The Open Wound of Rebellion: Isaiah 1:1-9

The book of Isaiah was written nearly 2,800 years ago yet it is important for us to study and understand the book for several reasons.  One reason is that it is quoted so often in the New Testament.  Most important of all is that Isaiah recorded some remarkable prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Additionally, Isaiah describes the future ministry of John the Baptist (Literally, John the Baptizer). Isaiah gives a prophecy of John in chapter 40:3, "A voice cries:  In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God."  (See John 1:23, where the prophecy is fulfilled).   In the closing chapter of the book of Isaiah he deals with the creation of the new heavens and the new earth -- the same subject that the book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament deals with.

A MINIATURE BIBLE

Coincidently (or not), the book of Isaiah is divided into 66 chapters.  Similarly, the Bible contains 66 books.  Isaiah is divided into two distinct sections; The first 39 chapters deal with Judah's sin and warns people of the punishment to come if they don't repent.  Likewise the Old Testament is divided into 39 books.  The final 27 chapters of Isaiah (40-66) deal with words of comfort and hope of the Messiah.  The New Testament is divided into 27 books, teaching us how to live and have the hope of eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

We mentioned in previous studies that the people of Israel are God's chosen people.  He promised to bless them if they would obey his commandments and not follow after other gods like the surrounding nations.  But because of their sin, they made the choice not to follow God and they were plunged  into war and chaos.  Because of their unbelief and disobedience to God they began to fight among themselves and the nation split into two kingdoms; The Kingdom of Israel to the north and the Kingdom of Judah to the south.  Isaiah's message was directed primarily to the people of Judah.  He focuses on the city of Jerusalem.

WHO WAS THIS GUY?

We don't know a lot about the man Isaiah outside of the book itself, but we do know from the first chapter that he began his prophetic ministry around the year 740 B.C.  His ministry probably lasted about 60 years.

Isaiah was married to a "prophetess" (see Isaiah 8:3), and he had two sons.  He was an excellent writer, poet and a man of great intellect (He was aware of the political structure of all the surrounding nations.)

Like us, Isaiah lived in troubled times.  We face the problems of rampant sin, the breakup of families, and the threat of terrorism from within our country and from without.  Isaiah confronted the same issues.  When Isaiah was called by God to be a prophet, the Assyrians were a huge threat to the nation of Israel.  In fact, some historians have called the Assyrians the largest and cruelest empire that western Asia had ever seen.  The people of Israel and Judah had become sinful themselves.  They were "laden with inquity", "evildoers" and corrupt (Isaiah 1:4). It was to this Isaiah was called.  Although Isaiah lived and spoke nearly 2,800 years ago, we are going to find that his message on "How to trust God in troubled times" is just as relevant for us today as it was for the nation of Israel.

WHAT IS A PROPHET?

A prophet means "One who speaks for God."  In the Old Testament, before Jesus came to earth, God used prophets to warn the people and the leadership of their sin.  The prophet’s purpose was to reveal what their sin was and the judgment from God that would take place if they did not repent.

Prophets had two primary ways of speaking:

1. They would speak the exact words of God.  They would use expressions like, "Thus says the Lord."  Isaiah for example uses this phrase 36 times throughout his book.

2. They would tell the future.  They were not fortunetellers, rather they were foretellers of God's future consequences.

DUMBER THAN ANIMALS! (Isaiah 1:1-3)

Verse 1 begins by stating that Isaiah had a vision.  Earlier in Israel's history God told them that he would make himself known to prophets through visions and dreams. 

And he said, "Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6)

Isaiah wrote down the words of the Lord word for word as the Lord revealed them to him in the vision.  He recorded the very words of God.  All Scripture is a record of the words of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

The words that the Lord is commanding Isaiah to speak are so important that he tells both those in heaven and those on earth to listen to them (1:2).

The Lord began by giving Isaiah a vision of children growing up with a loving and caring parent only to, later, watch the child rebel and turn away from the parent's  instruction  (1:2).

The people of Israel were so disobedient that they were worse than simple animals.  Even an ox knows who his owner is and who takes care of him.  Likewise, even a donkey knows where to sleep at night in his master's stable.  But the people of Israel were so rebellious that they didn't even want know God anymore and did not even attempt to understand him (1:3).

CHARGES LEVELLED AT JUDAH (1:4)

Isaiah's description of the people is that they are:

Sinful:  Sin is knowing what is right, but doing what is wrong.  James says this about sin:  "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17).  The people knew they were rebelling, but they chose to do their own thing.

