Isaiah: 1-5
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Chapter 1-5 Review
Chapter 1-5 Review
Anatomy
Isaiah’s ministry starts in Chapter 6. 1-5 is an anatomy of Judah, a backdrop to his ministry which starts in Chapter 6
Chapter 1
Isaiah teaches a covenant view of history. Present day Israel and everything is rotten (5-8). We see worthless religious activity (10-15), social collapse (21-23), a sinful nation , and an unfaithful people
Chapter 2
(2:1 -5:30) is a single prophecy. This chapter starts with the glorious future of Jerusalem. We see an international pilgrimage.People from all the world come to Zion (2:2-4). The book of Micah contains this portion of Isaiah almost word-for-word. We see world-wide wrongs made right and then a contrast with present vs. future (2:5-16) where we see the national decline of Israel
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 is all about social disruption and despair. Solid political leadership disappears, the society is deeply divided. Upcoming elections are met with disinterest. All of this sets up God’s judgment and we see it unfold
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 could be a continuation of chapter 3. It is short and shows us the consequences of sin. Chapter 3 ends with the threat that the young men will die. Here is the result. Conditions during war. Surplus of women but no husbands
Chapter 5
Earlier we saw three pictures of Jerusalem: a glimpse of the glorious future (2:1-5), a snapshot of their actual wretched condition (2:6:-4:1) and then a picture of hope (4:2-6). This section is the grimmest section yet in Isaiah’s introduction. It is a picture of inevitable judgment. This is a huge billboard, divine insight to what is happening to our nation. Biblical history can inform us and tell us our own inevitable future (cf. 1 Cor 10:11) (McArthur)
Look for
— Prayers (Blue)
— Promises (Green)
— Warnings (Red)
— Commands (Purple)
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Overview
Isaiah teaches a covenant view of history. Present day Israel and everything is rotten (5-8). We see worthless religious activity (10-15), social collapse (21-23), a sinful nation and an unfaithful people
Obedience to God
— National prosperity and security, but not limiting God to quid pro quo
Obey
— Obey and He will set you high above all other nations ( Deut 28:1 )
1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
Obedience and Blessings
— Obedience results in blessings
— Your children will be healthy, your crops and animals will increase (Deut 28:4)
— You will be safe when you travel (Deut 28:6)
— God will defeat your enemies (Deut 28:7)
— You will be blessed when you go to work (Deut 28:8)
— He will send abundant rain for your crops
— You will Lend but not borrow (Deut 28:12)
Disobey and Curses
Deut 28:15 and until the end of the chapter - all the curses if the Nation turns from God
The title (1:1)
( 1:1 ) 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
— ( 1:1 ) Some commentators say that he prophesied for 60 - 80 years
— He prophesied during the reign of Uzziah who ruled for 52 years
God’s Court Room
( 1:2 ) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;
— In ( 1:2 ) We see God’s courtroom
— God is the plaintiff and the Nation of Israel is the defendant
— The solemn call to the universe to hear God’s charge against Israel
— God is calling the world to be a spectator as he put His people on Trial
— Isaiah uses the court room motif several times in this book (1:2; 3:13, 41:21-29; 43:8-9; 59:9-13)
The title > God’s gracious dealings (1:2)
( 1:2 ) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;
Q: How has God treated Israel in v2?
( 1:2 ) nourished and brought up children
— Nourished them and brought them up
— well feed and taught
— not only made them grow but made them great
— not only maintained them but preferred them
Redemption Language
— This is redemption language
— Who do you nourish?
— Children! (Ex 4:22)
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed (1:3-4)
( 1:3-4 ) The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.” 4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.
Q: What does God charge them with in V3 ?
700 Years
— 700 Years before Christ Isaiah has these words
— Israel’s rebellion against God (cf. Isa 5:20)
Ingratitude
— ( 1:3 ) Ignorance, ingratitude, inconsideration
Ox
— ( 1:3a ) These are not very smart animals
— The ox is dull, brute
— But it has a sense of duty to serve its master
— A Donkey knows its crib, if let loose it will return to it
Q: What is the charge in V4? What are they “laden” with?
Privilege / Corruption
— ( 1:4 ) Corruption
— Laden with sin, inequity
Sin
— Laden with sin
— Jesus promises rest, redemption (Matt 11:28-29)
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
A holy Nation They were supposed to be a Holy Nation ( Ex 19:6 )
6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
— But instead of being
— a Holy nation
— a nation of priests
— they became a sinning nation
A Unique People
— They were supposed to be a unique people,
— set apart for God ( cf. Dt 4:4-6; 2 Sam 7:23-24 )
23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God.
— But instead they became polluted like the surrounding nations and idol worshipers
Q: What is at the heart of this sinfulness?
Relationship
— Their relationship with God
— To “forsake” is opposite of to seek
— Forsaking means to deliberately distance ourselves, to turn love into scorn
— To Seek is to be “where the Lord is.” He’s not lost and doesn’t need to be found
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed > The Sin of the Nation (1:5-10)
(1:5-10) Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9 Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:
Sick
— ( 1:5 ) The whole nation is sick, not an individual
— Further chastisement will not do any good
— What is the point?
( 1:5c ) The whole head is sick
— Men would rather be broken to shreds than submit to correction
— They are stubborn
— Hosea (contemporary) observed the same thing (Hos 4:16)
16 “For Israel is stubborn Like a stubborn calf; Now the Lord will let them forage Like a lamb in open country.
Q: What are the consequences for forsaking God, v7-8?
Daughter of Zion
— ( 1:7 ) A personification for Jerusalem
— The entire country will be desolated and Jerusalem will be left standing like a booth in the vineyard (1:8)
— This refers to the siege by Sennacherib, the Assyrian (cf. 36:1-10)
— He attacked Judah but Jerusalem was left standing
— ( 1:8c ) As a hut in a garden of cucumbers
— Hezekiah tried to placate Sennacherib but gold but he eventually attacked Judah and kept the gold ( 2 Ki 18:14-16)
( 1:9 ) Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.
Q: Verse 9 refers to Sodom and Gomorrah. What happened in the story? Gen 19:12. What is the relevance to Isaiah?
Sodom and Gomorrah
( 1:9 ) We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah
— Abraham spoke with God (Gen 19:12)
— God would you destroy the city if there were 50, 45, 50, 30, 20, 10?
