“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. Isaiah 1:18
God’s Call to Holiness
1:8 Daughter of Zion is a beautiful personification of Jerusalem. Actually, the of in this phrase is somewhat misleading. “Daughter of Zion” seems to indicate that Zion has a daughter. In fact, Zion is the daughter – daughter of the Lord. Booth and hut refer to lean-to shelters used by farmers and watchmen during the harvest.
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.
1:9 The title Lord of hosts describes God as ruler over all powers in heaven and earth through His command of His angelic armies. The title is a favorite of Isaiah, for it speaks of God’s holiness and sovereignty. Judah’s survival was not ultimately due to an enemy’s weakness but to God’s power. Though God punished His sinful people, He always preserved a remnant because He was faithful to keep His promise to Abraham. The word remnant basically means “survivor.” Sodom and Gomorrah were regarded as the epitome of sinfulness; to say that Jerusalem had become like those cities was a scathing condemnation (Rev. 11:8). Elsewhere these words are used as symbols of God’s final judgment upon sinners.
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.
1:12 “Trampling of my courts” The image here is of a herd of animals mindlessly muddying God’s temple. Religion without righteousness and ritual without commitment remain disgusting to God today.
12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?
1:21-31 In these verses, God announced His intent to purify Israel. This announcement falls into two parts: (1) a prophecy of judgment; (2) an elaboration of God’s sentence. God’s purpose for Judah was not final destruction, but purification from social justice and redemption from idolatry. Idolatry and injustice are inseparable. When people turn from trusting the fair and loving God, they will start oppressing the poor and helpless.
21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water. 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. 24 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. 29 For they [2] 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.
1:29 Idolaters shall be ashamed because the terebinth, a sacred tree, and the gardens, sacred groves for fertility rites or the worship of spirits, would fail to save them in the time of judgment.
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.
1:30, 31 Terebinth represents both the sacred trees and the strong, dominating rulers of Israel.
The work of it is perhaps a reference to injustice of Israel’s tyrants, which was the opposite of the Lord’s righteous work. No one shall quench: God will rid His creation of the proud through His gracious, purifying judgment.
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.
⇒ Some of us may have felt quite uncomfortable when we hear or need to sing along CCMs (Contemporary Christian Music). Many of them are self-centered expression of one’s emotions mindlessly chanting the name of God in vain. When we feel that way, it could be the proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. From the very beginning of the book of Isaiah, God declares that mindless rituals are abomination to Him. “Let us reason together… ” Isaiah 1:18 always amazes me. Who are we that God wants to reason with? Why bother? Why try so hard?
A Sinful Nation
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. 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; 3 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. 5 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.
A Call to True Repentance
10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 “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; [1] Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 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. 19 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.
The Judgment and Redemption of Zion
21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water. 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. 24 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. 29 For they [2] 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.
