IMPACT - Isaiah 1:11-20
(Inform, Transform, Proclaim)
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To Print Isaiah 1:11-20 IMPACT Study Guide, Click Here
To Print Isaiah 1:21-31 Observations, etc. Study Guide, Click Here
How does this IMPACT you by INFORMING your understanding of and trust in God’s character?
Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:
This passage impacted my understanding of God’s character by continuing to emphasize the LORD’s character of holiness and justice. He is holy, so the sinner must be made right in order to be in God’s presence (Thus a sacrifice is needed. The Old Testament sacrifices proved to be inadequate. Thus, Jesus came as the perfect, spotless Lamb of God, who was sacrificed to take away the sins of the world once and for all.)
But sacrifice isn’t the whole picture, repentance is also needed to be right with God. Since God’s people were only bringing sacrifices and not repenting, that is why God called them out as vain and offensive and thus need to be judged by God’s justice. In this passage, we also see again God’s grace and mercy to offer hope and a promise, cleansing of sin, and good fruit in their land! Holiness, justice, grace. This is the heart of the Gospel - holiness, justice, grace. May my heart understand and trust this more and more.
How does this IMPACT you by TRANSFORMING the way you think, speak, or act?
Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:
This passage impacts my heart because I want to delight the Lord (v. 11), I do not want to “trample His courts” (dishonor, defame, render useless) (v. 12), I want him to listen to my prayers (v. 15), I want to genuinely be in His presence (v. 15, 18), therefore, I want to heed His call:
Bring no more vain offerings, (LORD, continue to purify my heart that my life is a living sacrifice. That I am not just going through the motions of church and Bible study and/or small group, but that my heart has a true devotion of wanting to know, love, and serve you more and more wholeheartedly,)
Wash/remove & cease evil/learn to do good (v. 16,17). (Holy Spirit, convict me of the evil that I need to repent of - areas of pride, temptations toward a harsh tongue),
Come into God’s presence to learn from Him (v. 18). (Lord Jesus, I know my cleansing comes from Your righteousness (v. 18) - keep me humble and dependent, teach me to do justice, correct oppression, bring justice to fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause (v. 17).
Help me know what this looks like in our time and culture - fatherless & widow - They represent the vulnerable, who don’t have the strength and security of that designed leader, protector, provider.
Holy Spirit, please grant me a willing and obedient heart (v. 19) to hear the word of God and listen to His teachings (1:10…v. 11-21 are a reflection of what it looks like to hear the word of God and listen to His teachings - cease evil, learn good, correct oppression, seek justice!)
1:11-15 – Raises the questions: Are there vain rituals I am performing? Am I going through the motions on any religious activity? Do I do the “right” thing, but my heart is turned away from the right reason (devotion to the LORD?)
1:16, 17 – Raises the questions: What evil do I need to cease from? What good do I need to learn to do? How do I seek justice and correct oppression in my sphere of influence? Who are the fatherless in our time and culture? (orphans, foster care kids, kiddo’s with incarcerated fathers, kids of single moms or even disengaged dads) Who are the widows in my life? (Ladies at church, neighbors, women in nursing homes.) They are not as vulnerable in our society as this original audience, but it still shows God’s heart of compassion for those in need and reflects a call for His people to be intentional about their care. Father of the fatherless, Husband of the widow, what step of obedience are you calling me to here?
1:18-20 - Causes pause: Am I willing and obedient? Or am I refusing God’s ways and rebelling in my self-centeredness? (Don’t be too quick to answer affirmatively here. Use the opportunity for the Spirit to convict your heart, transform you more into the image of Christ by spurring you on in ways to be more willing and obedient. We know our sins are washed white as snow only by the righteous blood of Christ, not by the works we do, and we know our lives can reflect a deeper gratitude, love, and joy for this gift. How can we (you) pursue this willing and obedient heart?)
How does this IMPACT those around you by the truths you can PROCLAIM to them?
Take a moment to ponder for yourself & record your thoughts:
My take-away:
God’s call to His people in this passage can be what we proclaim to others:
Bring no more vain offerings (Don’t just go through the motions of religion)
Wash yourselves (through a relationship with Jesus as Savior and Redeemer)
Seek justice (seek to do what’s right: removing evil, doing good, seeking justice, correcting oppression, pleading the cause for the vulnerable)
Come to YHWH, know He has cleansed and forgiven your sins, live a willing and obedient life to His glory and for your good!
Personally, I think obedience for me looks like being more willing to be inconvenienced for the needs of widows in my life and being more aware of and willing to engage with injustices (maybe with social injustices particularly? Looking around for who may be in a place of oppression and how may God be prompting me to bring correction to such oppression?)
PRAYER
Oh Father God, this feels big and heavy and yet you are a God of justice, mighty and strong and over all things. In honor of your holiness, we desire to seek justice for the oppressed and vulnerable. May you open our eyes to see these needs around us and grant us the wisdom and courage to learn to do your good for those in need. May we not be self-righteous in our religious rituals, but have hearts of repentance that seek to be willing and obedient to You day by day. LORD Jesus, we thank you for washing our sins white as snow and ask for your strength and wisdom to walk in Your righteousness. We know that left to ourselves we would lead vain lives in rebellion to you. Thank you for this undeserved grace of a redeemed life. May we learn more and more how to honor and glorify You with our thoughts and words and actions for Your glory and our good, in the name of the Just and Justifier, Jesus Christ.
NEXT
Isaiah 1: 21-31 - Observations, Investigations, Summary, etc. - Click HERE for Study Guide
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