I love reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I just passed- Ecclesiastes where all is ‘meaningless’. Slightly depressing, but challenging. Went quickly through Song of Songs, the opposite of the preceding book. Lots of passion within a holy context.
Then I started Isaiah on a Monday morning. A little adventurous for the start of the week.
Isaiah chapter 1 is a “vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.“, but I love the practical principles that I can apply to my own life. It’s actually really cool. Just stick with it to the end. The best part hides at the bottom.
The Kingdom is divided. Israel soon will be in captivity because the kings were getting further and further from God and the nation was following the leaders.
Judah was coming from behind into their steps. God gives them warnings. In each point, we’ll look at the Bible, then we’ll have a practical principle to apply.
1. Presenting The Problem (vs. 2-4)
a. What the Bible says:
- God says: “I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.“
- Their sins: evildoers, gave into corruption, forgot about God, turned their back on Him.
b. How can I apply:
What are some areas of your life in which you’re ignoring God? God showed them where they went off the track. What ongoing sins are you dealing with? Possibly not even big sins, that people can see and judge. Maybe they are quiet sins, hidden in your heart that tug on your conscience from time to time. But, you’re working hard to become more immune to disregarding the Holy Spirit talking to you, or you are too busy to even hear that gentle whisper of rebuking.
When I am too busy, I don’t have time to collect my thoughts. Make time to be quiet. I sometimes let our family know that I need alone time. (I might even set the timer for 30 minutes or more and ask the kids not to interrupt.) Or you can wake up earlier, or go to bed later. Whatever works for you.
Remember this deep principle: One bad egg, spoils a whole omelet. That one messy area of life, will not let you flourish spiritually or in any other way until it’s completely removed/ pruned. So, make time to spot those ‘bad eggs’.
2. Asking Rhetorical Questions (vs. 5-9)
The great thing about rhetorical questions is that they don’t expect an answer, but they provoke our thinking.
a. What the Bible says:
- “Why do you persist in rebellion?“
- Can’t you see what it leads to? “From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.”
- The country is desolate
- Cities are burned
- ‘Daughter of Zion‘= Jerusalem became like a temporary shelter in a vineyard watching out for thieves
- ! Not what God had in mind with Jerusalem or this nation. Not reaching its full potential.
b. How can I apply:
Where did your sins lead to? Be it one sin or a grocery-list of sins, what are the natural consequences it brought on? For Jerusalem, its own identity shifted from a great fortress to a hut in the field. Did you use to be someone and turned into someone else that even you don’t recognize anymore?
What are those wounds and open sores for you? Lack of trust, betrayal, loneliness, guilt… you name it.
How are you dealing with the much-painful wounds? My favourite part in this chapter is verse six. It’s a perfect picture of how we need to deal with open sores. They need to be:
- “Cleansed” – removing infection from the wound. Dealing with it. Talking about it. Granting forgiveness. Getting rid of bitterness. Seeking for help. All of these done in prayer.
- “Bandaged“- placing a protection over the wound, not to get worse. Setting specific boundaries of protection. Protection over a relationship, a financial mess, a severe addiction etc.
- “Soothed with olive oil“- olive oil has healing power. God is the healer. He has His methods that we don’t always understand. It might sting, but it’s with the purpose to make you better. Cling tight to the hope in God.
3. A Challenge To STOP & To START (vs.10- 20)
a. What the Bible says:
- STOP bringing meaningless offerings
- STOP having worthless assemblies
- STOP giving me prayers I won’t listen to
“Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!”
- START making yourselves clean
- START learning to do right
- START following the principle: You OBEY- You are BLESSED, You DISOBEY – you are CURSED
“If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
b. How can I apply:
STOP impressing everyone. And START working from the inside out. We do so many praise-worthy things that people may applaud to, but God may not be impressed with. Why? Because he sees beyond the shallow side of our nature. He is saddened by our heart’s intent, the unresolved sin… He sees our guilt. He wants for us to STOP the charade and START the cleaning campaign in our inner life.
I love the song From the Inside Out, by Joel Houston
“In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out,
Lord, let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out”
4. In Conclusion (vs. 21- 31)
a. What the Bible says:
The best you have to offer is of low quality.
- The faithful city turned into a prostitute (faithful to no one)
- Your silver has become dross (a bunch of junk)
- Best wine is diluted with water (I’m not an expert in wine tasting, but that sounds cheap.)
- Leaders are rebels and thieves (no one would want to follow that)
God will bring His vengeance on his enemies, but NOT how we expect it.
- God will turn His hand against Jerusalem (How is that helpful??)
- He will remove impurities by purging out the dross (painful process of rehabilitation)
- He will restore (In His great love, He’s always waiting for us to return to Him for restoration)
- They will have shame and remorse over what they’ve done (genuine repentance is ashamed of its sin)
“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.“
*** The ‘sacred oaks’ and the ‘gardens’ refer to places where people were going to sin, giving sacrifices to other gods and doing many more disgraceful acts in front of God.
!!! What are your secret ‘sacred oaks’ you go to with your mind, or your body? Pause. And genuinely ask God to help you not visit them again.
The end result for those who choose not to stay in a place of blessing
“You will be like an oak with fading leaves,
like a garden without water.
The mighty man will become tinder.”
b. How can I apply:
Is my best of low quality? Am I complacently okay with not reaching my full potential? God might have some amazing things in store for me.
Before God can RESTORE, He REMOVES. Allow His restoration pain to clean out the dross (the junk) out of you, so He can turn You into a precious jewel.
Put yourself in a place of blessing, because ‘a garden without water’ has no life and it’s not reaching its full potential.
Things I need to work on:
- What are some areas of my life in which I’m ignoring God?
- How am I dealing with the open sores?
- STOP impressing everyone. And START working from the inside out.
- Is the best I have to offer of low quality?
- If I want to be RESTORED, am I ok with God REMOVING dross?
- If I’m not reaching my potential, is it because I’m not in a place of blessing?