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Daily Reader for Day 173: Isaiah 1 - 2


by Dave Moore

The opening verse of Isaiah tells us immediately where we are in history:

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.

Brilliant.  First, we know where we are: Jerusalem, capital of Judah.  Occasional mention is made of the kings and kingdom of Israel, but politically Isaiah is working with the kings of Judah.  This is an important distinction.  While the LORD still treats all twelve tribes as His people, and Isaiah’s prophesies will often be directed toward all the descendants of Jacob, Isaiah is only able to interact directly with one throne. 

Second, we know when we are: the second half of the 8th century B.C.  To overlap all four of these kings, Isaiah would have begun his work near the end of Uzziah’s reign and completed it somewhere around 700 B.C., during the reign of Hezekiah. 

Likewise, in his opening oracle Isaiah lays out the LORD’s charges against Judah, answering why their land is being devoured. “What to Me is the multitude of your sacrifices… I have had enough of your burnt offerings… even though you make prayers, I will not listen… cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

Way back in Deuteronomy we noted “a curious mixture of laws about economic justice intermixed with laws about idolatry…as though there might be some connection between the two.”  Interestingly, today’s two chapters deal with the same issues.  In chapter 1, God addresses injustice; in chapter 2, He confronts pride and idolatry.  Over five centuries later, Isaiah provides further confirmation that the LORD demands total worship.  

 

Between these, there is renewed hope: “In the latter days… the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of mountains… Out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”  But as always, this is not about Judah or Jerusalem or Israel being lifted up, for “the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.” 

 

Our verse for this week is Romans 8:38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 1 and 2.  Now let’s read it!

Isaiah 1 - 2

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. Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Jehovah has spoken: "I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib; but Israel doesn't know. My people don't consider." Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Jehovah. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven't been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil. 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. The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city. Unless Jehovah of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah. Hear Jehovah's word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! "What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?", says Jehovah. "I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don't delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations-- I can't stand evil assemblies. My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow." "Come now, and let's reason together," says Jehovah: "Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for Jehovah's mouth has spoken it." How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don't defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them. Therefore the Lord, Jehovah of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: "Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies. I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin. 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, a faithful town.' Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness. But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be together, and those who forsake Jehovah shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, and you shall be confounded for the gardens that you have chosen. For you shall be as an oak whose leaf fades, and as a garden that has no water. The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them." This is what Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the law shall go out of Zion, and Jehovah's word from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. House of Jacob, come, and let's walk in the light of Jehovah. For you have forsaken your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled from the east, with those who practice divination like the Philistines, and they clasp hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures. Their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. Their land also is full of idols. They worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. Man is brought low, and mankind is humbled; therefore don't forgive them. Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man will be brought low, the arrogance of men will be bowed down, and Jehovah alone will be exalted in that day. For there will be a day of Jehovah of Armies for all that is proud and arrogant, and for all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low-- for all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, for all the oaks of Bashan, for all the high mountains, for all the hills that are lifted up, for every lofty tower, for every fortified wall, for all the ships of Tarshish, and for all pleasant imagery. The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the arrogance of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. The idols shall utterly pass away. Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?

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You Can Read the Bible is supported by Bellefield Presbyterian Church and blessed with its wonderful volunteers, including: Dave Moore, Jose David Aguilar Posada, Meagan Carter, Fiona Carter, Tanya Carter, Greg Burdette, Madeline Kulp, Andie Young, Justin Ray, Gary Liberati, Maureen Hinchman, Ken MacLeod, John Dolan, Roberto Cantillo, Charlei George, Josh Brown, Jeanne Griffith, Zachary Fritts, Dan Hinchman, Sophia Young, Lynette MacLeod, Gladys Cantillo, Grace Watson, Marianne Seah, Ian MacLeod, Liz Zimmerman, August Hall, Paza Boyd, Kristin Horner, Daniel Young, Paul Griffoen, Ben Moore, Meredith Carter, Bob Willson, Rosie Wagoner, Nick Bersin, Rhonda Hall, Helen Dolby, Emily Moore, Rick Zimmerman, Matt Jones, Kiana Jones, Jane Carter, Marilyn Long, Renee Hairston, Heather Weaver, Carol Williams, Anita Woolley, Andrew Thorpe, Emily Wenz, Matt Carter, and many others.

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