Isaiah 1
The Prophets--guys who spoke forth the truth of God’s Word to attempt to get people to listen. Part
of their OT ministry was foretelling the future, but prophecy is primarily concerned with reminding
people of God’s Word and the responsibility they have to it.
Isaiah called to the people of Israel in Judah and Jerusalem. worked in 700-686 bc. During the
decline that led to the Babylonian Captivity around 586
Uzziah--2 Chronicles 26--gets a big military win, does great things, gets proud, tries to burn incense
in the temple and is struck with leprosy.
Jotham--2 Chronicles 27--did pretty well as king but did not clear out all idolatry
Ahaz--2 Chronicles 28--rotten king, worshipped Baals, burned son in fire, he did not restrain the
people (vs.19)worshipped gods of people who beat him because they worked!
Hezekiah--2 Chronicles 29--good king. Restores the temple and makes a new covenant with God,
celebrates the Passover again. Assyria attacks and Hezekiah asks God for help. Got sick, God said he
would die, Hezekiah asked for more years, God gave them to him, sun went back. Felt proud about
his stuff and he dies.
Isaiah 1:2-4
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up
children, and they have rebelled against me. 3The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's
crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with
iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have
provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
God’s opinion of them is far from favorable. This is the nation God created out of Abraham and they
have now left their Creator. As a result their whole nation is falling apart (vss. 6-8).
Isaiah 1:9,10
Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom,
and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. 10Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom;
give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
The only difference between them and Sodom and Gomorrah is a few more righteous people. They
got wiped out, God is now calling them the same thing, in other words--judgment is coming for them
too.
Isaiah 11-15
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt
offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or
of he goats. 12When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my
courts? 13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and
sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am
weary to bear them. 15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea,
when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
Uh oh! What’s their answer? Nothing they can do religiously will make up for their error. There is no
sacrifice, no prayer, no temple visit, no feast no thing that will set them right.
Isaiah 1:16-18
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
They need to be cleansed! This is a logical thing--clean things are clean! The red stain of sin can be
made into the white of snow.
Religious people can be impressive to people, but God has never been impressed with “religious
people.” What, if not religion, is God looking for!?
Isaiah 1:21
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now
murderers.
God has always desired faith, where faith is lies justice and righteousness. The absence of faith
results in disgusting sin. Return to faith Israel!
There is no work we can do, there is only faith, which results in work we can do!
Do we cleanse ourselves or does God? Depends! It’s like predestination and free will!
Psalm 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to
himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy
and without blemish.
1 John 1:7-9
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew 23:25,26
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the
platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which
is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your
hearts, ye double minded.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1 Peter 1:22--we do it through the Spirit
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Acts 11:5-9
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had
been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6Upon the which
when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild
beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter;
slay and eat. 8But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into
my mouth. 9But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not
thou common.
You aint junk! Believers have been cleansed by God, we are not common. We are not meet for
ordinary use. We have been sanctified, set aside for special use.
2 Timothy 2:20-22
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth;
and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall
be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good
work. 22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call
on the Lord out of a pure heart.