Isaiah one

[Cribstyl]

A Message for Rebellious Judah


ISA 1

2Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! This is what the Lord says: "The children I raised and cared for have turned against me.
3 Even the animals-the donkey and the ox-know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand."

4Oh, what a sinful nation they are! They are loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil and corrupt children who have turned away from the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel, cutting themselves off from his help.

5Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick.
6 You are sick from head to foot-covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds-without any ointments or bandages.
7 Your country lies in ruins, and your cities are burned. As you watch, foreigners plunder your fields and destroy everything they see.
8 Jerusalem [fn1] stands abandoned like a watchman's shelter in a vineyard or field after the harvest is over. It is as helpless as a city under siege.
9 If the Lord Almighty had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah.

10Listen to the Lord, you leaders of Israel! Listen to the law of our God, people of Israel. You act just like the rulers and people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
11 "I am sick of your sacrifices," says the Lord. "Don't bring me any more burnt offerings! I don't want the fat from your rams or other animals. I don't want to see the blood from your offerings of bulls and rams and goats.
12 Why do you keep parading through my courts with your worthless sacrifices?
13 The incense you bring me is a stench in my nostrils! Your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath day, and your special days for fasting-even your most pious meetings-are all sinful and false. I want nothing more to do with them.
14 I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!
15 From now on, when you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen. For your hands are covered with the blood of your innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways.
17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows.

18"Come now, let us argue this out," says the Lord. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.
19 If you will only obey me and let me help you, then you will have plenty to eat.
20 But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!"



Please give a summary that you interpret from these text.

How does it apply to us today?

CRIB

 

[ricker]

A Message for Rebellious Judah


ISA 1

2Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! This is what the Lord says: "The children I raised and cared for have turned against me.
3 Even the animals-the donkey and the ox-know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people Israel. No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand."

4Oh, what a sinful nation they are! They are loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil and corrupt children who have turned away from the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel, cutting themselves off from his help.

5Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick.
6 You are sick from head to foot-covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds-without any ointments or bandages.
7 Your country lies in ruins, and your cities are burned. As you watch, foreigners plunder your fields and destroy everything they see.
8 Jerusalem [fn1] stands abandoned like a watchman's shelter in a vineyard or field after the harvest is over. It is as helpless as a city under siege.
9 If the Lord Almighty had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah.

10Listen to the Lord, you leaders of Israel! Listen to the law of our God, people of Israel. You act just like the rulers and people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
11 "I am sick of your sacrifices," says the Lord. "Don't bring me any more burnt offerings! I don't want the fat from your rams or other animals. I don't want to see the blood from your offerings of bulls and rams and goats.
12 Why do you keep parading through my courts with your worthless sacrifices?
13 The incense you bring me is a stench in my nostrils! Your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath day, and your special days for fasting-even your most pious meetings-are all sinful and false. I want nothing more to do with them.
14 I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!
15 From now on, when you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen. For your hands are covered with the blood of your innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways.
17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows.

18"Come now, let us argue this out," says the Lord. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.
19 If you will only obey me and let me help you, then you will have plenty to eat.
20 But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!"



Please give a summary that you interpret from these text.

How does it apply to us today?

CRIB

OK, I'll start this off. It sounds to me like the Lord was angry with Israel.
It is obvious that there were sacrificial and ceremonial laws given to Israel that God did not consider everlasting moral laws (including the Sabbath!). Why else would He tell them the COI's observation of them was basically revolting to Him, and to stop observing them?
God seems to indicate here that this is what pleases Him:

16"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight
Cease to do evil,
17Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.

I love how God pleads with Israel to repent and He would remove the stain of their sins.
God bless! Ricker

 

[AndrewK788]

Well, to be brief, I think the way this applies to us today is that actions don't impress God too much. What I mean is there are so many overly religious people in Christianity today but so few that are truly spiritual, and in tune with God's will for their lives. I think it could mean we need to turn back to God with our hearts and stop trying so hard to earn salvation through works because that's simply impossible.

(On a side note: I'm sure we could also turn this thread into the 15th derailed thread arguing over Sabbath worship but hopefully everyone will refrain from such.)