Laden with iniquity:  In the literal Hebrew language this means the people were "Stupid with perversity!"  A person who is "stupid" is one who is senseless, or completely lacks understanding.  They were being senseless in their perversions -- not considering the consquences of their actions.

Evildoers:  This word literally means "one who breaks things into pieces" for no reason.  It's a picture of a person who is good for nothing, or worthless to society.

Corrupt:  We see here a picture of "decay" or total "ruin."  In the sense of this word someone who is corrupt is an utter waste.

Deserters of God:  The word in the text is "Forsaken" but it means a person who deserts.  When a person deserts the military, for example, they run as far away as possible and hide -- they don't want to be found.  They never want to go back.

Despisers of God:  A word we might use for despise is abhor.  The people of Israel destested anything and everything related to God.

Estranged:  The word estrange means to break any type of loyalty or affection with the other party.  The term, "He was estranged from his wife" means that all affection is gone, it's over.  Perhaps nothing could be more heart-wrenching in a relationship, espcially a marriage relationship, as when one spouse says to the other, "I don't have any feelings for you anymore."  It is a sad and final event in a relationship.

ISRAEL'S GRIM SPIRITUAL CONDITION (Isaiah 1:5-6)

Through Isaiah they are asked a question, "Why will you still be struck down?"  In other words, why will you keep allowing God to discipline you?  Won't you ever wake up?  You keep on rebelling!  You are sick people.  He describes their spiritual condition as a bruised and bloodied body.  Their spiritual sores are left open and raw and oozing.  God has been willing to bandage their wounds and apply healing oil, but they have not allowed him to.

WILTED VINES AND SOGGY CUCUMBERS (Isaiah 1:7-8)

Now Isaiah begins to describe the future of Israel.  He does it in a way that makes it sound like the events have already happened.  He gives a prophecy of what Israel will be like if they do not repent of their sins and turn back to him.

He says that the country will be desolate and burned and that foreigners would take over the land.  This would happen twice to Israel.  First, in 722 B.C. to the Northern Kingdom as they were taken captive by the Assyrians.  Then, it would happen again to the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land, burned Jerusalem and took the people captive.

Verse 8 goes on to say that the people of Jerusalem will be like "a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city."  Since agriculture was a main occupation of the people of Israel, they would know what this meant.  The picture here is of an abandoned hut or shack in the middle of a once thriving vineyard or field.  Now, the crops are gone.  The plants are withered and all that is left is a ramshackle hut that once housed all of the workers in this thriving vineyard or field.  Lonely and desolate, the shack stands empty and beaten down by the weather.  It was a picture (or metaphor) of the future of Jerusalem because of their rebellion.

Likewise, they would be like a "besieged city" where no one can come or go because it is surrounded by the enemy.

WHY DO WE REBEL AGAINST GOD?

1. We deny that God is the Holy One.  The book of Isaiah records the words "The Holy One of Israel"  24 times.  The same phrase is used in seven other passages throughout the Old Testament.  Because God is Holy and because he is the Creator, he has set up certain standards by which we must obey if we are to be able to stand before him.   We'll discuss some of those standards next week.

2.  We are sinners from birth. All people are born with sin.  When someone says, "Ah look at that innocent little child."  They are correct in that the child is innocent from a worldly perspective (and children should be.)  But from a spiritual perspective the child was born a sinner.  That is why you never have to teach a child to hit another child, or to hang on to his toy and not share, or disobey an order from a parent.  Children know these things instinctively because they are sinners -- We're all sinners.  Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned."  1 John 1:8 says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."      

WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE PASSAGE? (Isaiah 1:9)

It's really this:  Because of God's great mercy, he would end up allowing some of the Israelites to survive.  Otherwise, their fate would have been the same as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Their fate is found in Genesis 19:24).

For us, the message is this:  "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases."  (Lamentations 3:22).  Literally, "we are not consumed because of God's love for us."  God is reaching out to you and asking you to obey him; to love him; to recognize that he is the Holy One who can save you from being "struck down" (Isaiah 1:5).  Your job is to trust him and to turn your life over to him.

This Week:  Last week we were encouraged to take the focus off of ourselves and reach out to others.  This week, continue doing that, and as you do remember that it is because of God's great mercy that you are saved.  He has reached out to you with his great love, you should continue to do so to others.  Stop rebelling against God this week -- be obedient to him in all aspects of your life.

Study Questions:
1.  How would you feel if you had a child who rebelled against you and despised you?  Do you think your feelings are different from God's?
2.  Why do people turn their backs on those who love them?
3.  Do you believe that God decides your fate in life? (see Isaiah 1:9).  Explain your answer.