Isaiah - Verse By Verse

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:30 (NIV):  "You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water."

Thought:  To me, we become just like the idols we may worship in the place of God; that is, just as inanimate as they are!

Question:  Do I possess the life of Christ and worship Christ's Father?

To choose an idol leads to death.  Oak trees are not immortal--gardens can die without water.  They look lovely for awhile, but their end is death.  Oaks may appear strong and gardens beautiful, but they fail in the end.  Our idols are just the same.

Psalm 115:4-8 describes the process of idolatry:  idols are 1)  made by man  2)  they are mute  3)  they are blind  4)  they are deaf  5)  they cannot smell or touch or move or speak, and, most importantly,  6)  those who make them and trust them become like them!  Notice here in Isaiah 1:30 how the word "like" is used twice.  

I, for one, want to make a better choice.  My prayer is that I will not tempt God by seeing how much I can listen to the attractiveness of the temptations of idolatry.  How long am I gazing at the "beautiful garden?"  How long am I admiring the "strong oak trees?"  Help me, oh God, to avert my eyes immediately!

If the "eye" of my soul is seeking to trust to something "strong" or like a "garden" and chooses to look only toward the things of this created world, there is a danger my soul may fall into idolatry.  Webster defines idolatry as:  "the worship of a physical object as a god."  Webster defines a "god" as "the supreme reality."  How ludicrous to hold in highest regard a created object as our "supreme" Being!  God is much higher than anything He has made.  He alone deserves all our "wonder."

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, You are Supreme!  You are above every created thing.  You are not of this world.  Help me to worship You appropriately, bowing in awesome amazement at Your Matchless Essence.  May no other compete for my worship of You.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:29 (NIV):  "You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen."

Thought:  To me, the choices of western culture are less and less for God and more and more for self-pleasure and physical delight.

Question:  Have I ever been ashamed of my idolatry?

The "sacred oaks", to me, may refer to the groves of trees where idol worship began in these cultures.  Apparently they were drawn irresistably to this.  There, a fleshly, sexual activity began to take place in hiding out among the trees where they had gathered to honor gods of fertility.  The beauty of nature, as found in garden-like surroundings, began to also compete with worship of God in His Holy sanctuary.

Redemption out of such sin is not without hurt (chastisement) or shame.  In fact, the elements of shame and disgrace are very necessary to the process.  If we delight in sexual sin or enjoy the "lie" it promotes, we will, somewhere down the line, have to have an "adjustment."  That "adjustment" includes a phase of shame, as we finally see truth alongside this lie.  We blush with shameful realization at what we had accepted.  Who on earth would prefer oak trees and created gardens over the One True Living God Who made them?  But we do from time to time.  Who on earth would prefer a garden life and sexual exploits over and above life with God Almighty?  Lots of people!  Perhaps everyone at one time or other.  We are ever idol-prone.

God snaps us back to reality with His judgments.  This is not cruel--it is actually merciful.  Shame and disgrace in God's presence is totally logical given our gross misbehavior.

Prayer:  Lord of my heart, help me to be true to You.  If I am ever ashamed and/or disgraced by my choices, please show me the way to repent of it all.  Guide me back to You.  You are life and truth.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:28 (NIV):  "But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the LORD will perish."

Thought:  To me, God is quite straightforward.  He does not mince words.  I for one am grateful for that, even though this kind of language is unpopular.

Question:  Have I forsaken the LORD?

There are always those who resist even the finest love from God.  Here God explains that they will "be broken" and "will perish".  God owns the power to break and destroy any of His creatures that turn against Him.

If the Great God of Love, Who created us and our world, is our only Source, we are indeed foolish to rebell against Him.  What could we possibly gain?  And in rebellion, what will we lose?  This verse clearly states that life itself will be lost.  To resist and cross God is to be broken and to perish.  To forsake God is to put your soul to death.

Prayer:  Father, I do not want to be on record as a rebel or unconfessing, unrepentant sinner!  I know You will forgive any sin, great or small, if I but let it go.  Help me always to do that.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:27 (NIV):  "Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness."

Thought:  To me, injustice and unrighteousness are very relevant sins of today.

Question:  Have I been "redeemed"?

How ironic that Jerusalem, or Zion, will be dealt with in justice and righteousness from God when she herself failed miserably to display these qualities to her citizens.  God is good in the face of evil, overcoming the evil.  He combats the bad in us by giving the good of Himself, sacrifically.  We are redeemed by the very goodness we are incapable of imitating, that is, the faithful promise of forgiveness from God if we confess our injustices and unrighteousnesses.  

