"THE VISION OF ISAIAH, the son of Amos, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah" (Isa. 1:1). From this statement we see that the ministry of Isaiah fell within the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. According to the usually received chronology, Isaiah's ministry fell in the latter half of the eighth century before Christ. It is quite probable that his ministry began during the latter years of the reign of Uzziah and continued into the reign of Hezekiah. History, we are told, repeats itself. There was a period of prosperity which Judah enjoyed during the time of Uzziah, but this period was followed by a spiritual decline which brought about disastrous results in the succeeding reigns. Sin never pays.

One should read the historical accounts of the times found in II Kings 17:13--20:21, II Chronicles, chapter 32, and the historical section of Isaiah, chapters 36 to 39 inclusive. The passage in II Kings is very much like the historical portion of Isaiah. It has been suggested that probably the sacred writer of the account found in Kings took over his material relating to the times of the prophet from the Book of Isaiah.*

"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me" (Isa. 1:2). The prophet's message was of paramount importance. In a dramatic manner, therefore, he called upon the heavens and the earth as he delivered faithfully the word of God to His disobedient people. When God or one of His messengers speaks, it is time for men to stop, to listen, and to give heed.

The words, "I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me," are indeed heart-rending. We learn from Isaiah 43:1 that God created this nation and formed it into a political unity in order that it might give forth its corporate testimony to the existence and the revelation of the living God. The Almighty, the God of Israel, declared that He had nourished and brought up children. Of course He was speaking in terms of a mother and father who provide the necessary food, sustenance, and protection for their children. All good parents endeavor to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. God from time to time sent prophets to Israel who pointed out the straight and the narrow way in which His people should go. There was nothing lacking in Israel which she needed in her daily life or spiritual activities. God amply supplied her with everything--all things that pertain to life and godliness. Notwithstanding this fact the people of Israel did not live up to their advantages and opportunities. They remind one of many families today. The parents provide all the necessities of life for their children and instruct them in the way of the Lord, trying to guide them in the path in which they should go. But in spite of their sincere efforts, the children, giving heed to false teachings and influences of others, depart from the way in which they should go. This is one of the tragedies of life. It is the duty of parents to do all that they can to have their children go in the right way. If they have lived consistent lives and have taught them properly, they are clear of the responsibility, and the children alone will have to answer to God for departing from the way of life. One is reminded in this connection of Eli and Samuel. Both of these men were true, godly individuals. Eli, however, did not rear his sons as he should. Samuel did the best he could for his children. The boys of both of these men became wicked. God, however, held Eli responsible for the condition of his sons but did not reprimand Samuel for the delinquencies of his sons. God knows where the responsibility lies.

According to verse 3, Israel was not using the common judgment of a dumb brute. Both the ox and the ass know their stall and the master's crib. Every farmer and cattle-raiser knows that their livestock remember the place and the time when they are fed and that they will be on hand every time. God had fed Israel and had protected her. Naturally if she used the common judgment of the dumb brute, she would have been faithful and true to Him. The Lord promised through Moses (Lev., chap. 26) that if she would be faithful to Him, He would keep her in the land, provide her with all the necessities of life, and never allow any soldier to cross her frontiers; but she would not hearken; therefore she has had the most checkered career of any nation upon the face of the globe and is suffering today as no other people ever have. But Israel is not the only one who does not know from whom her sustenance comes. Unfortunately, the nations of the world do not recognize their utter dependence upon God. He could withhold the crops, or send a pestilence, and they would be utterly at His mercy. At times He does withhold the rain and visits them with different plagues as He did to Israel in olden days. On this point read carefully Amos, chapter 4. Nevertheless, the nations of today, like Israel of old, pay little attention to God's providential care and protection over them but seek a way out of their difficulties themselves, not realizing that it is in God in whom they live, move, and have their continual being. Not only is this true of nations as groups, but it is also true of individuals--even many Christians do not seem to recognize the fact that we are utterly dependent upon God for our daily food, life, and protection.

