Isaiah 1-4

Paul Ice

Isaiah 1:11-14. As we read what the Lord says here, it sounds like He is responding to a protest or argument from Judah that the people of Judah are very religious and bring many sacrifices and that God should be content with that.

They do bring burnt offerings of rams, bulls, lambs, goats, etc. Why isn't God pleased?

They burn incense, have religious festivals & celebrations - on the outside they must have looked really good. Yet God is clearly not happy with them.

Reread verse 14: "...my soul hates. They have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them."

This is a very human sounding description of God. He feels hatred, burdened, even grows weary.

God is very personally involved in the situation. He is not remote, uncaring, or detached from what has been going on with Judah. This religion, with no true relationship with Him, is an agony to Him, a mockery of what He intended to be between Himself and His chosen people. All this religious stuff is sham.

When "religious" people act wickedly, those victimized (or just watching) can get a warped view of whom God is and can come to fear, hate or disdain Him as a result. Judah was God's chosen people; what they did reflected directly on Him.

The People of Judah are suffering from a spiritual blindness; they don't even recognize that their relationship with God is broken because of their sin, because of the blood on their hands. One of the purposes of this prophecy, obviously, is to show the people their blindness and force them to deal with their sins. They have to make the decision to repent; no one, not even God, can force them to do that. He can only force them to look at themselves, through His eyes.

God breaks down Judah's sins into three main categories:

-- Seek justice. Apparently being dishonest or turning a blind eye is winked at, perhaps even encouraged. People are doing wrong and are getting away with it, perhaps even rewarded for doing so.

-- Encourage the oppressed/ rebuke the oppressor. God is telling them that it is not OK to sit by and do nothing while someone is being taken advantage of. He wants them to look out for each other, regardless of social station.

-- Defend the fatherless and the widow. If you had no father or no husband, in that culture, you had no political power and could easily be taken advantage of. God is telling them to protect those who are week. Godly people step in where there are needs and provide, they don't take advantage of others misfortunes.

In Isaiah the Lord says "stop doing wrong, learn to do right!". This is a command, indicative that Judah (and us) has a choice; we can break the pattern of sin in our lives and learn (sanctification) to act justly and do the right thing. As we have been learning on Sunday's it is a work (fruit) of the Spirit. And, it is a decision on our part that we must make over and over throughout this life.