To be "redeemed" is to be "bought back" out of a hopeless, losing fate.  God redeems us by accepting Christ's blood as sufficient payment for our sins.  When we admit our sins humbly we are "penitent", as Webster says, "feeling sorrow for offenses."  This, however must be a true, inward grief of guilt for the wrong we've done and not merely feeling sorry we got caught at doing what someone else is calling wrong.  We must agree it was wrong.  We must agree we were wrong.

Prayer:  Lord God, help me to be thoroughly and authentically penitent.  Give me the desire to agree with You, Father.  Save me from a rebellious attitude that destroys my life and works at cross purposes with Your desire to forgive me!  Amen.

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:26 (NIV):  "I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counsellors as at the beginning.  Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."

Thought:  To me, God does all the work.  The only task we have is to yield ourselves up to Him and His work.

Question:  Have I allowed God to "restore" me?

Vital to any "city" are its leaders.  God zeroes in on the restoration of those who care for others--those in authority--the "judges" and "counsellors".  Then the people will follow and be cared for properly.  "As in days of old", to me, hails back to the days in Israel before kings ruled, back to the days of Samuel, Israel's great prophet before King Saul was placed into power.  During the era of pre-King rule, the people obeyed God much more directly, only seeking God's leadership through one, holy man.  Much like Moses, Samuel was a singularly authoritative leader, connected, as was Moses, very directly to God.  God seems to wish a return to this more pure system.

In a way, this can be applied to us as individuals.  God must restore the purity of our minds and hearts:  these are the "organs" of leadership and authority within us.  If our minds are renewed and turned and our hearts yielded and submissive, God can direct the rest of our behaviors.

God is the Restorer.  He does this after "turning" to discipline us.  (See Isaiah 1:25).  He has had our restoration in mind all along.  And He has had an "afterward" look to our future all along, as well; to establish a "city" that is "righteous" and "faithful."  The cities of this age were usually walled for protection.  Protected is what we will be when God is finished purging out sin and evil--protected with righteousness, the righteousness of Christ imputed, or set by God, within us.  When this is accomplished we become "the Faithful City" because God, Christ, in us cannot be unfaithful to Himself.  Thank goodness for that!

Prayer:  Great Restorer and Lover of my soul, bring me back to the righteousness and faithfulness of my original, more simple and pure relationship with You.  I need Your protection!  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:25 (NIV):  "I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities."

Thought:  To me, we need not fear the hand of God turned against us in discipline.  It is not the end for us, but the beginning of cleansing and restoration.

Question:  Has God removed my "dross" and "impurity"? 

Whoever thought that purification was painless was off the mark!  God's hand will be turned against us during purification.  It is like the sharp swat of a loving parent where the very hand that caresses now hurts us.

This "turn" of God's "hand" against us is for good.  Through this process God will purge away all "dross", or useless slag, or, as in the harvest of grain, the chaff or useless husks, and He will "remove all...impurities."  Is this not what we want?  I say, let God have His way!  When a parent resorts to the discipline of spanking or a "turned hand", good is accomplished.  And later the child will learn to appreciate and respect a parent who cares enough to want to separate a child from his own foolishness, (see Proverbs 22:15).  God is better than a loving parent.  His love endures much longer and deeper.  He will not abandon us--He wants to help us.

Prayer:  Loving Father, thank You for caring enough about me to discipline me.  Thank You that this painful process will end in good for my soul.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:24 (NIV):  "Therefore the LORD, the LORD Almighty, The Mighty One of Israel, declares:  'Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.' "

Thought:  To me, we need to remove the scales from our eyes and see clearly that God well act in judgment against sin, though it may seem He is delaying.

Question:  Am I God's foe or friend?

Notice the titles of God given here:  there is an acceleration of names:  1) the LORD:  all capital letters means Elohim--the triune God; 2) the LORD Almighty:  this adds a description of power and might--He can do what He will!; 3) The Mighty One of Israel:  He is the One Who chose them, rules them and has every right to judge them.  

Sometimes we think God is passive, tolerant of evil, not actively doing anything.  But God has determined to "get relief" and to "avenge" Himself of the enemy.  He may delay doing so and function in a different or longer time-frame than we would, but He will definitely move.  He will not allow a state of evil to continue.  Where evil is concerned, God will act.

