IMPACT - Isaiah 1:1-10
(Inform, Transform, Proclaim)
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Isaiah 1:1-10 (ESV) - 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: “Children have I reared and brought up, but 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 understand.” 4 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. 5 Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil. 7 Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. 8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. 9 If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
How does this IMPACT me/you by INFORMING my/your understanding of and trust in God’s character?
Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:
God is the Holy One of Israel, who calls for and is worthy of allegiance. There is consequence when He is rebelled against, forsaken, and despised. Ruin will rightly come to the rebel. In His love and grace, He also protects some of His people as a remnant.
Some can be tempted to think that the God of the Bible is harsh because He brings ruin. However, passages like Isaiah 1:1-10 serve to remind us that our understanding needs to be impacted and informed by the reality that the rebellious actions of mankind earn their consequences. We would think it is justice for those who break the law to receive their just punishment. Why do we think it is unfair that God punishes when His law is broken? This ruin for rebellion is an expression of God’s just and holy character.
How does this IMPACT you by TRANSFORMING the way you think, speak, or act to more fully OBEY God’s Word?
Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:
I am reminded to think of myself as a child of God and whether I am living in loving submission to Him or living according to my own agenda.
I am reminded to think rightly that my sin is an offense to this Holy God. I am spurred on to “hear the word of the LORD” and “give ear to the teaching of our God.” (v. 10) Because I am on this side of history, I know through Christ I am one of the redeemed, . May I live in gratitude and honor of that somber, yet joyous reality, and seek to live a life of repentance and not as a self-focused rebellious child.
How could this IMPACT those around you by PROCLAIMING the truths of this passage to them?
Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:
I am impacted to share the reality that ruin comes to those who rebel against the Holy God and the ruin is rightly and justly deserved, like one who breaks a law of our land.
And I am impacted to encourage people to hear the word of the LORD and give ear to His teaching, because there is Hope for those who do!
Here’s another message to remind ourselves and share with others: Twice in just these first ten verses, Israel is referred to as “children.” This term of “children” is a term of endearment, reminding the reader that God is not just a God of judgment, but a loving father who wants good and blessing for his children and is calling them back to hear His word and heed His teaching. God is not a permissive parent, but one who allows His children to see the consequences for going their own way and going against His way, which is going against Him.
Our culture wants us to believe that going our own way, “following our heart,” is good. The message of Scripture tells us that going on God’s path of wisdom and following God’s heart leads to blessing and good fruit. And Isaiah is one of those books of Scripture that echoes that message. God desires that His children know Him and follow His ways, so that they can receive blessing. They have rebelled, but He still offers Hope if they repent and turn back to His Word and His way, no longer following their own wayward hearts. He wants good for them, he wants good for us, but the way they have been choosing does not lead to their ultimate good.
What about us? Are we hearing the Word of the LORD, are we heeding His teachings? Do we look more like one of the “few survivors” (1:9), or are we living more like the world around us that is heading to ultimate destruction? The loving heart of the Father is calling His children home to His presence. Isaiah will continue to unpack what it looks like to hear the Word of the LORD and heed His teaching. To live in His world in His way. To live as one of the few survivors mentioned in verse 9, rather than the rebellious children mentioned in verses 2-4.
As a parent who deeply desires His children to make wise and good choices, God is using Isaiah to remind His people of His loving call and warning them of the ruin that they are headed to if they don’t listen. His children He has brought up, but they have been rebelling for a long time, and they do not know His way (1:2,3). May we read Isaiah with open ears and open hearts to hear the Father’s call and desire to truly learn and live His way.
PRAYER
Loving Father, Holy God, we praise your righteousness and justice to uphold your word and your law. We thank you for your love and patience. We confess our temptation to rebel and forsake you and forget you as our Father and Master, trying to be masters unto ourselves. We thank you for your grace in providing a way of rescue through Jesus and ask that you would continually remind us to be humble and grateful, repentant and obedient. Lord God, we ask for your help to know and understand your way, specifically as we study through Isaiah. May you grant us understanding, conviction, and repentance to know you and to see and turn from our wickedness. And may you open doors for us to share these truths with others, that You may have more survivors to worship You!
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