— Although only Lot, his two daughters survived (3 people)
— I believe that there was only one person (Lot) in Sodom & Gomorrah that was righteous (cf. 2 Peter 2:7,8)
— This demonstrates God’s GREAT MERCY to spare the city for the sake of just one man and to demonstrate his long-suffering for the people to repent
Remnant
— Like Lot and his daughters, God will preserve a remnant from Israel despite their wickedness
— Jeremiah was an eye-witness to the Babylonians sacking Jerusalem
— He said the same thing with respect to a remnant (cf. Lam 3:22)
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
Paul expounds
— The apostle Paul quotes ( 1:9 ) in Romans 9:29
— It is due to God’s sparing love and providential care that the people - and Paul includes himself - were not completely destroyed
— There is a seed, a remnant
— Israel’s rejection is not total
— Paul here teaches that unless the Lord had left a remnant, the people would have been wiped out like Sodom and Gomorrah
Elijah
— Great victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel
— Queen Jezebel threaten to kill him (cf. 1 Kings 19:18 )
18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
— Elijah though that he was alone, but no, I have a remnant
Rulers of Sodom
( 1:10 ) You rulers of Sodom… You people of Gomorrah
— Rulers and people are just the same as Sodom and Gomorrah even if the punishment is not the same
Sin Paraded
— Sodom symbolized sin paraded
— sin as accepted life-style
— West Hollywood; Romans 1
— Sexual Perversion & Sexual freedom
— Re-Defining Marriage
— Abortion
— Eliminating God
— Today the platform of a major political party
9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them, And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.
Result
— Israel all but destroyed by Assyrians (cf. 37-38)
— Jerusalem was saved
— Immediate Result — As long as the people of Judah continued to sin they cut themselves off from God’s help and isolated themselves
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
When you feel lonely and separated from God, remember that God does not abandon you. Our sins cut us off from Him. The only sure cure for this kind of loneliness is to restore a meaningful relationship with God by confessing your sin, obeying His instructions, and communicating regularly with Him (cf. Ps 140:13, Isa 1:16-19, 1 John 1:9) (Application bible)
When you feel lonely and separated from God, remember that God does not abandon you. Our sins cut us off from Him. The only sure cure for this kind of loneliness is to restore a meaningful relationship with God by confessing your sin, obeying His instructions, and communicating regularly with Him (cf. Ps 140:13, Isa 1:16-19, 1 John 1:9) (Application bible)
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed > The Sin of the Nation > Worthless offerings(1:11-17)
( 1:11-17 ) “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, 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 good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Q: Does outward appearance please God when inwardly you’re a hypocrite? v11?
Purpose
— The purpose of sacrifices is not that God is pleased but that we are trained in godliness
— An outward sign of an inward faith
( 1:11 ) Fat of fed cattle
— specifically bred for sacrifices, the most expensive
Mean Nothing
( 1:11 ) “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord.
— These sacrifices mean nothing to the Lord
Add Nothing
( 1:11 ) I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle.
— They also add nothing
Do Nothing
( 1:11 ) I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats
— And they do nothing
Corruption
— In reality, all these ceremonies were a corruption of the worship to God
Q: Didn’t God institute these sacrifices? How can the Lord so persistently reject them now? vv-12-15
( 1:12 ) When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?
Outward
— Men always think that God is pleased with outward displays of worship
— The purpose of worship is “to appear before me”
— “to see my face” (cf. Ex 22:15, 34:20, Dt 16:16; 31:11)
( 1:12 ) they trampled his courts
Trampled Courts
— Instead, “they trampled his courts”
— The Noise of feet on the pavement
— Formalism
— Going through the motions
( 1:13 ) Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths
New Moons
— New Moons and Sabbaths refers to monthly offerings and weekly and special offerings
Ungodly Living
( 1:13c ) I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting
— Although the people did not feel sorry for their sins, they continued to offer sacrifices for forgiveness
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Gifts and sacrifices mean nothing to God when they come from someone with a corrupt heart. God wants us to love him, trust Him, and turn from our sins; after that, He will be pleased with our “sacrifice” of time, money or service (Application bible)
Gifts and sacrifices mean nothing to God when they come from someone with a corrupt heart. God wants us to love him, trust Him, and turn from our sins; after that, He will be pleased with our “sacrifice” of time, money or service (Application bible)
Hands
( 1:15 ) Your hands are full of blood.
—You pray but your hands are full of blood
— guilty of murder
— oppression
Proclamation/
Our ceremonies are worthless unless we “walk the talk”
— Jesus said the same thing in the sermon on the Mount
— “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” ( Matt 5:23-24 )
— It has always been God’s standard to come to Him in worship with a clean heart ( Is 1:11, 16-17; cf 58:5-7 )
— Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, said the same thing
— “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (cf. Micah 6:7,8)
Q: Didn’t God institute these sacrifices? How can the Lord so persistently reject them now? vv-12-15
Integrity
Isaiah already said:
— You offer sacrifices in vain
— You pray in vain
— You call on my name in vain
— Clean your hearts
— Become sanctified
Q: What is repentance and what does it look like?
( 1:16-17 ) “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow
— Repentance is evidenced by the renunciation of sin and righteous living
— Faithful rabbis had taught that this section of Isaiah was one of the most important sections of scripture (MacArthur, Matthew 1-7 )
( 1:16 ) Put away the evil of your doings
— your whole life, in every action
— It is a stain
— pollution before God’s eyes
( 1:17 ) Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
3 commands to put your personal life in order ; 3 to put society in order
Get your life Right
Stop ( 1:16b ) Cease to do evil
Learn ( 1:17 ) Learn to do Good
Learn ( 1:17 ) Seek Justice
Get Society Straight
Rebuke ( 1:17 ) Rebuke the oppressor
Defend ( 1:17 ) Defend the fatherless
Plead ( 1:17 ) Plead for the widow
Know His Will
— Often used as it is here, express the sum of what the Lord has said to be right
— The will of God
— “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (cf. Rom 12:2)
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed > The Sin of the Nation > Worthless offerings > Our new nature (1:18)
A new nature
( 1:18 ) “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 as wool.
