3. A short introduction to Isaiah Date: 740-700 BC Isaiah is considered the greatest book in the Old Testament. (Messianic) Isaiah means “salvation of the Lord”. The key to Isaiah is: Deliverance Deliverance from the Assyrian invasion. Isa. 36,37 Deliverance from the Babylonian captivity. Isa. 44:28; 45:1 Deliverance from the captivity of sin. Isa. 53 E. M. Blaiklock wrote, “We see Isaiah move with fearless dignity through the chaos of his day.”
4. Our lesson text Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Isa 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isa 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
5. Key Word - REASON Reason means “to decide a case in court”. God is holding court against Israel. What are the charges against Israel? What will the verdict be? Will God the judge have mercy on Israel?
6. Three Parts to our Lesson The DEFENDANTS or PARTICIPANTS – Israel - Isaiah 1:2-15 The DECISION or PRONOUNCEMENT – Isaiah 1:16-17 The DELIVERANCE or PARDON – Isaiah 1:18-20
7. The Defendants Israel was a rebellious child. Isa. 1:2-4 Israel was a wretched victim. Isa. 1:5,6 Israel was a ravaged battle field. Isa. 1:7-9 Israel was an empty worshiper of God. Isa. 1:10-15 Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. Isa 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Isa 1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. Isa 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment Isa 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Isa 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. What was wrong with Israel? SIN
8. The Decision “Wash you, make you clean” Matthew 5:23,24 This outward washing looks to an inward cleansing of the soul stained with sin. Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Exo 29:4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. Lev 17:15 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean. Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Matt 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Matt 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
9. The Decision “Put away the evil” “Cease to do evil” REPENT Luke 13:3,5; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 17:30,31;II Peter 3:9 Repentance is not sorrow alone. II Cor. 7:10 Edward J. Young “Herein consists the true meaning of repentance; it is both a cessation of the doing of evil together with a whole-souled turning unto God. An entirely new manner of life is demanded.”
10. The Decision “Learn to do well” It is not enough to stop doing evil, we must do right. Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. Luke 11:25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Luke 11:26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
11. The Decision “Learn” - Lev. 10:11; Dt. 6:1-7; Eph. 6:4 “Seek justice” – Isa. 61:8; Ps. 33:5 “Relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” – Ex. 22:22; Dt. 24:17; James 1:27 1Peter 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
13. The Deliverance God extends pardon IF … (‘im) “Come now, and let us reason together” “Though your sins be as scarlet … red like crimson…” Negotiate – NO …. God has already found them guilty. Sin is obvious and recognizable. -- Exception: I Tim. 4:2; Matt. 13:15
14. The Deliverance The deliverance is on God’s terms. IF Romans 10:1-3 Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God
15. The Deliverance Isaiah 1:19 “If ye be willing -- consent..” Acts 2:36-38,41; Acts 18:8 “But if ye refuse and rebel…” – Matt. 25:46
16. Conclusion God knows your sins. Num. 32:23; Pro. 15:3; Heb. 4:13 Sin defiles and destroys. Ps. 51:1,2; 38:5-7 God calls us by faith to repentance. Luke 13:3 God can get the stain out of your soul. I Tim. 1:15,13 (Paul) God’s salvation is based on His conditions. Isa. 1:19 God wants us to replace evil with good. Dan. 4:27
17. God can calm the chaos of the world. God can also calm the chaos in our individual lives.
