Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1 is a chapter where the prophet Isaiah begins by addressing the rebellion of Judah and Jerusalem. God presents His case against His people, expressing His displeasure with their sinful state and ritualistic worship. He calls them to repentance and promises restoration if they return to Him, but warns of judgment if they refuse. This chapter sets the tone for the rest of the book, emphasizing the themes of judgment and redemption.

Isaiah 1:1-4 (NKJV)
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.

Isaiah begins by introducing his vision during the reigns of four kings. The Lord calls the heavens and earth as witnesses to His grievance against Israel. Although God cared for and raised His people, they have rebelled, showing more ignorance than animals who at least recognize their masters. Israel’s rebellion is severe, filled with sin, corruption, and abandonment of God, causing them to provoke His anger.

Isaiah 1:5-9 (NKJV)
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.

Isaiah expresses God's lament over the futility of continuing to strike Israel with judgment since their rebellion only worsens. The nation is described as severely sick, from head to toe, beyond repair. The land itself is desolate, cities burned, and foreign nations take over. Israel’s condition is as vulnerable as a temporary shelter in a field. Yet, God’s mercy preserves a remnant, preventing total destruction like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:10-15 (NKJV)
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.

God compares the rulers of Judah to those of Sodom and Gomorrah, condemning their empty rituals. Despite their offerings and religious observances, their sacrifices are meaningless because their hearts are far from God. He no longer delights in their religious festivals and refuses to listen to their prayers because they are tainted with sin and bloodshed. Worship without genuine repentance and righteousness disgusts God.

Isaiah 1:16-20 (NKJV)
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; 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.

God calls His people to cleanse themselves from evil by turning away from sin and practicing justice and righteousness. He urges them to care for the vulnerable and promises forgiveness for their sins, no matter how deep, if they repent. God offers a choice: obedience will bring blessings, but rebellion will result in destruction. It’s a clear invitation to return to Him and receive mercy.

Isaiah 1:21-23 (NKJV)
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.

Jerusalem, once a faithful and righteous city, is now corrupt, likened to a harlot. Justice and righteousness have been replaced by murder, greed, and oppression. The city’s leaders are corrupt, taking bribes and failing to care for the needy. The imagery of silver turning to dross and wine being diluted reflects the degradation of the city's integrity and leadership.

Isaiah 1:24-27 (NKJV)
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.

God promises to act against His enemies by purging away the sin and corruption in Jerusalem. His refining process will remove the impurities and restore justice and righteousness. After this cleansing, Jerusalem will once again be known as a faithful city. God’s plan for redemption will come through judgment, but it will bring restoration to those who repent.

Isaiah 1:28-31 (NKJV)
28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
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.
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.

Those who continue in sin and forsake the Lord will face destruction. The terebinth trees and gardens, symbols of idolatrous worship, will bring them shame. Like a tree that withers or a garden without water, they will wither away. The strong and their deeds will be consumed by fire, representing the judgment that will come upon all who reject God’s offer of redemption.