Heaven's Court

Intro:

TS:

Isaiah 1:1 ESV

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah,

the son of Amoz, ministered in and around Jerusalem as a prophet to Judah from ca. 739–686 B.C

This spanned the reigns of 4 kings of Judah:

Uzziah (called “Azariah” in 2 Kings),

Jotham

Ahaz

Hezekiah

He evidently came from a family of some rank, because he had easy access to the king (7:3).

He was married and had two sons who bore symbolic names:

“Shear-jashub” (“a remnant shall return,” 7:3)

“Maher-shalal-hash-baz” (“hasting to the spoil, hurrying to the prey,” 8:3).

When called by God to prophesy, in the year of King Uzziah’s death (ca. 739 B.C.), he responded with a cheerful readiness, though he knew from the beginning that his ministry would be one of fruitless warning and exhortation (6:9–13).

Prophets who were his contemporaries include Hosea and Micah

Background

During Uzziah’s 52 years on the throne of Judah:

Judah grew strong commercially and militarily

commercial port on the Red Sea

walls towers and fortifications built for defense of Jerusalem

Judah declined spiritually

Uzziah himself had overstepped his role and acted like a priest to burn incense on the alter

He was judged with leprosy

Jotham (ca. 750–731 B.C.), his son had to take over the duties of king.

Assyria began to emerge as a new international power under Tiglath-Pileser (ca. 745–727 B.C.)

Judah also began to incur opposition from Israel and Syria to her north during his reign

Spiritual corruption still existed in the Land

Ahaz assumed throne at 25.

Israel and Syria made an alliance to combat Assyria

Ahaz refused to join with Israel and he was threatened by them

He asked Assyria for help.

Assyria sacked Gaza and carried Galilee and Gilead into captivity. He ultimately captured Damascus and Samaria (the captivity of most Israelites)

This led to further spiritual decline in Judah

A heathen alter was set up in Solomon’s temple

Hezekiah began his reign in 715 BC and lasted 29 years

At first, they paid tribute to Assyria

After being healed by GOD from a fatal illness, he quit paying tribute which lead to King Sennacherib of Assyria invading

In the end, Hezekiah trusted God and didn’t surrender and God delivered Judah from the Assyrians.

Themes

Isaiah confronted the sin and corruption of Judah

empty ritualism

idolatry

foretold coming Babylonian captivity as judgment

Challenges

The major challenges for us as we examine this book centers around whether Isaiah’s prophecies will receive literal fulfillment or not and on whether the Lord has replaced ethnic Israel with the church.

1st Issue on fulfilment:

Many of Isaiah’s prophesies have already been literally fulfilled

It is illogical to make a jump by saying the rest will NOT be.

Since most have been literal, why would the rest be figurative?

2nd Issue

Isaiah often wrote of God’s faithfulness to Israel and if the church replaces Israel, many of his prophesies make little or no sense.

God created and chose them

Isaiah 43:1 ESV

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

God engraved them on His palms

Isaiah 49:16 ESV

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

Finally, God made a promise to bring them back and bless them

Isaiah 55:10–13 ESV

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Yes, we have been grafted in according to Paul, but that is adding branches, not totally removing the whole nation.

We share in some of the blessings.

We will get to be in the Kingdom

MacArthur Study Bible NASB Commentary

This is a courtroom scene in which the Lord is the plaintiff and the nation of Israel is the defendant. Instead of responding to God’s ultimate care and provision for them, these people have failed to give Him the loving obedience that is His due.

Opening Statement

Isaiah 1:2 ESV

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

Holman Concise Bible Commentary Divine Warning (1:1–31)

The Lord summoned the personified heavens and earth, the ancient witnesses to God’s covenant with Israel

Judah had been invaded and Jerusalem spared

Yet they refused to repent

God’s purpose for Israel had been to be a channel of blessing and a light house to the nations

They were to be blessed as they followed God

They were to be a blessing to the world

There would be a drawing of all nations to the Lord as they saw God’s faithfulness to blessings a faithful Israel.

Instead, He now calls the nations to look on Israel’s shame.

The physical descendants o Abraham are God’s chosen people in spite of their rebellion

God declares His children Israel (all 12 tribes) had rebelled.

This was unnatural and showed a lack of gratitude

Isaiah 1:3 ESV

The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”

God here says even the animals have more reasoning ability than Israel was displaying.

They knew their master and recognized it

Israel had transgressed that and run wild.

Evidence of the Charges

They Abandoned God and His Laws

Isaiah 1:3–4 ESV

The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.

Isaiah 1:21–24 ESV

How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them. Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes.

God had given clear laws and requirements.

Israel had broken them

They were guilty of idolatry

Murder and corruption were rampant with little justice

Their virtue had been replaced by depravity

They Rejected God’s Correction

Isaiah 1:5–8 ESV

Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil. Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

God had sent correction and warning, but they ailed to repent.

The Judgment

Israel was once faithful, but since she had turned from God, He was going to pour out his wrath on her.

He will reject Her Sacrifices and Prayers

Isaiah 1:9–15 ESV

If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Empty ritual was not appeasing to God

Had his fill of vain offerings

God said, “I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.”

They were hypocrites

Mixing a sinful life with religious ritual

He will Pour out His Anger

Isaiah 1:25 ESV

I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.

Isaiah 1:28–31 ESV

But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen. For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.

All sinners would be judged in spite of being GOD’s chosen people, Israel

God was faithfully keeping His covenant

Blessings for obedience

Curses for disobedience

The refiners fire of judgment was to fall on them.

Conclusion:

Invitation from God: REPENT!

Isaiah 1:16–19 ESV

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. “Come now, 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 become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

Isaiah 1:26–27 ESV

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.” Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

God offered them another chance if they would repent of their rebellion and return to Him

The same holds true today:

When we rebel, it impacts all areas of our life

God judges us and refines us

The soultion is to repent.