SINCE Israel did not know nor consider, she was in a terrible position. The prophet therefore spoke to her, addressing her as a "sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly" (vs. 4). Moreover, he charged them with having forsaken Jehovah and having "despised the Holy One of Israel." He therefore declared, "they are estranged and gone backward" -- backslidden. Whenever men and women will not give heed to God but feel that they are themselves able to make their own way through the world, they lose their bearings, stray into sin and forbidden paths, and soon become laden with iniquity. Thus they become identified with evildoers and corrupt people. When sin enters the life, one begins to hate God and despise Him and His holiness.

By their continuing in their sinful course, they made it necessary for God to send one judgment after another upon them and to ask, "Why will ye be still stricken, that ye revolt more and more? the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint" (vs. 5). One cannot rid himself of God by simply refusing to retain Him in his knowledge and going on in his own willful course. The Almighty sees and knows everything and deals with everyone according to the merits of his particular case. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews in speaking of God called Him, "the one with whom we have to do." There is no such thing as one's escaping dealing with God. Sooner or later one will have to come face to face with reality and with his Maker. Wisdom would dictate to one to be faithful and true to God at all times and to enjoy His blessings.

In verse 6, the prophet compared the nation of Israel to a person who had become infected with disease, that had entered all parts of the body, saying, "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil." The disease which was affecting Israel at that time was the loss of a sense of God's presence, a dead, formalistic religion, the lowering of the moral standards, and a desire to live on a worldly plane. With all these deadly spiritual germs preying upon the body politic, the prophet could truly say that "there is no soundness in it," and that none of the wounds and sores could be healed or mollified with anything that man could do.

In verse 7 Isaiah spoke of the desolate condition of the land and the destroyed cities, together with the presence of foreigners or strangers who were there simply for the purpose of loot. Jerusalem, in verse 8, is compared to a booth in a vineyard or lodge in a garden of cucumbers. When one looks at the historical account, one sees that the Assyrians had overrun the entire country, according to the Assyrian records had captured forty-six of the fortified cities of Judah, and had overrun the entire land, Jerusalem alone standing out in defiance of the wicked oppressor. This condition into which the country had fallen was in the prophet's mind when he compared Jerusalem to the lodge in a garden of cucumbers.

In verse 9, the prophet spoke for the first time of the remnant, which doctrine appears to be a favorite with him. The Lord always has His eye upon the godly who are seeking to do His will and who will not conform to the evils of the day. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him (II Chron. 16:9). It was that way in Isaiah's day; it is that way today. The faithful people of God are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). The loyal remnant in Israel of Isaiah's day was the salt of the earth then, on account of which God spared the stroke of judgment which would have blotted the nation from the face of the globe. The prophet therefore declared that if God had not had that small remnant, the nation would "have been as Sodom ..." and "like unto Gomorrah." The people of the world today, the ones in our country, do not realize that they owe their existence and all that they have and hope to have to the presence of Christians in their midst. The true servants of God are the grains of salt in any country--the preserving power.

IN VERSES 10-17, we find Isaiah upbraiding the nation for engaging in a cold, formal, ritualistic worship, while the lives of both the leaders and the people were at the lowest ebb possible. He spoke of the rulers of Israel as "ye rulers of Sodom." Moreover he called the people, "ye people of Gomorrah." This is not simply poetical language. These words speak of a stern reality. God would never have compared their rulers to the leaders of Sodom and the people to those of Gomorrah if they had not been like them in their lives and conduct. People living as these were could not of course serve God in an acceptable manner.

The Lord therefore asked them what was their idea concerning His attitude toward their worship. Moreover, He declared that He had "had enough of the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts." He told them that He delighted "not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats"; nor in their feasts, their solemn assemblies, their sabbaths. It was impossible for men, laden with iniquity and sin, to worship God in an acceptable manner. He asked them, "When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies,--I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting." God never told them to continue in their religious services while their lives were immoral and corrupt.

Some critics have inferred from the strong language of Isaiah that he was condemning all sacrifices and ceremonies such as those practiced by the Jews. They think that Israel adopted her system of sacrifices and her ritualistic service from heathen people and that Isaiah was condemning her having done this. Moreover, they assert that Micah likewise condemned all offerings, sacrifices, and ceremonies such as the Jews practiced. In this connection, they turn to Jeremiah 7 and assert that this prophet likewise condemned all ceremonialism.

When all the facts of each case are examined, one will see that these prophets were not condemning the ritualistic services which Israel received from God through Moses at Mount Sinai.