— Wool and snow are naturally white
— The Lord’s promise is not only to deal with the stain of sin but the nature from which it springs
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed > The Sin of the Nation > Worthless offerings > Our new nature > Return to obedience (1:19-20)
( 1:19-20 ) If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Q: Is forgiveness unconditional? vv19-20
Not Unconditional
— Forgiveness is not unconditional
— It requires repentance
— Godly sorrow produces repentance (cf. 2 Cor 7:10)
— Wash, resist, put away, come
— all require a response of the will
— The Lord gave Moses the same choice (cf. Deut 28:15)
15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
— This is a covenant view of history
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed > The Sin of the Nation > Worthless offerings > Our new nature > Return to obedience > The social situation (1:21-26)
( 1:21 ) How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers
John Goldingay
John Goldingay in his commentary Isaiah for Everyone describes this next section as 2nd degree manslaughter. To introduce the section, he tells this story:
“A man whose car was broken into by two teens called the police. The teens stole a backpack that contained his computer. But in order to get a quick response, he told the police that the two young men were armed. The police arrived and found the teens. One was shot and killed when he reached into his pocket. The man was charged with second degree manslaughter. You can be charged with killing someone, even if you didn’t pull the trigger
Naboth
— Naboth was killed on false charges
— King Ahab wanted his vineyard (1 Kings 21)
Harlot
— Spiritual harlotry, idolatry of God’s people
— A nation once devoted to God, a royal priesthood (Ex 19:6) has now fallen to its lowest level of wickedness
( 1:23 ) Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them
Rebellious
( 1:23 ) Your princes are rebellious
— Speaking of the authorities
— The problem lies in whether authority is exercised in the city in a faithful way
2nd Degree
— In a position to help but they don’t
— They fail to provide for the needy
— The needy die slowly - still kills them
Corrupt
— ( 1:23 ) They make themselves rich.
— They love bribes
— their policies benefit only themselves
Widows
— Widows and Orphans are test cases of the quality of a biblical society (cf. Ex 22;22, Dt 14:29, 16:11-14)
— ( 1:17 ) Earlier Isaiah said, plead for the widow
Total Depravity
— Sin enters and affects / touches everything
— You can’t have a little sin
— You can’t be a little pregnant ; look at (1:22)
( 1:22 ) Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water
Dross
— ( 1:22 ) Silver can contain alloy and still be silver
— But silver which becomes dross is totally worthless, good for nothing
Wine
— Wine mixed with water - everything is affected
— Not part wine and part water
Hypocrisy
— Another symbol of hypocrisy, it looks like wine on the outside but it is not
( 1:24-28 ) Therefore the Lord says, The Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, “Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy. 26 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.” 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness. 28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed
Q: Have you ever heard the expression, God Hates the Sin but Loves the Sinner?
God doesn’t hate me!
— This is a common expression
— We say it all the time
— But God says those who sin are my foes and my enemies ( 1:24 )
— And take vengeance on My enemies (1:24)
— The Psalms says it a different way (cf. Ps 7:11 )
11 God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
— Who are these enemies of God if not sinners?
The title > God’s gracious dealings > Sin Exposed > The Sin of the Nation > Worthless offerings > Our new nature > Return to obedience > The social situation > Explanation: tensions between threat and hope resolved (1:27-31)
( 1:27 ) Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness.
Turns around
— God will turn things around
— His aim will not be just punishment but restoration
— The punishment is marked by an abrupt — message of hope
— “as at the first” ( 1:26 )
— “as in the days of old “ (NIV)
— “Zion shall be redeemed “( 1:27 )
Q: What does it mean to be redeemed?
Redeemed
— ( 1:27 ) To pay the ransom
— We are bought back from the slave market of sin ( cf. Eph 1:7 )
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
— The cost was His own blood
Q: How were you saved in the OT?
Penitent
— ( 1:27b ) Change of mind, change of direction
— Putting your trust in a redeemer
— This was a future redeemer in the OT
— They looked forward to a redeemer; we look back
( 1:28-31 ) The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees Which you have desired; And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens Which you have chosen. 30 For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades, And as a garden that has no water. 31 The strong shall be as tinder, And the work of it as a spark; Both will burn together, And no one shall quench them.
False Religions
— A picture of false religions
— Oaks and gardens symbolize life, fertility gods
— ( 1:28 ) The charge of forsaking God is justified
— They think they are strong but will burn like timber
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
The spark set to tinder ignites a quick, devouring fire. God compares mighty people whose evil deeds devour them to a roaring fire. Our lives can be destroyed quickly by a s small but deadly spark of evil. What potential “fire hazards” do you need to remove? (Application bible)
The spark set to tinder ignites a quick, devouring fire. God compares mighty people whose evil deeds devour them to a roaring fire. Our lives can be destroyed quickly by a s small but deadly spark of evil. What potential “fire hazards” do you need to remove? (Application bible)
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Overview
( 2:1 -5:30 )is a single prophecy. This chapter starts with the glorious future of Jerusalem. We see an international pilgrimage.People from all the world come to Zion ( 2:2-4 ). The book of Micah contains this portion of Isaiah almost word-for-word. We see world-wide wrongs made right and then a contrast with present vs. future ( 2:5-16 ) where we see the national decline of Israel
Jerusalem their glorious future ( 2:1-4 )
( 2:1-4 ) The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
Q: What does Isaiah mean by the phrase “latter days?”
Latter Days
— In the OT this is an unspecified time
— This is believed to be the messianic era (Hosea 3:5, Micah 4:1, Ezek 38:16) when Jesus reigns
5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.
NT
— The NT applied this to the first advent of Christ ( now ), between the first and second coming (cf. Acts 2:17, 2 Tim 3:1, Heb 1:2, James 5:3)
— Latter days is not the same as “in that day” which is a day of judgement
Mystery
— In the OT the prophets didn’t see a distinction between Christ’s first and second coming
— They didn’t foresee the church
— Paul calls this a “mystery” (cf. Eph 1:9)
— In Ephesians 3, Paul reveals the what was a mystery to Isiah and the other OT prophets
— The Church
— The rejected king and the postponed kingdom
— Christ’s incarnation
Q: Is there any special meaning attached to Mountain in v2?
( 2:2 ) That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains
Mountain
— This could be a literal mountain
— One commentator said, mountains are generally held to be the home of gods
— Here, a triumph over all gods
— In the OT mountains were symbolic of kingdoms or national power (cf. Jer 51:25, Dan 2:35)
— Commentators that hold a preterist view of eschatology (believe the prophecies of Matthew and Revelation were fulfilled in AD70), believe that NT references of “mountain” refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (cf. Rev 8:8, Matt 21:21, Mark 11:23)
Established
Permanency, continuance
Nations
— All peoples will come to Jerusalem
— We will have a party to end all parties (cf. Is 25:6)
6 And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees.
Teach us
— ( 2:3 ) Zion will be the source of teaching and wisdom
( 2:4 ) He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore
Judge
— ( 2:4 ) Zion will be the righting of every wrong, as the Lord judges between the nations
— No more war when the Lord is on the throne
Means
— ( 2:4 ) the means of war beat their swords
Practice
— ( 2:4c ) the practice of war take up sword
Mentality
— ( 2:4c ) the mentality of war Train/learn war
— They will stop training for war
Many
( 2:3 ) Many people shall come and say…
— Many (rabbim) implies a contrast
— Not one nation but many nations (cf. Eph 2:19)
— We are now (all) “fellow citizens” from many nations
Jerusalem their glorious future > The first exhortation: commitment to the Lord ( 2:5 )
( 2:5 ) O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the Lord
Walk in the light
If the God of Jacob is to be acknowledged by the world (2:3) they must walk in the light of the Lord
Q: What does it mean to walk in the light of the Lord?
