This is our second study in our new series, the Gospel according to Isaiah. Last week, we learnt about the context of Isaiah and also had an overview of the themes in this book. Today, we’ll delve a bit deeper into the first chapter. As we study it, it will do us well to remember that this is God’s Word. It is addressed to Judah at a specific time, but we share many of the struggles they experienced. In this passage, we will see how God detests false worship. He desires his people to cease evil and do good.
(A) Rebellion Leads to Ruin: Judah’s idolatry leads to its destruction
This portion of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isa 1 came in a period of great idolatry in Israel’s history. The life of Ahaz in 2 Ki 16 and 2 Chr 28 give us a good indication of the idolatry that was pervasive among God’s people. Under Ahaz’s rule, as king, he did not address the problem of idolatry but seemed to perpetuate it (2 Ki 16:4). He sacrificed to idols, to the Baals (2 Chron 28:2) and even sacrificed his sons as burnt offerings (2 Ki 16:3, 2 Chron 28:3).
When under duress, he sent for help from Assyria (2 Ki 16:7-9). He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus (capital of Syria) who attacked him, thinking that by doing so, these gods would be on his side (2 Chron 28:22). In 2 Ki 16:10-16, it was recorded that he made a giant altar after the Assyrian style of worship, and still kept aside the Lord’s bronze altar for him to enquire.
As king of Judah, Ahaz “had made Judah act sinfully” (2 Chron 26:19) and Israel followed in his idolatry. As a result, Judah suffers many invasions and wars. They were assaulted by Syria and Israel in the north, and were also invaded by the foreign nations (Edom and Philistia).
God’s people are therefore not immune to idolatry. It is to an idolatrous people that God gives these words of Isaiah.
God calls for an audience to witness as He speaks to Judah. In Isa 1:2-4, Israel is being described as a child that God has reared and brought up. They are precious ones that God has cared for and provided completely in an unconditional manner. God had delivered them out of Egypt and also covenanted with them. God provided for them by leading them into this Land, and also drove out the nations. As a child, they were completely dependent on God but now, they have rebelled against this God (Isa 1:2). Israel is also described as a people without understanding (Isa 1:3b) and are utterly lost. In contrast, even the ox knows its owner and the donkey knows where home is (Isa 1:3a).
Judah repays God’s provision by rebelling against Him (Isa 1:2b). They reject His leadership and authority over them. They also forsook Him, abandoned Him and ignored all that He has called them to (Isa 1:4b). They also despised, hated, looked down on this God and are therefore “utterly estranged” (Isa 1:4c). Their relationship with God is completely broken.
Judah has received grace and unconditional provision from God but are forgetful, ungrateful and unappreciative. Instead of repaying His kindness, they spurn Him and reject Him.
What then does God say to his rebellious children? God seemed to be pleading with them to see their real state (Isa 1:5). Their complete destruction and problem is a serious one, as he described using a body analogy. Note the detailed description of the sickness in Isa 1:5b-6. The whole head and heart is sick and faint, and it stretches from the sole of the foot to the head. Bruises, sores and raw wounds seem to cover the whole body and there is “no soundness in it”. God displays a loving exasperation and also gives an honest diagnosis of their situation. He wants to treat their sickness but it is still left untreated.
Things are so bad but they are unable to connect the dots between their miserable situation and their spiritual condition of rebellion. Are we conscious of how God could be opposing our lifestyle choices and decisions? Why would we think He is neutral towards us in our spiritual rebellion?
Isa 1:8 also uses an agricultural metaphor. Booths were built as temporary shelter for summer work and it is often left in disrepair after the work is done. So it is with Judah. They are a besieged city and God speaks of their current socio-political situation.
Isa 1:5 also shows us that their being struck down is linked to their rebellion. In His word, God had already promised destruction and peril for idolatry (c.f. Deut 30:15-18). What had been previously written in the law had come to pass in Isaiah’s time. God has laid the clear consequences of obedience and disobedience.
But yet, we also see that God graciously leaves survivors as He had promised He would do (Isa 1:9, c.f. Deut 4:25-31). God could have totally wiped them out, just as He did with Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, God, in His mercy, left a few survivors. He is a faithful God who will not forget His covenant and will preserve His covenant with Israel (Deut 4:31). We have a God who is merciful and gracious enough to call out to His people in the midst of the destruction.
Sin leads to destruction. Here in Isaiah, we are introduced to the idea that God judges through world events. God judges Judah for their sin and He delivers them to their enemies so they will be humbled and will turn back to Him. This is a common pattern in the OT. This should help us interpret the sign of the times and see God’s hand in history. When people and nations rebel against Him and refuse to follow Him, God has a view and will act. Now, we are not to jump to conclusions about people who are suffering. Suffering is not a direct result of their sins, as if they’re paying for their sins. In the NT, we read about the man born blind, where Jesus said that he was born blind to show God’s glory (Jn 9::1-3). In the OT, we read of righteous Job who also suffered. What we know is that when we sin, God takes note. If we persist in our sins, God’s judgment will follow.
But God also grieves over His people as they sin. He sees them as His own precious children, and are broken-hearted when they rebel. When we sin, we are not just breaking God’s law but are breaking God’s heart and destroying our relationship with Him!
This God is faithful to His covenant promises and He preserves His people. What kind of a God is this who preserves His rebellion people who have turned away from Him?
