1. VS 1:16-17 - “16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.”” - Isaiah tells the nation of Israel to cleanser herself from her sins
  2. 9.1.Isaiah tells the people to ‘wash themselves’ and ‘make themselves clean’not because it is in their own power to cleanse themselves from their sins, but because the must make a choice of their own free-will to repent. Cleansing will occur, when they repent and believe God.
  3. 9.2.When Isaiah tells the people to ‘cease evil, learn to do good’, he is referring to both sins of omission and sins of commission.
  4. 9.2.1.Sins of commission are those things that we do which are in direct violation of one of God’s laws.
  5. 9.2.2.Sins of omission are those things that we fail to do that are part of our commission by the Lord. For instance, we are called to preach the gospel to the whole world, however if we will not speak up about our faith and commitment to the Lord we have sinned.
  6. 9.2.2.1.We should be people who are always trying to learn more about the Lord and his ways.
  7. 9.3.We see here that what is most grievous about the sins of the people is how they affect those who are poor, weak, and helpless: ‘Seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.’
  8. 10.VS 1:18-20 - “18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. 19 “If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; 20 “But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” - The Lord through Isaiah asks the people to reason with Him, for if they repent He will forgive their sins, cleanse them and restore their land
  9. 10.1.Isaiah shows us that the Lord never judges any people without first offering them an alternative. The Lord takes no pleasure in punishing the wicked. He would much rather restore them, forgive their sins, and call them sons and daughters.
  10. 10.2.Using contrasts through word pictures, Isaiah describes how the Lord can remove a person’s sins.
  11. 10.2.1.Our sins stick out and are as obvious before the Lord as the color crimson stands out. However, if we will let the Lord cleanse us He will make our hearts to be as white as big white snow flakes falling from the sky.
  12. 10.2.2.Our sins are red as crimson, yet if we will let the Lord cleanse us from our sins He shall cleanse us so that our hearts are as pure as soft wool from the lamb.
  13. 10.3.Isaiah uses contrasts to reveal God will either bless or curse the nation
  14. 10.3.1.If the people will repent the Lord promises that He will see that they will eat the best of the land, whereas now their enemies had burned their fields and crops.
  15. 10.3.2.If the people instead choose to rebel against the Lord, He will see that they will be devoured by the sword. Enemies will come and conquer their land.
  16. 10.3.2.1.We know that many years later Israel had still not repented as a nation and the Lord allowed them to go into captivity into Babylon because of this.
  17. 10.4.Isaiah tells us that the Lord had verified that these are His words saying, “Truly!”
  1. VS 1:21-23 - “21 How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your drink diluted with water. 23 Your rulers are rebels, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe, And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.” - Isaiah tells us about the sinful state of the people of the city of Jerusalem

2.1.Isaiah tells us that the ‘faithful city has become a harlot’.

3.1.1.2.1.1.In the Old Testament the Lord called the people of Israel to be joined to Him, to be His people, to be as if they were ‘married’ to him. This was a covenant relationship which the Israelites made with the Lord, just as marriage for humans is a covenant relationship. The Lord promised to be faithful to them and to bless them in every way if they would just remain faithful to Him and not have any other gods or idols in their lives. The Israelites for their part of the covenant promised that they would follow the Lord and be faithful and obedient to Him. However, they were constantly going after other gods and putting up their idols all across their land, and thus we see the Old Testament prophets constantly decrying that the Israelites were unfaithful lovers of God who were committing spiritual adultery.

3.1.2.2.1.2.Here we see that Jerusalem which once was full of those who were faithful to the Lord and the covenant which they had made with the Lord, is now a city which Isaiah describes as being a ‘harlot’.

3.1.2.1.2.1.2.1.Jerusalem is a ‘harlot’ because the people have not even gone after one other god, they had gone after lots of the gods of the nations around them.

3.2.2.2.Isaiah tells us that once, before Jerusalem had gone after all of the other gods, that she ‘was full of justice’ and that ‘righteousness once lodged in her’.

3.2.1.2.2.1.It is such a sad thing when a nation who once was committed to the Lord turns away from Him.