Read the Bible!  There you'll discover how and when God has avenged Himself in the past and how and when He plans to do so again in the future.  For us, the future "revenge" against evil is well recorded in the book of Revelation.  There we see the wrath of God poured out upon the earth as it never has been before nor ever shall be again.  Webster defines wrath as:  "violent anger; rage; retributory punishment for an offense or crime; divine chastisement."  What is Israel's crime or offense?  Many things including idolatry, injustice, lack of mercy toward the needy and breaking God's many other commandments as given in Mosaic law.  Are these not our sins as well?

How can we escape the wrath of God?  How can we switch camps--come out of the enemy camp and move into the camp of the righteous?  There is only one way:  receive the cleansing of Christ's blood.  Joining to Christ will make you the friend of God!

Prayer:  Oh, LORD Almighty, I bow before You!  Please accept my confession of sin.  Thank You for the blood of Christ that covers my sin, washies it away and protects me from Your vengeance.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:23 (NIV):  " 'Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts.  They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.' "

Thought:  To me, the values and morals of a nation, and particularly its leaders, define whether or not there is loyalty to God.

Question:  Have I recognized the need to kneel and confess today?

Here is the injustice.  Those who rule and should be caring for the victims of society are instead totally self-centered, functioning in the system only to acquire for themselves--and corruptly at that.  Human greed has taken over.  The privilege of high position has become a god and fueled even more selfishness.  The needs of others do not even enter their minds or pass into their field of vision.  Godly motives are non-existant.  Self takes precedence. 

Jerusalem has completely corrupted.  It has abandoned the ways, the selfless, loving ways, of God.  Those who govern are full of rebellion, thievery and bribery.  They care not for the needs of others who are helpless:  the orphans and widows, for whom government was originally created.  They do not serve the heart of God.  Everything has gone from bad to worse.  What will God do now?

Is our current western society anything like this?  Is this scripture of any relevance to us today?  Oh, my, yes!  Will we take heed?  Will you?

Prayer:  Dear God, help me to clearly determine whether or not I have abandoned Your ways, and if I have, show me the first steps of return to You.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:22 (NIV):  "Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water."

Thought:  To me, the sooner we realize how much we lose when we rebell against God, the better.

Question:  Am I in denial regarding how much difference God's rule over me can make in my life?

We see deterioration in Jerusalem.  Things are worsening, cheapening and weakening.  This is always the case when we distance ourselves from God.  We should not settle for second best.  Much of the time we do.  We's rather have independence with a tacky quality of living, than commitment to God and the best of everything.

To me, the "dross" could refer to a drop in economy.  when God is removed from money decisions, poor choices are made and unwise efforts only make things worse.  And the "choice wine", the fruit of the harvest, is "diluted", or of a lower quality than usual.  The removal of allegiance to God eats away at every part of our society:  financial, agricultural and relational, as we saw in verse 21.

Prayer:  Lord, I pray against the deterioration that the enemy wants to bring into my life.  Help me acknowledge my need for You.  Help me serve You in love that Your blessings may be mine.  Amen. 

Scripture:  Isaiah 1:21 (NIV):  "See how the faithful city has become a harlot!  She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her--but now murderers!"

Thought:  To me, God must be so saddened by the changes in many of His people who were once following Him but who have now rejected His ways.

Question:  Am I faithful to God or have I decided to disregard Him?

Here are some opposites:  faithfulness vs. harlotry and righteousness vs. murder.  Perhaps the latter contrast would not occur to us.  How is murder the antithesis of right-doing?  Righteousness is always lived out toward others.  The complete opposite of loving and ministering to others would be to eliminate them through murder.  Remember Cain and Abel:  God told Cain, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is croucing at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."  (Genesis 4:7)  Cain's hatred for Abel mastered him and he committed murder.

Jerusalem is, no doubt, "the city" here mentioned.  Once she was God's vessel--now she is Satan's.  It forces the question, whose vessel are we?  Let us be faithful to God, though pushed and tempted otherwise.  And let us be just and righteous toward others, though through forbearance and patience we must work at it.  There are always the two arenas:  1)  how we are toward God, and 2) how we are toward others.  This verse shows the outcome of the lack of faithfulness, justice and righteousness toward others:  it inevitably leads to murderous hatred.

Prayer:  My God and King, forgive me for any disloyalty toward You at all.  Give me strength to remain faithful to You and to behave righteously toward others.  Amen. 

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