— Obedience (cf. Eph 5:8)
— You are the light
— Not a change of circumstances
— Not saying that we were once in darkness but are now in light
— Something more profound
— They are not only in the light but they are the light (cf. Matt 5:15 )
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
— Israel’s mission has always been to bring the nations to God ( 19:24, 42:6, 49:6 )
Jerusalem their glorious future > The first exhortation: commitment to the Lord > The actual Jerusalem: its religious condition ( 2:6-21 )
( 2:6 ) For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, Because they are filled with eastern ways; They are soothsayers like the Philistines, And they are pleased with the children of foreigners
Soothsayers
— The people were following the practices of the Assyrians
— ( 2:6 ) Claiming to know and control the future by the power of demons They are soothsayers like the Philistines,
— OT condemned the practice (Lev 19:26, Deut 18:10,14)
Q: Who is the “You” in verse 2:6?
You
— God is the “You.”
— He has forsaken his people because they have turned their back on Him, “eastern ways”
— He calls his people to turn and repent under threat of judgment
— God abandons ( 2:6 ) and closes with do not forgive ( 2:9 )
— And iron-clad fist of hopelessness gripping the apostates of vv6-9
What a contrast! Future vs Present
2:2 — The world is drawn to Zion
2:6 — Zion wants to conform to eastern religions
2:3 — Many will come to be taught, spiritual benefit
2:7 — Zion has turned to the world and is stock-piling cash
2: 4 — War has ended, world peace, beating their swords into plowshares
2:7 — The land is full of armaments - horses, chariots
2:3 — The world wants to know the true God — let’s go to the God of Jacob
2:8 — Jerusalem is inventing new gods - full of idols
The Day of the Lord(2:10-22)
2:10-22
— A picture of judgment, the future day of the Lord
— This phrase is used multiple times in Isaiah (cf. 2:12, 7:21, 7:18, 12:1, 12:4,27:2, 28:5)
— A time of great judgment, beginning with the tribulation, the coming of Christ
— The full fulfillment extends from the tribulation to the thousand-year Millennial kingdom
( 2:15 ) Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall;
Security
— ( 2:15 ) every way in which we see ourselves independent of God
— we rest in our own security, self-reliance
( 2:16 ) Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops
Technology
— The ships of Tarhish were the largest ships
— They could voyage over the open seas
— They represent man’s conquering nature and the environment via technology, science
( 2:17 ) The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
Arrogance
— We are arrogant, think of ourselves above the Lord almighty
— Paul tells us to think just the opposite (cf. Rom 12:3)
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
gods and men alike vanish (2:18-22)
( 2:18-22 ) But the idols He shall utterly abolish. 19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily. 20 In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles and bats, 21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily. 22 Sever yourselves from such a man, Whose breath is in his nostrils; For of what account is he?
Flee
— Men would rather flee in terror than run towards God (cf. Rev 6:15-17)
Ashamed
— ( 2:20 ) Men will be ashamed and throw away their idols
— In the day of judgment gold and silver will be useless (Prov 11:4; Matt 16:26)
— Rust will be their witness that they hoarded (James 5:3)
Flee
— ( 2:21 ) And then they will flee to the rocks ( cf. Rev 6:12, 15, 16 )
— Describes man’s flight from the terrors of the the sixth bowel judgment
Christ
— Christ quoted this verse ( 2:21 ) while carrying his cross on his way to the crucifixion
— He warned of coming judgment (cf. Luke 23:30 )
30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’
Jerusalem their glorious future > The first exhortation: commitment to the Lord > The actual Jerusalem: its religious condition > The second exhortation: Stop trusting in man ( 2:22 )
( 2:22 ) Sever yourselves from such a man, Whose breath is in his nostrils; For of what account is he?
Misplaced Trust
— Refers to man’s mortality
— Don’t place your trust in Man
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
People can be unreliable, selfish and shortsighted. Yet we trust our lives and futures more readily to mortal human beings than to the all-knowing God. Beware of people who want you to trust them instead of God. Remember that only God is perfect and truly reliable (Application bible)
People can be unreliable, selfish and shortsighted. Yet we trust our lives and futures more readily to mortal human beings than to the all-knowing God. Beware of people who want you to trust them instead of God. Remember that only God is perfect and truly reliable (Application bible)
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Overview
Chapter 3 is all about social disruption and despair. Solid political leadership disappears, the society is deeply divided. Upcoming elections are met with disinterest. All of this sets up God’s judgment and we see it unfold
Disappearance of Solid leadership (3:1-4)
( 3:1-4 ) For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah The stock and the store, The whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water; 2 The mighty man and the man of war, The judge and the prophet, And the diviner and the elder; 3 The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the skillful artisan, And the expert enchanter.
Famine of bread
— The Lord brings about a famine: both food and water
— He takes away whatever we lean on for support:
— The stock and the store (NKJV)
— both supply and support (NIV)
Famine of leaders
— The Lord next takes away their leaders
— Mighty men
— judges
— prophets
— elders
— generals
— captains
— honorable men
— They will leave the army, dispirited, or unfit
— The famine of leadership is a judgment from God (cf. Hosea 13:11)
11 I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.
( 3:4 ) “I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall rule over them.
Q: When the wise are removed from leadership, who takes their place, v4?
Children A picture of the unwise, inexperienced, inept ruler
Disappearance of Solid leadership > Society Divided (3:5)
( 3:5 ) The people will be oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder, And the base toward the honorable.”
Divided
— No unity
— “Us” against “Them”
— Identity Politics
Age Gap
( 3:5b ) Child is arrogant (insolent) towards the elder
— Modesty thrown away
— No respect for elders
Disappearance of Solid leadership > Society Divided > Despair around Elections (3:6-7)
( 3:6-7 ) When a man takes hold of his brother In the house of his father, saying, “You have clothing; You be our ruler, And let these ruins be under your power,” 7 In that day he will protest, saying, “I cannot cure your ills, For in my house is neither food nor clothing; Do not make me a ruler of the people.”