The sacrificial services of the Tabernacle and Temple, together with all of its ritualism, had a typical significance. They were shadows of Christ and the Christian verities. When one understands the services, especially that which pertained to the five sacrifices and the ritualism of the Day of Atonement, and then studies the life of Christ, especially His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, one will see that the death of Christ and His atonement were exactly that which was prefigured by the Mosaic ritual. The correspondence is so very accurate and perfect that there is but one conclusion to be drawn, which is that Moses spoke by inspiration and outlined a system which foreshadowed exactly the realities that we have through the atoning blood of our Lord and His resurrection. The correspondence between the ritualism of Israel and the realities under Christ is absolute proof of the divine origin of the entire revelation of God.

TO HIS fellow-countrymen, the Prophet Isaiah appealed, saying: "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow," (vss. 16-17). In order to understand this language, one must realize that Isaiah was speaking to people who were under law and whose worship consisted largely of ceremonialism given by divine inspiration. Whenever they had become unclean in any ceremonial way, they engaged in the ceremonials that were prescribed. Of course, only those who took life seriously and the worship of God as a matter of first importance did submit to the ritualism and adhere strictly to the requirements of the Lord. When, however, the earnest souls, under conviction of failures and sins, did engage in the ceremonials prescribed by the law, God honored their faith, love, and devotion to Himself. When they thus approached Him, they were clean ceremonially and were restored to full fellowship in the community and with the Lord.

Let no one think that by the performance of any ritualistic worship and service he can cleanse himself and be restored to fellowship with God, for such is not the case. During the old dispensation, God passed over the sins of the devout people in Israel for the time being--when they had performed the proper ritualism; but those sins of the conscientious ones were blotted out by the blood of Calvary, as we see in Romans 3:21-26. Thus the devout Israelites who engaged in these ceremonies were cleansed legally and ceremonially, but their real cleansing and the blotting out of their sins were accomplished at Calvary.

Isaiah gave the only instructions to His people possible at that day and time. He had to speak in terms of law, "Wash you, make you clean." They carried out these injunctions when they made their proper sin offerings and trespass offerings on the annual Day of Atonement. The sins of the genuinely penitent ones were rolled forward a year. As said before, the sins of such people were eternally removed by the blood of Christ (Rom. 3:25,26).

The prophet urged the people to reform, having gotten right with God by the proper sacrifices. They were commanded to: "Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." There can be no doubt that God did supply strength to the sincere honest ones who took Him seriously and who endeavored to follow out the instructions commanded here. God would not mock any man, requiring him to do something which he could not do. Hence, when the Lord said to those people who offered their proper sacrifices in sincerity and truth to quit their evils, He tacitly promised to give the necessary spiritual strength to carry out the command--otherwise the Lord would have been mocking poor, frail, mortal beings. Since God would not do that, we may be absolutely certain that in their case, as in our own, "God's commandings are His enablings."

God has a certain standard of morals and ethics. These contain the highest ideals of righteousness, justice, and truth. He instructs His people who are serving him and who are putting their trust in Him to live in accordance with these high ethical principles. He commanded Israel to do this; He urges us to do the same today. We are in the world, but are not of it. We who are His servants are to offer our bodies living sacrifices, holy, acceptable unto Him, which is our spiritual or reasonable service. (Rom. 12:1).

The Lord is reasonable in all that He does and in all that He requires of men. In gentleness and in kindness the Prophet Isaiah, speaking for the Lord, appealed to his people, saying, "Come, now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." One by his reason cannot find God, for without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to Him. He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him (Heb. 11:6). On the other hand, the religion of God, though not contrary to reason, cannot be comprehended by pure, logical processes. Figuratively speaking, the road to God and in His service has several chasms which cannot be spanned by logical reasoning, but they must be crossed by pure faith in God and His Word, and in His goodness, love, and mercy. Faith will enable us to cross these chasms and take our stand on the solid facts of reason and historical data. As we journey along through life there come times when we reach a place in the pathway when our logical powers cannot put us over some difficult place. We therefore must in humble, simple, childlike faith look up into the face of our Father and plead for deliverance. He will never fail.