3.3.2.3.Isaiah tells us that now Jerusalem is filled with ‘murderers’, however I believe he may be speaking in a symbolic way about how the people who were taking such advantage of the poor, weak, and helpless were now making commerce of them. They were actually murdering them in a spiritual sense, driving them away from the only source of spiritual life and vitality that they could ever have.

3.4.2.4.Silver is a precious metal, and at one time the people in Jerusalem committed works of righteousness which were as pure and valuable in God’s sight as silver is in our day. However, now those works do not shine at all, the silver has tarnished.

3.4.1.2.4.1.Silver when it tarnishes first just sort of dulls in color, and eventually unless the tarnish is removed it will turn to black.

3.5.2.5.The water of life which flowed in the hearts of the people as they served the Lord with all of their hearts is now diluted to the point that the people do not have any more spiritual life in them than the heathen nations around them.

3.6.2.6.In verse 23, Isaiah tells us about the corruption of the leaders and officials in Judea. They are inwardly rebels against the Lord and the have thieves for their companions. In other words, they are in rebellion against the Lord’s will as revealed in the scriptures and they are stealing from the people when they should be giving to them and helping them.

3.6.1.2.6.1.Isaiah tells us also that the officials routinely take bribes so that justice is delved out to the highest bidder.

3.6.2.2.6.2.Isaiah tells us that the leaders actually chase after those who will ‘grease their palms’ so to speak.

3.6.3.2.6.3.Worst of all the leaders do not defend the widows and see that orphans are cared for. Rather, they make merchandise of these who them should be helping.