(B) Religious Performance is Revulsive: Judah cannot serve more than one Master
In Isa 1:10, God calls them “rulers of Sodom” and “people of Gomorrah”. Sodom and Gomorrah were a people that were known for getting it wrong but disobeying God completely. And yet, God is addressing His people as Sodom and Gomorrah. Furthermore, they hailed from David. They did not just compromise a little, but they are completely sick.
What did Judah engage in? In Isa 1:11-14, we read of how they offered the daily sacrifices and also kept the feasts that are important in their national calendar. They seem to be keeping it as God had dictated in Leviticus. Yet, they seemed to come with a heart that is justifying themselves. It was with a heart that said: I am bringing all these animals and keeping the law, so God should accept me. Their worship is a terrible mockery of God.
God did not want their offerings and animals (Isa 1:11014)! He did not actually need all that they are doing. Judah got it wrong when they thought they could come before God on the basis of their actions. They mixed “iniquity and solemn assembly” and the “calling of convocations”, which meant their call to public worship and assembly for worship is full of secret evil. Their actions were vain and empty and it did not please Him at all. God found it a burden and He did not want it anymore.
As a result, He will not hear their prayers because they are engaging in farcical, duplicitous worship (Isa 1:15). This is the God who has decreed that they should not make any graven images. Yet, they ignored his instructions. No wonder God is furious. Each of the offerings and sacrifices were meant to point the people back to Him, but Judah had completely missed the point of worship.
Remember that God is a jealous God. He has a legitimate right over them for He brought them out of slavery (c.f. Exo 20). He is also the true creator who created all things. Why should the glory go to created things that He has created like the sun, moon and stars?
As we read this section, we are shown how God sees beyond the surface and sees our hearts. He knows if we are worshipping other hearts and run after other idols. How we worship also matters to God! God is a person with thoughts, feelings and opinions about our sin and worship. Does it surprise us how much God hates double-minded worship? What will God think about our idolatry? How can we diagnose our own double-minded worship?
What will it look like for us today? Are we just going through the motions when we attend service and our cgs? Is it just an interesting intellectual experience but there is no change in the way we do things nor is there a change in our hearts. The way we view God also remains unchanged.
How does it change our QT? Are we just reading and not pausing to meditate and love God? Are we just singing and also being distracted by the music? Or when we serve, are we distracted by the praise we receive, or also distracted by all the things we have to do? At work, are we busy building ourselves and in the process, neglect our walk with God? Have you prayed this week? Have you thanked God for the people around you and have you thanked Him for the gospel, or are you content to be a Sunday Christian?
Do we also harbour secret sins and habits that we know that God clearly detests? Do we go around our religious activity and pretend that it is ok?
We as Christians, have been redeemed and brought out of a slavery in sin to Him and Him alone. He hates double-minded worship. What does He think of your life and worship?
(C) Repentance is Required: Cease evil and learn to do good
But God doesn’t just leave them alone. Judah is called to repent and also shown what to do in Isa 1:16-17.
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes” (Isa 1:16a)
For what they have already done, their hands are stained. They need to be washed, the uncleanness cleansed and replaced with righteousness.“Cease to do evil, learn to do good” (Isa 1:16c-17a)
There must be no further evil, or they will stain their hands again. They must learn to actively do good, to walk in God’s ways, to be good as he is good.“Seek justice, correct oppression” (Isa 1:17b)
Idolatry and sin is not just toward God, but reflects in the way we treat our fellow men. God is just. We are to actively seek justice, to correct oppression, and not turn a blind eye.“Bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause” (Isa 1:17c)
God is the protector of the weak, powerless, and vulnerable. Thus God laid out in his law to Israel the civil law, how to act justly and protect the vulnerable.
How can they do it? In Isa 1:18, we hear God’s call to them. He is the only one who can clean them and enable them to do good. To God’s double minded people, He tells them that repentance is required. They are to cease doing evil and learn to do good.
This same call is made to us. We too, have sinned. Just as Judah faced real threats — war, Assyrian army, betrayal from Israel — with real anxieties, we too, will face real threats, worry and uncertainty. Perhaps some of us are uncomfortable with a workplace practice, but worry about the consequence of speaking up. Or, maybe, you do poorly at school or are out of a job, or are struggling with illness — these are real causes for worry and your heart will be tempted to search for a human solution like Judah did. Our hearts will always be tempted to turn to human solutions because it gives us the illusion of control and security. Or even when things are going well, we struggle with our own covetousness or lust. It could be the form of the newest gadget, or relationship.
The struggle is real and we are often drawn to the things of the world. We struggle to put God at the centre of our lives. Yet this God calls us and tells us that He is the Lord of our God and we shall have no other gods before Him. We need to know what He has done and see the pattern of His provision and faithfulness. When we see and share of His provision, we build our faith, and can even encourage other’s in their faith. He will provide, so trust Him for it.
What are some simple steps that we can take to apply this in obedience? Perhaps the time we spend on social media, Netflix can be used to read His word. It could also mean reaching out to those in our churches, or even paying attention to and loving that irritating person. It could mean not spending all our time on work but instead, resting. It could also mean taking that uncomfortable step of confessing our sin and also inviting others into our lives to call us out. It could look like casting and surrendering our anxieties onto God and trusting Him. We can do so because we have a merciful God who wants to cleanse our hearts.
How can you turn back to God in repentance and faith today?