Isaiah 1:11-20 - Observations, etc.

ISAIAH CHAPTER ONE, cont'd

OBSERVATIONS: & INVESTIGATIONS:

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ISAIAH 1:11-20 – LORD Challenges their “Religious” Rituals

V. 11 - Meaningless rituals in which the LORD does not delight

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? (YHWH indicating you sure have a lot of sacrifices, but what is that to me?  They don’t have any meaning.)

I have had enough of burnt offerings…and fat of well-fed beasts (maybe a jab at the reality that some of their own people have not been well-fed?)

I do not delight in blood of bulls or lambs or goats 

-These blood sacrifices and burnt offerings are because they.have.sinned! He does not delight in that.  He has had enough of it.  He has waited for repentance.  In His justice He shall wait no longer.  The judge can wait no longer for the offender to make it right on his own…he will not, he cannot, it is not just.

V. 12 -  “trampling of my court” - this idea portrays a treading on and crushing with contempt.  Like trampling in a field, crushing the crop, so then it is useless.  It does not honor the intended purposes.  The intended purpose of the LORD’s court is to bring the sacrifice with an attitude of repentance and be in His presence with humility, honor, devotion, love, and gratitude.  That was NOT the attitude or actions of most of God’s people.  They bring their sacrifice, but then leave and act as their flesh desires, not what is honoring to their God and His ways (His ways of justice and righteousness laid out in His Law and commandments.)  These vain offerings trample, dishonor, offend the intended purpose of His court - to usher them into a personal and loving relationship with the presence of the LORD.  

     V. 13 - 15 - The LORD gives them his thoughts against their rituals:

• Bring no more vain offerings

• Incense is an abomination to me

• I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly - New moon and Sabbath the calling of convocations

• Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates 

• They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them

• When you spread out your hands (in prayer), I will hide my eyes from you

• Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen

(Because of the abominations, He is weary and will turn His eyes and ears from their self-centered prayers)  *

V. 16, 17 - LORD responds with how they should repent:

• Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean

• Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes

• Cease to do evil

• Learn to do good

• Seek justice

• Correct oppression

• Bring justice to the fatherless

• Plead the widow’s cause 

• (9 imperatives, commands underlined here. Specific ways to repent.  Almost a process: wash, remove, cease, learn, seek, correct, bring, plead - stop doing this evil and learn to do this good - justice and not oppression) *

V. 18 - 20 - The LORD gives them a call, a promise, and a warning:

• CALL: Come now, let us reason together (A call to a logical solution, “together” - not a tyrannical dictator)

•  PROMISE: - Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow

• Though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool

• If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land

(Again, like verse 9, in the first section of chapter one, we see a picture of HOPE for the REMNANT.  This cleansing of sin and good fruit will come from the REDEEMING MESSIAH!)

• WARNING:  - BUT if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword 

Each of these sections (v. 13, 16, 18) begins with an imperative, a command: Bring no more, Wash, Come…These are actions of REPENTANCE: Stop these meaningless, offensive rituals; Wash off evil that you may be clean; Come - *come* to YHWH that we may be together (in the presence of) and reason about the good that will come if you pursue my promise!  This is a promise of hope for the future, highlighting togetherness with God and a reasonable, good future - foreshadowing the redeemer who will make their scarlet sins white as snow.  

 

SUMMARY

 After the LORD calls them to hear the word of the Lord and listen to the teaching of God in the midst of evil (1:10), He tells them what He does not delight in (vain sacrifices and offering), calls them to bring no more and instead repent (wash, remove & cease evil), learn to do good, and seek justice, particularly for the vulnerable.  Then He calls them to come to Him for the hope that He will make their sins white as snow if they are willing and obey, but warns them of death if they refuse and rebel.  This section expands on the introduction with specific ways of sin and repentance, while again repeating the warning of ruin coming to those who rebel, but hope for the remnant who are willing and obedient to follow God and His ways of righteousness (not just vain rituals). 

PRAYER

Father God, may we be children who do not rebel nor go through the motions of vain rituals.  May we heed your calling to come and trust in your promise of sins washed clean, rather than going through religious motions that don’t bring lasting forgiveness for our sins.  Would you teach us which ways in our modern culture are meaningless to you?  And would you grant us willing and obedient hearts to truly know you, follow you, and reason with you in your presence? Would you teach us how you desire us to seek justice and correct oppression in our day and time?  May we not take for granted your powerful word, but cease to do what is evil in your sight and learn to do good.  Thank you that we know it is Jesus’ blood on the cross that cleanses our sins to be white as snow.  It is in His name we praise you, thank you, and ask these things. AMEN.

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IMPACT - Isaiah 1:11-20 - Click HERE to Print Study Guide