  1. 3.VS 1:24-27 - “24 Therefore the Lord God of hosts, The Mighty One of Israel declares, “Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries, And avenge Myself on My foes. 25 “I will also turn My hand against you, And will smelt away your dross as with lye, And will remove all your alloy. 26 “Then I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning; After that you will be called the city of righteousness, A faithful city.” 27 Zion will be redeemed with justice, And her repentant ones with righteousness.” - Isaiah tells the nation of Israel what the Lord will do with Jerusalem and Judea, He Himself will remove their dross as with lye and purify them Himself
  2. 3.1.Isaiah tells us that the Lord says the He will remove His adversaries and avenge Himself on His foes.
  3. 3.2.Isaiah tells us that when it comes to the Lord’s people, that instead of destroying them for good, He will instead restore them in real righteousness. The Lord is committed to chastening every son who comes to Him. Just as a parent disciplines his child, so the Lord disciplines His children through the fiery trials that He sends among them.
  4. 3.3.As we saw in the first study of this book, whenever Isaiah tells us that the Lord is going to judge His people, He also gives the people the option to repent and be saved from judgment, and he also tells us that the Lord is eventually going to restore to Himself a faithful remnant. Here we see that as a result of the sin of the city of Jerusalem that the Lord is going to discipline His people with a view to His restoration of them to Himself.
  5. 3.3.1.The Lord takes no joy in the death or judgment of the wicked, for it is His desire and will that all be saved and come to repentence. For instance, in Ezekiel 33:11 we see this principle stated, “11 “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’”
  6. 3.4.When the Lord eventually restores Jerusalem, we see that they will again have righteous judges, their counselors will point and lead people to the Lord, and the city will be called ‘the city of righteousness, a faithful city’.
  7. 3.5.The restoration of the city and nation was fulfilled only partially with what the Lord did under Ezra and Nehemiah, after the Babylonian Captivity, however the real and complete fulfillment of the prophesy will occur during the Millenial Reign of Christ and the new heavens and earth.
  8. 3.6.Isaiah tells us in verse 27 that ‘Zion will be redeemed with justice’, and this is to me very intriguing. Every government that has ever existed on the earth has to have a system of justice in order to exist, otherwise anarchy will reign and thugs will use force to steal, kill, rape, you name it. Justice is what people get when they have to pay for a crime committed by serving in prison or jail, paying fines of restitution, and even having their own lives taken. The Lord promises that Jerusalem will be redeemed with justice because He is a God of justice, and because of the sins of mankind there has be justice executed upon the people. The justice with which mankind is to be redeemed is the justice that was executed upon the Son of God upon the cross of Calvary where He died for the sins of mankind. Christ took the full fury of the wrath of God for all of the sins which mankind has ever committed. As a result of this sacrifice of Himself the sins of mankind can be atoned for, and thus Zion can be redeemed.
  9. 3.7.Isaiah tells us that it is the ‘repentant’ ones who will be restored. God will always save a faithful remnant, and just being born in Israel does not make anyone to automatically be one of God’s people. Each person must become one of God’s people by making a covenant of faithfulness to the Lord.
  10. 3.8.Isaiah tells us that the repentant ones will be redeemed with ‘righteousness’.
  11. 3.8.1.In order for a person to come into relationship with the Lord it requires that the person be righteousness, however since none of us are righteous in and of ourselves, it is the righteousness of Christ which must be imputed to us in order for us to be redeemed.
  12. 4.VS 1:28 - “28 But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, And those who forsake the Lord shall come to an end.” - Isaiah tells us the end of those who are transgressors of God’s law
  13. 4.1.The transgressors and sinners are those who continue on in rebellion and never come to that place where they repent and turn their lives over to the Lord. Isaiah tells us that they shall be ‘crushed together’.
  14. 4.2.Eventually, all of those who insist upon rebelling against the Lord will be given over by the Lord to His judgment. Though the Lord would rather the wicked repent, if they continue on in sin He will eventually destroy them.
  15. 5.VS 1:29-30 - “29 Surely, you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen. 30 For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away, Or as a garden that has no water.” - Isaiah tells the people that they will be ashamed of the oaks which they have desired and the gardens they have chosen
  16. 5.1.In Ezekiel 6:13 we read that it under every green tree the people of Israel went and offered sacrifices and burned incense to other gods, “13 “Then you will know that I am the Lord, when their slain are among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak—the places where they offered soothing aroma to all their idols.”
  17. 5.1.1.Hosea tells us in Hosea 4:13 the same thing as Ezekiel, “13 They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountainsAnd burn incense on the hills, Under oak, poplar, and terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot, And your brides commit adultery.”
  18. 5.1.2.Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 65:3 that the people offered sacrifices in gardens, “3 A people who continually provoke Me to My face, Offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on bricks.”
  19. 5.2.Because the people have offered the sacrifices to other gods under the oak trees and in the gardens, Isaiah tells them that the Lord will cause it to happen to them that they will become like the oak tree whose leaf fades away or a garden that has not been watered.
  20. 6.VS 1:31 - “31 And the strong man will become tinder, His work also a spark. Thus they shall both burn together, And there will be none to quench them.” - Isaiah tells us that the strong man will burn as will his work
  21. 6.1.It was the strong who were oppressing the weak in Judea, the rich who were oppressing the poor, the orphans, the widows, etc., therefore the strong will themselves be judged.

6.2.The judgment of the strong will be fierce and unquenchable.

  1. 7.VS 2:1-2 - “1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it will come about that In the last days, The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” - Isaiah tells us that in the last dayst that Jerusalem, the mountain of the Lord, will be raised up above the hills and all nations will stream to it
  2. 7.1.In the scriptures of the Bible we see that mountains are sometimes used symbolically to refer to nations or governments.
  3. 7.2.Likewise, Jerusalem is often referred to as a mountain or the mountain of the Lord
  4. 7.2.1.Jerusalem is literally higher in elevation than all of the adjacent land in Judea.
  5. 7.3.The Lord says though here that He is going to elevate Jerusalem up above the hills.

7.3.1.The hills probably refers to the other nations of the world.

8.3.1.7.3.2.The Lord could cause the earth to literally be pushed up even higher in Jerusalem when Jesus comes to the earth to reign for a thousand years.

8.4.7.4.As I mentioned at the outset, Isaiah always spoke of Jerusalem as being the place where God is to establish His kingdom, and that it is to be the center of the world for all of eternity.

8.4.1.7.4.1.In the first verse of this book we saw that Isaiah told us that his vision had to do with Judea and Jerusalem.

8.5.7.5.We read from Zech. 14:16-18 that during the Millenial Reign of Christ we read in the scriptures that all of the nations will come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and that the nations that do not offer sacrifices there will have no rain fall on them, “16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.17 And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them.18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the Lord smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.”