Q: Are they searching for the best candidate? v3:6
Anyone
— They will take whoever they find
— You have a coat, be our ruler!
— Take the first person that comes along
Despair
— I can’t fix your problems!
— Can’t even accept responsibility
Disappearance of Solid leadership > Society Divided > Despair around Elections > The Root Cause (3:8-9)
( 3:8-9 ) For Jerusalem stumbled, And Judah is fallen, Because their tongue and their doings Are against the Lord, To provoke the eyes of His glory. 9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them, And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves
Q: What is the root cause in 3:8? Is it the trade imbalance with China? Our changing demographics? The minimum wage?
Rebellion
— Their tongue / speech tells us what is really in the heart
— It is rebellion against God
— Provocative
— Isaiah says that sins of speech are serious ( 6:5 )
— In speaking and acting they are against the Lord ( Young )
Peek ahead — Isaiah will expand this idea later in ( 59:2-3 )
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.
J Alec Motyer
“Isaiah sees this sin as compounded in the case of his people for it is not an occasional lapse nor a shameful secret but a public and unabashed way of life.”
Q: What is the reference to Sodom mean in v3:9? We saw it earlier in 1:9
Boomerang
— The boomerang quality of sin
— They brought it upon themselves
— They may deceive others but their face is a witness against themselves
— God compels them to show and prove what they are in spite of themselves
— They carry it as a mark on their forehead of hypocrisy and deceit
Disappearance of Solid leadership > Society Divided > Despair around Elections > The Root Cause > The Measure of Judgment (3:10-11)
( 3:10-11 ) “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him
Q: Is this teaching judgment by works vv10-11?
Yes
— Yes, judgement by works is clearly taught in the OT (cf. Jer 17:10)
— And in the NT (cf. Matt 16:27, John 5:28-29, 2 Cor 5:10, Gal 6:7-9)
— Both OT and NT teach judgment based on works
— No where does the bible teach salvation by works
— Then what is the purpose of works?
— Obedience (John 14:15)
— Disobedience is unbelief (John 3:36)
— Evidence of your salvation (Eph 2:10, Phil 2:12, 1 John 3:10)
— Told to examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5)
— Every tree is known by its fruit (2 Peter 1:10)
Saved by Faith
— OT saints were saved by Faith (Rom 4:3, Rom 6-8, 16)
— NT saints are saved by Faith (Gal 6:2, 1 Cor 7:19, 9:21)
( 3:12 ) As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths.”
Children
— Oppressor / Taskmaster
— Young, inadequate
— The divine ideals of kingship has been corrupted and the holder of the office is inadequate as well
Women
— No man is capable of leadership
— As a judgment God places a women in leadership as he did with the judge Debora
— This verse is not saying that women are in any way inferior to men
— In God’s economy men were to rule
— When they failed, women ruled
In the Court Room (3:13-15)
( 3:13-15 ) The Lord stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people. 14 The Lord will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. 15 What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord God of hosts
Q: The Lord stands up in the court room to layout his case. What is his case vv13-15?
Vineyard
— The nation spoiled
— mismanaged by the leaders
Plunder
— Plunder of the poor
— They did not only not care about the poor
— they plundered / stole from them what little ( 14 ) they had
Crushing
— ( 15 ) Cruelty and oppression of the poor
Zion’s Social Condition (Review)
— Disappearance of leadership ( 1-3 )
— Society Divided ( 5 )
— The age gap ( 5 )
— Despair around elections ( 6-7 )
— The root cause ( 8 ) “their tongue”
— The measure of judgement ( 10 )
Disappearance of Solid leadership > Society Divided > Despair around Elections > The Root Cause > The Measure of Judgment > How judgment unfolds (3:16-26)
( 3:16 ) Moreover the Lord says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks And wanton eyes, Walking and mincing as they go, Making a jingling with their feet,
Q: What are these women accused of in 3:16?
Behavior
— Haughty (superior) ( 3:16 )
— outstretched necks
— wanton eyes (spiteful), wandering eyes (Calvin), “flirting with their eyes” ( 3:16c )
— Amos gives a further description (Amos 4:1) and says that they are like well-feed cows
— They get fat while they oppress the needy
Attention
— They draw attention to themselves
— Their posture, demeanor, movement, ornament. It is all about me
Not condemn
— Isaiah does not condemn the luxurious lifestyle rather the arrogant spirit
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
When God blesses you with money or position, don’t flaunt it. Use what you have to help others, not impress them (Application bible)
When God blesses you with money or position, don’t flaunt it. Use what you have to help others, not impress them (Application bible)
Q: What will be the punishment in v17?
17 Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.”
( 3:17 ) Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.”
Scab
— They intended to make themselves attractive
— The Lord will make them repellant
— Lose their hair
Secret parts
— Expose their nudity, so that they are both scarred and shamed
— Nudity linked to shame in the OT — (Isa 20:4, 2 Sam 10:4, Ezek 16:37, Hos 2:3,9)
Christ covers
— Christ will cover us with white robes so that we are not ashamed at His second coming (Rev 3:18)
Q: What sin should have these women have repented of in 3:16 but did not?
— Pride / Vanity
( 3:18-24 ) In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; 19 The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; 20 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, 21 and the rings; The nose jewels, 22 the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses, 23 and the mirrors; The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes. 24 And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.
— Life’s ease is lost in sorrow
— Isaiah itemizes their luxuries and how each will be taken away
— This should have humbled them but it did not
Contrasts
— instead of sweet smell - stench ( 3:24 )
— A nice sash - rope
— Nice hair - baldness
— Fine clothes - sack cloth
Branding
— “branding” instead of beauty ( 3:24d )
— Not sure what this word means, only used here but it completes the rhyme
Q: What is the consequence / threat that Isaiah prophesies in 3:25?
25 Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war. 26 Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.
( 3:25-26 ) Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war. 26 Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.
— Your young men will die. Sin ends in death ( 3:25 )
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Overview
Chapter 4 could be a continuation of chapter 3. It is short and shows us the consequences of sin. Chapter 3 ends with the threat that the young men will die. Here is the result. Conditions during war. Surplus of women but no husbands
Consequences of judgment (4:1)
( 4:1 ) And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach.”
No takers
— The women put all their energy into looking attractive to find a man (Isa 3) but now there are no takers ( 4:1 )
Food / Clothes
A complete reversal of marriage
— The man was supposed to provide for his wife, not the other way around
— “If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights.” (cf. Ex 21:10)
Q: What would Paul’s advice had been to these women seeking a husband in time of trouble?
