Isa 1:21 | KingComments | STEP | These verses are a lament of Isaiah about the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem. The exclamation “how” ( ) is an expression of grief about the situation that has arisen. The prophet has presented to the people God’s rights and invited them to go into trial with God. He has also shown them God’s willingness to forgive. But “how” the once “faithful city has become”, through her love for the idols, a woman who is “a harlot” ( ). Prophetically, this indicates that the earthly Jerusalem is spiritually a harlot by receiving the antichrist. She has become so bad and depraved that there is no hope of restoration. She who has been “full of justice”, in whom “righteousness lodged”, has become a city of “murderers”. Day and night, the city has been a benefactor for its inhabitants because of the justice that has ruled it. It has been a safe place to live. But justice has lapsed to violence. The judges have become unjust judges, people who distort the law. As a result, they are murderers themselves and they also let murderers go unpunished, so that they have a place to live in the city. As a result, the city has lost everything that made it pleasant and safe to live there. The most poignant case of unjust justice and murder is the condemnation of the Lord Jesus and the death penalty that was inflicted on Him in and through this city. An ungodly mixture took place ( ). What should be of value as silver, by which the leaders of God’s people are meant, has become worthless dross. The leaders have become depraved, worthless people through their complacency and self-indulgence. The leaders, who should be like wine a joy of the inhabitants, have become a drink that cannot be drunk and is spit out. As an application, we can say that what is valuable to God, silver, and gives Him joy, wine, in a righteous judgment, has disappeared. Dross, which is worthless, and water, which dilutes the wine, for example human tradition, remove or obscure God’s right. The leaders have become tyrants. They have rebelled against the LORD and have rejected Him ( ). They prefer the company of thieves to the company of the LORD. They commit their theft by robbing the socially disadvantaged. They act according to the principle ‘quid pro quo’. They twist the law, but in return expect a quid pro quo from those for whose benefit they twist the law. For bribes from the rich, they twist the law and squeeze the poor and defenseless orphan and widow even more.

‏ Isaiah 1:21

The Cause of Judgment

These verses are a lament of Isaiah about the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem. The exclamation “how” (Isa 1:21) is an expression of grief about the situation that has arisen. The prophet has presented to the people God’s rights and invited them to go into trial with God. He has also shown them God’s willingness to forgive. But “how” the once “faithful city has become”, through her love for the idols, a woman who is “a harlot” (Deu 31:16). Prophetically, this indicates that the earthly Jerusalem is spiritually a harlot by receiving the antichrist.

She has become so bad and depraved that there is no hope of restoration. She who has been “full of justice”, in whom “righteousness lodged”, has become a city of “murderers”. Day and night, the city has been a benefactor for its inhabitants because of the justice that has ruled it. It has been a safe place to live. But justice has lapsed to violence. The judges have become unjust judges, people who distort the law.

As a result, they are murderers themselves and they also let murderers go unpunished, so that they have a place to live in the city. As a result, the city has lost everything that made it pleasant and safe to live there. The most poignant case of unjust justice and murder is the condemnation of the Lord Jesus and the death penalty that was inflicted on Him in and through this city.

An ungodly mixture took place (Isa 1:22). What should be of value as silver, by which the leaders of God’s people are meant, has become worthless dross. The leaders have become depraved, worthless people through their complacency and self-indulgence. The leaders, who should be like wine a joy of the inhabitants, have become a drink that cannot be drunk and is spit out.

As an application, we can say that what is valuable to God, silver, and gives Him joy, wine, in a righteous judgment, has disappeared. Dross, which is worthless, and water, which dilutes the wine, for example human tradition, remove or obscure God’s right.

The leaders have become tyrants. They have rebelled against the LORD and have rejected Him (Isa 1:23). They prefer the company of thieves to the company of the LORD. They commit their theft by robbing the socially disadvantaged. They act according to the principle ‘quid pro quo’. They twist the law, but in return expect a quid pro quo from those for whose benefit they twist the law. For bribes from the rich, they twist the law and squeeze the poor and defenseless orphan and widow even more.