judging will bring Him relief from the displeasure caused by His foes (enemies within the covenant community). It will be like a purging agent, getting rid of the dross (v. 25; cf. v. 22), leaving only the pure silver. Vengeance was not for the purpose of “getting even” with unfaithful people. Its purpose was to turn the nation back to a proper relationship to God. The Lord will see that the right kind of judges are in office as in former times (David’s and Solomon’s empires), and Jerusalem will once again be called the City of Righteousness and the Faithful City (v. 26)
Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1037). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her [returned] converts with righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).
28 But the crushing and destruction of rebels and sinners shall be together, and they who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 For you will be ashamed [of the folly and degradation] of the oak or terebinth trees in which you found [idolatrous] pleasure, and you will blush with shame for the [idolatrous worship which you practice in the passion-inflaming] gardens which you have chosen.
30 For you shall be like an oak or terebinth whose leaf withers, and like a garden that has no water.
31 And the strong shall become like tow and become tinder, and his work like a spark, and they shall both burn together, with none to quench them.