— “I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is” ( 1 Cor 7:26 )
Third Picture of Jerusalem
— Isaiah now gives us a third picture of Jerusalem
— He has already given us
— A glimpse of the glorious future of Jerusalem ( 2:1-5 )
— A snapshot of their actual wretched condition ( 2:6-4:1 )
— The third picture starting in ( 4:2 ) and running to the end of the chapter is their purification and blessing
Consequences of judgment > The New Jerusalem (4:2-6)
( 4:2 ) In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped.
Real beauty
( 4:2 ) shall be beautiful and glorious
— They sought beauty but He will provide real beauty
Branch
— Messiah arising out of the created order
— A veiled reference to Christ (cf. Isa 11:1)
— Branch of the Lord always refers to “the Messiah”
1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
Fruit
— The fruit of the earth ( 4:2 )
— The gospel going forth into the world
( 4:3 ) And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
Called holy
Those left are spiritually changed ( 4:3 )
— They “will be called holy”
Q: Do you see water and spirit in v4? What does it mean?
( 4:4 ) When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning
Purification
— speaking of purification of the church by the spirit
— He burns, purifies our affections
— There is also the allusion to water
— Water and Spirit refer to spiritual renewal, rebirth
— Remember Nicodemus (cf. John 3:4-8)
( 4:5-6 ) then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. 6 And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.
Covering
— covering…tabernacle
— A coming glory
— Now Zion is not a glorious city spiritually, politically ( 2:5-4:1 )
— The future inhabitants will enjoy the Lord’s protective covering
Pillars of Cloud
— Pillars of cloud and fire
— Recalls God’s presence with the Children of Israel when they left Egypt (cf. Ex 13:21)
— One day the glory of the Lord will return to Jerusalem
— Ezekiel also prophesied the return of God’s Shekinah glory to the temple (cf. Ezek 42:2-5)
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Overview
Earlier we saw three pictures of Jerusalem: a glimpse of the glorious future (2:1-5), a snapshot of their actual wretched condition (2:6:-4:1) and then a picture of hope (4:2-6). This section is the grimmest section yet in Isaiah’s introduction. It is a picture of inevitable judgment. This is a huge billboard, divine insight to what is happening to our nation. Biblical history can inform us and tell us our own inevitable future (cf. 1 Cor 10:11) (McArthur)
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Not just History
— Not just history but history authored by God Himself
A Model
— Israel was a model of a glorious beginning
— Given the law of God
— God dwelt in their midst
— Given everything but eventually went their own way
— Glorious beginning...disastrous ending
Start Truth
— They started with the truth of God
End Judgment
— They ended with the judgment of God
— Chapter 5 is a model of how deadly sins destroy a nation
— It is a model for us!
The Parable (5:1-2)
( 5:1-2 ) Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes.
Q: Why is this a sad song? What kind of society was this?
Sad Song
— A sad song
— A personal disaster
Agrarian
— Agrarian society
— People made their living off the land
— The individual does everything to cultivate a vineyard - life savings, sweet, toil, human effort
Worthless
— The crop is worthless
— “worthless grapes” (NAS)
— “bad fruit” (NIV)
— Boo-u-sheam (to stink, bad grapes)
Ancient Times
— If you wanted to destroy an enemy, you set their crops on fire
— Sampson destroyed the crops of the Philistines: set the tails of foxes on fires (Judges 15)
Beautiful hill
( 5:1 ) On a very fruitful hill
— Hills are terraced, vineyards grow
— A lot of work to terrace a hill
Rocks
— Rabbis said that when God created the earth, he placed all the rocks in Israel
— The owner took rocks and built the wall to protect the crop from animals, built boundary lines
Q: What does 5:1 symbolize?
Possible interpretation A possible interpretation has been suggested by McArthur
— Stones - removed the Canaanites from the land ( 5:2 )
— Dug it all around - God separated Israel from the Gentiles ( 5:2 )
— He gave them:
— Dietary laws
— Festivals
— Feast Laws
— Clothing Laws
Isolation
— These demanded isolation
— Very hard to mingle with other nations when your laws of diet, clothing, festivals separated you!
— His people needed protection against Idolatry, immorality
Choice Vine
— A noble people, small but they have made massive contributions to science, business and the arts
Tower
( 5:2 ) Tower
— A parapet
— You could watch the vineyard for enemies, animals
— In the base of the tower you kept tools to tend to the vineyard
Q: Who kept watch over Israel, spiritually?
Priests
— Some commentators think the tower represents Israel and the priests watch over the vineyard from the parapet.
Wine Press
( 5:2 ) Wine press
— Where the grapes were crushed
— A reference to the sacrificial system
— blood poured to deal with sin
The Parable > The expectation (5:3-5)
( 5:3-5) “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 4 What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?
Expected
( 5:2 ) expected it to bring forth good grapes
— I gave you
— The Best Land, a fruitful hill
— The Best Way to protect your people
— Judged Nations
— Cleared out the land
— judged the surrounding nations
— Laws to Protect
— Gave you laws to protect you
— to isolate you from the Gentiles
— protect you from false religions and idolatry
— Watch Tower
— Jerusalem and prophets and priests to watch and protect you
— Sacrificial System
— A sacrificial system to deal with your sins
— And, I expected Good Grapes
Q: What rhetorical question does the Lord ask in 5:4?
Nothing ( 5:4 ) There is nothing more the Lord could do
( 5:5-6 ) And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it.”
Q: What will the Lord do in vv5-6?
Burn it
— I’ll burn it down!
Desolate
— The nation became desolate and accessible to every nation
— Exactly what happened
586 BC
— Babylonians invaded in 586 BC
— It will happen repeatedly until her national repentance at Christ’s 2nd coming
The Parable > The Expectation > Word Play (5:7)
( 5:7 ) For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
Rick Cambria observes:
— The biblical conception of justice is primarily captured in two Hebrew words—מִשְׁפָּ֖ט mishpat and צֶֽדֶק tsedeq
— Although many say the words cannot be directly translate into English – for the sake of this discussion we will go with mishpat as justice and tsedeq as righteousness
— It is not surprising to discover that tsedeq and mishpat are brought together scores of times in the Bible
—He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just (mishpat). A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just ( tsedeq) is he” ( Deut 32:4 ) (NIV)
— Righteousness ( tsedeq) and justice (mishpat) are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you ( Ps 89:14 ) (NIV)
— But let justice (mishpat) roll on like a river, righteousness ( tsedeq) like a never-failing stream! ( Amos 5:24 ) (NIV)
Hebrew ( 5:7 ) Isaiah does a play on words
— mishpat …mispach
— tsedeq… saqa
—I looked for justice (mishpat), but behold, oppression (bloodshed) (mispach)
— I looked for righteousness ( tsedeq ), but behold, a cry for help (tsa`aqa )
Peek Ahead
— We will come back to the vineyard in Isa 27
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes
Uzziah
— Uzziah was king for 52 years
— Strong cold war position
— Built up the army
— introduced agriculture
— great prosperity
— a sense of security
— Underneath - rotten to the core
— On the brink of judgment
Six Woes Woes mean cursed, damned to judgment (5:8, 11, 20, 21, 22)
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes > Materialism (5:8)
( 5:8 ) Woe to those who join house to house; They add field to field, Till there is no place Where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land!
