Sermon Tone Analysis

Isaiah 1

Copyright January 2, 2022 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche

This morning we embark on a new kind of adventure.

We are going to begin a study of one of the Major (larger) Prophets, Isaiah.

The book of Isaiah has sometimes been called the 5th Gospel because it points to Christ in profound ways.

It has specific prophecies about His birth, His character, His life, and contains a description of the crucifixion with such precision that it is staggering.

Unlike most other studies we have done we are not going to go through every verse of Isaiah.

Prophetic books are sometimes tough to read.

This is because they frequently contain numerous passages of judgment on various nations.

Though it is important to know God does judge sin and will only put up with the rebellion of a nation for so long, passage after passage like this can be a little mind-numbing and we will start to dis-engage from the text.

Therefore, as we study Isaiah there will be some passages on judgment that we will skip.

The very beginning of the text gives us the context of Isaiah’s writing.

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.

Isaiah tells us very little about himself only that he was the son of Amoz.

This is not “Amos” who was one of the prophets.

The reigns of the kings under which he served span over 100 years.

However, Isaiah’s ministry did not start until the year King Uzziah died which was in 740 BC (we will see more on this in chapter 6).

All we know about Isaiah is what he tells us in this book.

Because he seems to have ready access to the King(s) some suggest Isaiah may have been of royal birth.

Some do not believe Isaiah wrote the entire book (others added material later) we believe Isaiah was the sole author as traditionally understood.

The first chapter of Isaiah is really a summary of what the rest of the book is about.

In other words, we will see some of these themes repeatedly throughout the book.

Sinful Rebellion

The book starts right off with the indictment of the nation of Israel.

Israel has drifted from the Lord.

2 Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth!

This is what the Lord says:

“The children I raised and cared for

have rebelled against me.

3 Even 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.”

God formed the nation of Israel and has been their guardian throughout their existence, but they have rebelled repeatedly.

Isaiah pointed out that animals have more sense than Israel.

An animal knows who feeds and cares for them, and they defer to that person and are loyal to their masters.

Israel, much like our present society had distanced themselves from God.

Any nation that decides they can make up their own rules (“I’m going to do what I want because you only live once”) will eventually face judgment for their godlessness.

Much of what we see on the news today is the result of this disregard for the Lord.

People rebel against God’s rule in their lives.

They attack each other to gain an advantage.

Even professing Christians feel quite free to disregard the law of God when it suits them.

Some will say, “God’s Law is outdated, too restrictive.

It is a violation of our freedom to be required to live according to God’s commands.”

Those words reveal the attitude Isaiah is speaking to.

One author rightly points out that requiring a railroad engine to stay on the tracks is not an infringement of its basic rights, it merely defines the circumstances under which the engine must operate to reach its full potential.

Likewise, we do not consider the Law of Gravity to be an infringement of our freedom, it is a fence in which that freedom can operate.

Such is the Law of God.

God shows us how we were made and designed to live.

If we want the optimal life, we must live it the way He designed it to be lived!

Israel doesn’t know its master.

My people don’t recognize my care for them.”

4 Oh, 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 Israel

and turned their backs on him.

Isaiah points out that the nation of Israel was a sinful nation.

Before a nation (or individual) can be made right with God they must first recognize that they are NOT right with God.

Before we can move forward in our relationship with God, we must come to grips with an awareness of our sin addiction and the indictment this brings.

But this is where the problem is, people do not see themselves as sinners who “hate” God (as shown by their unwillingness to submit to Him.)

Ray Ortlund relays this account,

A colleague at Boston College … once asked members of his philosophy class to write an anonymous essay about a personal struggle over right and wrong, good and evil.

Most of the students, however, were unable to complete the assignment.

“Why?” he asked.

“Well,” they said—and apparently this was said without irony, “we haven’t done anything wrong.”

We can see a lot of self-esteem here, but little self-awareness.

It sounds absurd but how often do we think of “sinners” as “those people out there?”

This is a human race problem!

Every one of us is addicted to sin until we turn to Christ!

And here is the thing, until we recognize that problem, we will not turn to Christ!

Isaiah says Israel was experiencing the consequences of her rebellion.

God asks, in essence, “When are you going to wake up and turn to me?”

They were beat up, hungry, and vulnerable, but instead of turning to the Lord they turned everywhere else.

They refused to submit to the Creator!

I think we can ask this question of our own problems.

When are we going to stop trusting political parties, our skilled military, scientists and drug companies, our political lobbying groups and even the Supreme Court?

When will we instead begin to seek the Lord God and do what He says?

Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of God’s indictment.

Empty Ritual

“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”

says the Lord.

“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams

and the fat of fattened cattle.

I get no pleasure from the blood

of bulls and lambs and goats.

12 When you come to worship me,

who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?

13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;

the incense of your offerings disgusts me!

As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath

and your special days for fasting—

they are all sinful and false.

I want no more of your pious meetings.

14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.

They are a burden to me.

I cannot stand them!

(1:11-14)

Imagine, if you will, the religious leaders as they listened to Isaiah.