Introduction
This lesson will cover verses 10-20 of the first chapter in the book of Isaiah. It is within these verses that we read of God’s accusation of Judah’s spiritual adultery. Judah, really all of God’s people through today, are called to live in holiness in comparison to the world and worship in relation to God. The Lord was indicting His people, during Isaiah’s day, of attempting to do one (worship) apart from the other (holiness). Yahweh was calling upon His people to repent, return to Him, and to fulfill their end of the covenant. Central to this lesson is the idea that we must fulfill what God’s old covenant people failed to—we must live in holiness to the world and worship God, in such a way, that brings the nations to the Lord in a state of repentance. Repentance, in the sense that Isaiah pictures, will also be briefly examined and applied to us, today.
Isaiah 1:10-20
Verse 10 – A Call to Attention
This oracle is bookended with the reason for God’s people to take notice, “Hear the word of the Lord,” (v. 10a) and, “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken,” (v. 20c). Isaiah was not speaking for himself or from his own mind; he was speaking on behalf of God. Therefore, God’s people were called to take close notice. Contrary to oracles of the past, God wasn’t just calling the leadership of His people to account. Rather, reference to “rulers” and “people” (v. 10) make it clear that things had digressed to the point that everyone was now culpable; for, it was not only the leadership who were to honor the covenant, it was also the people.[1] In other words, no one could claim that they were merely following in the direction that the priests or king were taking them. They were to know the Lord well enough to know His character. This extends to all of God’s people, throughout all of time. All of us, today, have access to the Word; we are to know our Lord’s character enough to know what He desires. On the day of your judgment, you will not be able to stand before Him and claim ignorance.
Verse 10 also tells us what God saw in His people; they had become like “Sodom” and “Gomorrah”. One of the purposes of the covenant between God and His people was to identify who they were and whom they were to reflect into the world.[2] Earlier in their history, they were told, “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44a). This was what God’s people are to be and whom they are to reflect in the world, throughout all of time. God’s people of the old covenant were to be holy and reflect the character of their Lord; furthermore, God’s people, today, are to be a holy people and reflect His character. However, God’s reference to these two ancient cities of sin points to the idea that the people of Judah had not just accepted the presence of sin in their lives and in their community. It also illuminates the idea that it was paraded as a lifestyle.[3]
Verses 11-15 – Corrupted Worship
Verses 11-15 speak to what happens to our worship whenever we allow our lifestyle to become wrapped up in sin. The Lord tells His people, “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? (sic) I have had enough… (sic) Bring no more vain offerings. (sic) I will hide my eyes from you… (sic) I will not listen.” (vv. 11a, 13a, 15b). Even though God’s people were rife with a permissive attitude and practice of sin, their cultic worship of God was unchanged. They continued to practice the ceremony that they believed was required of them. However, their worship was now perverted and polluted with sin.[4] These multitudinous sacrifices required the killing of a fattened calf without spot or physical deformity. They were selected from birth for their purpose and set aside; they were special, highly prized, and expensive in the eyes of the people.[5] However, a sacrifice or gift of great cost and measure is not what the Lord desires; not even of us, today. He is interested in something much deeper than cost. He looks to the foundation, to first (or, primary) principle and position. God’s people weren’t called to go through the motions of worship because it is expected of them; or, because they hope that, by doing them, God would overlook their sin. Their hearts and minds were in the wrong place. They were living by an incorrect principle (ethic) and they had forgotten the purpose of their worship. An act of worship that is not coupled with a heart of holiness is meaningless and displeasing to the Lord.
Knowledge of God’s character must be followed by a life, whose overarching theme and direction, is following along with His character. This will not, however, make us righteous; Christ does this. However, God has not provided the means of our righteousness in order for us to order our lives in any way that we want. We, as God’s people, are called to reflect His character. This is not legalism; this is a theme of a proper relationship with the Creator of the cosmos. God may love us; however, He is also the embodiment of justice and righteousness, at all times and in the perfect sense. He will not look upon His people in love, one moment, and in justice, the next moment.
Verse 15 also speaks to the reversal of position that God’s people have allowed for themselves. In Leviticus 11:44 and Exodus 28:41, the Lord commanded His people to “consecrate” themselves. In the Hebrew, this refers to having one’s hands full, and the context is related to being about the Lord’s business.[6] However, the Lord is now telling them that their, “hands are full of blood”. This points very clearly to a surrendering of holiness and the taking up of guilt and sin. Instead of being about the business of the Lord (v. 17), they have been about the business of evil. They are trying to ride the fence and the live a double life; thus, their worship was neither lukewarm or cold, it was empty. Having been redeemed in Christ, washed in His blood, and possessing eternal life changes nothing, in regards to the ethical standards of our lives. God’s people are called to holiness and obedience as much today, as they were in Isaiah’s day.
Verses 16-17 – A Call for Repentance
Alike other prophecies of judgment, Isaiah enumerates a way of escape—true repentance. The Lord amplifies the need of the people to be cleansed, inside and out, of their sins by speaking a triplicate message of action: “wash,” “clean,” and “remove the evil” (v. 16a). Therefore, we know that God was not changing the requirement of the Temple cultus; instead, this speaks to the condition of their heart during worship. Their hearts were rebellious, as they had departed from biblical justice. They had ceased to care for the weak among them (v. 16, “fatherless…widow’s”) that had already by spelled out by God, “the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled” (Deut. 14:29b). This was counted as evil, which is the opposite of justice since it ignores God’s Word.