The course which Israel was pursuing was unreasonable in every particular. Everyone who will face the facts as they were will admit this. The prophet was therefore correct in asking his contemporaries to come, sit down with him, and talk in a rational, sane manner about the way they were doing and how they should act. God makes the same appeal to people today. May we recognize this fact, meditate before God, talk to Him, and let Him talk to us. Thus we can reason together. If we lay our problems before Him in earnest, sincere, believing prayer, He speaks to us through His Word and through providential circumstances. By meditating upon providential circumstances and upon His Word, we can arrive at sane, sound, sensible conclusions.

The mercy of the Lord shows forth in a luminous manner in the promise that the prophet made to Israel: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." God is eager to blot out our sins. No matter how dark they may be, He is very eager to forgive them. But He must be just at the time that He justifies one. Because of this fundamental characteristic of the Divine Being--His holiness--He has provided an atonement for us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. If one's sins, which are as scarlet or as red as crimson, are to be washed and made white as wool, one must accept Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, bringing Him to God as his offering of atonement in the spirit of the song, "Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me, O Lamb of God, I come." He who comes to Christ, the Lord will in nowise cast out.

According to verse 19 of our chapter, God promised them, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." God has always held that promise out to Israel. He still offers it to her. But she must be willing and obedient in order to enjoy the promised blessing. On the other hand, Isaiah warned them that if they refused and rebelled, the sword would come upon them, and they would be devoured. We know from the sequel of the story that they did not turn from their sins but continued in them and the sword did come upon the land in the form of the great Assyrian invasion which devastated the country. Later it fell upon the land in the form of the Babylonian armies which brought about the captivity.

IN verses 21-23, the prophet exclaimed: "How is the faithful city become a harlot! she that was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers." In this verse the prophet compared the nation and the Holy City to a woman who was once pure and chaste but now has become infamous and a harlot. This language, of course, speaks of the Hebrew people and their capital city in terms of the waywardness of a fallen woman. Speaking in literal terms, the prophet declared that her princes were rebellious, and companions of thieves, and that every one of them loved bribes and followed after rewards. Moreover, they did not champion the cause of the fatherless and the widow--one thing which God emphasized when He gave His law.

THE prophet, with a long range vision, as the context indicates, foresaw the time when God would avenge Himself of His adversaries and cleanse and purge all wickedness and sin from the Chosen People. "Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies; and I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin ..." (vss. 24-25). When we read this scripture in the light of parallel passages, we see that the time of purging of all the dross from Israel is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). This is the time which we Christians call the Tribulation Period, during which God will send His judgments upon the world and will purge out all the wickedness and rebellion in order that He may establish His reign of righteousness upon the earth.

According to verse 26, God promised to restore judges as at first and counsellors as at the beginning. After that Jerusalem shall be known as "The city of righteousness, a faithful town." In the next verse the prophet declared that, "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness." God will be just and righteous in His restoring Israel. When we see this statement, we learn that we must read it in the light of such a passage as Romans 3:21-26:

But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26 for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.

There is but one way that Israel can be redeemed with justice. God's justice demands the destruction of all the wicked from the borders of Israel. His righteousness requires that the remnant be justified by their having faith in their Redeemer. God will be just when He justifies the one believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 27 finds its complete explanation in the quotation from Romans just given.

According to verse 28, God will destroy all transgressors and sinners together, as mentioned above. Regardless of how prosperous the wicked in Israel may be and how much they may appear like the towering oak, they shall fade and their glory shall pass away and all their belongings will be destroyed. God alone at that time will be exalted in the earth. Israel, purged, cleansed, and purified, will be restored to her rightful position as the head of the nations (Deut. 28:13).

THE reader is urged, if he has not already done so, to read this first chapter of Isaiah, asking God to help him to live in such close touch with the Lord and to walk with Him by faith so that his life may reflect the glory of God and Christ. If one will thus live day by day, one will become a great soul-winner and a worker for God.


Footnote:

* I am perfectly aware of the controversy which has long raged in critical circles in regard to these two historical sections appearing in Isaiah and in the Kings' account. Critics have created more difficulties than they have solved. It is best for us to accept these records as the word of the living God, as indeed they are, receiving the blessings which result from a faithful reading and acceptance of His revelation, and thus be used of God for His glory.-D.L.C.

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