Q: What is this judgment against?
Materialism
— ( 5:8 ) Houses made larger and larger. Drive up prices, squeeze the poor, inflate prices
— Ruthless greed, avarice, materialism
— Every empty piece of land is occupied - no place where you can be alone
— Gentrification - we have a word for this
Judas’s sin
— This was the sin of Judas (corrupted for money), the apostle that betrayed our Lord
— The sin that corrupted Judas corrupted Zion
— Think of Ahab, he coveted Naboth’s vineyard and killed him for it (1 Kings 21)
Q: How did God design it so that this would never happen in Israel ?
7th Year
— Every 7th year the land would rest
50th
— Every 50th year the land would return to its original owners
— It would reset the economy
— This prevented inflation
— If you bought piece of land in year 45 and knew that it would return to its owner in 5 years, you wouldn’t pay too much
Slaves
— Slaves were also released in the year of Jubilee
— Some people would offer themselves as “slaves” to work
— You couldn’t afford the land but you could work as a slave
Ignored
— But Israel ignored God’s design
— They didn’t :
— Rest the land
— Free the servants
— Forgive the debts
— Or give the land back
The result was prophesied in verse 9
( 5:9 ) In my hearing the Lord of hosts said, “Truly, many houses shall be desolate, Great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant.
Babylonians
— The Babylonians invaded in 586 BC. King Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem
— broke down the walls
— burned down the temple,
— carried off the treasures (2 Kings 25:1-10)
Slaves again
— The Jews became slaves again
— Forced to march 800 miles
— All the treasures went to Babylon (2 Chron 36:18)
Jeremiah
— Jeremiah said this would happen
— He prophesied from Jerusalem after Isaiah (cf. Jer 25:11)
11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Q: Why 70 Years? What is so special about that number?
Judgment
— God commanded the land to be furrowed every 7 years
— Year of Jubilee every 50 years (Lev 26)
— As judgment God said you will be in captivity for every Sabbath you did not rest the land (2 Chron 36:21)
— It was 490 years from Saul to 586 BC. 7x7 is 49. 490 / 7 = 70 years
Q: What is being described in v 10?
10 For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, And a homer of seed shall yield one ephah.”
( 5:10 ) For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, And a homer of seed shall yield one ephah.”
Famine
— Famine conditions
— 10 acres of crop will produce 6 gallons
— 6 bushels of seed will yield 1/2 bushel of crop (48 gallons yield 4.8 gallons) homer = 48 gallons
— This is 1/10th of what is normal. Not even worth it to plant the seed!
Stock Pile
— Because you stock-piled your wealth (2:7), God will take it away from you
— Rich man builds his barn for his wealth and Jesus says you fool! (Luke 12:13-21)
Prosperity Gospel
— Some Christians contribute and join in by preaching the false Prosperity Gospel - Jesus wants you rich
— (E. W. Kenyon, Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, Robert Tilton, T. L. Osborn, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, Reverend Ike, and Kenneth Hagin)
Golden Cafe
— We are worshipping the the golden calf (עֵגֶּל הַזָהָב ‘ēggel hazāhāv) and the church is like Aaron abiding and abetting (Ex 32:4)
Open Hand
— We can enjoy the riches the God gave us as long as - we have an open hand and an open heart
— We are not to stock-pile our wealth
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes > Materialism > Drunken Pleasure Seeking (5:11)
( 5:11 ) Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them!
Q: What is the second “woe” or judgment against in 5:11 ?
— ( 5:11 ) Drinking in the morning
— Staying out late - not just drinking
— Pleasure seeking - single bars, night clubs
( 5:12 ) The harp and the strings, The tambourine and flute, And wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the Lord, Nor consider the operation of His hands
No interest in the Lord
— They have no interest in the Lord, “they do not regard the work of the Lord”(5:12)
— work of his hands
— Refers to dissipation
— Amos uses this same phrase as a reference to the physical body (Amos 6)
— Paul uses it as well (cf. Eph 5:18)
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
( 5:13 ) Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst.
Ironic
— These men are running to these parties to drink and get drunk
— When they are done they have nothing
— They are dried up with thirst
Let’s Live it Up!
— Samaria (N) and Judah (S) are on the brink because of moral rot
— Instead of turning to God, they party like there is no tomorrow
— They party like it is 1999. The last party of your life
Prince
Tryin to run from destruction,
you know I didn’t even care,
Say, say two-thousand zero zero
party over, oops, out of time
so tonight I’m gonna party like
it’s nineteen nine-nine
Honorable Men Those of high rank (NIV)
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Many of today’s media, business, and sport’s heroes are idolized because of their abilities to live as they please. Are your heroes those who defy God, or those who defy the world in order to serve God? (Application Bible)
Many of today’s media, business, and sport’s heroes are idolized because of their abilities to live as they please. Are your heroes those who defy God, or those who defy the world in order to serve God? (Application Bible)
Q: What happens to these people in v 14?
Earth Swallows
— The earth swallows them up and they go straight to Hell
— Jubilant party is over
— Notice what kind of people are swallowed up
( 5:15 ) Each man shall be humbled
— Lofty, high and low - doesn’t matter who you are
Can’t live like this
— You can’t live like this - hidden sin, moral rot, parading sin around
— You can’t expect God to bless and prosper this nation
— He didn’t do it to Israel and He will not do it our nation
— And he wouldn’t do it for us individually
( 5:17 ) Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture, And in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat.