While these people were in clear violation of the Mosaic (Sinai) covenant, this command is actually amplified for God’s people, today. Within the people of God, there still exists the destitute, weak, orphaned, and widowed and it is still on the heads of God’s people to care for them.[7] Furthermore, we are warned to be, “found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (2 Pet. 3:14b). Therefore, if we are attempting to worship and live our lives while accepting sin in our lives, we need to repent. If we are ignoring specific things that God has clearly convicted us of or spoken against, we need to repent.
Verses 18-19 – Promise of Renewal
In verse 18, the Lord is symbolically placing His arm around the shoulder of His people and speaks as a father to a child, “Come now, let us reason together.” He then proceeds to spell out His offer of mercy. The Lord tells them plainly that their sins are obvious to Him, “like scarlet… crimson,” (v. 18); but, He admits that they may be wiped away, “white as snow… like wool” (v. 18). However, this would not happen magically or for nothing. Given their place in the covenant and their rightful place with the Lord, they were provided with a reasonable condition—true repentance and obedience.[8] The Lord, in Christ, has offered us the same conditions; but those offered today are much better. Because, not only are we provided the offer that our sins—though they are like scarlet and crimson—will be white as snow and like pure wool; we are also given the promise of the Spirit. The Spirit of God enables us to obey God; however, He goes further than this, as he enables our desire to obey. Praise God!
In verse 19, we are told of the obvious conditions, willingness and obedience; this is, essentially, repentance. However, this is repentance of the heart, versus that of the mouth. God desires that our hearts be moved toward Him, toward holiness, toward righteousness, and toward biblical justice. This form of repentance will warrant divine grace and forgiveness.[9] The Lord does not simply forget our sins, He graciously blots them out of existence. This is what is meant by, “as far as the East is from the West” (Ps. 103:12). Obedience is deeper than outward expression; it is related to the seat of the will—the heart—obedience begins there. Hence, the Lord has coupled willingness with obedience; obedience and spirituality cannot be coerced.
Verse 20 – The Ultimatum
Isaiah concludes with a word of judgment if His people failed to act according to wisdom. If they refused His offer of repentance, if they continued in their rebellion (which would, at this point, be heightened due to this delivered oracle) then they would face judgment, “you shall be eaten by the sword” (v. 20b). This sword would likely take the form of a foreign power, perhaps Assyria or Babylon. This judgment, like those who fail to repent, today, wasn’t a settled affair. The Lord offered to the rebellious a way out of judgment, and He does so today, as well. However, it is likely that Isaiah did not anticipate that the people of his day would repent.[10] In the sixth chapter, we are given this indication. However, what shall we say about this present generation? What shall we say about ourselves—will we be like Isaiah or the Judahites? We can know that this word is sure, because, “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (v. 20c).
Conclusion
In Isaiah 1:10-20, we read that God is formally accusing His covenant people of neglecting holiness, biblical justice, and accepting the place of sin in their lives. How many of us, today, could God make such an accusation of? However, we also read that God provided them an olive leaf of mercy; He offered to them a chance to repent and be cleansed. Unfortunately, it was also noted that many would not repent and would face the sword of judgment. Today we are faced with the same dilemma. Most, today, will not repent. However, if you hear His voice and feel His conviction over your life and will repent of your sins and place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ then He will blot out your sins. He will adopt you as a child, and provide eternal life. Judgment is not, yet, settled. How will you be known to God?
Bibliography
Dumbrell, William J. “The Purpose of the Book of Isaiah.” Tyndale Bulletin 36:1 (1985): 111-130.
Emadi, Samuel. “Repentance, Eschatology, and Prophetic Hope: Repentance in the Book of Isaiah.” Puritan Reformed Journal 5:2 (July 2013): 24-47.
McComiskey, Douglas S. “Exile and the Purpose of Jesus’ Parables (Mark 4:10-12; Matt. 13:10-17; Luke 8:9-10).” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51:1 (Mar 2008): 59-97.
Motyer, J. Alec. The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2015.
Patterson, Richard D. “The Widow, Orphan, and Poor in the Old Testament and the Extra-Biblical Literature.” Bibliotheca Sacra (July 1973): 223-234.
Webb, Barry G. The Message of Isaiah. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1997.
Endnotes
[1] Barry G. Webb, The Message of Isaiah (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1997), Kindle electronic edition, location 668.
[2] Samuel Emadi, “Repentance, Eschatology, and Prophetic Hope: Repentance in the Book of Isaiah.” Puritan Reformed Journal 5:2 (July 2013): 28.
[3] J. Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2015), Kindle electronic edition, location 1405.
[4] William J. Dumbrell, “The Purpose of the Book of Isaiah.” Tyndale Bulletin 36:1 (1985): 114.
[7] Richard D. Patterson, “The Widow, Orphan, and Poor in the Old Testament and the Extra-Biblical Literature.” Bibliotheca Sacra (July 1973): 234.
[8] Douglas S. McComiskey, “Exile and the Purpose of Jesus’ Parables (Mark 4:10-12; Matt. 13:10-17; Luke 8:9-10).” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51:1 (Mar 2008): 83-4.
From One Christian to Another 