Strangers
— All those empty houses will be occupied by strangers. Sheep and animals will roam their empty fields
— Wealth will be looted by strangers
— J Vernon McGee said, “Arabs still use the land to pasture their sheep to this day”
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes > Materialism > Drunken Pleasure Seeking > Defiant Sinfulness (5:18)
( 5:18 ) Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, And sin as if with a cart rope;
Q: What is the next “woe” or judgment against in v 18?
imagery
— ( 5:18 ) So much sin they can’t carry it
— They have to get a wagon to put it in and drag it around
— And the chords are the chords of deception
— They are liars dragging around a wagon load of sin
— Today people have so much sin that they have to put it in a wagon and hitch themselves up to it like an ox, a beast of burden
— drag it behind themselves
— Is that where we get the term “baggage”?
( 5:19 ) That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work, That we may see it; And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, That we may know it.”
Q: What else do we see about these people in v 19?
Defiant More than sin, defiant sin. Out in the open. Parading their sin like the Hollywood Gay Pride day parade.
Mock They mock God, take His name in vain. They tell God to come and do something about it
Hemingway He lived his life in open defiance of God (as did Elmer Gentry). Hemingway said there was no God. He had lived his life
exactly the way he wanted, on his terms. He had fought in revolutions, tumbled women. He defied God his entire life. At age 61
he put a shotgun to his mouth and blew his head off
Deceived Don’t be deceived. Whatever you sow you will reap
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes > Materialism > Drunken Pleasure Seeking > Defiant Sinfulness > Moral Perversion (20)
( 5:20 ) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Q: What is the next “woe” or judgment against in v 20?
Everything reversed
— ( 5:20 ) Everything is backwards, upside down
— Darkness is light
— Light is darkness
— Bitter is sweet, sweet is bitter
— Evil is actually good. Good is evil; they flipped truth on their head
— Fornication is good - restraint is bad
— Homosexuality is good - Male and Female is bad
— Divorce is good - Marriage is bad
— All gods are the same, political correction is good - Christianity is bad
— Pledge of allegiance is bad - it might offend illegals
— Jesus as the only way offends Muslims and is too narrow
— Manipulating the truth, mocking purity, marriage, replacing it with
— dirty movies
— dirty magazines and web sites
— dirty music and vulgar lyrics
— The nature of all us, to believe lies
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes > Materialism > Drunken Pleasure Seeking > Defiant Sinfulness > Moral Perversion > Arrogant Conceit (21)
( 5:21 ) Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!
Q: What is the next “woe” or judgment against in v 21?
Wise in your own eyes
( 5:21 ) You are wise in your own eyes
— When you reject God who do you have left?
— Gallop polls
— Everyone has an opinion
The Parable > The expectation > Word Play > The Six Woes > Materialism > Drunken Pleasure Seeking > Defiant Sinfulness > Moral Perversion > Arrogant Conceit > Corrupt Leadership(22)
( 5:22 ) Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink
Q: What is the next “woe” or judgment against in v 22?
Leaders
— ( 5:22 ) Corrupt leadership
— Mighty men are leaders ( 3:2 )
— Drunken - are unwise
— They could be bought or bribed ( 5:23 )
No Justice
— There was no true justice
— People were buying offices, taking bribes, perverting justice
We saw the cancer:
— Materialism (5:8)
— Drunken Pleasure seeking (5:11)
— Defiant Sinfulness (5:18)
— Moral perversion (5:20)
— Arrogant conceit (5:21)
— Corrupt leadership (5:22)
Now, the punishment (5:24)
( 5:24 ) Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Circle it
— The nation is finished
— Circle it
— Because you rejected the law of the Lord of hosts ( 5:24b )
— and you despised the word of the Holy One of Israel ( 5:24d )
— The result
— The root will be as rottenness
— The blossom as dust
Division
— What is dividing our country?
— Is it Taxes? Immigration?
— Abortion or transgender bathrooms?
— No - morality
— Christianity and its place in this country
Fast You might be surprised how fast this judgment happens
( 5:25 ) Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them And stricken them, And the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
Hand stretched
— It wasn’t enough to kill them
— The Babylonians carried them off to captivity ( His hand is stretched still )
( 5:26 ) He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.
Nations from Afar
The Lord “whistled” and brought other nations against Israel to judge them. He used the Assyrians 722 BC to judge the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Babylonians 586 BC to judge the Southern kingdom of Judah. He then judged Assyria and Babylon even though God was pulling the strings. How can God hold them accountable? Isaiah will speak to this again in Chapter 10
Q: What is unique even startling about these warriors in vv 28-29?
26 He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. 27 No one will be weary or stumble among them, No one will slumber or sleep; Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, Nor the strap of their sandals be broken;
( 5:26-27 ) He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly. 27 No one will be weary or stumble among them, No one will slumber or sleep; Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, Nor the strap of their sandals be broken;
— God’s outstretched hand is at work. He will raise up an ensign
— On a height where it would be conspicuous this pole will be raised as a rallying point for the nations
— These were nations outside of Judah and hostile to her. Of them one in particular is chosen as the enemy to come
— This is the great Assyrian nation, which had been growing and increasing steadily in its power. It was to come from afar, indeed, from the ends of the earth ( Young )
Supernatural
— Supernatural strength
— They weary, grow tired
— They don’t need to rest
— They never take off their belt
— Shoes never wear out
— Arrows are always sharp
( 5:29 ) Their roaring will be like a lion, They will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar And lay hold of the prey; They will carry it away safely, And no one will deliver.
Violent
— Pictured like a roaring lion
— Violent and dangerous
One Invasion
— One invasion described in 2 Chronicles 28
— 1 DAY = 120, 000 slaughtered
— 200,000 men, women and children carried off into captivity
Additional Resources
J Vernon McGee Isaiah 1:1-3: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-11-3-745778.html
McGee Isaiah 1:4-18: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-14-18-745779.html
McGee Isaiah 1:19-2:22: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-119222-745780.html
McGee Isaiah 3: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-3-749072.html
McGee Isaiah 4:1-5:11 https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-41511-749073.html
McGee Isaiah 5:8-24: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-58-24-749074.html
McGee Isaiah 5:25-6:2: https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/listen/isaiah-52562-749075.html
Chuck Missler Isaiah 1 -2:5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6eBy3GZ07M
Missler Isaiah 2:6-6:8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muA4SMd4ss8
John MacArthur, A vision of God in Time of Crisis, Isaiah 5-6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DTeYJ-i6bs
MacArthur, Warning to a Nation in Crisis, Part 1 (Isaiah 5): https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-162/warning-to-a-nation-in-crisis-part-1
MacArthur, A Nation in Crisis (Isaiah 5): https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-228/a-nation-in-crisis
https://www.blueletterbible.org/
Young, Edward J. The Book of Isaiah: Volume 1 Chapters 1-18. Eerdmans, 1996.